Latest Zero Friction Cycling News – Podcast – Mspeedwax update – Retail Supreme Leader & Webstore closure update
Latest new 45 – Latest podcast / Mspeedwax update / Retail Supreme Leader & webstore closure update
Latest Podcast – Cycle Systems
Recently I had the honour to be on Cycle Systems podcast with Sean Lally and also guest Mike Stead from Road.cc
These guys were great to have a chat to. Whilst I am always interviewed re drivetrains, each interview does focus more on particular area’s depending on what they / their demographic is most interested in, I think even if you have listened to a bunch of recent podcasts there will be something new / more detail in a particular area that may be of use to your cycling. If you have time whilst doing the vacuuming, washing or lawns – rip this one into thy earbuds!
https://www.cycle-systems.co.uk/ep-143-drivetrain-experts-ahoy/
Mspeedwax update
Alright so you made the very smart call to go waxing – now where is your wax??!!
Many apologies on behalf of the General Global Apocalypse (the GGA) – supply chain issues are still causing, well, issues.
I try REALLY hard not to run out of MSW – I have a standing order with them to basically send me as much as possible as often as possible, I am an open order cheque book. But even with that in place, I was not able to keep anywhere near enough stock buffer in case of an interruption in supply.
And an interruption reared its totally unwanted head re packaging. MSW just couldn’t get the packaging they needed, and shipments stopped, my buffer evaporated, and we are now DEEP in back orders.
I am pondering putting MSW as out of stock vs back order – but am hesitant to do so as it will be tricky for customers – once stocks start coming in after existing back orders filled – a case will land, a day or two later it will be all gone, then out of stock again – it could be annoying for people if they just keep missing the short stock available window, vs securing their place in the back order queue and having order filled as soon as I can fill it.
So will keep on back order vs out of stock for now and keep assessing. Back order back log is getting pretty exciting, and the amount coming soon is unknown. I will have a first shipment from MSW leaving this week, but I do not know how big or not that will be. I should then be receiving shipments at least every week after this re start, but it is going to take some time to clear back orders and have it physically in stock.
I hope to start filling early back orders in approx. 1.5 weeks when first new shipment lands, if you order now, it will likely be filled from case 3 in approx. 3 weeks time.
In summary – if you are wishing for MSW in the near ish future, secure your place in the queue – the better the place in the queue, the sooner I can send you your MSW.
Apologies on behalf of MSW – trust me I have been dealing closely with them for a long time now and they really truly truly are a small company of awesome people working super hard all the time. They are moving from plastic bags to a sustainable & recyclable packaging – timing of new packaging ready to take over old when old packaging ran out was well planned, suppliers committed – but when suppliers suppliers don’t come through due to state of the world these days, the flow on happens oh so easily.
So MSW didn’t drop the ball or anything like that – it was all well planned and with lots of buffer in case things were delayed, but there are limits to any delay where the best laid plans can be undone.
Huge thanks in advance to all ZFC and MSW customers for patience – if new to waxing I can assure you it will be worth the wait, it is just such a truly great product for your drivetrain, hence its now very not niche global demand!
Retail Supreme Leader update / Upcoming Webstore Closure
Training is underway and going well for very groovy man Andrew Field to help moi a lot with managing retail side of ZFC.
Training time has been limited in a bit of a catch 22, with training obviously meaning a slow down in processing for that block – and with me trying to ensure order / enquiry / chain preps / testing work timelines don’t completely blow out – this has limited the amount of training blocks to get Andrew up and running to go solo. But nearly there.
I am on a much needed leave week starting Monday April 25 to play with family during school holidays. At this stage it is LIKELY I will need to close the store again as there will still be a bunch of training needed for Andrew to be fully across the role, and it will be nearly impossible to clear backlog of orders and enquires as well as keep up with new coming in. Little ZFC is simply now at volumes that exceed one person capacity to effectively manage, testing workload is mega, chain prep workload is mega mega – and so trying to train as well when there are hundreds of orders and enquiries waiting over a week for speedy action – it is either pump out 14 hour days for the next three weeks until the next project week to catch up, or close and re open and look to manage volumes as they come in. Time will be even more difficult as MSW starts to land and back orders processed asap.
By May project week I am confident Andrew will be up and running and having a good crack at managing volumes that week and that this will hopefully be the 2nd and final store closure period.
Apologies in advance for store / enquiry closure – it is hugely appreciated that ZFC has the support and patronage that we need a little transition period to manage the ever growing volumes. Ever growing ZFC volumes = ever growing number of drivetrains being saved so it is much much happiness ?
