I use to use Wiggle for the majority of my stuff. But since Evri keeps losing my parcels I don’t want to use Wiggle anymore. I really liked their unlimited next day delivery for £9.99, so looking to find an alternative company.

Who uses who and why?

I used to buy from German sites when I needed a good price, and Wiggle/CRC when I needed something quick.

Now I buy from German sites.

Usually CRC although have been dipping in to Merlin quiet a bit recently.

Depends entirely on who has it in stock, at a decent price, with free delivery, and also depending what else I’m buying, I try to buy a few bits from one place rather than one part from at a time.

I do still use wiggle mainly I’ll be honest, if they fit the above which they regularly do – the 12% platinum discount on full RRP items is useful.

The people that make whatever it is, where I can.

My local bike shop, build a good relationship with them and they will see you right.

Pretty much from anywhere from the local bike shop, wiggle and such, overseas retailer, or direct from the company. Whoever has what I’m after and even more so if it’s on offer.

Determined to buy less shit, which means I can’t remember the last time I ordered something significant. All I’ve bought for a while is consumables (from either a specialist shop like uberbike for brake pads) or whoever is cheapest for that part if it’s drivechains. Small bits I’ve been buying off eBay etc if I need a little widget to make something work.

Local bike shops stock pretty much nothing useful near me. The closest place with any stock is the specialised concept store in Bristol.

So I order whenever online has whatever I want at a sensible price – Chiggle / Bike Tart / Merlin seem to be the most recent ones looking back through emails. Or sometimes stuff from Amazon or eBay. Occasionally freewheel.

Purchases this summer…

– lights from LBS
– clothes and armour direct from brands
– brake pads and other consumables from internet retailers

Wiggle for most stuff but get it delivered to a local corner shop to pick up from there. Uberbike for brake pads and discs.

Occasionally use lbs if I’m confident they’ll have it – lights, stans fluid etc

Mostly Merlin.

Bits and bobs according to deals or emergency from Wiggle/CRC, Sigma, Probikekit, Amazon.

Forks velo solutions
Drive train kiro break pad

Try for local every time

Just this moment ordered tyres from CRC.

Only because my new wheelset turns up tomorrow and they do next day delivery.

Tyre-wise they have a much better selection than any of my local shops.

Mostly Wiggle, for the next day delivery, but increasingly Sigma as they have a shop a few miles away and keep pretty decent stocks.

Wiggle if it is the cheapest, otherwise wherever it is cheapest ranging from eBay shops to Merlin and so on (including Germany although that is not as easy since Brexit as some shops I used to use don’t send)

Wiggle as their £9.99 for a year of next day delivery is ace and nor Hermes or Evri have ever let me down.

If Wiggle don’t have it, Merlin, Sigma Sports or ProBikeKit usually do.

Oh yes – collect plus from wiggle is better than evri to a local shop from crc. No idea why they have different options for each part of the same company

…almost exclusively eBay.

Merlin, CRC, Spa cycles and SJS cycles are often the top of the list, although since Sigma sports honoured the prices when they ballsed up their sale a few months a go i’ll likely throw a bit of business their way too. Quite a few small bike shops have ebay shops as well and often have more niche bits that some of the big online retailers don’t seem to stock.

Where it’s cheapest, unless I need it fast then it’s whoever has cheapest fast delivery….

Ordered some tyres from mantel the other week. Delivered next day from Netherlands! They don’t have lots of stock but when they do it’s usually a good price and delivery is always well fast.

Mainly use (in no particular order) Wiggle, Biketart, Sigma, Freewheel & Tredz
Last bike was from LBS.
I use Endura direct for some stuff as I get a decent discount….

I mostly buy frames, components etc from my local bike shop.

Clothing mostly online.

My actual LBS is shite so I treat Raceco as my proxy LBS and buy from them whenever possible. Otherwise it’s CRC/Wiggle/Merlin/Tredz/Cyclestore etc.

R2 bike in Germany for anything high(ish) value but under £135.
Usually by far the cheapest and quick delivery.

Mostly from my LBS, Simon Barnes works there and is really knowledgeable and helpful. What’s not to like.

Merlin and Sigma recently for online (helmet, tyres)

LBS for repairs that I CBA to learn/ do myself and the random bits that I know they’ll probably have in stock (cables, rotors, cassettes etc).

Wiggle’s website is dreadful on mobile.

Usually Wiggle with their £10 next day delivery for a year, and the platinum discount, and our evri delivery guy is frankly, brilliant. Never misses a delivery, never pisses us off. Their stock levels can be a bit hit and miss though.
Tredz seem to have some good deals, and importantly, lots of stock, so I’ve used them a fair bit too.
Otherwise Sigma (NHS discount helps), and Merlin.
My LBS is Wheelbase, who only stock stuff at full whack, and even though I’ve spent £15k on bikes with them in the last 4 years, they still wont even consider a discount…hence very few bits from them, unless I’m really desperate.

Merlin, Bikester, CRC

In approximate order – Merlin, CRC, Bikester, Freewheel, Tredz, SJS, eBay, Biketart.

Lately it’s been Sigma mainly for me, followed by Wiggle and Merlin. One or two odd bits from SJS and the LBS.
Back in the day it was pretty much all CRC, but since they merged with Wiggle and then made their site look awful I virtually never look on there.

Merlin mostly as I live fairly locally

Ebay or CRC if its a biggish thing. But running gear- cassettes, pads,chain etc from a local shop.

Almost always start with Merlin, then CRC and occasionally Tredz –

But having recently had a very good experience with myLBS (lowest price I could find for Five Tens) I’ll be gracing them a lot more!!

Cheapest place I can find online.

Well it depends. Local shop for some stuff, on line for some bits. But then I have a good relationship with workshop staff so they see me right. Not so much on the price but more the digging around through parts bins for old school kit. V brake cartridge pads- $1.49 to you sir as we aren’t selling many. 8 speed cassette not on the shelves? Let’s look in the back room stockpile.
Even the local outdoor super store did me a spare spoke for a dollar after the back wheel pinged one. I’m a believer in going local if I can cos when it’s gone you’ll miss it. If not for kit, the advice can be great. That said, online has its place and I do buy stuff on line that’s just too impractical for shops to stock – 0.5mm chain ring spacer washers for example.

I stopped using Wiggle for a while as Hermes/Evri were either losing packages, or taking up to a month to deliver them. Wiggle customer services weren’t interested – until I posted a negative review on Trustpilot. Within 24 hours I had an email from a manager, offering to only use Yodel in the future. They have been true to their word, and every order now arrives in 2-3 days (to the Highlands).

Cheapest place in UK online. I rarely use lbs but that’s mainly because if have to make a separate trip to them. Increasingly I’m finishing random online shops who have one of the thing in after at a really good price

Just this moment ordered tyres from CRC.

Only because my new wheelset turns up tomorrow and they do next day delivery.

Well that worked out well. Woke up to an email from Evri saying that – depsite it showing as ready to go on the van – my order will be a day late.

I’ve requested a refund on the postage but don’t hold out much hope.

Localish bike shops: Leisure Lakes Daventry, Certini in Birmingham
Online: CRC, Merlin, Biketart, BikeInn, Bike24, Mantel

Whoever has it in stock is where I will go to, clothing tends to be physical shops, as the sizing is hit and miss.