084 – Inside the Bike Industry's Big Brands with Former Giant and Specialized Sales Rep. (Carlos Quintero)

Mountain Cog

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The Mountain Cog podcast features an in-depth conversation with bike industry veteran Carlos Quintero in episode 084. Currently working as Southwest Market Manager for Enso Sales Group, Carlos reveals the economic fundamentals of bike shops, explaining why accessories provide significantly higher profit margins compared to actual bike sales. The discussion tracks his career journey from bike shop manager at Bicycle Warehouse to inside sales roles at Giant and Specialized, offering unique perspectives on how these major manufacturers approach the market differently.
The hosts and Carlos explore the post-pandemic changes in the mountain bike industry, particularly how consumer buying habits shifted toward online purchasing during COVID. The episode covers the challenges bike shops face competing with direct-to-consumer brands, the importance of creating welcoming environments for new riders, and the differences between salary-plus-commission versus pure commission compensation models for sales representatives. The conversation also touches on component preferences between SRAM and Shimano, Mavic's brand resurrection, and Carlos's personal dream bike choices, providing valuable insights for both casual riders and industry professionals.

Enso Sales Group...
Intense: https://intensecycles.com/
Mavic: https://www.mavic.com/en-us
POC: https://poc.com/en-us
Derosa: https://derosa.it/
Carlos also digs… https://alchemybikes.com/

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Chapters

1. Bike Industry Sales and Jokes (00:00:00)

2. Customer Service in the Bike Industry (00:11:41)

3. Direct-to-Consumer Brands in Cycling (00:23:46)

4. Sales Compensation Models in Cycling (00:28:45)

5. Mountain Biking Stories and Language Mishaps (00:33:33)

6. Bike Brand Loyalty Debate (00:46:27)

7. Cycling Industry Insider Perspectives (00:49:54)

8. Bike Enthusiast Chats About Favorite Rides (01:02:00)

9. Bike Apparel and Safety Tattoos (01:10:47)

10. Supporting Local Bike Shops (01:14:05)