When Ermanno Leonardi of Specialized told us about shops too small to cope with the market surge and others that have instead expanded even dedicating an independent space to electric, we were curious to understand who he was talking about and pulling the thread we arrived from Francesconi Cycles from Salvirola, in the province of Cremona (The inauguration will be held in November 2018). Here, professionalism lies in the choice of brands and their models, all carefully selected. So much so that with a little imagination and a look at the bikes on display, it feels like a WorldTour starting camp.
Mr Pierluigi is the commander of the ship and to talk to us you have to wait until closing time and possibly until reopening the next day at 7am, otherwise it's really it's difficult to get him away from the customers who are queuing up to get his advice.
What are they asking for?
These days they ask if we have the bike to satisfy them, then if there is a discount, finally how long does it take for deliverySo far we have managed to satisfy almost all of them. E the almost depends on details such as the coloringThey arrive already knowing which model they want, the color remains to be seen.
Are you still in the midst of the post-lockdown boom?
Definitely and we are saved because we planned our purchases well. Other colleagues who were afraid when the pandemic broke out are now chasing, but it's difficult. Like in a race, when the lead is gone...
Weren't you afraid?
When people started talking about lockdown, I was in the Canary Islands by bicycleWe could have closed ourselves off and it would have been legitimate, but we chose to continue with the orders placed and the choice is now paying off.
Have new customers really sprung up like mushrooms?
There are a lot of new people. Maybe not amateur cyclists with bikes pulled out of the cellar, but for example people whose gyms have been closedThere are also people who started using equipment at home, but after a while they got tired of it. It's like having a pool, but you can't swim the lengths you would with a trainer. Everyone noticed that cyclists were still on the roads, albeit isolated and no longer in groups. And they asked themselves: what would it be like to ride a bike?
What does the new customer who comes to you look like?
Given the brands we carry and the product target, we made a selection from the outset. For us, a racing bike starts at €2.700, and a mountain bike, which has more options, starts at €600. We don't want to be cheap at all costs. Those who come here know they have to spend and need everything, from bikes to clothing. And having only Castelli and Assos, even for clothes you have to invest.
Do you see them once and then again?
No, no, they always come back. They discovered the bike. They bought it out of the curiosity we mentioned, and maybe they weren't even too convinced. Instead, cycling is contagious, we know it well. So they came back to get the second one, the most beautiful one. The first one, the one worth 2.700 euros, they keep at home on the reelsCycling makes you feel good, you can tell right away.
Speaking of rollers, has the demand dropped or are they still in high demand?
They're still selling. We've chosen three brands, and although they're less popular than in the spring, they're still in demand.
Let's say that, aside from the drama, the situation for you appears to be prosperous.
There was drama, and we saw it firsthand here. But at a certain point... It depends on how you see the problemYou can either let it crush you or seize the opportunity.
Did the bicycle bonus help you?
We joined the first wave, not the second time they gave out the voucher. We're in the province of Cremona, far from the bustle of the big cities. There aren't many residents, and since we didn't have cheap bikes, the flow would have been minimal.
First he talked about shops that were scared.
And I said it was legitimate. More or less everyone has left by now, they took what was available and sold everything they had. Even bikes for which they did not have the necessary expertise. Some people will have this problem in the next few months, because companies fail to deliver and will remember those who initially rejected orders or did not pay.
How did electric fit into this movement?
It has made and is making a difference. In this sector too, we've chosen to only carry high-end products. We haven't taken on budget models and brands. We opened the first Turbo Store in Italy, in that interview Leonardi talked about usA sales point and workshop dedicated exclusively to Specialized e-bikes. Other bikes are available in the main store.
Is it true that Shimano is about to release new groupsets and there is a risk that bikes with the old ones will be rejected by customers?
Nothing is known about it. We are Shimano Service, we know that there is something in the air, but we don't know anything about the timesMaybe it's an open secret for them, but for now we know that Dura Ace is what's in the catalog and the same goes for Ultegra.
