Trek Bicycles buys Philadelphia retailer Bike Line.

[Philpug]

This is interesting new coming out of the mid Atlantic. That it appears Bike Line has sold to Trek Bicycles.

Release from Bike Line:

To the Bike Line Community,

I wanted to make you aware of some exciting developments for our Bike Line family. After much thought and consideration, the time has come for us to take the next step in the history of the stores.

We have built something great together, and I wanted to find a partner who would continue to build on the great community we’ve developed over the years. I wanted to know the stores would be in the hands of people who share our common values of a passion for cycling, reputation for customer service, and dedication to cycling advocacy.

I have found that partner in Trek Bicycle, who will become the new owners of twelve Bike Line locations. I know they will do a great job and that your experience with the shops and our shared passion of cycling will only improve and grow as time goes by. While there will be a few changes, many of the faces that have become familiar to you over the years will remain, and we all look forward to continue serving you and the cycling community.

Thank you for all of the support, the rides, and the laughs we’ve shared over the years. Here’s to the future!

Best,

John Graves

The same release is also on a Trek Bicycles page HERE. Bike Line is based in West Chester PA and at one point had numerous "company owned" stores in the Philadelphia market plus franchised locations all across the US. From what I understand is that many of the franchised stores were bought back or closed over the years. It is interesting how the landscape of bike shops have changed over the years and consolidated. More from Bicycle Retailer.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Vail.

 

[Tom K.]

Bike retailers (often referred to as "your LBS" for local bike shop) are having a tough go of it at times, and in places.

The interweb sales aspect of today's world is challenging to compete against. I know my LBS feels this at times, especially for special order stuff, when he often pays as much for an item as online retailers are selling it for. Thankfully, the focus is mountain bikes where I live, and they never stop needing service!

So I could see shop ownership by big bike cos like Trek becoming more and more commonplace, as a way to ensure they have somebody to sell bikes to in the future.

Note: This is not the first example of this type of move. Trek already has numerous "company" stores scattered across the country.

It would be very interesting to hear @Mike Thomas thoughts on this trend, if it can be called that.

 

[Living Proof]

Philly knows Bike Line for cycling, and, Buckman's for skiing are the huge brick and mortar shops. There are many good bike shops in Philly, I don't think that Bike Line was the shop of hard core cyclist. My LBS are owned by same people who work there, and, having a relationship is great, but, I'm mostly into seasonal maintenance services.

 

[Jersey Skier]

I heard that they did this despite having other Trek LBS's in the area. So a nice big FU to them from Trek.

 

[Francis Chapman]

Do you know other bike stores aside from Trek Bicycles? Someone recommended Morpheus Bikes. Anyone heard about these guys?

 

[kimmyt]

When I lived outside Philly I always went to Guy's in Feasterville. They do a good bike fit there.

 

[cantunamunch]

This is interesting new coming out of the mid Atlantic. That it appears Bike Line has sold to Trek Bicycles.
.

*shrug* Not much different from when they bought Revolution down here.
https://www.arlnow.com/2017/02/08/revolution-cycles-rebrands-as-trek-bicycle-store-after-sale/

They used to be a bumping busy shop with an upstairs chock full of stock; now they're all appley and...spare.

 

[Wendy]

Do you know other bike stores aside from Trek Bicycles? Someone recommended Morpheus Bikes. Anyone heard about these guys?

Aren’t they an online retailer?

 

[Wendy]

Is Cadence still in Manayunk? High-end store. I used to train there when I was racing.

Despite having the Lehigh Valley Velodrome right near me, and international cyclists in town every summer to train, the local bike shop always seems to be struggling.

I used to race for Bike Line about 15 years ago. We were a pretty rag-tag team.

 

[cantunamunch]

*wonders if @vanhoskier has tent room around swap time*

Wait, no one here likes BCW anymore?

 

[Wendy]

*wonders if @vanhoskier has tent room around swap time*

Wait, no one here likes BCW anymore?

I haven’t been to the swap in years! I used to share a tent with a few others.

What’s BCW?

 

[cantunamunch]

I haven’t been to the swap in years! I used to share a tent with a few others.

What’s BCW?

Bilenky - and everything they bring to the scene, not least the Bike Expo. I hotlinked it above.

 

[Wendy]

Bilenky - and everything they bring to the scene, not least the Bike Expo. I hotlinked it above.

Cool stuff. Brings the soul into cycling.