Whether you own a bike shop or bike parts distributor business, keep up with cycling parts distributors news and trends to keep pace with and anticipate your customers' needs. Most companies face tough times, but staying informed will arm you for success.

Many factors influence the ups/downs of cycling parts distributors and your business. In the bicycle industry, a growing trend of people wanting to do their part to conserve energy, reduce pollution and get healthier means an up tick in bicycle, component and accessory sales. Staying current in the industry turns up tips like these to keep your business healthy:

1. Order as much as you can afford from a wholesale bike parts distributor to avoid shipping costs.

2. If you're open all week, consider saving costs by closing on your slowest day. It won't affect your relationship with distributors for bike parts, and you'll save on wages and electric bills.

3. Consider stocking more commuter-related wholesale bicycle parts and accessories like racks, laptop holders (panniers) and slick tires to meet the demand of bike riders taking advantage of the cost-saving alternate form of transportation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find websites that provide bicycle parts distributors news and trends

The events and trends that affect distributors for bicycle parts and bicycle parts wholesalers affect your business, too. Whether you buy bicycle wholesale parts or less-than-retail parts from distributors, you'll benefit from websites offering the latest in news and trends affecting distributors for cycling parts.

I recommend: Get the latest in news and trends affecting the prices of both retail and wholesale bike components from Bicycle Retailer & Industry News and Pedal Pushers Online.

Keep up with cycling parts distributors news and trends through industry associations

Always visit bicycle, distributor and wholesale association websites for current news and trends before you buy a huge quantity of wholesale bike accessories. Joining these organizations will make you privy to loads of statistics, programs, newsletters, trade shows, reports and other information that can help you take your business to the next level.

I recommend: Join the National Bicycle dealers Association and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.

Stay current with the latest trends from your bike parts distributor

The cycling industry culture has contributed greatly to the growth of the industry. It revolves around increasing the popularity of this healthy, cost-saving, non-polluting form of transportation. Many of its companies actively work to improve transportation networks that serve all those moving from one place to another - cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. These same companies also often involve themselves with advocacy efforts dealing with the environment, community service and local/regional/national policies affecting the industry.

I recommend: Learn all you need about the true culture of the bicycle industry from QBP, the industry's largest parts and accessories distributor. Another leading bicycle parts and accessories distributor, The Hawley Company, encourages its customers to get involved with advocacy groups and provides links to several on its website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remain cautious when ordering wholesale bike parts in large quantities, and make sure you factor in considerations like how the economy and current weather patterns are impacting your customers' bicycle riding and buying patterns. During times of economic difficulty, many people will get their old bikes in their attics or off the hooks in the garage and get them repaired rather than buy new bicycles.

Once you have decided to get into the business of selling and repairing bikes, it is important to find distributors for bicycle parts that can provide all of the different kinds of products you want to have in stock. Choosing a bike parts distributor can be an difficult task. There seem to be so many.

Deciding on what types of bike parts your business will need is the first step to finding cycling parts distributors. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when making a choice:

1. Get on the road to success with the right bicycle parts distributors who offer the best selection of wholesale bike frames.

2. Team up with the right distributor to get the best quality brakes for your customers.

3. Glide by the competition by providing a great selection of wholesale wheels and tires.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay in the race with frames from bicycle parts wholesalers

Without a frame, you don't have a bike. Without a good frame, you don't have a chance to win the race. Choosing the right distributors for cycling parts will ensure you offer your customers the best quality and selection of bike frames and frame parts around.

I recommend: Zenital carries the frame components you will need for repairing or building bikes of all sizes. Sheldon Brown sells racing and everyday frames as well as everything in between. The Pedal Force website has many top quality frames to choose from at wholesale prices.

Ensure your sales growth doesn't slow with the right brakes from cycling parts distributors

Stop your competitors from gaining on your business with the latest in cycling brake technology. Work with a bike parts distributor who carries the latest and greatest in braking systems to promise your customers a smooth, safe ride.

I recommend: The Delta Cycle Corporation website carries just about all of the different kinds of brakes out there. Hawley USA sells brake sets as well as brake parts. Finally, the Olympic Supply Company website provides a comprehensive list of brake parts at wholesale prices.

Hit the road running with wheels and tires from bicycle parts wholesalers

The different types of bikes need different types of wheels and tires. Team up with distributors for bike parts that carry the most common types of wheels out there to be able to handle all of your customer's needs and requests.

I recommend: Action Bicycle USA carries wheels as well as wheel sets. Paceline Products sells tires for many of the different kinds of cycling that customers participate in. Velocity USA has many of the most popular brands of wheels for bicycle enthusiasts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Talk to your vendor of wholesale bicycle parts about the latest trends in the world of cycling to make sure you are providing your customers with the latest and greatest products and information.

When offering value-added services like repairs and upgrades in your bike shop, you need cycling parts distributors you can trust. Finding the right bicycle parts distributors helps you keep prices reasonable while maintaining a healthy profit margin. Finding the bike parts distributor you can count on for prompt and accurate delivery solidifies your reputation as a reliable company customers can trust for quick repair/upgrade of their bikes.

The U.S. bicycle industry brings in roughly $6 billion annually (total retail sales of bikes, parts and accessories). Parts, accessories and service account for roughly 50% of sales in average bike stores, reinforcing the need to partner with solid distributors. Your customers ride bikes for exercise, recreation, transportation or racing, and nearly all of them will need to replace something at some point, so keep the following in mind as you search for bicycle parts distributors:

1. Consider cycling parts distributors that give you another marketing tool – ones that list their vendors' names on their websites.

2. Look for a bike parts distributor trade show near you, so you can meet with and compare distributors face to face under one roof.

3. Ask about minimum quantities or order amounts before ordering parts from wholesale bicycle parts distributors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Do business with bicycle parts distributors that offer more than just bike parts

To control the number of distributors for bike parts and accessories you deal with, ensure you're making the most of cycling parts distributors by checking out distributors for cycling parts that also carry accessories and apparel. You may also get lucky and run across distributors that offer programs and incentives that benefit companies like yours.

I recommend: QBP, the largest parts and accessories distributor in the bicycle industry, serves more than 5,000 dealers annually. Besides its wide array of parts and accessories, the company offers discounts and rebate programs for dealers and serves as an active advocate with local and national bike organizations to advance biking as a viable alternative form of transportation. Check out the product categories on the left side of the page at Downeast Bicycle Specialists. This full-service bike parts and accessories distributor offers everything from bikes and brake pads to clothing and novelty items like themed shot glasses.

Find brand name or generic bike accessories and bicycle parts wholesale

Whether you're looking for parts for high-end bicycles or starter bikes for kids, you can find bicycle parts wholesalers that carry what you need.

I recommend: F&R Cycle, a wholesaler of bicycles and parts for dealers, carries just about anything you need from bike baskets, back cushions and bells to tires, brake parts, axles and nuts. Visit a wholesale distributor of the top brands of bike parts and accessories like Action Bicycle. This company carries more than 8,000 products in stock, including wholesale bike components, bikes and apparel.

Establish accounts with distributors for bicycle parts and wholesale cycling parts

Prepare for a little paperwork when establishing an account with bicycle parts distributors. Many will require you to provide proof that they'll be selling to another business. Expect to provide items like signed business applications, state sales/resale tax number, pictures of your store (both inside and outside), business hours, business liability insurance certificate, current phone bill or yellow page ad with your company's listing and your physical address.

I recommend: Going through the new account process with The Hawley Company will gain you access to a leading wholesale bicycle components and apparels distributor that first opened its doors in 1964 as a bicycle shop. Establish an account at DWSPHOENIX.COM to take advantage of the company's wholesale bike parts and accessories.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check before you promise a customer you'll have parts drop shipped to them directly from the bike parts distributor -- most will not ship wholesale cycling parts direct to your customer.

Bicycles are a popular form of recreation, exercise and sport. The audience for bicycles is diverse and includes families, mountain bikers, bike racers and bicycle commuters. The variety of bikes available is matched by that of the bike's components, accessories and parts. Review a few of the many components that make up a bicycle, beginning with the frame and ending with accessories.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Bicycle frame

The frame is the main element of every bicycle -- all of the other bike parts are connected to it. Frames can be made from carbon fiber, steel, titanium or aluminum. Their shape and construction vary based on how the bike will be used. For example, racing or mountain bike frames are distinct from frames used on recreational bikes.

I recommend: Exploratorium explains bicycle frame materials and the benefits of each component.

Brake system

The brake system on a bicycle allows the rider to slow down and come to a complete stop. Brakes are essential to biking and are manufactured as either disc, rim, hub or one-handed systems.

I recommend: Tandem Bicycle Central.com discusses the different types of bike brakes and how they function. The Adventure Cycling Association reviews brakes, brake performance and brake types.

Derailleur

A derailleur is the device that changes gears on a multi-speed bicycle by moving the chain. A rear wheel and front wheel derailleur is standard on a multi-speed bike. Derailleurs became popular when paved roads were invented.

I recommend: Morefocus Media covers problems and solutions with gear shifting and types of derailleurs.

Hub dynamo

A hub dynamo is a generator built into the hub of the bike. It's primarily used to power the bicycle's lights. Hub dynamos are heavy, economical and more suitable for on-road rather than off-road biking.

I recommend: Bicycle Electronics gives you the history and characteristics of a hub dynamo. Why Cycle? compares bicycle lighting types and reviews the hub dynamo.

Cyclocomputer

A cyclocomputer is a device attached to the handlebar of a bicycle that records and exhibits information related to a trip such as time, distance and speed. Temperature, heart rate and GPS navigation are included on more state-of-the-art models.

I recommend: Active.com provides a guide to a cyclocomputer's functions, installation, features, use and maintenance. Techxplore.net discusses a cyclocomputer and its performance monitoring benefits.

Bicycle commuter pannier

A pannier is a bag or basket attached to a bicycle or motorcycle. They are also used as backpacks. Bicycle commuter panniers are popular since they are able to hold laptops, paperwork and clothing.

I recommend: Bikemania.biz describes the bicycle commuter pannier and its features.