Cycle Shop Rating

[CycleFun30]

Hello Guys,

I would like to know your opinion about cycle shops all over the UK.

My bad experiences:
Dooleys Cycles, Paisley - Poor customer service and poor quality of work: within a day after they fixed the inner tyre I had another puncture...

Billy Bilsland Cycles, Glasgow - I paid £25 for basic service and checkout, but the original problem with the wobbling crank occured again after leaving
the shop and cycling few miles. They said that the spare bottom bracket received from the shop where I purchased the bike
was not the right size, which is obviously not true because the guy from the other local shop (Bicycle Chain) was perfectly capable to fix it...
My impression was that Billy Bilsland Cycles' employees have a very high opinion of themselves, they even consider themselves
professionals, but in fact their work is just not good enough...

Parkers of Bolton, Manchester - The bike I bought from the online shop arrived fast, this is the only good point...
After using the bike for three weeks the crank started to wobble. I tightened the arm threads, but they were fine, so
my second idea was the bottom bracket. I took the bicycle to one of the local shops, where I was reassured that the BB
has to be replaced... I was disappointed as the bike was still new (not even a month old!), so I called Parkers of Bolton
and was promised to get another bottom bracket. They also said that the shop is only liable for bike parts but not for service...

My good experience:
Bicycle Chain, Glasgow - Great and fast customer service.

 

[shrew]

Fat Birds Dont Fly - Hunstanton - couldnt speak highly enough of these folks, very helpful and informative! would use them every time if i could.

Evans cycles - milton keynes, didnt have what i was after when i went there but the staff were very helpful & knowlagable all the same.

Rutland Cycles - Grafham waters, nr St.Neots -there pretty good at there jobs BUT its a bit hit and miss, some of the staff are helpful, many are a bit elitist if your bike doesnt cost £1500 + , i used to use them for my old mountain bike and never felt welcome but i was treated very differnt in there after they noticed my £2500 road bike, its sad really .

Cycle clinic St.Neots - good if you want a £200 bike and a basic service but nothing more, at least there honest and dont bugger about with expensive kit that they dont understand.

 

[palinurus]

..poor quality of work: within a day after they fixed the inner tyre I had another puncture...

Just bad luck or did the repair fail?

 

[Archer]

Bought a bike on the C2W scheme 12 months ago. I found Coventry Cycle Centre to be really helpful.

Unlike some of the other bike shops I visited this was one of the few that questioned what I wanted the bike for and then gave me options that I hadn't considered. They have also been very helpful when I have returned after advice or parts. Some other shops seemed more interested in what they could sell me.

 

[CycleFun30]

Halfords, Paisley - After having so many bad experiences with bike shops I decided to learn how to fix bikes myself. I went to the local Halfords to buy a 1/4" 14mm socket (the size of the threads of my bottom bracket) for my cordless screwdriver. The two young sales assistant guys looked a bit puzzled first, but they checked the stock on hand. After not finding what I was looking for they told me that this type of socket does not exist at all, it is not even manufactured... I did not feel like arguing with them, however they were wrong, there are plenty of online shops which advertise this size of socket. I just hoped to be able to buy it today instead of waiting for the delivery few days...
I think Halfords should choose their employees more carefully or train them properly before they are allowed to deal with customers.

 

[Will1985]

Hmmm....newbie gathering information, or an agenda?

There used to be directory with all of this type of information but it hasn't yet made it across in the move. Don't forget to add it when it finally turns up!!

 

[HLaB]

There used to be a good sticky thread in beginners LBS recommendations, try searching for that.

Oops I've just repeated what Wil said

 

[HJ]

I was just about to repeat what Will and HLab have just said...

 

[montage]

I was just about to repeat what Will and HLab have just said...

 

[rich p]

Curious post and style.

There's a great little bike shop in brighton which will fix your BB if you want to pop down from bonny Scotland.

 

[john lewis]

"Hmmm....newbie gathering information, or an agenda?

There used to be directory with all of this type of information but it hasn't yet made it across in the move. Don't forget to add it when it finally turns up!! "

I agree, (I've had an entirely opposite exerience from Fat Birds Dont Fly - it was an awful service, but it was in 2010). Like most people, if you don't get the service your happy with go somewhere else.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Bad experiences
South downs bikes
Halfords

Good experiences
Michaels cycles

 

[derrick]

North londonwe are quite lucky two shops close by,
http://www.shorter-rochford.co.uk/ have a word with Jason,
http://www.lepelotoncycles.com/ Talk to Paul,
both really pleasant and helpfull.
Have also used Evans, Ribble, and wiggle all with no probs.
we have a Halfords close by to, don't bother.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Chevin Cycles - Otley

Great help in choosing my new C2W commuter, good advice and am looking forward to using them over the life of the new machine. Have a service with them in March. Got a 'VIP' card from them as the bike was £400+ so thats 10% off any accessories/parts I need over the year. Friendly staff happy to chat and have a wide range of experience from road to MTB to BMX.

Halfords - Kirkstall

Ok service and as I had CyclePlan (came free with old C2W bike) it was always free - you can even buy the parts online in advance from their own site to save some £££, but sooooooo slowwwwwww. Overworked/understaffed means they often quote 7-10 days for jobs though. 1 job though they have managed to fit a new chainset without changing the BB so it wont drop into the smallest cog at all though I didnt notice for 6 months as I never used that cog.

Halfords - Hunslet

Grrrrrr! Dropped the old bike in once to have a new chain replaced as it snapped on the way in after only 2/3 days. Idiot staff couldnt understand it was a warranty replacement for broken parts and kept trying to charge me, when I picked it up they tried to charge me again and for a more expensive chain than I know they fitted. Got it free in the end but they made it hard work.

 

[Paulus]

+1 for Shorter Rochford in Finchley, and also The Cycle Store in Friern Barnet is also worth a visit.