The Story of the Bike Store - Velo City

Interview Content

[Bunk Talk] The Story of Bicycles - Velo City ｜Bone Bunk｜feat. Velo City Lifestyle Selection

The Origin of Opening Velo City Bike Shop...

Since childhood, from kindergarten to elementary school the birthday gifts from my family were always bicycles. Starting from tricycles, bicycles are an indispensable product in life. Later, I had the opportunity to study and work in Europe, and I discovered that bicycles are not just for leisure and sports in Taiwan. While living in Germany, I realized Wow! The world of bicycles is much bigger than we imagined. There are many aspects to it. So after returning to Taiwan, I thought, knowing my personality, I am suited for venturing out and starting a business. I chose this theme! It's perfect for taking root in Taiwan! Because the bicycle industry is very strong in Taiwan!

Products and Services in the Bike Shop

From kids' scooters to road bikes and triathlon race bikes,

besides the bicycle products themselves,

we also have clothing and personal gear from head to toe.

Then there are the accessories such as front lights, rear lights, phone mounts.

Water bottle cages, etc., we have them all.

The fourth category is after-sales service, including repair, maintenance, and modification.

So we have all the After Service as well.

Challenges in Running a Bike Shop

In retail, you encounter various types of customers and different vendors.

Since we are in the bicycle industry, which depends on the weather, if it rains, with storms or thunderstorms, we have no customers.

Fortunately, we are also a trade company (agent), so we have a responsibility to open a flagship store concept to showcase our products or Taiwanese high-end products in this space and recommend them to all consumers.

Favorite Corner of the Bike Shop

We particularly used a table here.

The main reason is that in this space, there are very few places in Taipei City with a 6-meter high ceiling.

So it's rare to have such light and a comfortable feeling.

Essential Items for Cyclists

We can go out without a wallet, but not without a phone.

So the phone is a very important thing for us modern people.

Of course, some of us say when we ride bicycles, we just focus on riding and put the phone in the bag or behind.

But from an exploration perspective, for many roads I've never been on, I really need GPS navigation.

At this time, it is very important to mount the phone on the handlebars.

When Did You Start the Bike Store?

This flagship store started 7 years ago (in 2017), so this store has been here for 7 years.

Views on Public Bicycles YouBike?

Because Velo City promotes lifestyle, as I mentioned, bicycles are not just for sports.

YouBike, which we call public bicycles, is part of life and transportation.

The more YouBike public bicycles there are, the better our business.

From MRT buses to transfers, using YouBike for transfers, people will get used to this new mode of transportation.

But you will encounter problems, such as not being able to return or borrow the bike.

Often you will want to own your own bicycle, and then you will come to the bike shop.

Observations on Running a Bike Shop

14, 15 years ago when starting the business, you already saw this in Europe.

It has been part of life in those countries for 60, 70 years.

Japan has been copying Europe since the Meiji Restoration, especially the Netherlands and the UK.

They learned the good things from the Netherlands and implemented them in Japan.

So you already see, this is bound to happen.

How to Choose the Location of the Bike Shop?

It just happened to be by the Riverside Park, and Minsheng Community is the place with the most parks.

So by coincidence, we had the opportunity to establish our flagship store here.

Experience of Riding a Bicycle

I used to ride a bicycle from the city to school, up Yangmingshan.

My family also had a Giant bicycle store, so I grew up hanging out in the bike shop.

It just happened that I found this interest in starting a business, and then integrated some international experiences into it.

But because it's something you love, how to turn the hard work into a challenge for yourself is crucial.

Recently Most Frequently Ridden Bicycle?

Many people often ask me, Nelson, which bike do you ride the most?

Of course, it's YouBike.

Haha~ Why?

Because it's very convenient.

Including going home or to meetings, or taking the MRT, I ride YouBike the most.

Do You Bring a Phone Mount While Riding a Bicycle?

I always bring a bike phone mount because it's very convenient.

Yes~ I bring it on business trips around the world, just mount it on any public bicycle and go.

It's very convenient.

Because it's related to work, I often lead groups, bringing customers and friends on bicycle rides.

I always take it out to take pictures for customers, recording everything with photos or videos.

So being able to quickly take it off and put it back on is very important.

Things to Share with Fellow Cyclists

If you really want to take photos while riding, please, cyclists, it's best to stop first (safety is the top priority).

Really~ The main thing is to ride back home safely.