Your once a week dose of retail therapy from Singletrack’s Premier Dealers, stockists and advertisers.
Tuesday Treats gives you a quality serving of independent bike retailing and a chance to win big in this week’s prize draw.
This week, we’re revisiting Square Wheels.
With all this debate raging north of the border, this week we’re back off to ‘that’ Scotland and heading for the fine folk from the square in Strathpeffer. An area rightly renowned for wonderful Scottish Highlands riding and home to Square Wheels. Steve Macdonald provides the update …
Apart from the obvious… We’re all a year wiser, what’s changed in the last year?
In short, fatbikes have rudely interrupted the party, electric bikes too and 27.5s are all doing really well.
Tell us more about developments …
For 2015, Giant are doing a great range of women-specific bikes under the new banner name of Liv. They’ve also brought out a full sus model, the ‘Stance’, for £999. It offers brilliant value, with the proven Maestro suspension system.
Otherwise, we’ll be over in Holland next week checking out CUBE’s 2015 models. They’re expanding their accessories range massively too. I expect Mrs Square Wheels will be having a close look at their new cycling shoe range.
What about this new wheel size?
Enough is enough now, please no 26.7 or 28.3.
What’s hot in-store?
Mrs. Square Wheels of course. Oh, and these fat bike forks have certainly turned a few heads…
Retracing some steps, what on earth possessed you to open a bike shop anyway?
It’s simple really. Mrs Square Wheels told me to stop filling the kitchen sink, front porch & garage with other people’s repairs and to quit complaining about the day job.
What product line would you hate to lose from the shop?
Anything CUBE labelled. They possess brilliant build quality and are hard to beat on value for money terms.
What bike/parts in the store do you secretly lust after?
Salsa.
How do you compete against the big on-liners?
We don’t – we just plug away at giving good old fashioned, honest customer service. We have just upgraded our website and are filling it with product. We stock the very best in high end MTB brands, including Cube, Giant, Genesis and Ridgeback.
We also don’t discriminate against roadies if they ask nicely. Bike hire, advice on riding locally, basically if you want it, we’ll have a friendly, expert view on what to do next.
What brand of tea bags do you use?
Doesn’t matter, as long as there’s cake to go with it.
So, I buy a bike and all the gear, how else can you help me?
We can sort it when you break it.
When are your MTB shop rides?
Thursdays 6:30pm… best to call first, to check where it’s from.
Otherwise, we’ve started planning for the 2015 Strathpuffer24. We’ve had massive interest in it this year ‘cos it’s the 10th one (it was only ever meant to be one, just for the craic). It’s on January 17th/18th next year and entries will be open on November 5th at 10pm.
We have also had a hand in this
We also ride regularly out of the shop when time allows and offer fully loaded Demo Days for when the weather plays ball. We regularly update our profile with the latest stock.
What do Singletrack Subscribers get from you guys?
Square Wheels offer Premier Subscribers 10% off parts and accessories plus 5% off bikes (excluding sale items).
Tuesday Treats Prize Draw
Click here to win this week’s prize!
