[Closed] Is the poshest bike shop ever?

I think you can't even walk in, you have to like ring a bell and be let in..

Its not a bike shop as such they offer

3D Retul motion capture bike fitting
Cycling rehabilitation
Biomechanical running analysis and correction
Physiotherapy
Physiological testing
Altitude training

Edit..Missed the Brands bit so they do do bikes, not just any bikes 😆

lol at the founder in the about us section. Clearly, Cilit bang ads weren't paying the bills...

i bet they do a great latte,whilst you read the Times,old boy !!

Awesome web site though and they sell some lush stuff I'd love a Parlee!

reedspeed - Member
i bet they do a great latte,whilst you read the Times,old boy !!

Oh dear.

If it was really posh, it would forty year old copies of The Field and they'd be serving a decent claret. 😉

Good luck to 'em, though. An interesting market to go after, and there are more and more people doing so.

If I was them though, I'd say [url= http://www.bespokecycling.com/our-services ]"Does not include any parts, only labour costs"[/url]

Bike cleaned thoroughly

The horror!

Elite Service
£150

Bike cleaned thoroughly?..... forget about the bike, I'd want feel dirty and used for that sort of money

Your wallet will be thoroughly cleaned, that's for sure.

I had a retul fitting done by Barry real professional setup and a really nice bloke.

Your wallet will be thoroughly cleaned, that's for sure.

Wallet? I think countryfile refer to that appendage as a 'purse'

It's actually a really good shop, not too bespoke t too keep you lot out, they're keen, helpful, informed, offer just what you need (probably, if you're a roadie) yes you have to ring a bell to get in , but they do let you in with your bike, and amongst other brands swell Trek, so not too posh then. They're on Farringdon Road in that London and worth a visit imho ..

One can only imagine the level of douchebaggery that occurs in such a place.

Has anyone opened a book on how long the shop, which only opens on Saturdays by appointment, will last?

theyve been theyre a while i think...i know a minted banker who got his parlee from them...i was disappointed with it tbh.ive seen better bikes,no change out of £10k...

legend - Member
One can only imagine the level of douchebaggery that occurs in such a place.

None, I reckon they just sell nice bikes to people who can afford to buy them. Good on 'em.

I'm not knocking it, it does look very high end though - more Bond Street, than EC1

It's a bit too much like a art gallery for me, I like touching stuff when I'm in a bike shop. I don't know why but I do.

With Condor round the corner, he must know what he's doing.

I might pop in, if I don't smell much, so I might have to wait until winter. 😕

None, I reckon they just sell nice bikes to people who can afford to buy them. Good on 'em.

I was referring to the customers 😉

It's near our London office and I've driven past it a few times so will have to pop in and have a nosey.

I like touching stuff when I'm in a bike shop. I don't know why but I do.

more Bond Street, than EC1

The City is where the moneyed cyclists are

[quote=from website]For a few misguided years after university I worked in the city as an Investment Banker. Tired of all the money...

Clearly not tired of all the money if he's dealing with ultra-wealthy cyclists all day long!!

Rorschach - Member
I like touching stuff when I'm in a bike shop. I don't know why but I do.

Do you also have to try and change gear,pull brake levers and attempt to pick them up whilst still attached to the stand
DIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE !!!!!
(flashback to a scratched Parlee frame episode....despite a 'keep yer mitts off' sign and it being secured to the stand-flippers,all of em!!)

No I just like running my finger along the lines of the bike.

I'd never changed gears and try to pick up a bike, I'm not a child FFS. 🙄 (well I'd stop doing that in my 20's)

But sometimes I do flick the frame, to see what sound it makes. My faces are carbon (hollow thud) and 853 steel a lovely little resonating ding sound. Is that OK?

I think you can't even walk in, you have to like ring a bell and be let in..

We have a road bike shop in Sheffield of all places where that is the entry method!! In Sheffield!!

Cool shop - but I personally would ride £5000 wheels in a city where a pot hole is not a pothole unless you can lose a mini in it!!

I think you can't even walk in, you have to like ring a bell and be let in..

Same for On-One in oh-so-posh Rotherham.

I think you can't even walk in, you have to like ring a bell and be let in..

Given the value of some of the stock, and the alarming regularity of bikes being taken from London (and other city/town) bike shops, I'd say that's a good thing for them.

In almost any good shop these days, the bikes are all chained up and/or locked down. This avoids damaged stock, which harms the already small margins of the bike industry, along with helping to prevent stolen stock, which also massively hits what is (as their site says!) a low margin business. The margin is in things as banal as inner tubes, and in things as important and skilled as spanner-wrangling.

I posted about them a while back, was looking at firefly ti bikes, very nice.

"Bolts checked and tightened to correct torque"

All the bolts....! Worth it just for that !

That's nothing compared to the guys as SigmaSport in Hampton Wick nr Kingston. Yes bespoke is a little more niche but sigma sport does niche and scale

[url= http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/content/ShopTour ]SigmaSportShopTour[/url]

I hope those stands rotate.

I'm liking that 'chest' of colnago frames on the sigma sports website.

I'd give that 12 months, tops.

Give me a grubby shop with riders and racers in who sell real race bikes instead of coffee table bikes.

...and Condor is underwhelming as competition...

[img] ?nodefault=true[/img]

Bespoke has been around for quite some time and will thrive. Read the article in the FT to get a picture

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9447017c-8007-11e1-b4a8-00144feab49a.html#axzz1yxpqxsfC

I love the concept of the store and I hope they'll continue to thrive

In the city, it's not just about how much it costs (that doesn't really come into it), it's how exclusive & individual it is. Thats their target market & is exactly what the shop offers, so good luck to them.

I'd give that 12 months, tops.

I went there in 2008 (the old shop in Hoxton Square) so I think your prediction is a little off

Wallet? I think countryfile refer to that appendage as a 'purse'

Surely your gentleman's gentleman takes care of that?

Very nice virtual tour. Really brings out the quality in the wood floor.

Was a bit worried about the 'Shoeing Area', though. Was half expecting a couple of bevvied up West Ham fans sitting there waiting for you.

Surely your gentleman's gentleman takes care of that?

Indeed, one never carrys anything as vulgar as the Queens currency - plays havoc with the trouser line or hang of the suit jacket. One simply has to have one's Equerry leave one's card (embossed, real gold leaf lettering) with the chap and ask it to be charged.

Was a bit worried about the 'Shoeing Area', though. Was half expecting a couple of bevvied up West Ham fans sitting there waiting for you.

I'd be worried if they were Millwall!

One simply has to have one's Equerry leave one's card (embossed, real gold leaf lettering) with the chap and ask it to be charged.

Surely there's a little too much "having" and "asking" in that. You need better staff.

Surely there's a little too much "having" and "asking" in that. You need better staff

One has to make sacrifices in these days of 'austerity'. One has to be seen to be doing one's 'bit'

Fair point. I'm typing this myself rather than dictating it from my bath. I'm typing it from the bath and have dropped 3 laptops into the water so far but sacrifices have to be made.

GJP - Member
That's nothing compared to the guys as SigmaSport in Hampton Wick nr Kingston. Yes bespoke is a little more niche but sigma sport does niche and scale

SigmaSportShopTour

I love the sign on the front of the shop.

[b][u]ROAD[/b][/u] cycling and Triathlon

might as well add, no MTBs you muddy scumbags!

Matt

Sounds like the owner has enough money saved from a career in banking to fund the shop regardless of whether it makes a profit. I wonder how many bike shops envy that position! Cant decide if i had a bike shop whether I woould follow this business model or stick to my plan of giving free coffee to soaking wet customers covered in mud from a day in the hills.... Fair play to them though, whats £10k to a city type whose bonus is six figures?

That's nothing compared to the guys as SigmaSport in Hampton Wick nr Kingston. Yes bespoke is a little more niche but sigma sport does niche and scale

What's that other outfit where you have to make an appointment just to go into the shop?

Looks just like our place that.

We open by appointment only on Wednesdays. That's because it's my day off, but if someone needs help or wants to spunk a load of cash I will try accommodate 🙂

I went in there once when visiting London. A bigger bunch of more unhelpful ****s you could not wish to meet.

Used to live locally to Sigma and they were fine with me. Maybe you had that look of a regional type who didn't belong 😉

That said, I don't get the feeling they like people browsing the shop that much

I had to search for that FT article after registering and the phrase "Cycling Craze" gets 17 hits. Do they think we're mad?

martinhutch - Member
Very nice virtual tour. Really brings out the quality in the wood floor.

Was a bit worried about the 'Shoeing Area', though. Was half expecting a couple of bevvied up West Ham fans sitting there waiting for you.

Thats the funniest comment on the thread, well done.

But given he's an ex banker, it'll probably a few of his city mates coked up ready for a bit of Patrick Bateman style action.

There's also Cyclefit who are a great bunch of guys and Poshbikes who do some really light (and very expensive) kit - not been to their shop though

Most shops (cycle) in Thart Larndorn welcome you in with your bike. So, lets assume you've ridden in and pop along to said shoppe, you ring da bell and they open and welcome you in, your bike (invariably) sit's right by the door.. glad of the bell entry now?

Hmmm.. me thinks you is.

There are of course many other shops that cater for "top end" bikes, though I've yet to understand what that actually means. Most, not all, have been welcoming to me when I've ridden round there trying to find them and I've bee surprised at how accommodating and welcoming that have all been. Even the fixie boys "n" girls shops don't s**** when entering the shop in lycra..

These shops are well worth a visit, you get a different perspective at the very least and unsurprisingly they are devoid of clutter.

Bonus.

And you don't have to squeeze through endless rows of unsold sub £1k commuter bikes..

Bonus.

Talking of which.....