So, like most of us here I use a variety of on-line retailers to source my bike parts. Look up what you want, order, pay, dispatched email (if you’re lucky), receive, fit, ride…Job done.

Had a few issues going singlespeed with my inbred 29er, swap-outs too fat for standard qr skewers/1 or 2 chain tugs/tension/dead-spots etc.

Anyway, orderered a couple of parts from Charlie, phoned him for a bit of advice and learned more in a fifteen minute chat than I’ve learned in 2 months of reading on-line ‘opinions’.

Thought I’d post up and recco Charlie (and the like), was great to be able to talk to someone that really knows what they’re talking about as well as order parts through them rather than the norm…

Nice one CTBM, I’ll be back! 8)

Edit – Cheers for the rolling pin advice too! 😕

A true gent is Charles…..

Top drawer chap , spent more on his phone bill to call me than I spent in his shop . Hats off sir 😉

I sent him an email and he never responded. Maybe he’s best on the telephone…

Shame really as based on the prices on his website I would have spent a few grand with him if he’d responded to my questions about stock and postage costs. Ended up saving a little money by importing from the US but waiting longer and will have much more trouble with warranty if it ever becomes necessary.

Does a fine line in SS chainring bolts as well.

Schweiz….

please email me again… all emails are dealt with within a couple of days… bikemonger at yahoo .co .uk Yours may have got lost.

PS… back in the shop thursday… off to turn nover a warehouse tomorrow, in a hunting old good bargain stock way, rather than heist way.

Just saw Your Facebook Charlie so got interested by this. Bought a few things in the past and has been as good as other leading mail order stores. Competatively priced. What’s not to like.

I would agree with all the positive comments re CTBM. It may be possible to get cheaper stuff from the mega-stores, but I like supporting an “LBS”. His site, along with Sheldon, really inspired and helped me in my first forays into SS.

Also a major reason why I use him is the way he communicates, none of the surly (pun intended), passive aggressive attitude on show here, which is certainly not the case at my LBSs.

charlie the bikemonger – Member

Oi!! Who the fark invited you onto my thread!!?? 😉

absolutely what’s not to like..?

very helpful and informative when I needed to return/exchange an item.. I wouldn’t hesitate to use him again if only he would get his scruffy hair cut..

OK Charlie, I’ll give you another go for my next fatbike purchase. Heard so much good about you – was a little disappointed to not get a reply 🙁

Any idea when you might be able to get hold of the Surly OD crank?

Cheers
Schweiz

if only he would get his scruffy hair cut..

He’s too busy rolling pastry yunki…with a wine bottle…apparently 😯

The skills you learn through the most obscure resources are what make life worth living…I only rang up for bloody SS advice!! 😆

Schweiz… Mr. Whirly MWOD Pugsley Double Crankset… within a few days. 170 or 175mm?

but do email. I am gonna close thye shop up now, and head off for some black stuff *

* that will cause some speculation.

Marmite?

more speculation.

wine bottle make excellent touring potato mashers too….

that is thai “beard fish” with crazy mushrooms and mash… and lots of wine… somewhere in france with some salsa fargos and a cross check.

Again, very pleased with CTBM here as well. Still helpful even after the C2W numpties at work spoiled the party. I had to buy the bike from somewhere else but I try and get any bits from CTBM as a thank you. 😆

ordered just a few times from charlie so far…perfect..
if i decide for a fatbike …I´ll purchase it from CTBM

Bought a WI eno eccentric hub from Charlie recently and the service was great. Definitely recommended.

If you try hard enough Fenred’ll buy a fatbike off you soon..
I know he wants one.. 😉 he’s got it real bad..
And ta for the stickers 😀

and he makes a nice coffee………….and returns bits I accidentially left in his teppee at Oktoberfest, when we used it as a race base, cheers and the “other item” is brill………..

My only gripe is I’ve not had any stickers, but I’ll be ordering something again soon and hopefully it’ll be third time lucky 😉

First class service otherwise though 😀

Somewhere in Luxembourg there’s a street sign adorned with one of Charlie’s stickers. I say somewhere as I’ve forgotten where I put it so can’t go back to take a photo.

Nice chap, most helpful… although if i were to criticize, his phone doesn’t seem to be high on the priority list when it comes to ‘things to pick up’

Ordering on-line has been the best option for me and arrived promptly without issue…

I have placed his stickers in various locations in lloyds banking group buildings. No one know who puts them there,

Charlie if you read this feel free to send some more when I order my stem, I could do with stickering the management offices

my last order had no stickers enclosed….very sad…

Does everyone telephone/email orders to him? Whenever I go to click ‘buy’ on something on the web-site it’s out of stock so end up going elsewhere 🙁

Have used and recommended Charlie to my mates.. all good in my experience. Keep up the good work fella.

FuzzyWuzzy – Member
Does everyone telephone/email orders to him? Whenever I go to click ‘buy’ on something on the web-site it’s out of stock so end up going elsewhere

Online has worked well for me.

i went to charlies shop to buy a pump and pinch some tools. he took me out to lunch and bought me a pot of tea. 😀

Whoever owns wiggle never took me out for tea.

Charlie 1
Wiggle 0

Saw a Niner frame at a good price at a shop near CtBM and asked Charlie if he could roughly price match as he advertises and I had spoke to him at ss events. He told me that it was a cracking price and I should buy it as he couldn’t compete at that price. Then he sold me set of matching Niner forks for it I didn’t even need! Whats not to like?

khani – Member
If you try hard enough Fenred’ll buy a fatbike off you soon..
I know he wants one.. he’s got it real bad..

There’s something Mukluk flavoured somewhere with my name on it mate….Maybe 😕

He’s a good cat alright,a biker, sk8’er, longboarder, and the producer of some mighty fine stickers. Although im not going drinking with him at CoreBike again as last time it almost killed me. 10 out of 10 that one!

Always had great service from Charlie – had recent delivery issue (with PF not CTBM) and he has dealt with it more than admirably. I consider him my ‘LBS’ even though I’m a couple of hours away. 😀

I don’t like him, he provided advice and parts at a good price to help me build a fixie, and now I find myself wanting so meggings and other hipster based items 👿

Bought a few bits and bobs off him over the years – always been a great place (online) to head to when searching for wierd shit!

He is in one of my favourite parts of the south that is (just) ridable to from home and I’ve never been to the shop. Will need to make it a ride destination one of these days.

CX bars & CTBM’s free stickers brightened up my otherwise gloomy day. 🙂

Top bloke, eccentric enough to be one of my mates and easy to do business with (actually I donote cash to his holiday/beer/food/fun fund and he sends nice frames/bikes/bits to me in exchange)