Georgetown University Survey

[gtownbikedude]

Hey Guys,

I’m new to the Bike Arlington forum, but I’ve really enjoyed reading the banter on a lot of these posts. I’m a Georgetown University student, a loyal daily commuter, and also been a bike mechanic the past few years at an area Washington, DC shop. As a class project, I’m gathering information about bike buying habits of people in the area and was hoping some guys / girls on here would be willing to help me out. The survey is all bike related takes 3 – 4 mins to complete. I’d really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

http://mcdonough.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID= … EcNriaGuJS

Topic

[Tim Kelley]

Looks like the link got broken–can you resubmit it?

[chris_s]

@Tim Kelley 10790 wrote:

Looks like the link got broken–can you resubmit it?

Fear my Google-fu, here is the survey link.

[DismalScientist]

Interesting survey. I own a ton of bikes. The newest one is from the mid 1990s.

[CCrew]

Not very commuter friendly questions.

[jrenaut]

@DismalScientist 10828 wrote:

Interesting survey. I own a ton of bikes. The newest one is from the mid 1990s.

Clearly the implication is that you should begin replacing your fleet, one per year, with brand new (and really expensive) bikes with brake lever shifters.

[5555624]

@gtownbikedude 10789 wrote:

I’m gathering information about bike buying habits of people in the area

“Road” bike buying habits.

Most of my bikes are moutain bikes. While I technially have a road bike (a Surly Cross Check), I don’t ride it even once a week. (Heck, it spends more time on the trainer.)

[Joe Chapline]

@DismalScientist 10828 wrote:

Interesting survey. I own a ton of bikes. The newest one is from the mid 1990s.

Those are three or four bikes per ton, right?

[americancyclo]

@jrenaut 10832 wrote:

Clearly the implication is that you should begin replacing your fleet, one per year, with brand new (and really expensive) bikes with brake lever shifters.

What do you expect from the business school?

[Terpfan]

@americancyclo 10836 wrote:

What do you expect from the business school?

Of course if that’s what he’s driving at learning then the reality will likely be that it’s harder to change buyer behaviors than it is to create crapier bikes that basically require being replaced every year or two. The auto industry figured this one out a while back. One thing I never see sold is bicycles with some sort of maintenance warranty similar to what some cars have–granted it’s probably a waste of money, I suspect it would sell well in a hustle and bustle city such as DC.

[DismalScientist]

@Joe Chapline 10834 wrote:

Those are three or four bikes per ton, right?

Steel is real! :rolleyes:

[elcee]

A few comments on the survey:

– “Road bike” should be better defined. Or maybe it should be broader. I’m sure there are lots of people using their mountain bikes as daily commuters, or hybrid bikes on 30-mile weekend rides.

– “Retail price” – what should I specify for a used bike, the price I paid for it or the price that it retailed for? Would this be actual dollars or inflation-adjusted dollars? (At least one of my road bikes is 20 years old.)

[dasgeh]

@gtownbikedude — If you’re looking for a business opportunity, look into family and commuting/dutch style biking. There’s very little retail aimed at those markets in this area (or even on the East Coast), and from talking to folks, there’s lots of pent up demand. A local bike shop with, e.g., bakfiets and cargo bikes to test ride would be particularly valuable in this area, since we’ve got hills, and most of the online reviews of those bikes are from Portland, Chicago, the Netherlands or Denmark (i.e. flat, flatter, flattest, and flat).

[pfunkallstar]

I think we need greater snobbery in our local bike shops – it should be all out class warfare as soon as you enter the door. But seriously, I would recommend pretty much Papillion and Papillion alone in terms of local bike shops, then maybe Spokes. I’ve strolled into a few too many shops where my bike didn’t meet some ethereal standard of quality.

[5555624]

@pfunkallstar 10851 wrote:

I think we need greater snobbery in our local bike shops – it should be all out class warfare as soon as you enter the door. But seriously, I would recommend pretty much Papillion and Papillion alone in terms of local bike shops, then maybe Spokes. I’ve strolled into a few too many shops where my bike didn’t meet some ethereal standard of quality.

Greater snobbery on behalf of the customers or the bike shop personnel? I’ve run into some snobs at Papillion several times — never Bailey or any of the people working there. The funniest was several years ago, when this guy was trying to impress a female cyclist. I had come in and was not wearing anything cycling-related gear and I think I had my daily commuter with me, which is an old Giant Yukon. I’m just standing there and listening, trying hard not to laugh, while she looks bored. (Bailey was finishing some work on her bike.) The guy was saying something about how he rode a lot and had just bought second bike. She wasn’t impressed. He turned to me and asked me, in a voice dripping with snobbery, how many bikes I owned. When I told him I had five, not counting a spare frame, he shut up. The woman saw the opportunity to start talking with me and he soon left. (If I’ve ever mentioned the loon who preferred riding on the MVT, after midnight, without any lights, that was her.)

I second the recommendation for Papillion. While I can do just about anything I need to do, I’ll often take a bike in just to give them the business. Since it’s not a chain, I believe in supporting my local bike shop.

[Tim Kelley]

@Terpfan 10837 wrote:

One thing I never see sold is bicycles with some sort of maintenance warranty similar to what some cars have–granted it’s probably a waste of money, I suspect it would sell well in a hustle and bustle city such as DC.

I’ve frequently used the KPP plan that Revolution Cycles offers: http://www.pedalpowerri.com/KPPBrochureSample12_12_08.pdf

Other than the staff and location, it’s the reason why I’ve purchased most of my bikes there.

[Author]

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