Sign up | Cycling industry10Veteran of the industry Haoke: Out with the old, in with the new — bike shops&Several suggestions for upgrading and transforming cycling clubs | Ruide Living Room
This issue’s guests and topic
Issue 20, 2016 (Total Issue 67)
Ever since we launched the Ruide Living Room, we’ve been hearing that cycling will be the next big trend after running. And indeed, cycling has taken off enthusiastically all over the place. On the other hand, however, brick-and-mortar bike stores are generally on the decline.
So, how should bike shops transform now and in the future, and how can cycling form a complete industrial chain? Come and listen to what Haoke, founder of Fengyun Bikes & Pofeng Cycling, has to say.
Haoke — male, enjoys the company of females, height suitable for a 17-inch bike frame, wears XL-sized cycling gear. A seasoned cycling enthusiast who has ridden over 160,000 kilometers. Over a decade ago, he founded the Fengyun Bikes forum. In 2013, he quit his job at IBM to focus on developing Fengyun Bikes. In 2015, sensing the trend of “Internet+”, and leveraging his own strengths, he established Pofeng Cycling.
Haoke says:
Brick-and-mortar stores represent the traditional business order, while Taobao shops represent the new commercial logic under the internet environment. Tradition has its advantages, and the internet has its shortcomings. But everyone should see one major trend: new things will eventually defeat the old — it’s just a matter of time.
I believe deep-level integration should be: selling standardized industrial products online, while physical stores focus on personalized services. The same owner can run both a Taobao shop and a physical store — the Taobao shop specializes in selling bikes and parts, while the physical store focuses on customized services, maintenance, events, salons, coffee, tea art, and more.
There’s a Chinese saying: “Out with the old, in with the new — destroy before you build.” Isn’t the closure of traditional bike shops also the rise of the next generation of bike shops?
Clubs that haven’t lasted three years shouldn’t talk about experience.
Frankly speaking, I haven’t seen too many competitors yet. In the niche market of high-end bike rentals, there aren’t yet many truly significant players (though some may be quietly growing).
Time: June 22, 2016, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Ruide Living Room WeChat group
Sign up: Add the host on WeChat (ohoneone)
The following topics will be covered in the sharing:
1. Who am I, and what have I done?
2. Why was 2015 the year of bike shop closures?
3. Examples and analysis of bike shop transformation and upgrading
4. What will be the next hot spot for cycling (bike) investment?
5. What qualities should a successful cycling club possess?
6. The toughest challenges Pofeng faced, and how they were overcome