Globalti
Legendary Member
Dropped in to Leisure Lakes in Bury on Friday on the off-chance and as it happened they had a very nifty little Specialized Myka women's MTB in the right size for Mrs RR, a 2008 model heavily discounted. I hadn't been in LL for a few years and was absolutely amazed at the amount and range of the stock they hold, mostly but not exclusively MTB stuff and boys' toys. They have around 20 staff and the place was hopping; the whiff of testosterone was in the air and during the hour or so we were there about four bikes went out of the door, it being the Friday before a warm weekend. The place is pretty high-profile and they do have occasional security problems having been attacked a couple of times by groups of chavs who come in and steam the place. The owner Mark tells me business has never been so good and a lot is thanks to Ride To Work.
Then on Saturday to Paul Hewitt Cycles in Leyland for a buddy to get fitted for a road bike. I'd never visited this shop and by contrast the place is ultra-discreet, you could pass it a dozen times and not realise it was a bike shop, it looks like a house with a couple of ordinary house doors. Hewitt's is 100% roadie and extremely serious about it, they have a fantastic workshop and a frame-building shop and a range of bikes, clothing and kit that defies description. Paul Hewitt himself struck me as the typical taciturn ex-roadie as he stood there sizing up my buddy with an experienced eye that's seen thousands of cyclists sitting on his jig. Within a few minutes he'd got my pal sized up and then off he went to a big book of makers' frame dimensions to make a recommendation. Great shop with a very serious, quiet and understated atmosphere.
We came home on Friday with the Specialized and this weekend Mrs RR rediscovered the joys of cycling after a year away (I sold her last bike on Eblag as it was too long as was giving her neck and shoulder pains).
Then on Saturday to Paul Hewitt Cycles in Leyland for a buddy to get fitted for a road bike. I'd never visited this shop and by contrast the place is ultra-discreet, you could pass it a dozen times and not realise it was a bike shop, it looks like a house with a couple of ordinary house doors. Hewitt's is 100% roadie and extremely serious about it, they have a fantastic workshop and a frame-building shop and a range of bikes, clothing and kit that defies description. Paul Hewitt himself struck me as the typical taciturn ex-roadie as he stood there sizing up my buddy with an experienced eye that's seen thousands of cyclists sitting on his jig. Within a few minutes he'd got my pal sized up and then off he went to a big book of makers' frame dimensions to make a recommendation. Great shop with a very serious, quiet and understated atmosphere.
We came home on Friday with the Specialized and this weekend Mrs RR rediscovered the joys of cycling after a year away (I sold her last bike on Eblag as it was too long as was giving her neck and shoulder pains).
