Bristolian Bike Shops to redeem a voucher?

sarajoy

Well, I'd forgotten I'd submitted a 50-word wotsit to this: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/T ... -points.en

So I've won one of the three £50 vouchers

BUT have no idea which shop I want the voucher for (I have the choice, it seems). I got my bike from the Spesh concept store in town centre, but I wouldn't call it value for money!

Any recommendations? Woo!

Hi Sara

Congratulations! You've won a £50 prize in July's Turning Points
competition.

Many thanks for sending in your entry - it's encouraging to see that so
many people in Bristol feel passionate about using their bikes for all
sorts of reasons. We've received many entries and we've been very
interested in why people start cycling - some started using their bike
to get to work quicker, some to improve their health, and others just
for the love of being in the open air with the wind in their face.

Your Turning Point was particularly encouraging. The judges felt that
your determination to overcome your challenges was especially
noteworthy. Incase you need a reminder, I've included your entry below:

"Mine came after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
With medication, plus a new obsession with dancing, I managed to lose a
couple of stone! Since then everything's been a challenge, not an
obstacle. The 8 mile cycle to work now looks do-able, not "too far" and
I'm still getting fitter!"

The prize for July's draw is a £50 voucher for a Bristol bike store of
your choice. Perhaps you'll spend it on some waterproofs to keep you dry
on your journeys to work!

Please could respond to this email or telephone the number below to
tell me which bike store you'd like a voucher for. I will then arrange
for a voucher to be delivered to your home address, which we have on
file as: ***CENSORED***

We would like to take photographs of all our competition winners to use
for publicity purposes. Please could you also let me know if you are
happy to take part in a photo shoot at a location convenient for you.

Kind regards

***Bloke from the council***

alfablue

Bike in Queens Road opposite Habitat is probably my preferred Bristol bike shop. They used to give me 10% off without asking, as a regular. They have also lent me workshop tools for repairs at the kerb outside their shop. Their prices aren't cheap compared to the web, but no LBS is. They have a good range of stuff, and when not busy, service is good. When busy (weekends) service suffers, probably like a lot of shops.

If you want to support the "small" guy, then Webbs of Warmley, nice guy runs that shop. Of the others, Mud Dock (very bad experience with wrongly fitted chainset, then manager publically humiliating the mechanics and me), Blackboy (cowboy) and Pembury Cycles (couldn't or wouldn't sell me any bolts to go with rack I bought there) are ones to avoid at all costs IMHO. Best bike shop ever is John's Bikes in Bath, but that doesn't count as Bristol, of course.

Congratulations!

sarajoy

Cheers alfa - you've reminded me I've heard several good things about Bike!

I dislike the Blackboy shop too, I went to them a lot as the closest shop to halls when I was at uni, but they were generally unfriendly. I think Fred Baker (Glos Rd) gets mixed reviews too, as they can apparently be a little snobby (although haven't been, when I've been there).

Seem to remember Psychlewerks (or however it's spelt!) have a good rep too, but are generally on the MTB side of things..?

attica

I'm not that keen on Fred Baker I must admit.

I prefer Strada but they do tend to specialise in road bike stuff, Bike are pretty good.

sarajoy

To be honest I still don't know what I want to get!! So thinking I find the right shop first, take some suggestions, then go browse...

alfablue

Bike do a fairly good range of womens' clothing.

No experience of Psycleworks, unfortunately.

You have a nice problem

sarajoy

Aye, could be worse

redvee

Fred Bakers should be avoided like swineflu, had more bad than good with them. Palmers/Cyclelife have given me much better service and they are only across the road for me too.

jimmypippa

So... What did you write?

sarajoy

My entry is included within the quoted bit in the top post

Cafewanda

Hi SJ

Congrats on your win.

TMI - I'm a PCOSer too, without the weight issue (as yet) but a dab hand with tweezers!

sarajoy

Hehe Wanda! Yep, bit of a pain isn't it. A few years ago I walked into the doctors and went "I think I have polycystic ovarian syndrome" - he just looked at me and went "Yep, you look fairly typical, let's check you out".

Luckily I'm all happy now. For years my weight gain had been a mystery, esp to my mates who'd eat far more and exercise less than me....

TRADESIZE

sj,

I went to cycle surgery at the top of the A38 today (before the roundabout by filton police staion), cycle surgery is upstaisr in snow and rock. The dude there was defo the most helpful bike shop person ever and very freindly. The range of equipmnet was also very very good. So far I'd say the best bike shop in bristol by far. I bought some assos bibshorts for lejog and tried on tons of shoes, i didn't buy any but he was still mega helpful.

go there, as its on your way to and from work too. Their open 10-7

jeff

sarajoy

Sweet, that sounds worth a look

monkeycowboy

+1 for Bike opposite Habitat, they've lent me tools to repair my bike on the road side before and as the post above, are really good when not so busy.

+1 for Cyclesurgery too

Considering we're meant to be the first cyclign city we do lack quality cycle shops like Johns Bikes in Bath.

don_don

Inspirational

Enjoy the shopping!

secretsam

What the hell happened to Overbury's??? Fred Baker still going - incredible, I'd assumed they'd gone under

NOTE: raised in Bristol but left 20 years ago

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

Actually, I DON'T rate Bike all that much. They are always busy and (I have found) often don't have the time/inclination to do things properly. Their easy money's in the easy servicing and it shows more often than I like. They have some good mechanics but some not so good too. A couple of them have made some pretty big screw ups on my bikes, not least mangling the top of my steerer tube by first of all cutting it too low then over torquing the stem on it, thereby buggering up the entire fork and subsequently trying to suggest it was something I had done. That said, I HAVE had some very good service from them too. It's just more patchy than is good for their rep.

As Attica says, best bike shop for my money is Strada. I also rate Fred Baker. They can be a bit arsey and always make you feel like a bit of a tw8t for some reaon but they know their stuff and you can rely on them to do a proper job.

EDIT: Oh yes. And another vote for Webbs of Warmley.

secretsam

I still want to know what happened to Overbury's. I won't go away until someone tells me.

risi

SecretSam wrote:

I still want to know what happened to Overbury's. I won't go away until someone tells me.

Still there

Off you go. Nothing to see here...

secretsam

Well, there you go.

They sold me my first proper bike. In the wrong size. Don't think I'll rush back (plus it's not the greatest area for leaving one's dream machine :shock: )

Runoutofgears

I agree with issue over the location, but once I'd got over that fear I ended up buying my road bike from Overbury's, for those who don't know, inside it's a bit like Arkwrights from "Open all hours", a proper bike shop! The guy who runs it seems knowledgeable and was very help full. I'd rather buy a Bianchi from him than the "Boutique" that is Evans Cycles.

Not sure that i'd go in there to buy odds and sods mind.

I like my LBS Webbs of Warmley too.

Runoutofgears

Oh, and +1 for Strada in Bedminster

redvee

Don't worry too much about the location on the CTC map, it's wrong. The shop isn't halfway up the hill as shown but at the end of Lower Ashley Road but still in a dodgy area. AFAIK it is still run by Arthur's widow Edith and her son Andrew.

Runoutofgears

Ah, so Edith is the little senior lady of the shop, the receipt they gave me for my bike was writen in her lovely handwriting. The shop, Andrew and Edith certainly give the place character.

I hope to go back there when my C2W scheme allows, I'm looking for a road bike, hopefully they will still be trading in 5 months time. Since they were established in 1900, I guess they've survived a fair few recessions.

sarajoy

A photog, one city council chap and one actual councillor came up today to take pictures of the voucher hand-over, and a couple of other random cycley shots

I wore my Silly Commuting Jersey ! Will link the pics as soon as they go up somewhere !

They were all on bikes may I add, all from town centre (a good 7ish miles away), all of them braved the long hill up here - very impressed! One Boardman roadie, one hybrid (photographer - Dawes I think), and one Brompton (the councillor). Only the council bloke on the roadie was wearing anything other than civvies - and that was just normal shorts and T shirt as opposed to jeans and shirt like the other two.

sarajoy

Cafewanda

Lovely pic SJ

redvee

They cropped out your lovely shoes

sarajoy

There are other pics with the shoes in, remains to be seen what goes up online

Tim Synge

I can also report very poor treatment at Blackboy Cycles.

Psyclewerkx (?) off Cotham Hill is excellent, although when I went in last week, they had *no* cycle computers in stock at all! The staff are friendly and helpful. I have heard good reports about their servicing too.