favourite off-line MTB bike shop and why?

Still think there’s a market for a decent MTB shop in London and wondering what you think makes a good one…

service
service
service

and servicing

did someone say service …..

good mechanic and workshop will bring more business than bling bikes

did someone say service ?

staff that have a passion for the sport and not just someone who is paid to be there

oh and local rides set up throught the shop

Being middle class, I think a good coffee machine is also important in a bike shop. More importantly, yes a great mechanic is vital, and shop rides are, I would imagine, a great way of generating goodwill and customers.

the shop i go to (melksham cycle centre).i don’t have enough good things to say about them (have posted about them before here).the manager has let me buy/p,x towards a new bike (more than once)and take the bike (whilst still paying it off interest free).even though he knows that i am unemployed at present.cannot think of many shops that would do that tbh (and yes i have paid the bike off now 😉 😀

Do all my own spannering so dont use shop mechanics, cant stand shops where the staff are patronising, misserable and clueless (quite a few bike shops that I know), only buy MTB’s, frames, kit from my LBS (not the closest as its 40 miles away – Freeborn in Horsham) as the guys there are friendly and always willing to help and I get a discount:-), even though they sell MTB’s and road bikes not sure that road bikes are their strong point so buy all road bikes, parts etc from Geared Bikes and Wear who are very good to deal with and know their stuff, conversly probably wouldnt buy a mountain bike from them as again their expertise seems to be road biking.

Not a great fan of CRC or Wiggle although occasionally I will get something there if its not available in either of the above, dont mind spending a bit over the top to get good service/advice from LBS.

Approachable/sound staff. Wheelbase in Staveley is a great example.

I thought there were loads of bike shops in London…

Anyway not living in the centre of the universe I can only go based on what us unsophisticated, provincial types value and thats having the basic bits you might need in an pinch at a *reasonable price (tyres, tubes, cables, etc) no point exclusively selling blingy stuff, it’s all cheaper on CRC…

And of course service, by which I mean useful mechanics and assistants able to offer advice rather than read you a brochure.
The biggest market in London will be cycle commuters not Downhillerists or XC racers so get your focus on them not flogging £3k wonder ponies to Audi driving toss bags…

Oh and I don’t see how coffee and biscuits will enhance your business’ success, anyone who comes in looking for a cuppa should be politely redirected to the Costa down the road…

* London Reasonable of course

The biggest market in London will be cycle commuters not Downhillerists or XC racers so get your focus on them not flogging £3k wonder ponies to Audi driving toss bags…

Ingorant fool.

As it happens, there’s not really any proper MTB shops in London, or at least in the centre of town (Moose is about the closest), hence the reason Cycle Surgery have taken the step of making one of their stores in Spitalfields in to just that, a specialist MTB shop for those of us who ride MTBS and happen to live and/or work in London. If you could get over your prejudice, you might realise that not only is that a lot of people, but it’s also a very large potential turnover as those people earn quite a lot! 🙂

Streets paved with gold, etc.

For me, however, my favourite off line shop is Stonehenge Cycles in Salisbury. And why? Well, here’s a list;
Service
Stock
Service
Laughter
Service
Cake
Service
Coffee
Service
Banter
Service
Variety
Service
Value
Service
Erm, I rekcon that’s about it!

Surbiton Cycles – on the Thames, great location, customer service and super friendly.

racefaceec90 – Member
the shop i go to (melksham cycle centre).i don’t have enough good things to say about them (have posted about them before here).the manager has let me buy/p,x towards a new bike (more than once)and take the bike (whilst still paying it off interest free).even though he knows that i am unemployed at present.cannot think of many shops that would do that tbh (and yes i have paid the bike off now

Yeah that Melksham shop looks unassuming but they’re really helpful & knowledgeable in there.

Service has been mentioned, but what is service exactly?

For me GlennG’s ‘not clueless yet not patronising’ bit is important.

If someone works in a shop and actually rides bikes, tests products, cares for his customers’ experiences (e.g. by sharing (shop) rides with them or just being approachable and patient enough so that customers come back and bother to give you feedback), maybe even keeps informed beyond his local radar (mags, forums, races), but can STILL accept that his personal preference might not be everyone’s cup of tea – that’s quite an achievement and a good start to provide good service.

Ah, and people – be it in a bike shop or anywhere else – should actually like their job. If you don’t like to meet – not to mention talk to – people please stay in the workshop. While a mechanic who knows his stuff AND rides his stuff AND likes to talk and share his insights is probably ideal.

And that’s why I like Street Life in Norwich so much!

Trouble with a London LBS is that most places with local resident cyclists are usually pretty low rent and scuzzy, and bikes are likely to be clunkers or knock offs.

The only significant market would be commuters, and they don’t really care if the shop is “Local”, serves nice coffee, has framed up magazine articles on the wall or not – they just want quick, cheap and polite service; sort of like any other retail experience really……

The most important thing for me is the smaller parts such as brake adaptors, bearing kits, replacement dropouts, etc. The kind of bits that are small but can easily spell a cancelled ride or a delay in building up a new bike.

Well things my LBS does that on-line can’t compete on.They have been open for 15 years and I have been using them for 12so I might not be that objective.
Local knowledge, in my opinion by far the most important. What works in the hills of surrey isn’t probably going to work down here. As per service, in no particular order:
they set up rides, shuttle days in Italy for nice customers. They are indeed very good and very knowledgable on the good. They store a decent range of things. They are at the centre of a social network of riders, for instance they usually introduce customers that fits in the “LBS philosphy” for the saturday rides. They have free coffee. It’s a great place to share lunch with the owners. They lend their own bike when you need one and yours is being fixed. They have a fair pricing policy that suits very well someone like me. Did I mention rides. No I mean did I mention motorbike rides? They build and maintain trails. They sponsor a local club and help with the annual enduro event by helping building the stages and on the day of the event. They are now good friends of me and the SO, we both know the name of repsective families.
Now I know I am stupid but I just possibly can’t bring myself to buy online. I would feel very bad, like I have stab them in the back. Price is not really a problem for me. If I can afford something I’ll buy it. If I can’t I won’t as simple as that. But then I know I am different from everyone on here about this point.

juan – Member

Now I know I am stupid but I just possibly can’t bring myself to buy online. I would feel very bad, like I have stab them in the back. Price is not really a problem for me. If I can afford something I’ll buy it. If I can’t I won’t as simple as that. But then I know I am different from everyone on here about this point.

Not stupid, probably different 😉
Not everyone has a “bottom line” mentality and I also am prepared to pay for a friendly and local service.
My LBS is only a few % over CRC on almost everything and you always get those “odd little nuts, bolts and plastic thingamajigs” for nothing from their spares bin.

Can you put a price on everything you do in life, I can’t but some obviously does not in any way see beyond the price tag – personal choice innit 😉

Cheltenham Cycles great TEA they use TETLEY.Cant beat it.Cycling kit is very good too 😆

Tetley tea! Get yourself a box of assam tea then try and tell me Tetley is good tea!

Off line shop of choice is Solent Cycles for exceptionally helpful staff and convenience. Hargroves is good for stock but service more variable. Last 3 complete bikes from there and great workshop service.

Bromley Bike Co, in Bromley.
Like them because their mechanics know their stuff, and my bike is always ready when they say it’ll be ready… unlike the other bike shop in Bromley.

We also have special tea…

Best LBS I have used, has awesome service, a good sized shop, water and coffee machines, a bike wash area, a workshop where you roll up and they have a look immediately and fix it there and then if they can, free organised bike rides – and it’s only a small shop….. Shame it’s in Spain.

Bikelab in Richmond, excellent service good banter and great mechanic, some very nice MTB, or if you want to – road bikes.

Halfords all the way! They sell full suspension DH bikes for only £70, beat that for value!

The best LBS in my experience are the ones where I decide that, on balance, I would rather pay a little more and give them my business because they are good people, providing excellent service and they deserve to do well.

There are two that spring to mind. Head for the Hills in Dorking (where I first shopped because they were a Nicolai dealer) and Pedal and Spoke in Peaslake, because I’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t think Howard was a thoroughly nice chap!

It’s getting harder to keep everyone happy though as Nirvana are a great bunch of guys especially when you get to know them.

I can’t but some obviously does not in any way see beyond the price tag

Yes and that is very sad i think.

Off line shop of choice is Solent Cycles for exceptionally helpful staff and convenience. Hargroves is good for stock but service more variable. Last 3 complete bikes from there and great workshop service.

Are you me?

Solent is superb. Proper staff with a real passion for all aspects of the sport. Service is brilliant, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve dropped a filthy MTB in for some fettling and they’ve not just accommodated it but also turned it around in time for my next ride. Joe has led rides for our Tuesday night crowd, Mike (owner) has solved a particularly awkward problem with failing kit (not bought from them!) with the importer and they just generally go that extra mile to help. As a result they get constant recommendation from me and have yet to let down anyone who I’ve sent in there!

Hargroves do have excellent stock but just seem to lack the same kind of personal feel and service. The staff aren’t as interested and are certainly aren’t as knowledgeable.

The thing that shops need to understand is that because of the internet anyone that calls in is likely to be pretty well informed (not necessarily correctly) about products and that they need to either support or disuade using reasoned, informed opinion and not just “well……..er……….we’ve sold a few of them” type sales or bullshit.

I’m big fan of Stif, good staff, no pressure to buy, good coffee and lots of nice things to look at. Having them attached to the SC importer also helps 😉

Well things my LBS does that on-line can’t compete on.They have been open for 15 years and I have been using them for 12so I might not be that objective.
Local knowledge, in my opinion by far the most important. What works in the hills of surrey isn’t probably going to work down here. As per service, in no particular order:
they set up rides, shuttle days in Italy for nice customers. They are indeed very good and very knowledgable on the good. They store a decent range of things. They are at the centre of a social network of riders, for instance they usually introduce customers that fits in the “LBS philosphy” for the saturday rides. They have free coffee. It’s a great place to share lunch with the owners. They lend their own bike when you need one and yours is being fixed. They have a fair pricing policy that suits very well someone like me. Did I mention rides. No I mean did I mention motorbike rides? They build and maintain trails. They sponsor a local club and help with the annual enduro event by helping building the stages and on the day of the event. They are now good friends of me and the SO, we both know the name of repsective families.
Now I know I am stupid but I just possibly can’t bring myself to buy online. I would feel very bad, like I have stab them in the back. Price is not really a problem for me. If I can afford something I’ll buy it. If I can’t I won’t as simple as that. But then I know I am different from everyone on here about this point.

If I had a LBS like this, I wouldn’t go online either.

If I had a LBS like this, I wouldn’t go online either.

Maybe you have but just don’t know it. As I said it’s a 12 year relationship. Plus it is not that local, about 40 kms, but it use to be my local. I think it’s a common problem in our society as the concept of community and commitment/loyalty are less important to people than just money”

Maybe you have but just don’t know it

I haven’t Juan, I’ve checked.
All I seem to have is identikit stores selling the same stuff;
Clothing; Endura/Royal/spesh
Bikes; Giant/Spesh/Trek
No stock of anything interesting or expensive.

A big shout for me goes to twelve-fifty bikes in frodsham cheshire.

Knowledgable and passionate about everything to do with cycling, always keen to answer questions, organised night rides and weekend rides, good mechanic, plenty of stock and blingy bikes to look at, test and buy.
Kettle on the ready and competetive prices, need i say more!

DJ Cycles in Ramsbottom (Holcombe brook)

servicing & repairs, great service!

Cookson Cycles in Whitefield.

Service, both customer and actual mechanical bike service.

Another shop local to me treat me like I’m not there because I wear a shirt and tie and am in my 40s. Clearly I’m not “cool” (or whatever hip young gun slingers say these days) enough to spend my money there, so I don’t. Maybe their attitude has changed but I won’t be going back to find out.

Sefton – I just got on this thread to say precisely that!

DJ’s – Fantastic, friendly service from people who ride themselves. They just rebuilt my frame with new bearings and pivots. I couldn’t believe how little they charged me.

I’ve happily ordered parts in from them I knew I could get cheaper online. But places like that are worth supporting and paying the odd few quid more, because I’d miss ’em if they weren’t there

yep they have built up bikes for me and the rates are always really fair! they always seem to squeeze you in too!

I’m going to be ringing later to hopefully get my cross bike built up.

most bike shops wont touch your bike unless its off them – DJ’s shop seems like its more of a service centre

top marks

No mention I could see of 18bikes yet. Definitely a contender for best bike shop. Knowledgeable, passionate staff; great service; great, realistic prices on service work (and not bad on lots of other stuff as well); happy for you to come in muddy, mid ride for a natter. Nothing bad to say about them really.

is an ‘off line bike shop’ not just a bike shop ? 😀

Every time I go into my LBS, I am made to feel like Norm from Cheers. I always get greeted, and end up spending far more time just visiting than buying (although I try to do that, too).

As for service, I try to do some of my own repairs, but tend to mix it up a bit, and their prices, together with their approach, make it easy to commit to.

A good LBS should be a bit like a cycling version of one’s local pub, I think.

EDIT: Although I have no problem with online shopping, when it comes to bikes, I don’t even think about it when I can just walk a half mile and get whatever I need immediately right off the shelf. Price (unless it was ludicrously more expensive) doesn’t even come into it.