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Canyon adds Velofix assembly & delivery to USA consumer-direct options

Canyon Inflite CF SLX cabin fiber cyclocross race bike
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As part of Canyon’s U.S. invasion, the direct-to-consumer brand has added one more delivery option to their arsenal: Velofix.

Now, for $95, you can ignore the assembly tools that come with each Canyon road, cyclocross, commuter or mountain bike, and just have it show up ready to ride. The fee is on top of a standard delivery charge and covers professional assembly by your local Velofix franchisee. There are almost 100 such mobile repair trucks in operation in the United States already, and that number is constantly growing.

“Canyon’s groundbreaking direct-to-consumer distribution has demonstrated for years around the globe that our riders can expect the highest level of service and quality when purchasing online, and be ready to ride within minutes of receiving their Canyon at home or office,” said Canyon USA President Blair Clark in the press release. “The simple setup process has satisfied hundreds of thousands of customers and is one of Canyon’s many unique benefits. By offering the Canyon USA Delivery Service by Velofix we will have another option to serve the customer who desires additional personal assistance from a professional certified mechanic.”

This announcement adds to Velofix’s growing brand lineup, which includes Turner, Van Dessel and others. Competitor Beeline Cycles offers a similar service for Raleigh, Diamondback, Redline and pretty much any bike available on Amazon or Competitive Cyclist.

Canyon.com

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33 Comments
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Seraph
Seraph
7 years ago

So if I have a warranty issue with my Canyon, is Velofix going to come to me and deal with filing the claim too?

Ryan
Ryan
7 years ago
Reply to  Seraph

That’s the price of saving thousands of dollars! You may never need to use the warranty; if you do, the money you saved is like being paid a couple thousand dollars per hour for your trouble!

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
7 years ago
Reply to  Ryan

Actually in my case an online purchase of an orbea was far better than dealing with a bike shop for a warranty claim instead of lobbying the bike shop to call their Cannondale rep to warranty a frame I was able to have the problem resolved quite quickly over the phone directly with the MFG.

lop
lop
7 years ago
Reply to  Ryan

Savaged.

D
D
7 years ago
Reply to  Seraph

Well done phrasing a legitimate question as rhetorical question. Clearly something here bothers you and you shouldn’t buy Canyon, or maybe consumer direct in general. You surely have many options.

Will Velofix also help facilitate warranty claims with its partners? I hope so, that would be convenient.

I’ve filed warranty claims for all sorts of different consumer products without paying someone to do it for me. I know I am capable of doing it if the unfortunate occurs.

Patrick
Patrick
7 years ago
Reply to  D

It doesn’t matter, they only have a 2 year warranty! Most people’s will have expired before they find any actual issues!

Stampers
Stampers
7 years ago
Reply to  D

I think the point that’s being made is you’ll save money in the short term but if things do go bad you may have to deal with longer warranty turn around times (and no riding while you wait) in the long run.

Risk vs reward

PooperScooper
PooperScooper
7 years ago

Nope. But your bike shop will stay afloat by charging your on-line buying arse top dollar to fix and tune. Which is what they should do.

Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  PooperScooper

Honestly I’m okay with this. I rarely need a shop for bike repair, but when I do it’s usually for something complicated or tricky (suspension, weird bottom bracket issues, etc.), and that’s when their expertise is needed. I’m happy to pay a premium for the expertise… but not for adjust stem height or derailleur limits.

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

I agree. I think the arrival of Canyon and other Direct brands will only serve to strengthen the herd and weed out the outdated and irrelevant shops in the marketplace. I have no need for this service as I can and have assembled a direct to consumer bike before but have no issue paying more for an odd or infrequent service like brake bleeding or changing a headset.

Muchachos
Muchachos
7 years ago
Reply to  PooperScooper

This statement is everything that is wrong with the bike industry and bike shops. An auto shop does not charge different rates whether you bought it there or somewhere else. This attitude is why bike shops are going out of business.

Mr. P
7 years ago
Reply to  Muchachos

Auto shops do not sell cars.

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
7 years ago
Reply to  Mr. P

false

lop
lop
7 years ago
Reply to  Mr. P

This is just observably incorrect.

jayb
jayb
6 years ago
Reply to  Muchachos

It’s not that shops charge more for bikes bought elsewhere, it’s more often the case that they subsidize the labor for bikes purchased by them. As a LBS owner I greatly appreciate the patronage and loyalty of my customers and reward them with discounts on parts and labor accordingly. Come to my shop at 4pm Friday with a last minute repair we really don’t have time to do before closing to get you going for your weekend trip. Does the customer who bought their bike from me have preference?? Of course. Show up with a direct sales bike and I’m not going to stay past close to fix it, maybe velofix will?? At least where I’m from in the great white north a vast majority of LBS’s care a lot about their customers and go out of their way to make sure customer bikes are running smooth and things get fixed with or without appointment. I welcome direct sales as it forces LBS to have high levels of service and give people a reason to shop there. Want a great deal? for sure shop online. Want someone to take the brake off their own bike to get you running for a big race? Maybe local is the way to go for you!

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago
Reply to  PooperScooper

Hey, if they can stay afloat that way and it makes business sense, more power to them. But don’t fault others for doing things in their best interest either.

Robin
Robin
7 years ago
Reply to  PooperScooper

Any bike shop that charges more for bikes not bought in the shop or for bikes bought online isn’t worthy of a customer’s money. There’s always another LBS somewhere that actually cares about the customer and wants to provide good service.

TriDevilDog
TriDevilDog
7 years ago
Reply to  Robin

I don’t think the usual practice is to uplift rates for on-line buyers, but some basic services that you expect to be free when you buy a bike from the shop won’t be if you buy on-line or out of state. If I buy the bike there, I expect adjusting gears, rubbing brakes and other minor adjustments to be free. If i bought the bike elsewhere, that is a service ticket I expect to pay for.

Mr Nancy
Mr Nancy
7 years ago
Reply to  TriDevilDog

TriDevilDog, Exactely. More people like you please.

Robin
Robin
7 years ago
Reply to  Robin

*charges more for service

myke2241
myke2241
6 years ago
Reply to  Robin

Have you guys heard of baggage fees… one airline did it and the rest followed. Fuel surcharges, what happened there? Only a matter of time

thebrassnipple
7 years ago

Yeah. Or our on-line buying arses can just use Youtube to figure out how to fix your own bike. I get crappy service from almost every bike shop I go in to. They have no idea what they’re talking about more than half the time, I’m better off fixing the bike myself, and they have to order what I need anyway. Now I’m a good mechanic but none of this stuff is rocket science.

I’m not going to pay an extra $350 in sales tax and a higher price on the bike just to support the local shop that never has what I need anyway.

Sorry but signs of the times PooperScooper. The buy local movement needs to come up with a more compelling reason to shop there.

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
7 years ago
Reply to  thebrassnipple

Ohh my god dude you just hit the nail on the head!!!!! There is only one shop in my major city I would take any of my bikes to and its for work I don’t have the tools to perform (e.g. Headset changes). I literally have a near complete workshop in our house mostly out of exasperation from terrible bike shop experiences ex. I’m tired of dropping a bike off for a week, not knowing the price I have to pay, not getting a call when my bike is ready, and not having things fixed properly with lame excuses. I’m glad to see some more decent bikes coming onto the consumer direct model; bicycle assembly is not some ridiculously complex task in fact most bikes shipped from the internet come with perfectly adjusted derailleurs. Paying significantly more for bad retail only hurts the industry, the shops that add value will survive the ones that think its still 1973 will fail.

jared
jared
7 years ago

Look at the reviews on Canyon’s performance in the UK as a preview for the US. I think Velofix is the primary beneficiary in this situation.

Jimmy
Jimmy
7 years ago

Your so right Jared.

badbikemechanicx
badbikemechanicx
7 years ago

Thanks for the Canyon marketing.

whatever
whatever
7 years ago

Lets see. The last bike I bought is a 2017 name brand mtb, carbon frame, rockshox air fork, XT rear, shimano hydro, Maxxis tires, etc that I had shipped from overseas. Took four days to deliver. Took 30 minutes to have ready to go. Cost $1310 delivered. Equal name brand bike in the LBS is $3200-$3800 plus 10% sales tax.

DAMN RIGHT I’m taking the online deal!!!

No warranty, so what. The one time I tried to warranty claim a bike frame (s branding), they made all kinds of claims and shop wanted $200 to tear down and ship the frame for evaluation. Tried to warranty famous brand tire that blew out sidewall 3 miles into first ride. Got excuses, and no replacement.

So seems to me the so called benefits of buying from the LBS is rather over-inflated. Then there is $35 for a minor tune (aka turn a barrel adjuster), $40 for a single spoke, etc. then they can’t have it back to you until Friday (today is Saturday) unless you pay double all while they (including mechanics) are doing allot of nothing.

For me, I will be taking the super hot online deal, or just building the bike myself to my own preferences (which is exactly what I have done with my carbon road, and steel gravel bike).

With that said, I have compassion for those that have had a shop open for 10-20 years etc. But truth is, I owe you nothing, just like you don’t believe you owe me anything. The answer to all your problems does not rely with me paying $120 + 10% sales tax for a jersey, when I can get excellent jersey’s direct for $12-$15 delivered. In my job, I fill a need or the company where I work. Don’t fill that, and I am gone. The LBS must also fill the consumer’s wants/needs, and trying to restrict access and inflate prices is not meeting the consumer’s wants/needs.That is the whole industry.

Ryan
Ryan
6 years ago
Reply to  whatever

Where did you get that bike!?!

whatever
whatever
6 years ago
Reply to  Ryan

Chain Reaction of the UK.

hpbiker
hpbiker
7 years ago

Everyone saying you save by not paying sales tax. In most states you are to pay the sales tax, for items bought online/mail order, when you fill your taxes. If you don’t you are breaking to the law. I believe this is why we need the Fair Tax Law passed. Then the seller could collect the sales tax and send it in for you. Also no retail store charges sales tax. They just collect it.

hpbiker
hpbiker
7 years ago
Reply to  hpbiker

“File your taxes”

tyler
7 years ago
Reply to  hpbiker

you wanna make it illegal to buy stuff from EMEA too? (deleted)

Donny Bains
6 years ago

Yes velofix will facilitae all warranty claims with Canyon and the other DTC brands on the platform. Not only that, they will assist to ensure it is packed according to the standards and requirements of the DTC brand. Change is not coming, it is here

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