Why your local bike shop will survive

Like most small-batch builders, Curtis Inglis's shop is a condensed mixture of machines, posters, trophies, bike parts, and frames both old and new.
(Image credit: James Huang)

You can ride some of the greatest routes in cycling virtually, peruse all the best road bikes online, and buy exactly what you need without having to leave your home.

The digitalisation of cycling has been remarkable. First, it was Strava to track our real-world rides. Then Zwift allowed us to ride in our living rooms. All along, there has been the building tide of online purchasing, throttling the traditional physical retail experience. These trends cast significant doubt on the future of the local bike shop (LBS).

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Lance Branquinho is a Namibian born media professional, with 15-years of experience in technology and engineering journalism covering anything with wheels. Being from Namibia, he knows a good gravel road when he sees one, and he has raced some of Africa’s best-known mountain bike stage races, such as Wines2Wales and Berg&Bush.