Posts by Phil Latz
Mobile Bicycle Mechanics Australia is Launched
In an effort to better support riders in these challenging times Mobile Bicycle Mechanics from across Australia have come together via a national service directory. Over 20 Mechanics from 15 major cities have already joined the fledgling network that enables customers to find the mechanic nearest to them and mechanics to share experience & knowledge…
Thanks for Your Support of Our New Online YearBook – Print Edition Coming!
Bicycle trade members have immediately embraced our electronic only format of The Latz Report YearBook 2020. In since going live on Friday 3rd July, The YearBook immediately jumped to our number one page on The Latz Report, even outranking our home page and recording 951 views for the last 28 days of July. Although the…
Annual Dealer Guide – Clothing and Helmets
What Fits You Best? Clothing and helmets are both high turnover P&A categories within the bicycle industry that also offer dealers the potential of high margins, but not without challenges. On the plus side, you can stock and display a large amount of product in a relatively small floor space, so the margin per square…
Announcing Five New Initiatives For You, Our Latz Report Community
It’s hard to believe that we’re rapidly approaching the first anniversary since creating The Latz Report. Thanks to feedback from our community, here are five new initiatives that we’re pleased to announce. The Yearbook is going back into print!In April 2021, we’ll be doing the next edition of The Latz Report Yearbook. We’ll be adding…
Anaconda: Sold Out… But Still Discounting
A visit to a local Anaconda Store during mid-August revealed a bicycle section completely devoid of all adult bikes. There were a handful of children’s bike models. Normally there would be at least a dozen or more adult bikes on display, but a helpful salesperson explained that, like most other bike retail outlets, they haven’t…
Giant and Dorel Both Announce Record Sales and Profits
In the first round of reporting for publicly listed companies since the Covid impact upon the bike industry came into full effect, sales for both Giant and Dorel were up significantly. Giant Group’s sales for the second quarter of 2020 (from 1st April to 30th June 2020) were NT$19.7 billion (A$929 million) and its earnings…
Dealer Making Good Profit Selling Second-Hand Bikes
If you’re a bicycle dealer who is missing out on bike sales because you can’t get enough stock supplied, perhaps you might consider following the example of this USA based shop, who has pivoted his business to buy, refurbish and resell second hand bicycles. Jim Moore owns Moore’s Bike Shop in Hattiesburg Mississippi, a city…
Knog Announces New Partnership with Wide Open Distribution
On 15th August, Melbourne based design company Knog announced a new partnership with Wide Open Distributors in New Zealand. Knog has been designing and producing bicycle products and accessories for over 15 years and has been selling products into the New Zealand market for seven of those years. Previously, Knog had partnered with Bikes International.…
Ebikes Praised on Better Homes and Gardens TV Show
Seven Network’s Better Homes and Gardens presenter James Tobin recently visited Sydney Electric Bikes (SEB) to film what became a five minute segment about the benefits of riding ebikes. Better Homes and Gardens is in its 25th year of production and has been hosted by Johanna Griggs since 2005. Even in this social media diversified…
Trek CEO Says He Saw the Boom Coming Quicker Than Most
In a lengthy but fascinating story first published on USA website marker.medium.com, Trek’s global CEO and owner John Burke says that he saw the sudden upturn in bicycle demand sooner that others in the industry and was able to place vital orders with suppliers, including Shimano in particular, ahead of the stampede that followed. Despite…