Been looking for a new road bike, and had an eye on Canyon… but I’d really like to see something in the flesh, so what’s the STW view on Scotland’s best roadie shop?

I want something with a decent range, but my budget tops out at £6k, and I’d prefer to spend less…

I’m in the central belt but can travel…

My first shout would be Billy Bilslands
Good crowd

Wheels of Callander always had a mass of road bikes as they looked after a bunch of top roadies, but not sure if they still do. Worth a call.

Pedal Power:
https://www.pedalpower.org.uk/categories/road

Pedalpower, so long as you buy what they want you to buy and don’t have any opinions or preferences of your own 😎

Synergy Auchterarder is a great place to browse high end gear, but the likelihood of them having a precise model and size in stock is probably low.

Velocity 44 in Stirling is now a Giant dealership so a bit of a monoculture, but lots of bikes to look at.

Have never been to Billy Bilsland but met some of their guys at a CX race, good guys 👍

Pedalpower, so long as you buy what they want you to buy and don’t have any opinions or preferences of your own

Proper roadie shop then!

Oh yeah – just don’t buy SRAM or Campag.

I bought online. a vitus or ribble type bike will give you a lot of bike/components for the cash.

Proper roadie shop then!

Haha, good point, probably explains why I’ve experienced similar elsewhere, it’s hell being a customer who actually knows what they want 🙄

Leslie bikes in fife are good.

Had a Canyon road bike and now gravel bike and no bike shop brand could get close for the money.
If you do go down that route, ignore the size calculator and go off the geo chart. Was consistently recommended a small at 5’9.

My first shout would be Billy Bilslands

It’s not the shop it used to be, and more into Ebikes and MTBs than pure roadie stuff.

Nice group all the same. I went in for some hydraulic fluid, but they only had 100ml bottles for £8, but sold me a 1ltr tin of motorex out the workshop for £20, which is about the price, or a bit more, but they didnt need to and could have insisted just the small bottle on the shelf.

If you’re looking for someone really competent to service your road bike, you cannot beat Willy Bain in Glasgow. Your bike is safe with him.

Synergy in Auchterarder should be on your visit list.

Studio Velo in Castle Douglas  run/owned by Gareth Montgomery is good, ex Scott team xc rider and road/cx racing.

Link to Studio Velo Facebook page

What was I thinking !

Big Al at Wheelcraft (Clachan of Campsie) is the obvious winner.

Big Al at Wheelcraft (Clachan of Campsie) is the obvious winner.

😳

If you’re looking for someone really competent to service your road bike, you cannot beat Willy Bain in Glasgow. Your bike is safe with him.

Nice guy, lent me an appropriately resized deep socket to strip my Super T’s back when I lived at that end of town. Also has a fantastic amount of spares.

Big Al at Wheelcraft (Clachan of Campsie) is the obvious winner.

Haha, I think he’s going to outlast all of us, my FIL’s pal used to get the same abuse when he was a boy in the 70’s. I used to enjoy the visits, always wonder whats still up in that loft.

Synergy Auchterarder is a great place to browse high end gear, but the likelihood of them having a precise model and size in stock is probably low.

^ they do have some lovely things in though.

I presume you want to browse / be inspired rather than have an idea of what bike?

Big Al at Wheelcraft (Clachan of Campsie) is the obvious winner.

DO NOT DRINK THE COFFEE. It’s like tar.

And of similar taste.

always wonder whats still up in that loft.

Last time i was there he tried to sell me a pair of 26″ mavic 121 ceramics for £80. Quite a sought after retro rim. He’s probably still got them.

It’s drip coffee, I’ve had worse.

Aye, probably still sitting on a stack of 521s.

It’s drip coffee, I’ve had worse.

Was Al not listed in Cycling Plus’s list of top 10 coffee shops?

Anyway, OP- you need to go there.

OP – you really don’t!

Big Al at Wheelcraft (Clachan of Campsie) is the obvious winner.

Last time I was there he didn’t have a single built bike in the ‘shop’

It was 34 years ago though, so it may have changed 🙂

Billy Bilslands then Big Al.

No love for solid rock cycles in balmore?

Always seemed very road biased and decent guys.

Studio Velo in Castle Douglas second vote.

Go to them all, take photos and make a coffee table book. You’ll be a millionaire come Christmas.

+3 for Studio Velo; really nice shop and well stocked for roadie kit.

CD Cycles just up the street if you prefer a more traditional bike shop (they’re really nice people too).

Probably the two best locally for roadie bits.

Great suggestions, thanks all. Bilslands, Synergy and a trip to Castle Douglas on the cards.

I love that Synergy doesn’t seem to have a website.

Cou8ld try sprockets too. Give you an idea of size.

I love that Synergy doesn’t seem to have a website.

I get the impression they just don’t need the extra advertising! Reasonably active on FB I think.

Note they’re closed Sundays (family men). Post up if you’re in Auchterarder and fancy a spin 👍

(apologies, I’m not a Synergy shill, just live nearby)

Just saw on FB that they have a Season Launch event 24th-26th March at their new store near Gleneagles 👍