#mtb
The Stirling Revolution column is penned by the father and son, LBS owning, pair of Stirling “Snr” and Stirling James (SJ) “Jnr” Kotze. With years of industry insider knowledge, they’re your, and our, link to the retail side of bicycle trade – and while they might upset the odd sensitive reader their insights prove invaluable time and time again.
The relationship between a customer and the bike shop is either a fleeting affair or a long-term relationship, says STIRLING SENIOR. Between these two is a relationship of convenience. Then there is also the perfect storm. LET’S FIRST GET THE FLEETING AFFAIR OUT THE WAY: This is where the so-called […]
The good, the bad and the ugly – SJ KOTZE gives us a behind the-scenes peek at what these workhorses go through. In the early days of mountain biking you would, pretty much, buy what you could get your hands on. And your first ride would be once you owned […]
SJ KOTZE is determined to see us get back on the bike after a crash. See his comical way of dealing with an embarrassing fall. There are a few things that you can be sure of in life. Death and taxes are the two certainties we always joke about, and […]
Let’s get one thing straight, this tabloid is all about mountain biking … and some gravel bikes (love them). And the following banter is about what you should have/do as a mountain biker, and it follows therefore that there are ‘things’ you shouldn’t have or do. A quick disclaimer: if […]
The Perfect Bike Shop Customer STIRLING SENIOR is back, and he unpacks the different types of shoppers who regularly enter his store. With the festive season around the corner and many of the political and corporate ‘crooks’ (who have almost completely screwed our economy) being found out we – consumers […]
Stirling Senior shares his opinion on why local bike shops are so important. I love bicycle retail stores. I go overseas on vacation and I can’t wait to visit a few bike shops. Even if it’s only for the experience of being inside a bike shop. I like bicycles and […]
Stirling “Senior” Kotze looks back at what was probably the craziest time of the year to own a bikeshop – luckily for him the March-madness is something of the past. The cool thing about being a “free” freelance scribe is that, because I write for free (meaning: I don’t get […]
Before I answer that, let’s talk about age. Way back in 1875 Britain’s Friendly Societies Act declared that when you reached 50 you were defined as OLD. I suppose that’s why your 50th birthday party is such a biggie. Today, the conversation could go something like this: Q. “How […]
The world of mountain biking gets a new update every couple of months. This strong forward momentum means that the modern bikes we ride today are better than ever. They are technical marvels with countless upgrades over their predecessors from 30 years ago. Sometimes the number of new standards that […]
Mountain biking is not a cheap sport and by keeping your prized steed in tip-top shape would not only be beneficial to its longevity but it will also ensure you reach the finish line without major problems. Regular contributor and bike shop owner Stirling Kotze (senior) explains why servicing is […]
