16 replies to this topic

[aztransplant]

I haven't seen a review for Bicycle Planet in quite some time, so thought I'd throw in my two cents and two thumbs up after today's visit. We first visited Bicycle Planet over 8 years ago when I got my first road bike. I'm shorter than the Average Josephine and needed lots of help finding a good fit. Matt let me test ride several bikes and recommended others that his store did not carry. I ended up buying my bike from another store, only because Bicycle Planet didn't carry it, but I made sure to come back to buy my accessories (e.g., pedals, seat, etc.) and have Matt do the fit. When it came time to buy my husband a road bike two years later, it was back to Bicycle Planet. Matt gave my husband the same great treatment, and he bought his bike there. In my opinion, that is how to get loyal customers.
 
Fast forward to today. Due to injuries and such the bikes have been sitting on the trainer and against the wall for far too long. We live closer to other bike shops here in Folsom, but we made the drive over to Bicycle Planet to get our bikes tuned up and ready to roll again. Once again, Matt and his crew attended to us like we were the only ones in the store (they treated the other customers the same way when it was their turn).
 
Even if we could get some things for a few bucks cheaper online or from big box stores, we enjoy giving Bicycle Planet our business in return for their great customer service. Check them out if you haven't yet had the pleasure.
  1760 Prairie City Rd. #100, Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: 916-355-1234 Store Hours: M-F 10-6 Sat 9-5 Sun 11-4
 
www.bicycleplanet.net

[Steve Heard]

Like any good shopper, I went to several shops before deciding on a bike. 

 

I told the guys at the various shops that I was not a serious road biker, and didn't plan on going off the trail. I wanted a bike that I could use for exercise and cruising around town.

 

I wanted it to be rugged and something suitable for my size and weight. I'm about 5'10" and generally over 200lbs.

 

And I wanted it to be relatively low-priced.

 

Matt at Bicycle Planet was patient, asked questions, and suggested the Giant Cypress hybrid. He said I could take it off the trail if I wanted, but it was great for the road, was rugged, and under $500.

 

I went to the shop down behind Karen's bakery, and the kid there tried to up-sell me, showing me bikes costing about $1000, telling me 'you get what you pay for', and that I'd regret buying a cheap bike. 

 

I didn't think $500 was exactly cheap.

 

I ended up buying from Matt at Bicycle Planet. 4 years later, I still ride and love my bike.

 

Whenever I go there I get great service from nice people, and today was no exception. 

 

I was in there this afternoon for a couple of inner tubes. I was going to buy the thicker 'thorn-resistant' ones,  for $22 each, and Matt talked me out of buying them. He said they add too much weight and are harder to repair.  He suggested going for the $7 tubes and tube liners.

[4thgenFolsomite]

you can not beat Bicycle Planet.  They are also a great asset in the community.  We have loved having them as vendors and sponsors at Italy on Wheels too.  Very gracious people!  Shop Folsom first and this store is a great example why.

[aztransplant]

WAAAH!!!

Just got an email from BP that they are CLOSING!!!

Let's get down ther and support them in their final days:

This is definitely the hardest e-mail we've ever written. After 13 years of living and breathing Bicycle Planet, in several days, we will be closing our doors. Lynda and I will greatly miss our favorite customers and friends ( Wai, Marthoud, Doug, Ed, Jim and many, many others). You know that at the Planet, we loved talking, teaching, and riding bikes and will greatly miss most everything about owning a bike shop. I am glad though that I will have more time to ride the tandem with Lynda, and also that I never have to fix another Huffy.
Please stop by to say Hi one more time, have a cookie, and pick up a Close-out priced Jersey, tube or a bike.
Thank you, Keith and Lynda

[4thgenFolsomite]

oh no!!!  they were so great!

[Steve Heard]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love those folks! Who can I trust now?

[cw68]

Dang it! That's my favorite bike shop in town. Crap.

[aztransplant]

When I was in yesterday I spoke with Matt for a bit, letting him know how much I appreciated him and his customer service. He asked if I'd be willing to write a reference for him and I said, "DEFINITELY!!!"

 

For any of you willing to write a reference for Matt Colonius, you may do so through LinkedIn:

 

https://www.linkedin...onius/2/477/b55 (not sure how that works since I'm not a member)

 

OR by emailing him.

 

Please let me know if you'd like his email address and I'll PM it to you.

[bordercolliefan]

Does anyone know if Keith is opening up a bike shop elsewhere, or totally changing careers?

I love that bike shop because they are always down-to-earth and helpful... not the wannabee-Euro-spandex snobs that dominate some of the bike shops.

[aztransplant]

Does anyone know if Keith is opening up a bike shop elsewhere, or totally changing careers? .

I doubt it, unless he moves out of the area. As I was checking out, Nate said it is because there are now 9 bike shops withn a 5-mile radius.

[Darth Lefty]

We rented a tandem from them a couple months ago and came to find out it was their own bike! About a year ago he removed a stuck crank for me that had stymied me for months. What great people. It's got to be difficult for a small bike store trying to sell Bianchis next to a giant Specialized dealership, especially after the fixie market crashed.

[JMB83]

Bummer.  As they say.... you wanna make a little money in the bicycle business?  Start with A LOT of money!  Tough biz to be in.

 

If Bicycle Planet was your go-to shop, and you prefer a smaller shop than Folsom Bike (which I also like), I can't say enough about the good service and vibe I get at Bicycle Guys in EDH (Safeway shopping center).  You deal directly with the owner, Casey for 98% of everything. Good guy. Very fair guy. Great mechanic. http://bicycleguys.net/.  Also, they have a chill mt. bike ride every Wednesday at 6pm (Intermediate to advanced riders).  Finish with a beer at Mraz Brewing!

 

p.s. The word on the street is Mike's Bikes has recently purchased Bicycles Plus... so expect some changes there... hopefully for the better.

[bordercolliefan]

Apparently some of the racing bike companies (I believe Cervelo was specifically called out) are very draconian in their terms when dealing with bike shops. They force the bike shop to buy large quantities of inventory (that they won't buy back if it doesn't sell); they want exclusives, stuff like that... all very tough on a small shop owner.

[tony]

I haven't seen a review for Bicycle Planet in quite some time, so thought I'd throw in my two cents and two thumbs up after today's visit. We first visited Bicycle Planet over 8 years ago when I got my first road bike. I'm shorter than the Average Josephine and needed lots of help finding a good fit. Matt let me test ride several bikes and recommended others that his store did not carry. I ended up buying my bike from another store, only because Bicycle Planet didn't carry it, but I made sure to come back to buy my accessories (e.g., pedals, seat, etc.) and have Matt do the fit. When it came time to buy my husband a road bike two years later, it was back to Bicycle Planet. Matt gave my husband the same great treatment, and he bought his bike there. In my opinion, that is how to get loyal customers.
 
Fast forward to today. Due to injuries and such the bikes have been sitting on the trainer and against the wall for far too long. We live closer to other bike shops here in Folsom, but we made the drive over to Bicycle Planet to get our bikes tuned up and ready to roll again. Once again, Matt and his crew attended to us like we were the only ones in the store (they treated the other customers the same way when it was their turn).
 
Even if we could get some things for a few bucks cheaper online or from big box stores, we enjoy giving Bicycle Planet our business in return for their great customer service. Check them out if you haven't yet had the pleasure.
  1760 Prairie City Rd. #100, Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: 916-355-1234 Store Hours: M-F 10-6 Sat 9-5 Sun 11-4
 
www.bicycleplanet.net

 

Apparently there were not enough people like you (and me) who valued their service enough to pass on the siren song of the cheap deals on the internet.  And, as Keith pointed out, there is a lot of local competition, and a lot of it opened in the past couple of years.  I will certainly miss Keith and Matt and the rest of the crew at BP2 (there used to be three BPs, now there is only one). Where else can I go where they will call my bike by his first name (Bruce).  

 

That said (and I am certainly no business consultant), I've always wondered if their biggest mistake wasn't choice of location. I think Bicycles Plus' move from Ashland Station to the Lakes shopping center was brilliant, and I think Folsom Bike's location (though across the street from the bike path instead of right on it), is almost as good. Bicycle Planet chose a location convenient to the 7000 employees at Intel, but as the revolving door of restaurants in the Safeway shopping center seems to indicate, that is no guarantee of customers (particularly because anyone going anywhere from Intel is almost forced to drive, so once in your car, going a couple extra miles is no big deal).

 

Keith told me he would be doing bike repairs out of his garage and considering other options, and spending time on that "rental" tandem with his wife, something they apparently haven't had much time for in the last 13 years.  He clearly will not be opening another bike shop, although he said business was great last weekend: "bikes are easy to sell when they are 30% off".

 

So, a word in passing that applies to other businesses as well: if we all continue the trend towards shopping on price alone, there will be no place to take your bike for repairs when it needs it (just like there are virtually no places to get appliances or electronics repaired any more). The story of the local, high-service, bike shop, is very similar to that of the independent book store and the local hardware store (although, on a positive note, independent book stores are making a comeback with the failure of the giant book store chains) and many other small, "main street" businesses that have been pushed out by big, cheap, competition (not just Walmart). And really, there is only one place to look for blame...the mirror.  If you want to have small, customer friendly businesses and a city that doesn't look exactly like every other suburb in the US, support those independent businesses while they are still here. It's a much better use of energy than mourning them when they are gone.

 

Keith and Matt:  thanks for  running a great bike shop. Bruce will have to live with my wrench skills for awhile.

[caligirlz]

it is because there are now 9 bike shops withn a 5-mile radius.

Really? What are the 9 shops?

 

I liked BP too....sad.