Syracuse Bicycle: Best Bicycle Shop Profile

Syracuse Bicycle

 Syracuse Bicycle, in Syracuse New York, was chosen as one of America’s Best Bicycle Shops in 2019. I recently spoke with Jim Lampman, the operations manager in order to highlight some things that transform good bicycle shops into the Best!

Syracuse Bicycle in its current iteration has been around since the early 2000s, as Syracuse Bicycle, having been run and owned since sometime in the 1960s by others and having previously been rooted in the Schwinn store model. The business is currently owned by Paul Komanecky. Jim noted that the store still has a pretty good supply of NOS Schwinn “stuff” packed away, that can come to the rescue for long ago obsolete, parts if need be.

CREATING CYCLISTS

My conversation with Jim started when I asked a fairly open-ended question about what the business was “about”. I learned that Syracuse Bicycle has really taken a deep dive into creating community and cyclists by being involved heavily in NICA, youth, and club-style road teams that aim to help with outreach, along with delving into trail work projects. They also have two women’s programs called WOW, or Women On Wheels and Women In The Woods. These women’s programs follow the same story I have heard elsewhere and experienced in our own bike shop. Simply put, women really seem to engage deeply with these types of programs, of bringing riders into the mix at a very green level to the sport and often moving them up through the ranks from riders initially arriving on hybrids to becoming road riders, to eventually even mentoring new riders themselves. The fostering of group mentality is something that has a profound impact on the participants. They have even adapted some of the elements of the youth style programs to the entry-level adult riders. Without hesitation, I can say that retailers looking to stay relevant and create lifelong customers will do well to emulate this approach of concentrating on bringing new riders into the fold. Amazon will never take your riders out and show them the thrill of cycling!

CHALLENGES FACED

I asked Jim to address the challenges he sees day in and out in the store and it was no surprise to hear about the challenges facing retail with heavily commoditized products being sold online and able to be price checked at the swipe of a finger. This generally does not apply to bicycles and that is positive, along with some suppliers delivering unique products that are aimed at the brick and mortar channel exclusively in order for retailers to preserve their margins.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

The most exciting question for me is what retailers see as the biggest positive on the immediate horizon, and Jim did not stray too far from the theme of engaging with riders. Syracuse Bicycle has delivered with bringing riders events that a wide range of their clients and hopefully those soon to be, can find themselves enjoying. From weekly mid weeknight mountain bike races at a local brewery to fat and cyclocross races, they have attracted a wide variety of fun-seeking competitors, They also took a ride that had 25/50/100 miles distances and changed it slightly to be kilometers to attract even more riders(brilliant!). With beer included after the event, and riders less worn out it created a better post-ride environment. The bonus is the proceeds go to a challenged athlete to help them purchase gear or help with adaptive outfitting to keep them riding.

IN-STORE EVENTS

Finally, in-store events have also organically grown to become somewhat legendary. Starting with Performance Night held each March they hold a very popular evening of their vendors showing off to customers all the latest and greatest stuff, along with door prizes, food, etc.  The number of cyclists I was told who attend the event was pretty incredible! In the fall they have a large sale running from the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the weekend after. This event is credited with providing enough of a boost in sales to allow them to remain simply a bike shop through the winter without having to add additional product lines and risks such as skis.

Syracuse Bicycle seems to have figured out the secret sauce to bring new riders into the fold, keeping those riders moving up to enthusiast-level and then onto evangelists of cycling and the shop.

Congratulations to Syracuse Bicycle for being named one of America’s Best Bike Shops for 2019!

Words by David DeKeyser

David DeKeyser and his wife Rebecca Cleveland owned and operated The Bike Hub in De Pere, Wisconsin, for nearly 18 years. In 2018, they sold the business and real estate to another retailer based in a nearby community. David now writes the Positive Spin series on Bicycle Retailer and Industry News and he writes articles for the NBDA’s blog, Outspokin’. David also provides business consulting through the NBDA’s P2 Consult Program.

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