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Would you do it, if you could?

Would you buy a small established MTB touring business if you had the chance?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 11 52.4%
  • No, not for me.

    Votes: 7 33.3%
  • Loco sucks but everything else is better with bacon.

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • Total voters
    21

BadDNA

hophead
Mar 31, 2006
4,257
231
Living the dream.
Over the weekend, a friend of mine discussed with me an opportunity to take over his bicycle touring business when he "retires" in 5-6 years. He's had a pretty steady stream of business running for the past 20 years from his location in Maine, offering guided MTB riding with on site camping and a handful of other activities in the area. His marketing strategy has shifted over the years and he's currently focusing on the online sites like Groupon, Living Social, etc. but estimates that with an additional push toward established clubs and publications, he could probably pull in an additional 30-40% more business. Obviously, this would be a seasonal lifestyle and I'd have to find a way to get through the winter months but there are options that have been discussed including trying to find work off-season for another tour company down in the southwest or just saving enough during the regular to take the winter months off. He's got a pretty good system worked out and has, with one full time guide and several volunteers, held events with up to 50 or so people over three days providing meals, lodging, guided rides for all abilities, etc.

So, without getting into the financial details, because I don't have all that information yet, if it's something that you could make work, would you do it?
 

ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
Over the weekend, a friend of mine discussed with me an opportunity to take over his bicycle touring business when he "retires" in 5-6 years. He's had a pretty steady stream of business running for the past 20 years from his location in Maine, offering guided MTB riding with on site camping and a handful of other activities in the area. His marketing strategy has shifted over the years and he's currently focusing on the online sites like Groupon, Living Social, etc. but estimates that with an additional push toward established clubs and publications, he could probably pull in an additional 30-40% more business. Obviously, this would be a seasonal lifestyle and I'd have to find a way to get through the winter months but there are options that have been discussed including trying to find work off-season for another tour company down in the southwest or just saving enough during the regular to take the winter months off. He's got a pretty good system worked out and has, with one full time guide and several volunteers, held events with up to 50 or so people over three days providing meals, lodging, guided rides for all abilities, etc.

So, without getting into the financial details, because I don't have all that information yet, if it's something that you could make work, would you do it?
thats the most important part there.
if the numbers work out, then you wouldnt have to ask me twice.
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
If I could make it work financially...I wouldn't even have to think about it. Honestly...ask him if you could volunteer to run some tours and get inside the business a little to see if it's for you. Don't forget, you have to deal with all types of people, crappy riders, beginners, crappy trips, people getting hurt, etc. With all that though, still pretty sure it would be an enthusiastic yes for me.
 

BUFFALO

Vigorous Giver of Reputation
Feb 11, 2005
150
0
Renton, wa
That sounds like a pretty great way to make a living to me! I love riding bikes and I love camping! I suppose part of it would depend on how much time is spent 'working' through out a regular day. If he has to dedicated 15 hours everyday on advertising, organizing events, paperwork etc. Real actual work in other words, that might take away from some of the fun and then it just becomes another job.
I think it would definately be worth trying though. I'm guessing you could probably fall back on your current career if things didn't work out.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
If I could make it work financially...I wouldn't even have to think about it. Honestly...ask him if you could volunteer to run some tours and get inside the business a little to see if it's for you.
given the proposed timeframe, this is a must.



Don't forget, you have to deal with all types of people, crappy riders, beginners, crappy trips, people getting hurt, etc. With all that though, still pretty sure it would be an enthusiastic yes for me.
riding w/ beginners & crappy riders > being a desk jockey in a cube farm
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
riding w/ beginners & crappy riders > being a desk jockey in a cube farm
Not saying it wouldn't be. Just saying there are people that will not have fun or be miserable and you have to deal with that. I actually enjoy taking beginners out riding, but I've also had my fair share of customer service....and it can suck.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,942
13,135
Portland, OR
"Financial details" and "bike related business" don't always go together. Unless by details you mean you break even at least. :rofl:

If it makes sense, I would do it. It would be a cool business to own and if its established, then you at least have a base.

<edit> You can always say in your flyers "don't call us if you can't ride for sh!t"
 
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jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
Not saying it wouldn't be. Just saying there are people that will not have fun or be miserable and you have to deal with that. I actually enjoy taking beginners out riding, but I've also had my fair share of customer service....and it can suck.
sorry, i've been off RM too long, figure i should state the obvious.
 

C.P.

Monkey
Jan 18, 2004
547
8
SouthEastern Massachusetts
The financial piece definitely helps with the decision to do it or not, that and the business plan plus any changes you could make to increase the revenue/profit of said plan.
That being said, does the transaction include many acres of land with trails already built (and room to add more)? If not, that might be a tough decision for me personally; trails and what mods/added features etc you can do to them to increase the appeal of your offering as the business grows is a big piece of the whole plan.

'Having been on a few mtb tour's in the past (different companies like Escape Adventures & Western Spirit) these companies have been struggling lately. My take is that mtbers are mostly cheap when it comes to $ spent on vacationing, and mtb tours are a kind of luxury that most mtbers dont partake of, especially if there are other ways to get trail riding in at a locale, and not be stuck with a tour co. group's itinerary that doesn't fit your total goals for a vacation.
OTOH, it seems to me that MTB destination spots where different trail options and over-night options exist (be it camping or inns or anything in between), means that the focus is on the trail system, the trail features and always keeping the trail system fresh with new progression, more features and increase appeal as it grows seem to be the way to keep the masses coming. Think KT & Highland as one example in the north-east. sorry for the run-on...
 
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ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
<edit> You can always say in your flyers "don't call us if you can't ride for sh!t"
the best local bike guide, pretty much has that disclaimer (same meaning, softer words) on his e-flyers.

the best 2 guides i know, turn riders down on their trips somewhat regularly. its good for business in the end.
nobody wants to ride with "that guy whose trips are full of beginners on v-brakes, who stop every other mile".
 
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kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I work to make money, so I can enjoy my hobbies.

I've made my hobbies my job, and my hobbies just ended up being work.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Hard to say without knowing how the historical and projected revenue numbers look, how much your friend is asking for his business, how this compares to your existing income and lifestyle, and how big of an operation we're talking about.

Would be running the tours, or hiring guides? As a lifestyle, I can think of worse things than managing this kind of business and doing recon trips for future tours.
 

fishbum

Chimp
Oct 9, 2012
1
0
Not sure why my post was deleted, but Cliff has a serious attitude about 'his' trails.
Little does he know that maps are available out there and people ride those trails as they are all on public lands. I'd walk away.
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
As I am looking for work after my military retirement, love bikes and wandering around the country and pretty much sorta kinda like people, I am in. Frau JohnE is a logistical genius and very detail oriented (Total yin to my yang, or is it the other way around?) and would love doing all the planning and leave the execution of plans to me. We have also batted about the idea of buying a small campground.