Aire Valley Cycles Gone – Sad Day indeed

Always liked these guys, used to love riding over to buy stuff from the original shop. still got some kit from then.

Hope they move on and keep their chins up.

it seems to be a spate of LBS closures, and more to come I expect.

Oh no 🙁

It was a good shop (and one of the few reasons to stop in Keighley). Bought my first mountain bike in there (previous location). He (was it Bernie?) also lent me a sympathetic ear whilst I told him about my bike accident / assault just last autumn (I did spend a few bob as well). I grew up and started my cycling as a kid around Keighley and there has always been at least one bike shop in town, now there is none (unless there is a new one around?) …a sad day.

To be honest I’m not surprised. They were a great shop in their previous location, bikes for all budgets, loads of stock, friendly and just a great place to visit for a browse.

The new location – what happened? It was turned into a boutique place with no lower end stuff and they turned their nose up at me when I asked for a standard £20 seatpost and some other average price stuff.

I’m sad that they’ve closed – I bought a 1992 GT with one of their dealer stickers on so they’ve been around a while, but they changed their business too much in my eyes and have possibly suffered for it.

Not too surprised but a bit sad that another LBS bites the dust

Be Chevins skipton shop next i think

about time I had a look at Keith Lamberts in Bingley again. Now that is where I bought my first ‘proper’ road bike. Only been to Chevin in Skipton once (a weekend) it wasn’t exactly buzzing considering the size / number of staff…whereas when I popped into Blazing Saddles in Hebden one weekend and they were struggling to cope with the number of customers.

We went to get some components on Saturday and it was all locked up. Sad really.

The Chevin Cycle shop in Skipton is a strange place, I don’t feel like I want to spend any money in there, I’ve only been in twice. I’ll go to Dave Ferguson’s or Stuart Rider’s instead.

surely a town the size of Keighley can support a bike shop if it’s done right…an opportunity for someone….(checks outstanding mortgage)

Sad day indeed. The old shop by the library had a great feel to it and some nice stock. New location just didn’t work.

Full agreement the Skipton Chevin cycles holds zero appeal. Went in once won’t be going back.

Its a bit like All terrains new showroom. Wetherby just seems like an odd choice when you’ve got Harrogate and Leeds so close. Hope it works for them.

I know nothing of them other than they backed Chris akrigg in the early years if I remember right. For that reason alone this is a shame

I bought my second mountain bike there when I lived in Ilkley…..a Marin Bear Valley,

sad but yet another sign the austerity plan is working…..oh yeah George rock on

Not sure what the connection between Osborne/austerity and an LBS is. Given the growth in cycling in the last few years. Suspect the blame lies elsewhere.

There’s lots of other stuff to blame him for

before being over past the back of the library was it the same guys who were on Worth way (near what is now the job centre) ?…my dad bought a lovely Kona Lava Dome there.

Nowt to do with austerity, someone’s got a chip on their shoulder. 🙄

It’s all about knowing your market and supplying to it, which I don’t think they did any more.

I agree with the assessment of the Skipton Chevin store, mainly based on never seeing anyone in there, rather than not ever spotting anything I want to buy (I suspect I’m not the target market).

I like the new(ish) Ilkley shop – seems more attuned to its market. That, and All Terrain in Saltaire take care of most stuff I need.

Sad. Bernie was never the chirpiest of shopkeepers, but knew his bikes.

That’s sad to see another local shop gone missing. I bought a set of pad from them a few weeks ago. Shop wasn’t busy. Parking was difficult but people don’t deserve that.
One discussion I had was about choice if clothing in the shop. Virtually nothing but altura. No choice means I don’t go back I’m sorry to say.

Sad. Bernie was never the chirpiest of shopkeepers, but knew his bikes.

LOL – he reminded me of me a little….not the most natural salesman but knew his stuff and was fair with me when I had a small issue (shelves plan of opening a new shop)

If I was still up there, Stu at RCC in Skipton would be getting my trade.

agreed there is an know your market but does Chevin Cycles really hit the market….seems to be cycling is the new golf style…..and never really seems busy

austerity plan is small businesses going out bust as there is not that much cash around……or is it a north south thing…..

Virtually nothing but altura. No choice means I don’t go back I’m sorry to say.

I found Altura quite refreshing after every other bugger only sells Endura. I also bought some Etxeondo stuff.

Not sure about All Terrain’s new place as I’ve not been to it. I work close to their Saltaire store and get stuff from them regularly.

After finding Airevalley cycles shut, we ended up getting the components from Ilkley Cycles (at least one of Airevalley’s ex staff works there), seemed OK, not a boutique shop.

There’s also a new(ish) bike shop in the centre of Leeds in the Snow and Rock basement, just seems like a jump on the bandwagon sort of setup. Been in once, probably won’t go again, even Evans Cycles down near the station is better.

The growth in cycling peaked a few years ago ask any bike shop owner.There are a fair few shops which have closed down in the South as well.Alot of shops are struggling have been for the last couple of years.Same with motorbike shops.

real shame for the guys, but like others say the previous shop was a proper lbs which I often browsed in and bought extra bits and bobs i hadn’t gone in for. The new shop i was always straight in and out asap not hanging around, not sure why, but counter was by the door and there was some reason i wasn’t compelled to venture any further in or browse, seemed dark and uninviting and just lacked something (bits and bobs probably).

Just looked for their number as need a part that I can’t find in Skipton and was shocked to see they’d closed down.

A real shame as the first two shops were ace. The first was a pokey little gem on Worth Way, stuffed full of the very first Orange Clockworks and Prestige. That’s the place that made me the Orange fan boy I still am. Must have been about 1991/2 they moved down the road to East Parade and the best shop they had IMO. Me and my mates spent hours pouring over the goodies upstairs and dreaming about owning some of the bikes. Still remember the 1992/3 Orange range in the main upstairs room by the front window with the 1993 Marin range at the back of the same room. They seemed to stock every main brand back then. Used to dream of owning the original Rockshox, Pace and Manitou suss forks that lined the stair case.

I was lucky enough to bag a week of work experience in that shop around 1993/4 and worked in the workshop. Chris Akrigg was the junior mechanic at the time and was a grumpy bugger. I remember him bouncing a brand new £2000 original Orange Vitamin T off the workshop walls before taking it upstairs to give to the proud new owner. 😮

I went in the shop on Samuel St a few times but didn’t really like the vibe. I assume the ex pro had taken over by then? As mentioned above, they had no interest if you were not after spending loads. couldn’t understand why they had moved as the old shop was miles better.

Never actually made it to the final shop but it looked very roadie from the outside.

Agree with the comments about Chevin Skipton and am still pissed that they caused The Bike Shop in Skipton to close.