good local bike shops

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Birmingham-

Harborne Cycle Surgery,

That one on Kings Heath High Street (I think it's called Bike Pro).

Sprockets Cycles, Digbeth (if you can get used to his weird opening hours)

I'll add Birmingham City Cycles near new street station. They're good if they stock what you're after and the after sales service is the best I've seen in any LBS.
 

ChrisW

Senior Member
SW London.....Cycle City in Raynes Park, no pressure but good repairs and great service.

Central London...Bicycle Workshop in Notting Hill. Mike the mechanic (cue pop song jokes!) is the best nechanins i've ever known in 20 years of riding and NOT fixing bikes myself.

Neither of the above do a great range of bikes but concentrate on servicing and spare parts.
 

ChrisKH

Guru
Location
Essex
Richardsons bike shop, Leigh on Sea, Essex for Brompton repairs. V. good when I brought in a smashed mangled bike. they didn't write it off but re-built it (with the factory). I suspect they would be good with any Trek repair also as they are a main dealer. Great service.
 

TVC

Guest
Julies Cycles Leicester, I've had two bikes and loads of kit from them in the last couple of years.

My only gripe with LBSs are they don't open on Sundays - Yes I know the owners are all keen riders and want time off, but several times I've ended up in Halfrauds to get bits and pieces when I would much rather have been supporting the independent trade.
 

Joe24

More serious cyclist than Bonj
Location
Nottingham
In Nottingham, theres The Bike Shop which is in Arnold.
They give me advice on how to do repairs myself, and do good jobs and repairs.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
In Bristol I'd also add Harvey's Cycle Exchange, very small but they have been helpful (they have often sorted out my brakes or gears for me), found some reflectors for my new pedals when they sold them to me recently.
 

hambones

Well-Known Member
Location
Waltham Abbey
Tritons in Barkingside. This lifted from another forum in a thread about LBS and service written by one of the guys who works there....

"On the bikes we sell, we do test rides. I'm guessing Chris is looking at spending a fair old whack on a Spesh full sus and if i was in that position i'd want the shop to look after me from the word go.

That would include :-

Before Purchase :

* If they don't have the bike in stock , going out of their way to get one in.
* Offering a guided test ride or lending me the beast

After Purchase :

* Minor adjustments (i.e. Tweak the bike to how i wanted it , this might include changing the saddle or Grips etc.)
* First free tune up
* Looking after me and my bike from there in. Not charging me for Minor repairs.

Steve is a prime example of this. His Charge Duster although it was a custom build bike , we managed to get him a demo rig (The bike was an Ex-Team issue bike). Steve had that for quite a few days and rode every type of terrain he uses his bike for.

When it came down to speccing Steve's machine we went through everything. I'd like to think Steve's now a happy bunny and thinks we look after him.

Thats how a shop should do it. Although this level of service doesn't apply to every price point of bike i'd still like to think we offer good service all the way through the range and don't make people jump to buy whatever we have in stock at a particular time.

Sadly we don't sell Specialized , Sorry Chris!"
 
U

User482

Guest
summerdays said:
In Bristol I'd also add Harvey's Cycle Exchange, very small but they have been helpful (they have often sorted out my brakes or gears for me), found some reflectors for my new pedals when they sold them to me recently.


Where are they located?
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Harvey's Cycle Exchange are in Henleaze ... extremely small shop (complete with step) but they don't mind you taking the bike in ... and often turn mine around for me (not sure if that's for everyone or just those who look like they will knock over the entire stock:biggrin:).

I find them helpful rather than a good browsing shop ... but yest. some woman came in wanting new pads for her helmet... they said they don't stock any but she was welcome to look in a box of bits of helmets to see if there was any in there. They do treat me as if I'm thick in a bike sense (in a nice way).. but then I am... and they re-explain what ever it is that I don't get. There is usually another customer in it so it must be doing something right.
 

dav1d

Senior Member
dan_bo said:
MOston cycles in moston, North manchester is a good 'un-i've been going in since I was about 4 y.o. More kiddies bikes these days but still some high-end bargains and inexpensive bits of good kit. A good dusty bike shop. Gerry Shields and Neil Orell's are nearby and cool as well. Gerry's son runs the shop mostly these days but Gerry still hangs around talking to his regulars. He's 85 and still riding daily, and will talk your ears off about the old days when the west side of holme moss was almost 1:3 at the bottom and somesuch. great.

Ah, I wondered how old he was when he said he'd been in the business for 60 years but didn't like to ask! He doesn't look his age does he? I think he's the one who trued my rear wheel not his sons as he said "I've been fixing bikes for 60 years, if I can't true it, noone can!" (I'd thought I may need a new wheel).

Think I may have got my first bike from there when we lived in Bethel Avenue.

Ever go to the "moggy" as a kid (field near the school with a pond that has since dried up)? We did, and sailed in the pond on an old door almost everytime we went until it sank one day!
 
Location
Accrington
Pendle cycles in Padiham lancashire good discount and follow up service for eccentric service and chewing the fat Louies in Great Harwood - can always pick a bargain up there

both shops have their charms
 
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