a lot of the bike shops in my area usually gave 10-15% off your gear and a free jersey but you have to get yourself to the races. but my team (spoke city, seminole fl) took you to the races, which, to me was way more important than any percentage off bike parts. i more than likely wouldn't have earned nat #1 if it wasn't for spoke city. our manager put together car washes to raise money, always hooked us up with decent motels...well, most of 'em, anyway. so, how did your bike shop team support you?
mike

My first one was pretty lame. Free Jersey, no help with entry fees, parts at cost +5% but I didn't need anything. I think he offered us GT frames at flat cost but I already had one.

I quit racing for a few yeard and started up again. The guy had a tiny shop originally in his garage but after making some cash he was able to lease a storefront. Todd was really cool, I think he was from Ohio or Michigan and raced BITD. Parts at cost plus he'd true your rims for free and let you use his tools at the shop. Quit racing again but heard a few years ago he was killed in a car accident.

I don't understand.... what is so "lame" about a free jersey and discounts on parts? Did you increase the bike shops business so much that you deserved much more than this?

Got free uniforms,f/f and enteries paid and rode to some of the races with the owners as there son was on the team.

Main Bikes in Alhambra Ca. Free Jersey and all parts and apparel at cost (w/o tax). Alot of times he just let us have stuff. At the time it was such a good team that I would have ridden for him and paid retail. Absolutely no complaints.

Bikes, Uni's and use of the shop van to go to races with. Bikes had to be returned at the end of the season

hey wait a minute, you got bikes? I never did

Free uniform (leathers, jersey, and helmet), paid entry fees if you were on the team sheet that day, and 30% off parts. They were also really a great team to ride for and would have rode for them just to be on their team.

My first sponsor - BJ's Bike in Minnesota : Free jersey, 20% on parts.

Second, Pedaler's Paradise in Maple Plain : Jersey, parts at cost, paid entries, pro-form on Torker products (co-sponsor) and rides to races.

Back to BJ's as a Co-sponsor to Factory GT : parts at cost, and they'd give me boxes of t-shirts to sell on tour (keeping the profit).

Now Bikes w/ Robinson Factory : (riding shop colors at regionals / Factory colors at Nats.) Uniforms, grips, chains, co-sponsor parts for free, gas money, motel money, paid all entries, bonuses for team wins, and a job as team manager and BMX parts manager.

Robinson / Sheely's Wheels - everything paid.

American / Sheely's Wheels - everything paid.

A jersey is just a shirt that makes you a billboard. Cost plus 5% was usually more than what Trend, Dan's or Rockford charged w/ shipping BITD because they had more buying power than small local shops. Even the GT frame at cost was more than Trend wanted and shipping evened out sales tax. I guess I also forgot to add that the guy was a d!ck, so that also made it lame.

My first bike shop sponsor was Free Wheelin' in Margate, Florida, and like Mike said the most important thing was rides to the races. They gave us discounts on parts, free jerseys, free tubes and cables if you needed them at races...but the biggie was that ride.
My mom wasn't into the bmx thing at all, so if it wasn't for the Hannas at Free Wheelin' I would have only raced at Coral Springs until I got a car or quit, so I am forever grateful to them.
They also put me to work in the back building bikes and doing flat repairs...I was there 24-7 anyway.

That would have been extremely awesome.