Hi,
I live on an island and have no bike shop to go to. I do most of my own maintenance and Ive got fairly proficient at it, but I want the bearings replaced on my 06 Specialized Enduro and I dont fancy doing the job myself. I could also do with having my Mavic/Hope wheels serviced properly at the same time. Can anybody reccommend me somewhere in Central Scotland (ideally somewhere within a 30 mile radius of Crieff, Perthshire) that would be guaranteed to do the job using good quality bearings and offer sound advice. Please dont say “its an easy job, do it yourself”, I know I could probably do it myself but on this occasion Id rather get a professional to do the work. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I know its not Central Scotland but if you pass through Fort William when you hit the mainland I suggest Nevis Cycles in Inverlochy, they are a Specialized dealer. If you pass through Oban, try Bike Fix Oban – in George Street.

Escape Route in Pitlochry or Perth, or Richards in Perth would sort you out. I suspect Richards would be cheaper.

There’s no islands near Crieff!

Sprockets cycles in Kilmarnock. Probably the best range of MTB kit in the country, and good lads to boot.

Stevie at Freeflow Bikes, Pollockshaws Road is yer man. Replaced all the bearings on my Anthem last year, cheap, very knowledgeable and all round decent bloke. Nowhere near Crief mind!

Youre right there, Crieff couldnt be further from the sea! Kilmarnock is unfortunately too far in the wrong direction for me, but Ive dealt with Richards in Perth many years ago when I actually lived in Crieff and my dad has always got on well with them, so that reccommendation is interesting. Likewise Bike Fix in Oban, thats not actually that far from where I live in Islay. Or Inverlochy, hmmm, a Specailized dealer you say. The kind of place where an adventurer could leave his Enduro to get its bearings changed while he disappears to Torridon with his bfe for a couple of days and then he could pick it up on the way back…how thought-provoking!! Cheers guys.

Perth City Cycles would be the one that springs to mind for me, and a tad more convenient than Kilmarnock or the South-side of Glasgow

you’re not very far from me then:)

Perth City Cycles

Nope

If Nevis cycles are a spesh dealer then could be ideal. Otherwise next spesh dealer would be Dales in Glasgow I think. Its not a hard job, but a spesh dealer is very used to doing it as a routine thing.

Perth City Cycles

Hell no.

If you are going over to Perth then the only destination is J M Richards.

Old school family firm, brilliant service.

I remember when the bmx craze made it to Scotland in about 1984, we used to drool over Skyways and Haros in Richards window. They were super-friendly to everybody (even us annoying kids who had no money) back then, and according to my Dad theyre still super-friendly now. He had an old Puch mountainbike that hed kept in really good nick, took it in there a couple of years back for a wee overhaul and the guy said to him "my old man used to sell these". My Dad said to him "I know, it was him who sold me it". True story lol. Anyhow, thanks for the advice on Perth bike shops, if i go down that route ill go to Richards. Nevis Cycles as part of a roadtrip is appealing though, its just logistics though innit, always is for me because every trip starts and ends with a ferry. Where abouts are you based, Hebridean?

I’ve never used them, but, Comrie Croft Bikes? Very local and the work you’re talking about doesn’t really need a good lbs, it needs a man who can work a hammer in both loud and quiet settings 😉

Otherwise I’d very highly recommend Steve at Icycles in Innerleithen, a bit further away but ideal for combining into a wee riding trip. “Oh, my X needs Y’d, what a hardship, I’ll have to go for a ride at innerleithen” has basically become a Northwind call to arms.

About the same time in 1984 I was splitting my time staring at the Haro in Richard’s and the Raleigh Vektar in Murray’s just down the road.

sneakyg4 – Member
Perth City Cycles
Hell no.

Really? With the amount of support they’ve given youngsters at the SDA through the years I had them down as the good guys?

Aye Colin or Digby at Comrie Croft can sort your woes. And you can go play on the trails and pump track when your fixed..

http://www.wheelcraft.net/

get al to sort your wheels and hubs even better get them rebuild onto new spokes for about 20 – 25 a wheels! know by many as the best wheelbuilder in scotland! if not the uk! also the bikeshop am sure could do whatever you required bearings ect….. he’s actually quite cheap compared to alot of LBS’s i have been into

Ive heard about the wheelcraft shop in the campsies before, hes got a really good reputation for his work and his welcome, espescially amongst the roadie fraternity. northwind, i like your suggestion about a trip to inners, thats always easy to justify whether you need something fixed or not!! I hadnt thought about Comrie Croft, im going up there for the hairy coo race and i will DEFINITELY NOT be riding my enormously heavy Enduro up the heinous climbs in that race(!!) so i could have it stripped down for that occasion. Im leaning towards either taking it to Fort William and combining it with a roadtrip, but that would depend on a good weekend of weather, or taking it to Richards when I go home for the Comrie race weekend. That covers the bases. Thanks for all your suggestions!!

bikelove in glasgow bikelove.co.uk

carl who owns and runs the shop was a mechanic on one of the big world cup dh teams for years, super friendly and top notch mechanic

Really? With the amount of support they’ve given youngsters at the SDA through the years I had them down as the good guys?

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, Perth City Cycles is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you are going to get.

IME, the owner can be great, or bordering on abusive, depending on which way the wind is blowing. The younger guy (his son?) has been fine, but Richards are so much easier to deal with and cheaper. Add alpine bikes and the newish branch of escape route, and I have little reason to use PCC.

take it to FLYING FOX BIKES as they do a really good job of frame bearings and good people to chat too.

Perth city cycles us like going to the Spanish Inquisition
As Geoff pointed out the owner is a bit …. Odd

Suggest you get a bearing kit from BETD, that way you have all the bits
Then drop off at lbs of choice
Means no waiting on bike shop ordering parts

Sprockets cycles in Kilmarnock

Thats quite far from Perthshire as is Glasgow when there are decent bike shops much closer!

I’d suggest escape route in pitlochry, I’ve not sued them for repairs but any time I’ve been in there the staff have always been pleasant and helpful.

+1 for Escape Route in Pitlochry. Get a good coffee when you’re in and go for a ride after, happy days

I will second what geoffj said one day chatty next day you feal like your an inconvinience. Richards on the other hand are great

Great memories of J M Richards. I drooled too at the sight of Haro Sport’s and FSR’s in their window.

I got my first MTB from Richards, a Muddy Fox Courier. I’d saved up money from milk rounds and paper rounds and bought one with a 21″ frame. I ride a 16″ HT frame today, but was so desperate to buy what they had and ride it away that day. Still got in my folks loft.

Just to reiterate, Escape Route now have a branch in Perth, above Go Kayaking Scotland on the Inveralmond Industrial estate. I dont know if they have workshop facilities there though.

Bike and Ski clinic. 5mins from M9 junction 4. About 50mins drive from Crieff.

take it to FLYING FOX BIKES as they do a really good job of frame bearings and good people to chat too.

Was going to say this. They’ve done the bearings on both my Pronghorns in the past, no issues and very good price. Think they build wheels too, or if they don’t they use Wheelcraft, again mentioned above.