favourite off-line MTB bike shop and why?

Streets paved with gold, etc.

Plenty of us in the provinces still sometimes drive 2hrs plus to go to someone else’s local trails, (well, twice a year for me but I’m lucky) -why shouldn’t that be the case for people who live in London?

I love the way Flashy goes on about the market for mountain bikes for wealthy folk in Central London (and I am quite sure he is right and that there is), and then plugs his Local Bike Shop in Salisbury. (local to his other house, you plebz!)

Well you mean his main[/main] second house surely. I don’t ge the buy cheap from the internet mentality. But then I am fully aware where my money goes.

DJ Cycles in Holombe Brook is owned and run by Damian, he was at Mike Cookson’s when I started MTBing in 1989 and I think he went on to a variety of shops including Leisure Lakes, probably. Dam is a thoroughly decent bloke and worth supporting.

Cookson’s (as it is since Mike sold it) is an excellent shop and so is Ride On in Rawtenstall, a proper “boutique” mountain bike shop run by real enthusiasts. The owner Craig created the Global brand (my Ti mountain bike) and is a fountain of knowledge.

Damian does appear to know everyone. I was trying to source a Howitzer bottom bracket a few months back, and i sat there while he happily rung around what seemed like every bike shop in the North West. He was on chatty first-name terms with all of them. Top bloke!

how big is the mountain bike market in London?

when I ran Freeborn’s Esher store we picked up some business from London riders wanting a specialist mountain bike shop who had a large volume of high end bikes, frames, forks, components, tires and body armour, full face helmets, etc.

but most of our customers were from Surrey and Sussex, or further afield (many would drive several hours to buy a bike or frameset)

in central London where the shop I work for is based (part of a big chain with 48 stores)

we sell a reasonable amount of MTBs (we have 92 on the lower shop floor ranging from £300-£4000) out of a total shop floor count today of 192 bikes) but the commuting and road market is much larger in London, and that is where the real money is?

18 bikes get it for me. Not my nearest by about 20 minutes, but the service has been second to none, very quick, reasonable prices, good communication and friendly staff.

London you say? Where’s elfinsafety when you need him to point out the silliness of an outmoded business model of a bricks and mortar shop where he can try stuff on for “nowt”* only to go and buy it cheaper online.

* I can understand the colloquial accent but not the need to type in one.

Wheelcraft in Clachan of Campsie.

Primarily for Big Al’s legendary wheelbuilding but the place is also an Aladdins cave of weird and wonderful stuff, all at t’internet prices or lower.

Coffee, piss taking and classical music are all free.

i have to say i never really used bike shops until recently as ive been faced with a miserable sod behind a counter too many times.
Lodge cycles in Britton Ferry have been great though. i still buy things online if they are alot cheaper but i always check prices with them now first. often they can get very close. the one thing they have though is great service and a very good mechanic, which is handy when for the life of me i couldnt get the bearings out of my enduro frame!! they are always happy to talk me through products and offer advice.you dont get that online!!
recently they organized a new year ride through theyre facebook page which i went to. met lots of new people and had a blast!!
my faith in bike shops has been restored!!

Nirvana Cycles because of all Simon and Jackie have done for the mountain biking community where I live in the 15 years I’ve been riding, not to mention their shop rides

18 bikes get it for me. Not my nearest by about 20 minutes, but the service has been second to none, very quick, reasonable prices, good communication and friendly staff.

Totally agree with this…..just such a top bike shop.

Withington Cycles of manchester, honest unbiased helpful and fair.

Not as well off the last year or so than in past
Tend to mix the online / offline

But offline , escape route in Pitlochry are great
Good coffee, banter, nice stock , will help out with odd bits, bike range is a bit limited

Always helpful and they make everyone feel welcome