I'm returning to the forum after many many years away.
Cycling has been limited to commuting now for many years then non-existent for over 18months after a car took me out. But I bought a new bike today and I'm shopping for some extras to make it mine.
What happened to cycling suppliers online?
It used to be I could find nearly anything via either Wiggle or CRC or somewhere I could visit locally like Evans, etc (all of which used to be separate so had lots of choice and range) but in the interim they've all been closed down, acquired by one company and now are masquerading as separate entities.
JE James, Merlin and my local shops like All Terrain are still great but smaller so less range of choice for more obscure parts.
So where are you all going these days for parts etc? Any recommendations to get me back into it?
Thanks.
BikeTart and Uprise Bikes usually have what I need, but I occasionally use Leisure Lakes, Tredz and Winstanleys too. Don't expect CRC or Wiggle prices though!
AliExpress is good for tools and certain parts.
Welcome back.
Bikeparts, Sigma and you'll remember Merlin.
Good lord, there's a name from the past, welcome back! Sorry to hear you've been taken out by a car.
Tweeks cycles are another option, though they can be a little hit and miss with deliveries.
There's also Banana Industries which are a bit more of a, er, random selection of stuff, but there are some cycling bargains to be had on the site among the marine salvage and herbal cigarette carriers they sell.
Wherever Google comes up with when I search for something! But other than the ones you listed, I mainly use BikeInn and bike parts.
I have had great after sales support from merlin, so combined with their pricing they are my default.
Yeah, much as above. In no particular order:
Merlin
Tredz
Leisure Lakes
St John St Cycles and
SPA Cycles
are my first points of call
I won't used biketart. The website said the item is on stock, but it isn't. They don't tell you and usually you have to cancel your order because they have no idea when they will get the part. It happened to me twice now.
SJS for odd small stuff, they're an absolute Aladdin's cave.
Spa cycles for roadie/touring stuff, their 7075 chainrings are the default answer for any 5-arm chain sets.
Ali-Express ........ yes as long as you either buy from a known source/shop for that item, there are known Chinese brands now even if all the stuff they put their logo onn isn't great then at least it's a better start than some complete unknown. Or are prepared to sometimes buy a second one because the first was flawed. The returns and warranty process is no more hassle than Amazon these days though. A lot of my on-bike 'trinkets' come from there, like framestraps, small bags, dropper remotes, silicone foam grips, hose olive/barbs, ferrules, etc. I probably put in a £100 order a couple of times a year for one or two relatively big things and top it up with 'workshop spares' once it's hit free postage.
Big ticket items I just search for on bing (google shopping has suffered with both anti-monopoly rulings and enshitification).
Banana Industries are great if they have what you need and aren't too precious about what exactly you want. e.g. they'll probably have some decent 700x32c tyres at a bargain price, they won't be GP5000 or Schwalbe One's though.
Another vote for SJS for esoterica, Merlin MTB, Sigma road, Tredz/Halfords if they've got it in stock locally. Balfes at Gatwick is also quite good, starting to use them a bit too
Thanks for all the suggestions. Sorry for the delay in responding. I posted my message and it said it was awaiting approval. Came back a bit later and it had disappeared so I thought I'd made some sort of forum faux pa and it had been deleted. Glad to learn later I hadn't. Spent the intervening time acting on your suggestions and buying stuff for the new bike from many of these.
I have used nearly all of those in the past so its good to know that the range of suppliers has diversified. For all having two massive online retailers was useful, they did rather dominate and smoother other options.
BikeInn was one I only recently came across... needed a new helmet to exactly match the old one (insurance wanted a receipt I didn't have any more but grudgingly agreed to pay for an identical one) and they were the only place with any of that old model left. Dubious at first but other than the understandably slower postage from Spain they were great.
First commute on the new bike tomorrow so fingers crossed.
All the ones mentioned above. The demise of CRC was a shame as it was almost a one-stop-shop for anything and everything you needed and now its just a front for Mike Ashley's BSOs. Not bought anything from there since he took over - only had a look a few times and never found what I was after.
My go-to nowadays is usually Biketart. Never had a problem with them and they usually have a decent range of stuff in. Failing that, Merlin. Built a new bike at Christmas and whereas before I'd have just gone and bought most/all of what I needed from CRC, it got pretty tiresome shopping around for bits and then shopping around even more for the best prices. In the end it felt like I'd bought parts from every UK bike shop with an internet presence!
GRX 812 rear derailleurs poor value for money
.. .. good example of why SJS Cycles, of all the above, is an invaluable resource for cyclists.
The (continental) European shops can be a bit hit or miss - they usually have great prices, and exactly the product you want, but shipping is a moveable feast. And even when they say "this will be delivered between Thursday and next Monday", it'll often as not turn up a week after that.
Not mentioned so far - https://www.evolution-bikes.co.uk/
also https://sportandleisure.com/ some bargains on there. Reliable ime.
https://startfitness.co.uk/pages/cycling
I do try to use SJS where I can do long as they are close to competitive on price.
I'd hate to lose a resource like that. Nowhere else even lists the small parts they do, let alone stock them