Billy Bilsland LBS- Chapeau

[alp1950]

Car en panne this week so been doing a daily 30 mile round trip commute all week. The rear wheel wasn't running true and late Wed night discovered that it had a broken spoke. Text to Neil @10.40pm (Billy Bilsland Cycles Glasgow) "Need to get to work tomorrow.. any chance of opening up a bit early next morning?". Neil had shop open at 7.30 am, had bike repaired before 8 & I managed to get to work 20 mins early.

One reason why it is important to cultivate a relationship with a LBS.

Perhaps CC should have a Best LBS Award?

 

[downfader]

Car en panne this week so been doing a daily 30 mile round trip commute all week. The rear wheel wasn't running true and late Wed night discovered that it had a broken spoke. Text to Neil @10.40pm (Billy Bilsland Cycles Glasgow) "Need to get to work tomorrow.. any chance of opening up a bit early next morning?". Neil had shop open at 7.30 am, had bike repaired before 8 & I managed to get to work 20 mins early.

One reason why it is important to cultivate a relationship with a LBS.

Perhaps CC should have a Best LBS Award?

 

[Jezston]

I would like to nominate Aladdin's Bikes in Nottingham for such an award.

Guy's a little eccentric (in a good way) but knows his onions. Will fix most anything there and then and for a worryingly low price. Most quick jobs he'll only charge you a few quid. Compare to the big chains and I think their minimum fee is £40-70.

 

[HLaB]

I bought my Kinesis from Bilslands and my bottle cage bottle bolt sheared after only a few 100 miles. I phoned Neil up and he opened up the shop for me on their day off :-)

Edit: The only problem for me its not so a local bike shop, its about 50miles away but it does appear to be a good one.

 

[magnatom]

My Kinesis was from Billy Bislands as well. It's the one shop I always had good service from. When I moved to Torrance I felt it was too far and having two 'apparently' good bikes shops nearby I thought I'd use them. I had problems with both of them.

So the net time I need some work done, I will be heading back to see Neil and the other lads. I almost feel bad for trying elsewhere. Brilliant LBS (or should I say, not so local BS).

 

[magnatom]

Alp1950, I've just noticed, you live in Balmore? Just down the road from me! We'll have to catch up for a ride, or a beer sometime!

 

[eldudino]

I've been in there before (to see Robert Millar's KoTM TT skinsuit hung on the wall!) and got a great feel about the place. Someone told me that Billy's son runs it now - is that Neil? I think I spoke to him about a Kinesis build and he was really helpful and very informative. It's a bit of a way for me too but I think I'd be a more frequent customer them if I were local.

 

[MrRidley]

Each to their own i suppose, the few times i've ventured in, i thought he was a bit offhand, two guy's who i work with got bikes thru Cyclescheme from him, one was sold a pup, and the other had very bad service from him, Magnatom i think i also know the shop that's down the road from you, i've had a nightmare there also, bought a bike from there, and all i can say is never again, i've only ever had good things to say about one LBS in Glasgow and it's the most expensive.

 

[alp1950]

Alp1950, I've just noticed, you live in Balmore? Just down the road from me! We'll have to catch up for a ride, or a beer sometime!

Sounds good Magnatom. How about a nice wee run over the Crow to Berits and Brown in Kippen. Best coffee shop in miles (apart from coffee chocolate tea in Finnieston) but that should be the subject of another thread. Trying to work out which are the two local LBS you referred to. Can work out the obvious one- but the other?

 

[magnatom]

Sounds good Magnatom. How about a nice wee run over the Crow to Berits and Brown in Kippen. Best coffee shop in miles (apart from coffee chocolate tea in Finnieston) but that should be the subject of another thread. Trying to work out which are the two local LBS you referred to. Can work out the obvious one- but the other?

I'm happy to name them. Solid rock, took two weeks to service my bike, despite continually telling me it would be ready th enext day (there was nothing wrong with it, they just took ages to start it). They were not apologetic at all. The other was Wheelcraft in Milton of Campsie. I had numerous problems with the service. Got some good wheels, but the rest was very poor.

Hmm. A wee jaunt sounds good, although you'd probably be waiting for me at the top of Crow Road! When do you tend to be available. My availability varies with various family responsibilites etc....

 

[alp1950]

. My availability varies with various family responsibilites etc....

ditto.

Probably have to be after the October week - unless you fancy coming out tomorrow on the club run. Very sociable and no-one gets dropped. pm me if you want to discuss.

 

[magnatom]

ditto.

Probably have to be after the October week - unless you fancy coming out tomorrow on the club run. Very sociable and no-one gets dropped. pm me if you want to discuss.

Ah, didn't get this until today. Anyway I've been suffering with a mild flu like (though not as bad) bug. No way I'd have been cycling today.

Which club is it your in? This is another thing I'd like to do, but time is too short at the moment. :-(

I'm off for the October week. If your around let me know.

 

[alp1950]

Ah, didn't get this until today. Anyway I've been suffering with a mild flu like (though not as bad) bug. No way I'd have been cycling today.

Which club is it your in? This is another thing I'd like to do, but time is too short at the moment. :-(

I'm off for the October week. If your around let me know.

Away over October week.

Magnatom thought you'd moved to Torrance as it is home to two clubs! The Nightingales are rather more active with a variety of activities including the Sunday run, a Saturday training run & a meet-up on a Wed night. The Ivy meet on a Thurs and have occasional weekend runs but not every week. I'm pretty new to the club scene but would suggest that your best bet is to come along to a 'gale Sunday run over the Autumn or Winter. That's how I started & I'm slowly building up from there.

 

[magnatom]

Away over October week.

Magnatom thought you'd moved to Torrance as it is home to two clubs! The Nightingales are rather more active with a variety of activities including the Sunday run, a Saturday training run & a meet-up on a Wed night. The Ivy meet on a Thurs and have occasional weekend runs but not every week. I'm pretty new to the club scene but would suggest that your best bet is to come along to a 'gale Sunday run over the Autumn or Winter. That's how I started & I'm slowly building up from there.

Nah. I moved out to Torrance so I didn't have to cycle as far to get to the hills!

Can you just turn up on a run without joining? I'll certainly think about it, but there is no way at the moment I could be a regular.

 

[alp1950]

Nah. I moved out to Torrance so I didn't have to cycle as far to get to the hills!

Can you just turn up on a run without joining? I'll certainly think about it, but there is no way at the moment I could be a regular.

Absolutely. Just turn up at the Kirkhouse Inn in Strathblane any Sun @0900. If you check out the gale website you can introduce yourself & if you tell them you'll be coming then someone will look out for you on Sun. Basically that's what I did last year.

As I said I'm pretty new to the club but I get the impression that a lot of people drop in & out of the Sunday runs depending on their other commitments. I may be mistaken, but there seem to be far more occasional riders on a Sunday than regulars. Now is a good time to join as the racing season is over and it's a good time to get to know people.

My next outing with the gale probably won't be for another 3 weeks or so because of the October week and work.