Editor's note: This week we are featuring retailers who received Interbike Retailer Innovation Awards at the Interbike show this month. Staff from the National Bicycle Dealers Association, The Mann Group and Interbike selected 10 retailers from a pool of self-nominated businesses. Stores were asked to apply and share strategies and ideas that they have implemented and which have yielded positive results over the past 12 months. Interbike Innovation Award winners also were featured in the Sept. 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
Bloomington Cycle & Fitness, owned by Scott and Caryn Davis, has been in business for 21 years, 10 years under the current owners.
A UBI-certified mechanic with more than 20 years of industry experience, Christopher Tuma has made it his mission to personalize the service writing process at Bloomington Cycle & Fitness.
“Bonding with the customer, understanding the customer and the potential sentimental value of the bicycle is so important. But oftentimes it translates into a bike sale because they got the bike secondhand and don’t have that sentimental attachment, and they need someone to show them the bike is worn out and they can benefit from a bike that is the correct size or is not going to be a money pit to replace the driveline and the cables. They can afford to get a new bike with an excellent service plan,” he said.
As the shop’s service writer, Tuma has set up his space with a workstand and good lighting so he can demonstrate a bike’s wear and tear to the customer — from chain stretch to worn shift cables and brake pads and rotted tires.
“Catching the issues and potential issues on a repair and the relation of the owner with the bike before the mechanic works on it has increased new bike sales and bike repairs that are perfect every time,” Tuma noted.
Shop website: bloomingtoncycleandfitness.com.
