I'm a great believer in giving our local businesses as much business as possible, but I do not like getting ripped off especially when we all know that we can buy cheaper on the internet.I don't mind paying a bit more for a good service/repairs/parts etc if it's good value so let's name our local bike shops that we feel don't do a bad job! They all need our help!
Firth Cycles, Queensbury nr Bradford.
Pitsford Cycles, Pitsford Northamptonshire. They're almost the only good one in the area, prices are very reasonable and they do a good job. Service isn't always the friendliest though (depending on who it is) but the main guys are usually alright.
George Halls Cycle Centre in Harborough is also really good.
Tim, you have incorrectly spelt "cheapest" in your post. Its [b]CHEAPEST[/b] not [b]BEST[/b] 😀
Bothy Bikes, Aviemore. Best bike shop I've ever dealt with by far. Good guys, good mechanics, always willing to sort issues and help with stuff, and good prices.
The only LBS I use these days is LeisureLakes in Wolverhampton. It's not really my LBS but it's close to one of the places I work. They're nearly always friendly, helpful and happy to chat over stuff, especially the manager. Never any pressure to buy but they'll normally do me a deal if I do.
They've been really good with a few warranty issue in the past too.
bike tree Sheffield / Dore
always friendly, helpful and good at what they do, simple as that really.
It's nowhere near local - 18Bikes
The bike chain Edinburgh. Do their best to match internet prices, good advice, decent range of stock
Lloyds cycles in Swadlincote.
Chris and James organise local rides on and off road with a great group of lads. Always give great service and advice - what more could you ask for.
I'm with TJ (yikes!)
The Bike Chain Edinburgh for me.
Great guys, great gear and really good prices.
Biketart by a long way!!
Cracking Value, Excellent Coffee and they occasionally do Bacon rolls on a Saturday morning!!
Bigfoot Bikes in Hayes ( near Bromley ) - friendly, cups of tea available, linked to strong local bike club, dog friendly - including hire service for lights for night rides
Bromley Bike in Bromley - friendly team, now running shop rides once a month, dog friendly, lovely bikes for sale
Both shops happy to provide free advice
Long may they both prosper
Rob @ Bigfoot is a great guy.
Adam @ Biketart is a great guy.
Joe et al @ Bromley Bike are great guys.
Spoilt for choice really.
Flying Fox Bikes - http://www.flyingfoxbikes.com - brilliant prices, knowledgable staff and very helpful mechanics. they know the area and know their product ranges. silly good prices on everything I've asked about. large range of bikes and kit. the best bit...they don't pressure the sale.
Firth Cycles, Queensbury nr Bradford.
Agreed best local bike shop. Barry can't do enough to help.
Best non local shop has to be 18bikes, si really knows what customer service means.
Barry at firth cycles queensbury is ze best 😉 i we got a roadbike today for some nuts and bolts 8)
The Bike Chain for me, and Bicycle Works for spannering (I'm sure Bike Chain is just as good for the mechanical stuff, they're just not as well located for me). Alpine are decent too though. Bike Chain apart from being good guys and well priced and all do something I love in a shop- "No we don't have that but if you go to <competitor> they'll be able to help".
Mojo's in Ilkeston - seems to fix anything for a tenner, no idea how he makes any money.
Ride on in Rawtenstall Lancashire seem to put up with me and are excellent for advice. the chief mechanic Andy is one of the best guys I've met. get yourself there its much goodness....
Twelve50 in Frodsham, Cheshire - rider owned and run, good lads, nominated in here after only 8 months trading, must be doing something right. 🙂
rideon bikes in rawtenstall what they dont know about bikes is not worth knowing. Reasonable prices, expert spannering, quick service and dry northern humour.
Edit - just read the above post +1 for rideon!
For folks in Hertfordshire I can recommend Rock & Road in St Albans, especially for there tech ability & range of tools, not cheap but will see you through your woes, & Marshals cycles in WGC, top blokes & will bend over backward to look after you, not to mention the spiritual home of jedi 😉
Just got a bike built up at je James in sheffield for my brother. The staff there went out of there way too make it a pleasant experience. Did a great price and gave top advice on what components might be suited best.
Top bloke called Jamie dealt with me.
Another shout for biketart. www.biketart.com
Just got back from there, Adam stayed late to help me build a bike i didn't even buy from there. It's not the first time he has stayed late either.
About to start stocking nicolai too
bike shops in the stoke area poo,we have:
one with an egotistical midget
one with a beardy nichewhore who can be exceptionally rude unless you going to spend many thousands on an IF
two sort of normal bog standard nowt special ones with varying levels of service from good to cack depending which day it is.
The Bike Shop, in Skipton, guys there are fab and prices compare with the internet I've always found. Also do great advice, maintenance courses and guiding/trips for all grades.
The only decent one local to me (well... local-ish...) is Rutland Cycling / Grafham Cycling. They just did a job for me on my rear brake, and the guy was nice enough to check over the rear shock for me as well, chuck in a carbon headset spacer as I was missing a spacer, and replace part of the hydraulic hose kit, all for less than he quoted me for in the first place!
As for anywhere else, I have been really impressed with orders I have made from Sowerby Bros and Noah's Ark.
I work in a shop so don't have a LBS other than where i work but if i didn't work in a shop then the bike shop in Hexham would get my vote, not all that local but i would travel to use them, great little shop.
College Cycles, Crosby, Merseyside. John gives great service to everyone from mum bringing the kids crippled trike in, right through to the "money no object" crew. Caught him still working on repairs after midnight one night ..... thought someone had broken in to his shop .... but there he was spannering away at the back!
Gives the same good service whether you bought the bike off him or elsewhere, builds a good wheel and seems to have infinite patience and good advice and knowledge. Prices are very fair and even competitive with most internet prices (there's always someone on the net that'll beat everyone else!)
Is here a downside? Be prepared to wait a little .... shop is nearly always full of customers ..... there's a good reason for that!
Lol @ Tazzymtb 😆
Im from the Stoke area and need no more detail than Tazzys brief description to totally know who he is referring to.
18bikes is my closest
JE james is good in person
The bike Chain in Edinburgh is super great
Big Al at Wheelcraft - Legend!
Carl in Bikelove - top man!
The Guys in Alpine Bikes
Kev and the guys at Escape Route
Dave in Bothy Bikes
Andy, Keith and the Biketreks crew.
Not all local to me but still all great shops who know customer service.
Cheers
Sanny
Oh and Solid Rock Bikes in Balmore - well worth a visit.
Tazzy your so right! thought i would see if any shops from stoke area got a shout and not suprised by your comment...
Sanny - think you covered all your bases there 😛
Streetlife in Norwich. Great bunch of guys who really love bikes and riding - unlike some of the others near by. A proper old fashioned friendly shop. A bit haphazard sometimes, but good craik, good deals and usually a bunch of mates to hang out and waste good riding time with too.
Alf's in Wrexham (soon to be moving a little out of town to Gresford).
Biketreks for me even though it's 44 miles from me.Why?.The excellent customer service.A good example was when I had issues with my lyric 2 steps (no suprise there then) which was on the sc nomad I bought off them.Phoned them up and they said no problem,bring them in and we'll send them off to be repaired under warranty.Five minutes later keith Phoned back and said he was visting his sister who lives nearby to me so to save me the trip upto ambleside he would pick them up and when fixed drop them off at my front door. 8)
Addiktion in st albans. Friendly staff, Lloyd is a top notch mechanic and prices are ok.
Second shout for Marshalls in welwyn garden city. Half hour drive each way but worthwhile as any repair work done is first class and always seems to cost a tenner regardless.
Evans in Canary Wharf, because they gave me a Cat Eye light bracket for free. 🙂
Another vote for Ride on,best shop I have been in, Craig,Andy and Bubble are all great guys
high5 2unfittoride!! marshalls cycles for the win 🙂
melksham cycles.the staff are always very helpful.also the manager has let me buy bikes from him (interest free payment schemes)even though i have told him that i am unemployed (the last bike i have bought from him was my 2010 giant anthem x2 which i p/x'ed another bike towards) he didn't have to do that.cannot recommend them enough.
Hexham bikeshop! Ask for Karen, she'll give you anything you want on the cheap.
CRC. It's 15 minutes away, dirt cheap and having friends who work there has added benefits.
Another vote for the Bike Tree in Dore, Sheffield for me! 😀
Woodrups - Leeds
Always helpful not the cheapest but great service!
Another vote for both The Bike Tree and 18 Bikes. Both have great customer service, are very knowledgable and happy to stand and chat.
Currently dealing with Scott @ the Bike Tree over my latest acquisition and I can't fault the service or the deal he is doing for me. Top bloke
P.S Cycles, Abercarn as the first question after how I am is would I like coffee, which is always welcome 😀
I disagree with TJ regarding A&A and Friday Kylie, but agree here - The Bike Chain in Edinburgh.
Friendly, helpful, efficient and knowledgable service.
Got both road and mountain bike serviced together a couple of years back - got £40 of multitools for free.
Buying energy bars/gels for some races - here please try some other types/flavours for free.
And bought some MW80 Shimano boots before Christmas - for £107 with STW premier discount.
Can't praise them enough.
PS Cycles in Abercarn (right next to Cwmcarn) for me too, always very helpful and quick on the kettle trigger.