Melbourne Lockdown & Bike Shops

[Duck!]

As you're all well aware, the entire metro Melbourne community is facing a pretty tough few weeks ahead. A small glimmer for all our cyclists is that with strict conditions, Local Bike Shops (emphasising the "local" bit) are able to remain open and service our community.

We (I speak as a "we", because I'm in the biz) can't allow customers into the shops, but we can handle phone/online orders and contactless pickup, post or possibly delivery - sort that out with your local.

Workshops remain open, so we can do services to keep you going - each shop will have its own schedule and means of facilitating things, so contact your particular local to sort out the specifics.

This thread isn't the place for the usual anti-local trade vibe that too often pervades these forums. We're just trying to keep ourselves housed and fed, exactly like you. The key words for the next few weeks in Melbourne are "essential" and "local" - to paraphrase the old Rolling Stones song, you might not be able to get what you want, but you'll be able to get what you need.

[MichaelB]

Well written Duck! and thoughts are with you guys.

People need to adapt and be patient and understand the situation and teams like Duck! are doing their best to follow the rules and assist.

Stay safe

[Calvin27]

Hope business is good at your end, you've been a great help in a few forums.

My local seems to be full capacity since about march so this is a good sign for the industry and cyclists in general I think.

[Mike Ayling]

G'day Duck

Obviously no opportunity now to visit the LBS to purchase new bikes but has the feeding frenzy slowed down anyway to to shortage of inventory or slow down in demand?

Mike

[Duck!]

The feeding frenzy has tailed off a bit, but the demand for servicing is still reasonably high.

New stuff has been limited for a while now stemming from difficulties at all steps up the chain, but demand is still high. If you know exactly what you're after and can get it at your local, that new bike is possible, but all the fitting & setup stuff is off limits, so really it's best to be patient & hang on a few weeks..

[LateStarter]

I feel for the sisters & brothers in Melbourne, hard to do much worthwhile distance if you are limited to one hour and no more than 5k from home, hope it doesn't come to that here, suppose lots of trainers being acquired for indoor cycling.

As for the cycling capital of Australia, Sydney (just joking), we are back to 95%+ of pre covid car infestation on the roads, gone are the days of almost car free riding in March & April. My observation is that the "new" cyclists encouraged to try / re-try cycling have mostly gone, maybe got too cold for them. After 3-4 months the promised new dawn of pop-up cycleways are still in the planning / resident outrage ("you can't take our parking") phase and the few that have been painted don't actually connect with anything and only go a few hundred metres.

My local bike shop Omafiets, (actually not so local now as they moved a couple of months ago but still worth the extended trip), was very busy in past months with a 3-4 week wait for servicing but now seems to have only a week's wait (a few days max pre covid)

Good luck all.

[Comedian]

That's great news that you all can keep operating and serving the cycling community.

Are the wholesalers still running or are they shut down?

[fat and old]

I actually logged on specifically to ask if anyone knew the deal with bike shops. It sucks you can't have people in though. What's the reasoning behind that?

I ask as what prompted me to log in was an e-mail from my local 4wd shop, along with the attachment from the VACC stating it's ok to shop and if the police stop you show them this. This is not servicing. It's retail. Seems lopsided to me.

Still, good you can work. It's important to be able to work. IMO, anyway.

[Duck!]

As far as I know wholesalers are still running - at least the two locally-based ones I've dealt with in the last couple of days are. The bigger problem, and same with complete bikes, has been them getting stock and keeping up with demand to supply the shops.

[Duck!]

I actually logged on specifically to ask if anyone knew the deal with bike shops. It sucks you can't have people in though. What's the reasoning behind that?

I assume the reasoning is to stop people coming into contact. The blanket rule is that all retail (with essential exceptions like food, fuel, medical & the like) is closed to walk-in traffic and can only operate contact-free; if that's not possible they must close completely.

Although service is a big part of our industry, in The Authorities' eyes we fall under the retail umbrella, so them's the rules we've been given.

[Duck!]

For some unexplained reason, They moved the goalposts on us earlier this week basically closing workshops. We're only allowed to take in services for permitted workers who use their bikes for transport purposes. With only sporadic supplies of new stock coming in to build up, some of us could be taking an enforced break.

[MichaelB]

That sucks.

Hopefully it works out.

At least the infection numbers are starting to head in the right direction. Hang in there !!

[find_bruce]

Hang in there duck

[10speedsemiracer]

For some unexplained reason, They moved the goalposts on us earlier this week basically closing workshops. We're only allowed to take in services for permitted workers who use their bikes for transport purposes. With only sporadic supplies of new stock coming in to build up, some of us could be taking an enforced break.

Stick with it Duck-meister, it'll come good.

[warthog1]

Hopefully the stage 4 aint for long Duck.

[DavidS]

For some unexplained reason, They moved the goalposts on us earlier this week basically closing workshops. We're only allowed to take in services for permitted workers who use their bikes for transport purposes. With only sporadic supplies of new stock coming in to build up, some of us could be taking an enforced break.

They have closed everything except food and beverages. It is pretty strict but we have to do something to get this under control. Going hard is the way to knock this on the head in a hurry.

I am riding along Beach Rd for an hour a day between 2 spots 5Km from home, it is what it is.

I am hoping we can go back to Stage 3 after the initial 6 weeks of Stage 4, but we need the numbers to drop to about 20 a day for that to happen.

Looking at New Zealand it is difficult to work out what the endgame is for COVID19. Short of a vaccine we have some big problems. Not convinced we can wipe it out of the human population, but given the long term effects we can't really live with it either. Very difficult.

DS

[Halfamillion]

Someone is working in Melbourne. I ordered a MTB BB bearing which is a difficult size for my Trek 4900 (2006) via Ebay and just received shipping notice after 4 days. Happy Days! Now I just have to wait for a clear on my COVID-19 Test results to go for a ride to the shops. Thank you Melbourne!

(P.S. Ebay stated it was ordered 16 Aug, shipped 20 Aug Tracking approved), not mentioned 'in transit', and is now nearing the end of the month and still no show! Guess I'll ride the other bikes till the Victorian Lockdown subsides.)

[Mozziediver]

Hope you have better luck than me with delivery.
I'm Heidelberg way, and some smallish parts ordered from a place in Moorabbin are still sitting at AusPost 11 days later. Shop did a sterling job, took them less than half a day from order to dispatch.
If it's inside your 5km, select contactless pickup!

[MichaelB]

Hope you have better luck than me with delivery.
I'm Heidelberg way, and some smallish parts ordered from a place in Moorabbin are still sitting at AusPost 11 days later. Shop did a sterling job, took them less than half a day from order to dispatch.
If it's inside your 5km, select contactless pickup!

AusPost is rubbish atm.

Blaming the virus and huge load increase. What a crock. Good excuse for 1st month or two, but it kicked off back in March. It's now farkin' almost September !!

My Di2 is somewhere between Bundall and Adelaide after 12 days .... No idea where as tracking hasn't had an update since it was rec'd. Got my Hope RX4 calipers from UK in 4 days though last week ....

[Duck!]

I lodged a spoke order from UK for a private job in late June. I expected some delay on the international aspect, but tracking didn't show landing in Melbourne until July 29th. Last update was "processed at facility" on August 2nd. Lodged an enquiry last Tuesday (thus pushing another 10 days), no response on that front as yet....

[Mozziediver]

So ... I shouldn't count on getting my package anytime next week.
I did a quick calculation, and it's current rate of progress is about 0.20 km/h.
Can't blame Dan for this, though. Mr Fahour is on the hook.

[find_bruce]

So ... I shouldn't count on getting my package anytime next week.
I did a quick calculation, and it's current rate of progress is about 0.20 km/h.
Can't blame Dan for this, though. Mr Fahour is on the hook.

That's a bit harsh - Fahour hasn't been the CEO of Post for more than 3 years. Try blaming Christine Holgate instead

[Mozziediver]

Woohoo! Arrived this morning, so it took 12 days for 28 km.
Yes, you're quite right - Ms Millions gets the credit. Fahour just started running it into the ground (sorry, cutting out waste).