Re: [TheThinkTank] Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops
I'm not here to be a QBP apologist, but I do personally appreciate that they are tightening up restrictions on third-party resellers. People buying cut-rate parts online doesn't do anything good for co-ops or independent local bike shops, so I see their perspective.
I hope there is some compromise that can be reached, though, which restricts the flood of cheap parts to places like Amazon while also giving legitimate organizations access.
My experience with QBP has been via a single location, independent, for-profit shop, a bicycle commuter parking/service station, and now at an established co-op with a commercial location, and while there are hoops to jump through no matter what, they've been accommodating in all of my situations, including setting up a second account at the commuter station to track and bill fleet repair parts separately.
I put together a list of every wholesaler I could find in North America, who I personally called or emailed to inquire as to if they dealt with mobile repair services without a storefront location...which might fit into a similar category as a limited-hours co-op. I'll see if I can dig out those notes and share them with the list.
We've had a J&B account here (before my time) and at the for-profit shop I worked at we used J&B quite a bit for entry-level refurb-type parts. Cheap stuff, basically. If you have a storefront, I would personally just approach any of these vendors as a regular shop since that's what they're used to dealing with, and get into the details only if they ask or it is required.
*----------Joshua GoranAdministrator, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op* 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org
On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 11:41 AM, < thethinktank-request@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
- Money for our Movements conference - Register now! (Christa Orth)
- Re: Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops (Joshua Muir)
- Re: Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops (momoko saunders)
- Re: Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops (Kevin Dwyer)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Christa Orth corth@streetsblog.org To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:03:50 -0400 Subject: [TheThinkTank] Money for our Movements conference - Register now! Hi Bike! Bike!
I do fundraising for Streetsblog http://www.streetsblog.org/, the daily news blog for livable streets, and I'm on the committee for the Money for our Movements conference August 2-3 in Baltimore. As a big supporter of community bike shops, I wanted to be sure this group got the invitation. I hope you'll come! It's my goal to get our all our biking and walking organizations to attend. Our movement certainly needs more grassroots funding, but even more than that, we have a lot to learn and share about the power of social justice and inclusion. This conference is focused on that. More details are below.
Individual registrations are $300, but if we get a group of 5 or more people to register together at once, the registration is only $200. Let's do that! We can be the bike contingent. Housing and food are super affordable, and there are scholarships available.
Let me know if you have any questions, and please feel free to spread the word far and wide!
In solidarity, Christa
[image: money for our movements 2014 banner]
Are you looking to increase funding from your community to grow the work of your organization?
Would you like to see your organization's funding stream more diversified and sustainable?
Are you working in isolation and looking for community with other social justice fundraisers?
*If so, THIS is the conference for YOU!*
*Please join us August 2-3, 2014 at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD for:*
- *Fundraising skills training *geared toward social justice
activists, featuring hands-on exercises and practical information. There will be over 70 workshops and facilitated discussions, with the most popular sessions being offered twice!
- *Concrete, real-life examples and models *of organizations from the
US and abroad that are creating alternatives to fundraising that is driven by foundations and/or government agencies.
- *Debates and plenaries *with luminaries and up-and-coming leaders in
the social justice and philanthropy sectors that will provoke participants to think outside the box.
- *Networking opportunities *for people to share, come together, and
build community.
More details are coming soon! Until then, you can check out videos and workshop offerings from past conferences at *grassrootsfundraising.org/conference http://grassrootsfundraising.org/conference*. *Registration is open now!*
*I'm on the planning committee for Money for Our Movements. Contact me to discuss ways you can support and participate in this amazing gathering!*
-- Christa Orth Development Director
Streetsblog http://streetsblog.org/ and Streetfilmshttp://streetfilms.org/ 148 Lafayette St., 12th Floor New York, NY 10013 917-388-9066 corth@streetsblog.org corth@openplans.org
*Support media that makes an impact on our streets* *Donate today! https://openplans.secure.force.com/pmtx/cmpgn__Donations?id=701A0000000OLZL *
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 07:48:25 -0700 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops It's time to let them know that the Community bike Project IS the new local bike shop model! As a whole, we must be a lot of their business.
Josh
On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Leslie Peteya lesliepeteya@gmail.comwrote:
Hi all, Wanted to warn y'all of dealing with QBP.
After 7 years of having a dealer agreement with QBP for your basic small potatoes shop stuff, we decided to shut down our account with them over their new inability to ship to a new ship-to location. I succinctly explained the nature of our shop (volunteer, limited shop hours, etc.) and necessity of shipping to a different location, but it fell on deaf ears.
Damn shame, because they said we were an excellent account with good financial management.
I also wasn't pleased that they said they denied other new co-ops an account based on similar issues.
This comes after their corporate policy of tightening up on third party suppliers, designed to keep the local bike shop in business. Ironically, we're still around after multiple for-profit local bike shops in our area have failed, and as a local community bike shop, we're now being hurt by the very policy designed to protect LBSs.
We still have an account with United Bicycle Supply, and I'm exploring new accounts with Cyclone and Seattle Bike Supply.
Can anyone recommend other suppliers that support our shops with community missions?
Thanks, Leslie Durham Bike Co-op
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org/muirjoshua%40gmail.com?unsub=1&unsubconfirm=1">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
-- Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com
Frances Cycles http://www.francescycles.com/ Handbuilt cycling framesets Touring, Track, Road,Cross, and Cargo 203 Cedar St Santa Cruz, CA (831) 469-3369
The Bicycle Church Collective http://bikechurch.santacruzhub.org/ Community Self-Service Cycle Repair 3pm to 7pm everyday except Sunday 703 Pacific Ave (enter on Spruce St) Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 425-2453
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: momoko saunders analyst@bikefarm.org To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 08:17:00 -0700 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops It would be nice if there was a person who could represent the concept of a bike collective to QBP and other distributers. (does anyone have a particularly good relationship? want to try it out?)
Bike Farm has had some issues with setting up an account. The rep said we could only order chains and tubes and other necessary parts. If they saw anything high end, they would pull the account.
For those who are wondering, Cyclone has always been good to us. They even gave us a discount on our new tools when we had a fire last summer. SBS is great as well. The two accounts combined get us pretty much what ever we need.
I've also thrown the idea around about starting a Bike Collective Distribution Company... When I started to research it, I found that getting supplies would take relationships in China, or relationships with people who have relationships in China.
I don't currently know the right people. But I've been keeping my ears open for opportunities. If anyone on this list knows the right people, please feel free to contact me.
-momoko
On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 7:48 AM, Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com wrote:
It's time to let them know that the Community bike Project IS the new
local
bike shop model! As a whole, we must be a lot of their business.
Josh
On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Leslie Peteya lesliepeteya@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all, Wanted to warn y'all of dealing with QBP.
After 7 years of having a dealer agreement with QBP for your basic small potatoes shop stuff, we decided to shut down our account with them over their new inability
to
ship to a new ship-to location. I succinctly explained the nature of
our
shop (volunteer, limited shop hours, etc.) and necessity of shipping to a different location, but it fell on deaf ears.
Damn shame, because they said we were an excellent account with good financial management.
I also wasn't pleased that they said they denied other new co-ops an account based on similar issues.
This comes after their corporate policy of tightening up on third party suppliers, designed to keep the local bike shop in business. Ironically, we're still around after multiple for-profit local bike shops in our
area
have failed, and as a local community bike shop, we're now being hurt
by the
very policy designed to protect LBSs.
We still have an account with United Bicycle Supply, and I'm exploring
new
accounts with Cyclone and Seattle Bike Supply.
Can anyone recommend other suppliers that support our shops with
community
missions?
Thanks, Leslie Durham Bike Co-op
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.or... ">Unsubscribe
from this list</a>
-- Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com
Frances Cycles Handbuilt cycling framesets Touring, Track, Road,Cross, and Cargo 203 Cedar St Santa Cruz, CA (831) 469-3369
The Bicycle Church Collective Community Self-Service Cycle Repair 3pm to 7pm everyday except Sunday 703 Pacific Ave (enter on Spruce St) Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 425-2453
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.or... ">Unsubscribe
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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kevin Dwyer kevidwyer@gmail.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 09:37:20 -0600 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Beware of Quality Bike Parts and their inflexibility with co-ops I forwarded a summary of the thread to a Bicycle Collective board member and QBP employee that is part of a team responsible for community engagement. I'll check in with him and see where it is at.
On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 9:17 AM, momoko saunders analyst@bikefarm.orgwrote:
It would be nice if there was a person who could represent the concept of a bike collective to QBP and other distributers. (does anyone have a particularly good relationship? want to try it out?)
Bike Farm has had some issues with setting up an account. The rep said we could only order chains and tubes and other necessary parts. If they saw anything high end, they would pull the account.
For those who are wondering, Cyclone has always been good to us. They even gave us a discount on our new tools when we had a fire last summer. SBS is great as well. The two accounts combined get us pretty much what ever we need.
I've also thrown the idea around about starting a Bike Collective Distribution Company... When I started to research it, I found that getting supplies would take relationships in China, or relationships with people who have relationships in China.
I don't currently know the right people. But I've been keeping my ears open for opportunities. If anyone on this list knows the right people, please feel free to contact me.
-momoko
On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 7:48 AM, Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com wrote:
It's time to let them know that the Community bike Project IS the new
local
bike shop model! As a whole, we must be a lot of their business.
Josh
On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Leslie Peteya <lesliepeteya@gmail.com
wrote:
Hi all, Wanted to warn y'all of dealing with QBP.
After 7 years of having a dealer agreement with QBP for your basic
small
potatoes shop stuff, we decided to shut down our account with them over their new inability
to
ship to a new ship-to location. I succinctly explained the nature of
our
shop (volunteer, limited shop hours, etc.) and necessity of shipping to a different location, but it fell on deaf
ears.
Damn shame, because they said we were an excellent account with good financial management.
I also wasn't pleased that they said they denied other new co-ops an account based on similar issues.
This comes after their corporate policy of tightening up on third party suppliers, designed to keep the local bike shop in business.
Ironically,
we're still around after multiple for-profit local bike shops in our
area
have failed, and as a local community bike shop, we're now being hurt
by the
very policy designed to protect LBSs.
We still have an account with United Bicycle Supply, and I'm exploring
new
accounts with Cyclone and Seattle Bike Supply.
Can anyone recommend other suppliers that support our shops with
community
missions?
Thanks, Leslie Durham Bike Co-op
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.or... ">Unsubscribe
from this list</a>
-- Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com
Frances Cycles Handbuilt cycling framesets Touring, Track, Road,Cross, and Cargo 203 Cedar St Santa Cruz, CA (831) 469-3369
The Bicycle Church Collective Community Self-Service Cycle Repair 3pm to 7pm everyday except Sunday 703 Pacific Ave (enter on Spruce St) Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 425-2453
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.or... ">Unsubscribe
from this list</a>
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org/kevidwyer%40gmail.com?unsub=1&unsubconfirm=1">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
-- Kevin Dwyer
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Joshua Goran