ajmpalmer

[ajmpalmer]

Cycling Business Podcast 6. The Changing Bike Media Landscape.

As with every publishing business, the cycling media landscape has changed beyond recognition in the past 10 years with the move away from print to digital platforms. Long-standing print publications have faced challenges on all sides to maintain both editorial quality and advertising revenue in the face of competition from new digital publishers.

But beyond this, what specifically has changed for both publishers and brands and how do those on both sides of the business need to adapt to this changing media landscape? Is print in terminal decline? And how are digital platforms challenging for both valuable consumer attention and ad budgets?

I'm joined by 2 guests with some heavyweight experience on both sides of the publishing landscape to look at this in more detail; Neal Rogers, former editor of Velo News and current US editor of Cycling Tips, and Richard Schofield, cycling media consultant and former publisher of cycling titles at Future Publishing.

#media #publishing #advertising #digital #magazines #cyclingbusiness

[ajmpalmer]

Very pleased with how this one turned out....

More info here.

#slimchance #steel is real #made in usa #fatchancebikes

[ajmpalmer]

Cycling Business Podcast 5. Coffee and Mobile Mechanics; Shaking Up The Bike Retail Model.

We talked at length in a previous episode about the challenges that the growth in consumer direct sales places on traditional bike retail. With the local bike shop facing increasing competition on all sides how can it stay relevant and survive in today's changing market place? 

In this episode we're joined by the founders of 2 very different businesses who are part of a shift in todays bike retail landscape; Chris Guillemet from mobile mechanic network Velofix, and Sam Humpherson from London bike / coffee shop Look Mum No Hands! 

Tune in to hear how both the franchised mobile mechanic business and the growth in bike / coffee shops are providing consumers alternatives to the traditional bike shop.

#cycling #business #bike business #velofix #coffee

[ajmpalmer]

Cycling Business Podcast 4. Doing Bike Business In Asia.

It's very well known that the majority of larger bike brands manufacture many of their frames and other components in Asia, in particular in Taiwan and China. But beyond this, most consumers know very little about this major part of the worldwide bike market. Is this simply by accident or by design?

In this episode we're joined by Andrew Herrick (CEO of Intense Bikes) and Neil Webb (Founder and MD of Bowman Cycles) to take a closer look at exactly what goes on when bike companies source product from Asia. What are the challenges involved, and should we collectively be concerned about any of the environmental and ethical questions this raises?

[ajmpalmer]

Cyclist Mag - May Issue - Los Angeles Ride Feature.

Last year I helped Cyclist Mag with a ride feature in LA, couple of great shots from a cold day in the Angeles Crest.

“Road signs state ‘35mph speed limit’, but we’re rocketing as we hug immaculately surfaced bends and drop down through canyons, using the entire width of the road to optimise visibility and speed. Quarter-Swiss Alex lets loose his inner Cancellara, topping out at almost 90kmh. In all, it takes us just 20 minutes to return to the bridge on the San Gabriel Reservoir that directs us eastwards towards Mount Baldy.”

[ajmpalmer]

Cycling Weekly Buyers Guide - Whats the point?

Can some please enlighten me on how this helps anyone buy a bike???

[ajmpalmer]

Cycling Business Podcast - Episode 3. Consumer Direct Sales.

In this edition we're looking at the impact of the consumer direct online business model on the bike industry. With the growth of online brands such as Canyon, consolidation of online retailers with Wiggle's acquisition of Chain Reaction, and both Trek and Giant implementing hybrid click and collect services - where does this leave the rest of the industry and in particular the increasingly challenged brick and mortar retailer?

We're joined by 2 guests from both sides of the consumer direct debate; Brendan Quirk, founder of Competitive Cyclist and now President of Rapha North America, and Eric Bjorling, Brand Communications Director with Trek Bikes.

#cyclingbusiness

[ajmpalmer]

Can a bike KickStarter be too successful.

In a soon to be released episode of The Cycling Business Podcast I was joined by Adam Vollmer of Faraday Bikes. One subject that came up in conversation, ironically after we had stopped recording was around some of the really successful cycling KickStarter projects, and whether too much success is necessarily a good thing. Now you may think this is something of sour grapes from 2 guys who have run KickStarter’s in the low $100′s of thousands (with Faraday and Fat Chance respectively), rather that $1M+, but let me explain....

So far 2 projects have really stood out to me in being crazy successful, but also raising many questions about the long term viability of either project.

First up the Storm Sonders eBike on IndieGogo, currently the 2nd most successful ever on IndieGogo raising over $6M. More recently the SpeedX Leopard connected Aero Bike has smashed its target raising over $1M in the first few days, with several weeks still to go.

Lets list a few of the similarities in the 2 campaigns:

- No visible track record in the bike industry (I mean that’s obvious just by looking at the gear the SpeedX bike is in for the photo above, basic road bike styling FAIL), or big company structure behind them (I say not visible as this is not mentioned on either campaign, but I could be wrong).

- Incredibly good price / spec ration. An eBike for $500 and a connected Aero bike for $1399 both jump right out as great deals. But the flip side, knowing a little about the cost of materials, production, competitor product, both are likely selling at a very low margin indeed.

- Made in Asia. No bad thing, especially given the great spec and pricing on both. SpeedX also looks like its an Asian based company. But what does this mean for local support in the country the customer is in?

What are the risks / implications for both:

Given the lack of track record in the industry, and few details on either company structure it raises some obvious question firstly on ability to deliver. In the case of Sonders this all looks good so far. The second potentially more critical issue is long term customer support. Both are new, complex products, sold to a large amount of people... which is all good until something goes wrong and people need technical / warranty support? Who provides this? There are no dealers to fall back on.

Next up, and this might be where the sour grapes come in... but to what extent do campaigns like this harm other businesses trying to grow with a more normal margin? I think was where Adam’s point resonated. Faraday, who raised less money have carefully built a great dealer network and put the support systems in place because they know an eBike is inherently complicated. Do consumers consider this when making an impulse buy on KickStarter? Probably not.. it all comes back to being seduced by a smoking hot deal!

I suspect that most KickStarter campaigns run at a loss (again something we discuss in the Podcast) when you take into account the marketing and promotional efforts needed to really drive interest in the campaign. This extra scale clearly gives these 2 projects a better chance of staying in the black. Per unit manufacturing costs should in theory go down (I say in theory but I wouldn’t mind betting in many KickStarters this is not the case). At the same time fulfilment costs, staff, infrastructure etc all go up as does the time to fulfill everything.

Would we have liked to have sold more frames through the Fat Chance KickStarter? Clearly yes, the extra revenue could have put us in a better financial position, but more frames would have added more complexity to a project that took much longer than planned to deliver, which again must be pretty common in KickStarter world. And don’t forgot all the time you are working on simply fulfilling your KickStarter obligations, it’s almost impossible to work on developing the rest of your product pipeline.

In summary then I say good luck to Storm Sonders and SpeedX, I wish you well, but i’m just glad our KickStarter is finally behind us and it’s given a platform to get on with the real work of building a bike company.

#kickstarter #cyclingbusiness

[ajmpalmer]

Come on @cyclingweeklymagazine time to rethink these lazy out of ten ratings. 8 lights on test and you give 6 of them 8/10! Not helping consumers choose...

[ajmpalmer]

Another bike #adfail post.. @bianchi_usa you think anyone ever reads any of this tech blurb / graphs when flicking through a mag?!

#adfail

[ajmpalmer]

@rugby_world_cup2015 Sponsorship observation while watching final on Sat. How do @societegenerale justify investment when so much of their media exposure/ value is wasted with the majority of TV coverage outside France? Am I missing a big international part of their business? #sponsorship #sportsponsorship #sportsbusiness #rwc2015

#sportsbusiness #sportsponsorship #rwc2015 #sponsorship

[ajmpalmer]

[ajmpalmer]

The first of five simple steps for social media success.

#socialmedia #socialsystem #socialmediamarketing #instagood #instalike #instadaily #inspiration #quote (at Santa Monica, California)

[ajmpalmer]

Respect to my former colleagues at Canyon, some very smart (and no doubt cost effective) sports marketing this season which netted them; Ironman Winner, Enduro World Series Team, UCI World Tour Team & Individual titles.

[ajmpalmer]

Love what Giro have done with the Grinduro event concept, captures a growing trend for gravel riding in a fun yet semi competitive event. Best part has been how it's inspired so many NorCal bike builders to produce some great looking bikes for the event. Featured above just a selection from Caletti, Retrotec, Black Cat, Soulcraft, Spooky and Blaze.

#Grinduro #NorCal #giro #gravel

[ajmpalmer]

Why it’s fine being an average cyclist.

Poor Brett Lewis from Cycling Active magazine writes in his latest column about the perils of being a new to cycling, Strava obsessed roadie in the South East of England.

Consumed by chasing KOM, Kudos and his local segments on Strava, in one of the most active parts of the country on Strava, he’s left demotivated by his place in the Strava hierarchy:

“Before I became a cyclist, I would never have believed that being so average would entail so much sweat and pain”

Are we in danger of turning new people off the sport completely by this obsession with tracking, performance, comparing ourselves constantly to others? Burning them out by thinking they are not good enough or just “average”? Brett - it’s totally fine to be average, leave your Garmin behind one day, go for a ride just for the sake of enjoying the ride, the countryside, spending time with your ride companions, enjoying a coffee stop.... that’s what riding a bike is all about not chasing data and feeling “average”.

#strava #cyclingactive #blogposts

[ajmpalmer]

Classic cycling #adfail from @eastoncycling "Drop the gloves.. Because our bars are more ergonomic" don't know anyone who wears gloves as their bars are uncomfortable.. More about crash protection, grip etc.

#adfail