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Beeline Bikes Mobile Bike Shop Now Offering Franchise Opportunities in Portland and Across the USA

Beeline Bikes repair truck
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After being turned away from several bike shops while looking for service, avid rider Pete Buhl decided to create a more convenient system for cyclists in need of repairs. Joining with cycling industry veterans Andy Jeffrey and Neil Macc, the three created Beeline Bikes, a mobile bike shop service that comes to your home or workplace when it’s most convenient for you.

Beeline bikes has seen strong growth over the last two years and now has six mobile shops operating in the San Francisco Bay Area. Building upon this success Beeline is now offering franchise opportunities in the U.S., and they’re initially focusing on the bicycle-loving city of Portland, Oregon. Their company objective is to “make it easy for more folks to get out and ride more often on a safe, well tuned and well equipped bike.”

Click below the break to get the buzz on Beeline’s operation…

Customer convenience is the biggest selling point behind Beeline Bikes. Customers can arrange a time and place for an appointment by phone or online, and the mobile shop comes to your home or workplace fully stocked with tools and spare parts. The mechanic and customer can then interact one on one for a level of personalized service that’s often unavailable in traditional shops where you may never exchange a word with the person who’s fixing your bike.

Beeline Bikes mechanic in truck

Beeline’s mechanics are all skill-certified and background checked. After an assessment of your bicycle the mechanic provides a repair estimate on the spot. The company claims their services are often cheaper than a typical shop, and multi-bike discounts are offered for families or those with a full stable of steeds. While the wrenches are turning customers can also purchase tools, accessories and components from Beeline’s service truck.

Beeline Bikes, family outside repair truck

Beeline will work on all types of bikes including road, MTB, commuter, kid’s bikes and even electric bicycles. They offer any repairs from flat fixes to full tune-ups, but a service minimum of $29.99 is required to make an appointment. Beeline also assembles new bikes, boxes bikes for travel, and offers a ‘Pro Service’ for high end road and mountain bikes.

The Pro Service includes concierge pickup, repair and delivery of the bike, and is intended for more complex tuning or if special order parts are required. All service is performed at Beeline’s headquarters under the supervision of fully trained and experienced mechanics. Bikes are typically turned over in 2-3 days, depending on parts availability.

Beeline also sells compete bikes, and their ‘Rightbike’ service allows customers to select a bike from Beeline’s catalogue with helpful advice from staff. Once you’ve chosen your new ride a delivery date is scheduled, the bike is professionally assembled and any final adjustments are made upon delivery.

Beeline Bikes, on-site service

Here’s a few things potential franchisees might want to know: Many bike friendly companies around San Francisco have utilized Beeline’s Corporate Program to bring a mobile shop to their workplace, allowing employees to conveniently get service and providing the mechanic a large group of customers in one location. The company also says house calls often result in multiple bike services (they’ve serviced as many as eight bikes in one house) which is time-efficient for the mechanic and saves the customer the hassle of making several trips to and from a shop.

Beeline says their fully developed supply chain with over 60 suppliers combined with a low overhead cost model enables mechanics to earn a decent living at their trade. If you’re interested in becoming a franchisee, click here, or for more info on Beeline Bikes check out their website.

beelinebikes.com

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davis
9 years ago

great idea. i wish Pete great success in this endeavor. I think that the only way to do it though is a ford transit or sprinter van type of vehicle. The box truck is super spacious, cheap, and convenient i get that but I think that it is easier for customers to get in and out of a transit/sprinter, its really professional looking, excellent mpg (relatively speaking), it is a little more inconspicuous. Problem would be figuring out an efficient workspace, in the box truck you have mad room! Some food for thought for potential franchisees.

Gino L
Gino L
9 years ago

I’ve used their services quite a bit last year. I was initially worried about follow-up issues that weren’t a problem with LBS: if something’s not right, just head back in and they’d work on the issue ’til it’s fixed. In my case, I had a brake/shifter cable cut too short. One email away and Beeline Bikes called back to schedule an appointment to my liking to correct it.

Nick
Nick
9 years ago

I’ve used Beeline Bikes several times and given them several “second chances” to clean up their mistakes. In short, they’re no better than your local chain bike shop and way more hassle when they mess things up. Unless you really need the *mobile* portion of the service, find another shop.

They’ve made numerous mistakes on my bikes and each time, it was a fight to get them to own up to it. In one case, they incorrectly installed a drive train component. When I had them look at the bike again, they correctly identified the problem but then tried to blame me as the cause. When I pointed out that they had last worked on the drive train just a week before, they tried to find another way to blame me before finally admitting they screwed up.

Each service visit was a repeat of this, a service performed with some fatal mistake. And then trying to get them to own up to their mistakes (most of the time, they never would) on the next visit.

Neil also has a tendency to make claims that aren’t true. “I personally spoke with the mechanic and he said he did X. I told him to do Y when he works on your bike tomorrow.” But when the mechanic arrives, he will tell me that Neil never spoke to him about X nor Y.

They’re convenient (when they do the job right) and it’s the right idea. But their execution leaves something to be desired.

PBJoe
PBJoe
9 years ago

I agree with Davis. I used to drive a box truck for a job I held in HS, I vastly prefer the high roof and lower load floor of a Sprint, Transit or the Ram Promaster. Your employees would be happier too as it would be lower impact on knees and offer a sliding side door for easier loading and versatility. Add a coffee machine and you could have a double threat.

Pete B
9 years ago

Thanks for the feedback/comments. We’ve moved to the Ford Transit recently and for our Franchisees. Customer access and mechanic access to the vehicle is much improved – plus better financing options, gas mileage, service-ability, etc. -Pete

chasejj
chasejj
9 years ago

When they offer full suspension services in that vehicle count me in.

alex
alex
9 years ago

I work in a van down by the river

Roy
Roy
9 years ago

Nick, so what you’re saying is they are just like any other business, it’s STILL about the skill of the mechanic and the honesty of the staff. SOOO many brick and mortor shops today would be no different. loads of part changers with few mechanics, when you find a good mechanic follow them to any shop they work at or a truck. The box don’t make the mechanic..

LateSleeper
LateSleeper
9 years ago

I used to have a guy with a converted milk truck who’d come to my place of work and do bike maintenance for me. He also worked a week long summer tour that I was on. The economics never really worked out for him. Too few customers per hour, too much expense for gasoline and travel time. Even the tour support gig seemed to only break even. Despite working most of the first night on people’s bikes, he had fuel expenses to get to a remote part of Colorado, hotel and restaurant bills, and he couldn’t make as much money selling parts and accessories as an ordinary shop due to lack of space for stock. The guys who’ve done it in subsequent years have a regular car, a bike stand under a pop-up awning and a trunk full of tires and tubes. The key seems to be low overhead.

Sheepo5669
Sheepo5669
9 years ago

Technician used snap-on tool, but did not ride kids bike in wheelie. Trust not yet verified.

Adam Sanders
Adam Sanders
9 years ago

There is a service that is head and shoulders above this. velofix (www.velofix.com) has 20 franchises in Canada and is launching several across the United States. Premium service at your doorstep in a top of the line custom built Mercedes Sprinter. All mechanics are professionally certified mechanics. They are looking for amazing franchise partners who want to deliver a premium product to customers who want to Save Time. Ride More.

Erik
9 years ago

The concept works. I created and run tlThe Bike Doctor mobile business in the bay area of California for 29 years. Peter, ceo beeline bikes, was a customer of mine for at least 10 years. Obviously he liked my business. Anyway it’s efficient and I make a much better living than most bike shop owners, and I’ve chosen to work only 4 days per week. If anyone is interested in more on how I succeededn look me up

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