Converted and now a born again cyclist - where do you buy your wheels?
The Chains
Action Bikes
Large franchise chain with branches in Victoria (020 7799 2233), Embankment Place (020 7930 2525) and a few outer London locations like Wimbledon, East Sheen and Staines. Stocks Trek, Marin, Mezzo, Gary Fisher, Pashley and Brompton. Repair service in all branches.
Website: www.actionbikes.co.uk
Cycle Surgery
A highly respectable chain, with branches in Camden (020 7485 1000), Highbury (020 7697 2848), West Hampstead (020 7431 4300), Selfridges, Oxford Street (020 7318 2448) two Spitalfields stores (one branch for high-tech mountain and road biking on 020 7375 3088; the other specialising in commuter cycles, on 020 7392 8920), and one in Holborn (0207 269 7070). Bikes stocked include Dahon, Marin, Ridgeback, Brompton, Mezzo, Wilier, Giant, Specialized and Orange. All branches offer a very competent repair service.
Website: www.cyclesurgery.com
Feature continues
FW Evans
Evans is one of the largest chains in Britain, with a whopping fourteen stores in or around Central London: Clerkenwell (0845 070 3739); Holborn (0845 070 3737); St Paul's (0845 070 3741); Victoria (0845 070 3742); Waterloo, The Cut (0845 070 3732); Waterloo Road (0845 070 3733); West End, Rathbone Place (0845 070 3736); Canary Wharf (0870 164 4037); Fulham (020 7384 5550); Fenchurch Street (020 7283 6750); London Bridge (020 7403 4610); Spitalfields (020 7426 0391); Wandsworth (020 7580 4107); and a brand new addition in Clapham (0845 634 4300). Bike brands stocked include Specialized, Trek, Ridgeback, Bianchi, Kona, GT, Scott, Cannondale, Brompton, Dahon and Airframe. Repairs and servicing is carried out at many of its branches. The Clerkenwell branch, for instance, has an extremely impressive and comprehensive servicing area, where bikes are cleaned, scrutinised, tweaked and repaired quickly and professionally. Service prices start from £50 – a small price to make your bike feel as good as new.
Website: www.evanscycles.com
Halfords
This enormous motorspares chain is also a convenient place to shop for bike-related goodies. It stocks a decent range of accessories, and a fair smattering of ultra cheap (and, one must add, hideously heavy) bikes from Apollo, plus a few more respectable models, including its own Carrera brand. It’s an especially good emporium for kids’ bikes. Bear in mind, though, that the bike you buy will need to be built out of a box, so you may not be able to carry the bike out with you on the day of purchase. Unfortunately, service these days is a bit hit-and-miss. But, hey, you can park with ease, and even get a few extra car-related parts in the process.
Call 08450 579 000 or see www.halfords.com for your nearest store.
Central London
Bikefix
48 Lamb's Conduit St, WC1 (020 7405 1218)
An excellent specialist on commuter bikes and cycle-based transport in general, Bikefix stocks a range of some of the most unusual bikes on the planet, including a range of recumbents and cargo carriers. It’s also a good stop for foldups, including those from Brompton, Birdy, Giant, Airnimal and Fahrrad Manufaktur. Bikefix boasts one of London’s better service departments.
Website: www.bikefix.co.uk.
Condor Cycles
51-53 Gray's Inn Rd, WC1 (020 7269 6820)
This hugely impressive emporium stocks Cervello, Airnimal, Ridgeback, Marin, Brompton, Mezzo, Dahon, Specialized, Look and Colnago, plus its own brand of great racing and touring bikes. Condor is also famed for its workshop and hand-built wheels. Unrivalled for spares too. Website: www.condorcycles.com
Cavendish Cycles
136-138 New Cavendish St, W1 (020 7631 5060)
Standard Central London cycle shop selling Trek, Brompton, Scott, Orbea, Giant, Pashley and Dahon. Bike repairs are undertaken.
CycleFit
11-13 Macklin St, Covent Gdn, WC2 (020 7430 0083)
Bespoke bike-fitting and custom bike-building service aimed predominantly at the serious road racing market. They stock frames by Serotta, Colnago, and their own brand, Glider. Also a few top-drawer components.
Website: www.cyclefit.co.uk
On Your Bike
52 - 54 Tooley St, London Bridge, SE1 (020 7378 6669)
This very popular store has 15,000 square feet of shopfloor space, allegedly making it ‘the largest bike shop in Europe’. Stocks Trek, Mezzo, Marin, Whyte, Dawes, Brompton, Gary Fisher and Cannondale. Repairs and accessories also.
Website: www.onyourbike.com
Recommended local shops
Bicycle Magic
6 Greatorex Street, Whitechapel, E1 5NF (020 7375 2993)
Recommended store stocking Brompton, Dahon, Giant, Koga Miyata, Ridgeback and Rocky Mountain. Efficient authorised Shimano service centre too.
Website: www.bicyclemagic.com
Bicycle Workshop
27 All Saint's Rd, W11 (020 7229 4850)
Bespoke and very well-known repair centre, mainly for commuter bikes. It also stocks a range of rare spares from the likes of Sturmey Archer and, allegedly, every Brooks saddle available. Open Tuesday to Saturday only, closed between 2pm and 3pm.
Website: www.bicycleworkshop.co.uk
SBR Sports
917 - 919 Fulham Rd, Fulham, SW6 (020 7731 5005)
SBR stands for swim, bike and run, so this is the place for all you tri-athletes. SBR recently took over this large premises from Bonthrone Bikes. It stocks a wide range of brands from Gary Fisher, Dahon, Trek and Felt to Cannondale, Cervelo, Scott and Commencal. Loads of triathlon stuff, too, including running shoes. Repairs department.
Website: www.sbrsports.com
Brixton Cycles
145 Stockwell Rd, Brixton, SW9 (020 7733 6055)
Friendly, knowledgeable emporium stocking Surly, De Rosa, Brompton, Trek and Specialized. Good workshop service plus morning emergency repairs.
Website: www.brixtoncycles.co.uk
Chamberlaine & Son
75 -77 Kentish Town Rd, NW1 (020 7485 3983)
A great place for kids' bikes, Chamberlaine also sells adult kit from Giant, Trek, GT, Kona, Orbea, Raleigh, Dawes, Pashley and Gary Fisher. Next-day repairs. No website.
Compton Cycles
23-25 Catford Hill, SE6 (020 8690 0141)
Stocks Dahon, Brompton, Ridgeback, Trek, Raleigh, GT and an excellent range of kiddy bikes, including some gorgeous wooden models from Likabike. Repair service.
Website: www.comptoncycles.co.uk
Cycle Warehouse
228 Trafalgar Rd, Greenwich, SE10 (020 8293 9180)
Stocks Raleigh, Ridgeback, Claud Butler and Giant. Repair service.
Website: www.luvbikes.com
Cyclopedia
256 Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW1 (0207 351 5776)
Tidy store stocking a decent range from Giant, Ridgeback, Cannondale, Pashley, Mezzo and Specialized. Popular repair service. Branch in Kensington too (262 Ken High St, 020 7603 7626).
Website: www.cyclopediauk.com
Herne Hill Bicycles
83 Norwood Road, Herne Hill, SE24 (020 8671 6900)
Excellent commuter-oriented shop stocking Brompton, Ridgeback and Genesis. Reports of a good repair service.
Website: www.hhbikes.co.uk
Mosquito Bikes
123 Essex Rd, N1 (020 7226 8765)
Excellent shop sporting a diverse selection of brands from Marin, Scott, Colnago, Mezzo, Ridgeback, Genesis, Moots, Independent Fabrications and Litespeed. Also very good for repairs and servicing: friendly, trustworthy and efficient.
Website: www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk
Two Wheels Good
143 Crouch Hill, Crouch End, N8 (020 8340 4284)
A popular and friendly North London biking haunt with an efficient Shimano-authorised repair centre. Stocks Trek, Lemond. Closed on Sundays because they're out on a bike ride, which you can join if you turn up at the shop at 9.00am. Best to call them first, though, and be sure you can stick to a brisk pace for around 50 miles! Second branch on Stoke Newingon Church Street (020 7249 2200).
Website: www.twowheelsgood.co.uk
Witcomb’s Cycles
25 Tanner's Hill, Deptford. SE8 (020 8692 1734)
Few cycle shops come more established than this. Ernie Witcomb’s been building and selling his own branded frames and complete bicycles since 1949. As we write, he and his son Barrie are about to unleash a classy retro version of a 1958 Tour de France frame. Yours for £995.
Website: www.witcombcycles.com
|
|
The best of London in your inbox
|
|
27 comments
On your Bike in London Bridge might be large but the customer service is terrible. I bought a bike there last month and once my deposit was down, trying to actually get my bike became a very frustrating experience. Never again!
I recommend Cycle Surgery in Camden... the staff are always very helpful and knowledgeable.
UrbanCycleChic.com : bike fashion, velo vogue and bike porn. Bespoke recycled bike advocacy and boutique. Fix it, bling it, flaunt it - join the catwalk on wheels. Fixed, Dutch, road or dumpster? It's just an everyday way of getting around your urban playground, in everyday clothes. Beat the traffic, beat the credit crunch and be inspired.
pSubliminal in Balham (on the Clapham South side, and opposite a new but small shop Cyclopolis just opened opposite) are friendly and fall in class 1 of Stephen's categories (11 May post). As do "On Your Bike" down from London Bridge on Tooley St (hunted out an old axle for me when I went in there recently asking if they had one to fit and when I tried to offer them a few quid for it told me not to worry).
Have just bought a second hand bike after the last got stolen and can reccommend visiting Jay and Vinnie at Camden Cycles. Got the bike, helmet and accessories for a good price. They're charming and helpful without being patronising.They also sell new bikes and offer servicing etc.
I always used to go back to the same guy at Evans in Waterloo, who was geektastically knowledgeable about bikes and bits. He moved over to the Fulham branch, but has escaped and set up on his own. He now does a service where he'll come to your house and sort evrything out for you then and there. Great for me when I set him up in the back yard with a cup of tea and then watched The Princess Bride guilt free. He also built my wheels, but he does bike builds too. Marvellous. I think he lives south, but basically goes anywhere in the capital. His contact is: pete@ratracecycles.com.
Cycle Surgery are a disgrace. I've had nothing but trouble after buying a bike from the Spitafields branch. Rubbish staff. Poor repairs. Thye currently have my bike - and it looks like its going to be 14 days to repair a wheel. If you do deal with them ask when to phone - I've taken my bike in 4 times and never has anybody been bothered enough to contact me.
anyone know where I can find lowrider bikes in London? I know of rodelow in Manchester but want to find something in London to go visit
I have one test for whether a bike shop is any good on the customer service front.
Imagine your riding along and suddenly something happens, something deflates, comes loose, starts to rattle, your far from home. you see a bike shop you go in and ask;
"Have you got a pump, spanner, etc etc I can burrow?"
Do they say;
1. Yes. Get the equipment and do the job in a couple of secs and don't charge, "Cos it's not worth it"
2. Say no all tools stay in the workshop but you can have it fixed if you pay?
So I nominate in the first category;
Finsbury Cycles on Seven Sisters Road N7
S & S Cycles on Chapel Market N1
and in the second category....like them I can't be bothered
I have had various bikes serviced or repairs done at:
Everything Cycling Forest Road Walthamstow, bad experience - fixed the problem, but was charged 80 quid for a job that should have cost half that. Fella behind the counter looked more like a butcher.
Wood Street Cycles
Took bike in for a service - had problems with gears (i suspected), took it back 30 quid lighter, not having fixed the problem, took it back again and when I picked it up (having not been charged this time) the same problem was still there - what a waste of time.
Evans (Canary Wharf)
Had to wait whilst staff member came in with a problem on his own bike, and mechanics sorted him out before I walked out without purchasing the 150 pounds of equipment I had stacked up on the counter.
Oh and Halfords.....please dont get me started!!!
Where can I find a reliable shop for second hand bikes in or close to central London, please?
A good selection of bikes/frames, just a pity the service is so rubbish, with communication severely lacking. Once they have your money they couldn't give a damm. Still waiting over a year later for my order to be completed. A shame, because the products they sell are top notch.
i was very upset becuase after been to few shops i could not find a suitable secondhand bicycle for me. Finaly i looked a add in LOOT and decided to go to Station Cycle up in wood street. This is the best bike shop i ever been in.... i bought a nice last year Specialized Hardrock from Station Cycles. The staff there is extremely helpfull. They seems to know what they are selling and like to help in good way. They provide a good after sale service warranty. I recomend this shop to anyone who is looking for good quality secondhand bicycle shop
I would like to recommend London Bicycle Repairs, a workshop on Hatfields just off the Cut in Waterloo. This is a good place to get your bike repaired at a reasonable rate. They sell 2nd hand bikes too but not in a pushy way. The staff are very competent and I have been there a few times. I will definetly go back, and it is a less intimidating place for a female than some bike places.
I think Cavendish Cycles is the best bike shop in London. Really good staff who aren't completely up their own **ses (like they are in Cyclopedia in Kensington and Condor). Also have wicked fixed gear components that you'd never find in a place like Evans
Cavendish cycles are probably the best cycle shop i've ever used. I went in to get my bike repaired the other day, and I was in a rush, so Will, the manager, said he'd bring my bike back to my workplace for me when it was fixed. He did, even though he had to cycle from central london to kilburn. Then he got the train back to the shop! That's what I call service.