[Closed] Ilkley Cycles Closed

christ that's a big shop to lose to the local cycling community, what a shame.

I thought they did a lot for the local roadie club circuit too?

Bloomin' heck! Ilkley CC is supposedly the largest cycling club in the UK and Ilkley itself is hardly a place full of sink estates. With Aire Valley Cycles in Keighley closing down a couple of years ago (at least one of the staff in Ilkley Cycles worked at AVC beforehand) there's getting to be fewer and fewer bike shops in the area.

Oh bit of a surprise - kind of thought it was odd when they started selling ski boots last season

Always found them expensive when I went in and their ranges a bit odd

Still nice blokes, a lot of them were involved in the original Ilkley bike shop that used to be hidden around the back. I understand though that one of them has done rather nicely out of this business.

They also helped out with the 3 Peaks CX

Bloomin' heck! Ilkley CC is supposedly the largest cycling club in the UK and Ilkley itself is hardly a place full of sink estates. With Aire Valley Cycles in Keighley closing down a couple of years ago (at least one of the staff in Ilkley Cycles worked at AVC beforehand) there's getting to be fewer and fewer bike shops in the area.

That said, there are a few indy mechanics around (Stuart Rider in Skipton and Marek at Aurelius spring to mind) so there's no shortage of places if you need work doing, but the reality is that bike retail is increasingly online, and I would suggest that bike part retail is pretty much 100% online.

Wow, that's a bit of a surprise. If that kind of town can't support a shop, surprised any can really.

Bought a few bits from them, mainly clothing though.

That is a shame, maybe they'll come back smaller under a different name and focus more on servicing and the cafe. Must be very tough selling things on the high street these days.

There's Escape Bikes just outside Ingleton and Paceline in Crosshills as well.

One thing that came to mind, both AVC and IC moved to new and much larger premises a couple of years before they closed. From memory AireValley shut around the time the Tour went past in 2014.

Yup, Chevins in Otley and Skipton, All Terrain in Saltaire and Stif at Summerbridge (if your pockets are deep!) is about your lot.

That sucks. Think I've only been in once when driving past but thinking of the employees.

maybe they'll come back smaller under a different name and focus more on servicing and the cafe.

Oh maybe they could call themselves JD Cycles and move to a smaller quirky shop

The original shop JD Cycles was a servicing place only. The original owner now sells tandems only. It was then his staff that took over the business and tried to grow it sales side too

JD’s always used to be very busy, when it moved the trade didn’t follow, it became just another bike shop

If you need servicing I would recommend Saltaire Cycles in Saltaire - not All Terrain Cycles in Saltaire

Will the ilkley lot be heading over toward Prologue in Harrogate I now wonder..

Oh bit of a surprise - kind of thought it was odd when they started selling ski boots last season

Just driven past. Surprised to se the removal truck outside. Googled it and found out they were closing. Only been down here a year, but the odd time I've been in the staff were very helpful. Shame

We’re going to see a lot more of this, sadly - BikeBiz was reporting that bike sales are down 30% this year compared with last year, that’s 1 million fewer bikes. It’s a perfect storm of Brexit, internet sales, Brexit, changing consumer behaviour, and Brexit.

I noticed loads of skis the other day, thought it was a bit strange. I wondered if backcountry skier had moved in or whatever that outdoor shop in Ilkley was called that specialised in ski mountaineering gear.

One other clarification - the shop actually closes finally on 6th November, presumably to allow them to sell any stock that can't be returned to the suppliers outright. I expect to see some sale items...

Prologue cafe is nicer anyway! Good luck to the Ilkley staff!

There is already a poncy cyclist cafe in Ilkley (that opened after Ilkley Cycles)

Shame that. Not a shop I used often but when I did they were always friendly and the shop had a good vibe.

Since The Bike Shop in Skipton closed the local shops have been dwindling. Such a shame that TBS shut due to Chevin moving in as they were night and day better.

From what I read Airevalley bet everything on moving the shop on to the tdf route but the gamble failed. Oh for the days of Airevalley on worth way with Allterrain in Crosshills, TBS still open and Stif still a bus ride to the old headingley barn.

The All Terrain shop in Crosshills was a bit weird, sometimes it felt like the local shop for local people. It was very handy as it was on my way home from work. The new place is a few minutes from my current work so not really much of a change.

I remember Bernie saying that their (Aire Valley's) old place was somewhat damp so they would probably have had to move anyway. He was/is a sound bloke Bernie.

Real shame about Ilkley Cycles. I liked the little cafe, friendly and helpful staff.

+1 Saltaire Cycles - Nathan's a top mechy and sound guy too.

Stuart at Riders Cycle Centre in Skipton is another fine bike mechy!

Yeah, Stuart is a top bloke and once of TBS.

Don’t know Bernie but remember Eddie Argle from the shop before. Gave me £15 for a weeks work experience! Non other than Chris Akrigg was a spanner monkey at the time and I will never forget the abuse he gave some blokes Orange Vitamin T, bounced off every wall in the basement workshop, just before wheeling it out to the proud new owner.

Yep, Brexit innit. Same as Steel's in Gosforth, being going downwards for a few years now & all because of Brexit.
Bike Scene in Guisborough seem to be doing ok though thankfully, but that's because of Brexit.
Mate of mine lives in Germany & says 2 decent shops where he lives have closed down recently. Bloody Brexit again!

Surely it's simply the internet, selling products is the preserve of the internet. Great shops with good friendly mechanics who don't charge the earth are doing well. Firth's Cycles in Queensbury and Garage Bikes are very busy.

Wow, never saw that coming. My company share a car park with Ilkley Cycles (Majestic Wine) and on the days I've been in our Ilkley store there was always a steady stream of customers going into the bike shop so always thought it was making money.

+1 for Stu @ Rider's Cycle Centre in Skipton. I do 95% of my own maintenance but Stu is always there for those jobs that I can't do / can't justify the outlay for the tool.

Don't forget Ellis Briggs in Shipley, small but have very good workshop staff.

In fact, Backcountry moved out of their shop further up in town sometime last year and moved in to Ilkley Cycles, presumably so both could save a few quid on premises. They are an independent business and are, apparently, unaffected.

Stu @ Riders Cycle centre in Skipton is the cycle mech I use these days and that's not often as most stuff I can do myself. Cheap cable inner and outer, bits and bobs from miserable git cycle shop in Bingley.

TBS in Skipton was a shame, Stu seemed to think they could make a go of it with some changes to their model, but the other guy threw in the towel as soon as Trek/Chevin was on the cards. I got the impression that Stu was a bit niffed about all that, but too decent to say it how he really felt, in my company anyway, never questioned him about it since.

Yep, Brexit innit. Same as Steel's in Gosforth, being going downwards for a few years now & all because of Brexit.

Alas bike shops are the new pubs. The problem is that even the bigger online & retail guys are having it tough. Cycle surgery is closing 6 branches, Evans posted a whopping loss last year, CRC/Wiggle seem to be having some problems with their merger, ZyroFisher is up for sale.... I know I am part cause in my small way but I would still like to see the LBS thrive. I guess that the rise of the mobile mechanic is not helping either. All around the middle men (LBS) are being cut out, but that will ultimately lead to the demise of the local bike shop, which would be a tragedy given I used to work in a couple and still have a soft spot for them, and I spent many an hour of my (now distant) youth hanging out looking at Konas and Cannondales and dreaming.

Wow that's bad news. I damaged a spoke on my rear Ksyrium and it eventually snapped with a loud crack near Otley. Took it to Chevin Cycles to be treated to sucking of teeth and "You'll need a new wheel mate, we happen to have a great offer on at the moment". Then on the way home I spotted Ilkley Cycles where Joe the mechanic reached into a cupboard, took out a spoke, fixed my wheel in 5 minutes flat and reluctantly took a fiver off me for it.

I know plenty of people who happily take their bikes to bike mechanics, it's just that these mechanics no longer sell actual bicycles.

Tucked away in a back street in Horsforth http://www.holyspokes.co.uk/ always friendly and helpful

ZyroFisher is up for sale

but the reality is that it's us lot shopping online that has brought the traditional bike shop to their knees.

This almost entirely. ( It was tongue in cheek with my, 'blame Brexit for everything' comment, even though people do)
How many on here shop online then say, 'oh no, another shop closed'?

Loads I'll bet.

I used to work there when it was a garage (Glovers)

Upstairs during WW2 was a mini secret sea mine detonation pin factory all the machinery and loads of pins was still there in the 90s

but the reality is that it's us lot shopping online that has brought the traditional bike shop to their knees.

Suddenly loads more people shopping online in 2017 compared to 2016? I don't buy it. When businesses collapse, there's almost always several causes which add up, but to pretend that Brexit hasn't had a big impact is daft.

30% drop in sales in one year, 1m fewer bikes sold. That's not a coincidence.

Brexit isn't even registering, yet. The biggest factors (imo) are the second hand market, which is massive and direct sales.

Enough to have that big an impact in one year, coincidentally the same year as Brexit? Hmm.

Some interesting statements in this thread.

Best of luck to all the staff.

Has anyone got figures for bike sales up to and since 2012? I suspect that sales boomed then and have been steadily dropping since.

Brexit isn't even registering, yet. The biggest factors (imo) are the second hand market, which is massive and direct sales.

It blatantly is. The reduction in GBP value has increased the cost of and/or reduced the specs on new bikes.

The reduction in GBP value has increased the cost of and/or reduced the specs on new bikes.

Or people are getting cheesed off with all the different standards and the fact that a good bike now costs many £1,000’s. Yes the pound has made things more expensive but bikes have inflated way more than effects of the pound

Has anyone got figures for bike sales up to and since 2012? I suspect that sales boomed then and have been steadily dropping since.

If someone gets bored they could look at the CONEBI stats, but from [url= http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/uk-bike-sales-rise-8/018554 ]this article[/url]:

2005: 3.9m
2010: 3.6m
2013: 3.4m
2014: 3.6m
2016: 3.5m
2017: 2.5m

That big a change, in one year?

The stats show that the [b]average[/b] price of a bicycle in the UK is just €345, or £253.42. Last year that was £233 and in 2011 was £242.

The biggest factors (imo) are the second hand market,

Yet in every thread asking for second hand valuations loads of people pipe up with 0% finance has killed the second hand market. Can't be both.

As for Brexit.... I bought a new HT and FS in the last 18 months as I noticed prices were creeping up on the 2017 model year bikes and guessed it would only get worse (It has!). Both end of season discounted, both significantly cheaper than the current version and I intend to keep them both for a fair few years so Brexit has defo taken me out of the new bike market. Imagine they'll be plenty of others like me.

You're confusing this forum, the 0.1% of cyclists with the general population

2005: 3.9m
2010: 3.6m
2013: 3.4m
2014: 3.6m
2016: 3.5m
2017: 2.5m

That big a change, in one year?

Thanks Ben. I'm happy to admit I'm wrong.

I honestly think that there are two separate but clearly related issues here: the cost of bikes and the changes to how we buy them.

I don't think anyone would argue that bikes and bike parts have not noticeably increased in price over the last 12 months and, undoubtedly this has had an affect on sales, but I would argue that the biggest impact this has had is to force users, perhaps for the first time, to start buying full bikes rather than just components online, rather than in the LBS.

Yes, I know that people here will say that they've been buying bikes online for years (my first was from Merlin back in the early 90s, mail order and I drove to Ormskirk to pick it up!) but the big change is that it has become mainstream. Factor in direct sales, where the smaller manufacturers have decided to preserve their margins by cutting out that of the middleman and, once again, the LBS is squeezed. And they can forget about any component sales as there's no way they'd be able to compete with the big boys here.

What does this leave? Clothes? Well, yes perhaps, but personally I find that with only a few exceptions, most shops simply don't stock enough - either in range or sizes - and personally, I find it easier to order a range of sizes and try them on at home, rather than go through the "I'm sorry, we don't have that size in stock" routine.

Personally, I think that the current LBS model is screwed and, much as I'd love to run my own shop, you'd need to be certified insane to actually do it!

Or people are getting cheesed off with all the different standards and the fact that a good bike now costs many £1,000’s. Yes the pound has made things more expensive but bikes have inflated way more than effects of the pound

Very much this as well!

Did I mention I haven't had a pay rise in 7 years? That's why I can't afford a new bike!

No direct proof, but I think the price of bikes has jumped up massively compared to stagnated wages. This is probably true of other goods as well. I bought a top of the range santa cruz in 2009 xtr and everything for £3.7k. Sine 2009 my wages have hardly risen but now an equivalent bike is around £6.5k which is hard to justify.

2017: 2.5m