Specialized Bikes Ireland

blueballfc

Looks like a Specialized concept store will be coming to Dublin

http://www.echo.ie/news/article/brown-s-barn-bar-to-be-changed-to-specialist-bike-shop

MeWantBroadband

Good, it makes up for the brand suicide they committed by cutting of all their dealers months/years? before even finding a site for their direct store.

In an hilarious turn of events, apparently Trek are doing the same thing.

marvin80

MeWantBroadband wrote: »

In an hilarious turn of events, apparently Trek are doing the same thing.

I've heard Trek had a distributor in Ireland but they got the chop - there dealing directly with bike shops now.

Haven't heard if there setting up a direct store in Ireland but in the meantime if you want any bikes/gear ordered it's a 2-week turnaround.

Bambaata

Long way off til this is ready! Been a nightmare trying to get S-Works gear locally the past months and even over a year now. Im try before buy when it comes to helmets and shoes and they seem to be the only brand that really every fit me properly.

Beasty

marvin80 wrote: »

I've heard Trek had a distributor in Ireland but they got the chop - there dealing directly with bike shops now.

Haven't heard if there setting up a direct store in Ireland

If they do maybe they'll bring that guy from Austin over to run it. Heard he's a bit more time on his hands nowadays

secman

marvin80 wrote: »

I've heard Trek had a distributor in Ireland but they got the chop - there dealing directly with bike shops now.

Haven't heard if there setting up a direct store in Ireland but in the meantime if you want any bikes/gear ordered it's a 2-week turnaround.

The distributor was Centro, but their website currently doesn't mention Trek. It did back in May when I was dealing with them.

pprendeville

Saw a big sign up on the old barn building on the N7 for this. Any idea when it's opening?

tunney

Used to always buy my spesh gear in cycleways, got into the habit of buying online, cannot see going back to b'n'm

ted1

I was surprised to see big red specialised signs in the building when I passed it yesterday.
Must be opening soon

Charlie69

ted1 wrote: »

I was surprised to see big red specialised signs in the building when I passed it yesterday.
Must be opening soon

June apparently... builders in there at the moment.

Mercian Pro

pprendeville wrote: »

Saw a big sign up on the old barn building on the N7 for this.

Very odd location for a major bike shop. I can only presume that they expect most customers to arrive by car.

Interesting that the licence from Browns Barn ended up at Clontarf Baths, a venue that is causing cyclists some grief. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056895919&page=59

py

Will be interested in viewing the Roubaix in the flesh when the shop opens.

gmacww

Saw that myself yesterday. Big building and an odd location but hopefully it works out.

terrydel

gmacww wrote: »

Saw that myself yesterday. Big building and an odd location but hopefully it works out.

Very odd. Very difficult to cycle to and it wont be on anyone's weekend spin route.
Anything that has been in there up to now has failed badly.
Lets see what happens.

peaceboi

Will this store open this year?

sy_flembeck

I was in a Specialized store in Harrogate recently. Lovely shop but certainly no bargains to be had!!

Eamonnator

peaceboi wrote: »

Will this store open this year?

Yes. Due to open in June.

roarlad

I was by on the weekend, I was told they were due to open today (11th June), however this has been delayed until next weekend at the earliest.

magicbastarder

i can't get my head around a business model based on a bike manufacturer selling bikes through a single shop, which is not madly easy to get to unless you live nearby. the whole idea of an LBS is that it's L. is this a case of too many people in the marketing department brainstorming after a little too much colombian marching powder* and deciding their brand is so strong they'll be able to survive making it difficult for people to buy?

not actually suggesting this is what happened, just that it seems a little arrogant to operate this way.

ted1

IKEA do well with their single store.

In fairness it’s got a catchment areaif about 1.5million people within 40 minutes. Not to bad

magicbastarder

an interesting comparison, given that ikea deliberately choose sites that people generally have to drive to. they deliberately shun pedestrians and PT users.

AmberGold

The Luas stop’s not too far away.

When Avoca built their store up the road in Rathcoole I was certain it would fail based on location alone, they’re flying. To be fair the Browns Barn site is pretty easy to get to with an entry and exit from the Naas Rd.

Wanderer78

Risky business model, but we ll see what happens

sparrowcar

There was a huge Anti Specialized feeling a few years back about their treatment of LBS and customers. I even recall boycotts etc.

Has that all passed, are we all friends again?

Tell me how

sparrowcar wrote:

Has that all passed, are we all friends again?

Look at the shiny shiny.

KFed

Halfords sell loads of bikes and tend to be in drive to retail parks.

Granted specialized are more expensive but with the economy flying, ish, again, id say they will sell a lot of high end bikes to the greater dublin catchment area. Huge population within driving distance.

I wonder if the specialized marketing dept knows exactly who buys their bikes? Irish economy, greater dublin. must have parallels with a host of u.k. or e.u. cities of a certain size and income they also operate in?

I have absolutely no clue but maybe theres good volume in high end purchases, maybe theres an element of trophy purchasing in their sales?

I wonder will they grow the market in and of themselves, newbies in middle age buying high end straight off the bat? There is a lot of money in certain parts of dublin not too far of a drive away and youd fit a new bike in an xc90/range rover/x5 etc etc.

beauf

They used to have a shop inside 53 degrees North.

Not the most cycle friendly location to get to!

terrydel

magicbastarder wrote: »

i can't get my head around a business model based on a bike manufacturer selling bikes through a single shop, which is not madly easy to get to unless you live nearby. the whole idea of an LBS is that it's L. is this a case of too many people in the marketing department brainstorming after a little too much colombian marching powder* and deciding their brand is so strong they'll be able to survive making it difficult for people to buy?

not actually suggesting this is what happened, just that it seems a little arrogant to operate this way.

I'd tend to agree with you on this.
Perhaps they think that no longer giving a margin to the lbs's (which I'd guessing is sod all these days) makes it worthwhile, and having one shop is affordable and makes them not far off being an online, direct to consumer manufacturer?
Who knows. Big thing with this particular one for me is its a shocking location and has been a graveyard for any business thats set up there so far.

terrydel

KFed wrote: »

Halfords sell loads of bikes and tend to be in drive to retail parks.

Granted specialized are more expensive but with the economy flying, ish, again, id say they will sell a lot of high end bikes to the greater dublin catchment area. Huge population within driving distance.

I wonder if the specialized marketing dept knows exactly who buys their bikes? Irish economy, greater dublin. must have parallels with a host of u.k. or e.u. cities of a certain size and income they also operate in?

I have absolutely no clue but maybe theres good volume in high end purchases, maybe theres an element of trophy purchasing in their sales?

I wonder will they grow the market in and of themselves, newbies in middle age buying high end straight off the bat? There is a lot of money in certain parts of dublin not too far of a drive away and youd fit a new bike in an xc90/range rover/x5 etc etc.

At the sportives I've done this year, the fancy cars and bikes and apparent affluence of many taking part was striking.
The orwell wheelers randonee car park was like an audi showroom! Granted that club is made up of a lot of people from affluent middle class areas but theres no doubt cycling is a cash rich market to tap into for the likes of Specialized and the rest.

beauf

Its an alternative for Golf for many.