• This topic has 74 replies, 60 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by mboy.
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  • Best bike shop?
  • bullheart
    Free Member

    Right then.

    Six months ago I moved to Tunbridge Wells from Leeds. Despite the fact that the riding here is pretty lame compared to where I used to ride, I like it.

    However…

    Apart from one place in Brighton, most of the bike shops I’ve popped into down here have been pretty standoffish; a bit too ‘cool’ for me. In fact, some owners are downright hostile, and obviously have better things to do that help out an enquiry from a friendly customer.

    I’m not used to this. I used to get all my work done at Velocity Cycles in Huddersfield. Bob, the owner, is one of the nicest fella’s and would frequently go the extra mile to help me out with my constant requests of ‘Can you rebuild it?’. To the point that I’m going to take my new project up to him to build, even though it’ll cost me in fuel and time.

    So, who in your opinion is the best bike shop and why?

    I nominate Bob!

    theflatboy
    Free Member

    Bob x 2

    🙂

    Munqe-chick
    Free Member

    Cyclopaedia, Crwys Road, Cardiff run by Ian Jeremiah and Stuart Meek. They opened their shop 15 years ago, starting off as a small venture dealing in 2nd hand bikes, now moved ono far bigger and better things. Ian opened the shop SOLELY for me on Good Friday so I could collect my new Cube hardtail .. now THAT is service! I don’t live in Cardiff anymore however I still call him buy my new bikes from him (got my Giant Reign from him 3 years ago) oh and today I come home to my parcel of a new drop out and patches. Would not go anywhere else.
    Oh and remember he raced for Wales in the Commonwealths and is awesome to ride with!

    jova54
    Free Member

    Beyond Mountain Bikes, Smithbrook Kilns, Nr Dunsfold on the A281 between Guildford and Horsham (Surrey to West Sussex).

    Invariably pleasant and chatty and put up with inane questions.

    Bit closer than Huddersfield as well. 😉

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    petesgaff – are you sure it’s not your “northern charm” that’s putting them off (and the desire to pay in used whippets)..?

    If you’re going to use your old (not that)LBS in ‘uddersfield, why don’t you just post the stuff to them and then call them to discuss the build. May not save money, but it will save your time..!

    bullheart
    Free Member

    ourmaninthenorth:

    Alas, I am but an ‘Honourary Northerner’ I’m afraid; moved up in 1997 from the wilds of Sussex, so no flat cap, whippet or surly nature! Miss it terribly though… Stainburn, Dalby, Kielder and Hamsterley…(sigh)

    And to be fair, I like the personal touch; I like to chat about things with someone, pop in to see how its going, drink their tea and eat their biscuits etc. I feel its all part of the rich pageant of cycling.

    Although that did sound slightly suspect when I read it back… ❗

    mema
    Free Member

    I have had relly bad experience with LBS, not sure if it is a girl thing and been treated as if I know nothing or what but for years I only ever used chain reaction as it was just easier than going into a shop; but lately I have gone into Billy Bilslands in glasgow and had great service. They have gone out of their way to get me some stuff, have always been chatty and not treated me like a dumb blonde!

    druidh
    Free Member

    The Bike Chain in Edinburgh. Friendly, knowledgeable staff that don’t take themselves too seriously.

    c_klein87
    Full Member

    Primera in Bournemouth seriously awesome amount of kit, hellpful staff always happy to chat and very knowable

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    Alas, I am but an ‘Honourary Northerner’ I’m afraid; moved up in 1997 from the wilds of Sussex, so no flat cap, whippet or surly nature! Miss it terribly though… Stainburn, Dalby, Kielder and Hamsterley…(sigh)

    Likewise. Met a girl from Wigan at university and have never (well, sometimes) looked back. They’re ad odd lot in the Norf, but I’ve got kinda used to them now.

    As for your LBS issue, I reckon get the build sent up to Velocity and, in the meantime, when you need bits and pieces see whether there’s any rapport you can build up with the surly, too cool for school “radical” MTBers of the south east….

    stevemcnalls
    Free Member

    2nd The Bike chain in edinburgh. Knowledgeable friendly staff who don’t mind you popping in for a chat.

    markd
    Free Member

    *feels the love* thanks Colin and Steven.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    John’s Bikes in Bath. ‘Nuff said.

    PlumzRichard
    Free Member

    northampton – pitsford cycles, top notch people in there and always willing for a good chat

    surfer
    Free Member

    Keswick cycles, very friendly and helpful last week when I was in there.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    So which was the one in Brighton that was ok. Although I live here I can’t remember the last time I went in to any of them, so I’d be intrested to know where to go if I need to.

    woffle
    Free Member

    Glad it’s not only me that thinks that Wildside are worthless – never had good service in there in all the time I’ve had to use them (pretty much since they started). It’s emergencies only that see me in there ie. if something goes wrong and I can’t get to a London shop in time. I bought a s/s conversion kit and was asked at the till ‘what do you want that for – s/s is a waste of time’.

    Eejits.

    I rate the Bishopsgate branch of Cycle Surgery, Condor Cycles, Velorution and 14 Bike Co just round the corner from Brick Lane. Paul at Freshtripe online is pretty good too for personal service…

    bullheart
    Free Member

    avdave2,

    The LBS in Brighton is located near Paul Bruton Army Supplies; near the big fire station. The fella sorted me out a trick rear skewer/axle for my jump bike, and is a proper engineer…

    ourmaninthenorth,

    Whereabouts in Wigan are you? I lived at Wrightington Hospital for a bit, and then on Kenyon Rd near the college for two years. Used to get sweet and sour Chicken from the Silver Star in Standish. Happy days with the pie-eaters…

    bullheart
    Free Member

    And thinking about it, Charlie the Bikemonger plays a blinder for all my SS bits; although he forgot to send the half-link with the chain I ordered…

    GTDave
    Free Member

    My LBS, Triton Cycles in Barkingside (Essex) are soup-herb.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    That would be Rayments where I bought my Rockhopper in 1986. Back then it was a family run business selling mainly road and touring bikes. They only had two mountain bikes, the Rockhopper in red or blue and a Ridgeback with a 531 frame in green. If I close my eyes I can still see them in the window. It was one of those shops where the walls were covered in postcards from customers who had cycled all over the world. It really was a proper bike shop and run by real friendly enthusiasts. In the end they sold up because selling the thing they loved gave them no time to do the thing they loved. They did open a bike shop in Lewes a few years later which was also good. Once they had retired and sold it though it went downhill and is now a funeral directors.
    Anyway I’m glad to here it’s still a good bikeshop, I’ll give it a try next time I need something.

    bumley
    Free Member

    Marshalls Cycles – Welwyn
    They make great coffee!!!

    njee20
    Free Member

    I second Beyond as being good, within reach of RTW too, but it’s not as good now I don’t work there 🙂

    sc-xc
    Full Member

    Two Wheels.

    Not just to start another argument, but because today they really helped me out. Again.

    JulianA
    Free Member

    The Hub in Southampton

    grumm
    Free Member

    I may be wrong but I think adstick who posts on here runs a bike shop in Brighton – wonder if that was the one? I got my bike from biketreks and have generally been pretty impressed by them. It’s a really nice shop to go and look round too.

    hitman
    Free Member

    Munque-chick, Cyclopedia used to be near The Flora off cathays terrace, I remember them when they first started out. Also used to go to Sunset and remember, I think it was Deals for Wheels, the second hand bike shop on City Road?

    Best bike shop for me has to be Wheels in Motion in Chard, Somerset, run by Andy and Margaret. I would, and have, travelled more than 5 hours to them since I moved from the area – fantastic service, very knowledgeable, great people, good prices. Higly recommended.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    Cheltenham cycles in err…Cheltenham, sound advice, stocks lots of sparkly things and they even start posts on ST about you when you’ve popped in

    Jujuuk68
    Free Member

    I bought my first MTB, an Orange c16 from Rayments off Preston Road.

    At the time, i was an absolute alladins cave of cycling. Carrying Cannondale, Orange as well as Specialised and Marin + others,if you were looking to buy a decent bike rather than a Halfords levels bike, they had great choice. Also, desipte the “urban” nature of the shop, they took time and let me try several bikes over a couple of hours til I was happy. I think the chap running was quite a “serious” chap, and could see how some might think they were a but “above themselves” but I never had any issues with them what so ever.

    As it was the C16 was so much better than anything else at the money at that time!

    You might think this should be normal, but getting trial rides when you walk off the street is in my experience no so easy (although Bikehut in Dorking were good for this recently too!)

    silverpigeon
    Free Member

    Ian Brown Cycles here in Guernsey. On first name terms with both the owners who always go out of their way to help. Started getting an automatic discount, once they saw I was going to be spending money with them on a regular basis and they have a workshop that lets me borrow tools, tells me how to fix something and then *sigh* fixes it for me anyway when I completely **** it up.

    Only fly in the ointment was the little twerp that tried to sell me second hand brake pads as new. Which had come off my bike the week before.

    Oh did I mention that it’s all VAT free? 😀

    marco
    Free Member

    Bob @ Velocity. Top bloke & Dave too. Both really helpful.
    Just been to Cube demo day organised by Bob & it was great. Even had pie peas on (home made too!!)Loads of bikes to ride, even Dave let me try his own AMS PRO 100.
    Top day out

    flipiddy
    Free Member

    Apart from one place in Brighton, most of the bike shops I’ve popped into down here have been pretty standoffish; a bit too ‘cool’ for me. In fact, some owners are downright hostile, and obviously have better things to do that help out an enquiry from a friendly customer.

    That pretty much sums up the current service from the local Kent shops. Wildside have had a mixture of very good, friendly staff members – in particular one of the floor staff (now left) and mechanics. However it’s very much hit and miss these days. I’ve stopped using them on a regular basis for the reasons you mention.

    Cycleops in Tonbridge is similar, one member of staff in there is particularly rude and abnoxious and has put me off using them altogether.

    A real shame as I’d gladly spend money in a bike shop (rather than over t’internet) if I felt that I was getting the service to match the price premium.

    oxnop
    Free Member

    Blazing Saddles in Hebden Bridge, Not Stif (leeds) though.

    crispybacon
    Free Member

    Can I put in a big shout for Certini Bikes of Saltash Cornwall & the owners Rob & Tony. IMHO this is the best bike shop in the Plymouth area.

    I’ve been using them for the last 5 or 6 years and I’ve now managed at long last to get them to call me by my first name. They have been very helpful with bikes, servicing, parts, advice, clothes & I was allowed to use just about every Spesh demo bike they had a year back when I was looking for my next bike. I always get great service & discount too. They even let me drop my bike off early on my way to work when they are there but not actually open & then they have it ready for me to collect on my way home – fantastic customer service guys!!!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    druidh – Member

    The Bike Chain in Edinburgh. Friendly, knowledgeable staff that don’t take themselves too seriously.

    Agreed. We are lucky in Edinburgh tho with a good range of shops none of which are rubbish and all of which have their own strengths. Shame Jocky Allen retired tho – a real old skool bike shop with loads of those little odd bits that are hard to get these days – ferrules and the like

    lunge
    Full Member

    Both Race Co and Two Wheels in Stourbridge. Both very good in there own very different ways.

    Now please don’t start an argument.

    druidh
    Free Member

    TandemJeremy – Member

    We are lucky in Edinburgh tho with a good range of shops none of which are rubbish and all of which have their own strengths. Shame Jocky Allen retired tho – a real old skool bike shop with loads of those little odd bits that are hard to get these days – ferrules and the like

    Aye – you know what they say – ferrules are for braking….

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Druidh – go straight to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect £200

    jedi
    Full Member

    marshalls cycles for me. always 🙂

    Munqe-chick
    Free Member

    Hitman you’re right there, they started on the corner of Flora STreet to attract the students and Stu’s grandma owned it so made things easier for them. Now up on Crwys Road bigger and better premises! Top shop though

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