repairing my bike after the attack :( - Good repairers?

JKam4239

Hello, A few weeks ago I posted about being attacked recently by a commuter. (No news) Pay day is tomorrow and I need to get my £70 bike repaired! I had a £90 service a few weeks before by On your bike in London bridge (who are pricey anyway) so I emailed asking them if they could do some sort of deal as I have spent many £100s with them over the years (on the same bike). They have refused so I need to shop around. Can anyone recommend a good independent repairer that is reasonable!? I am not touting for cheap labour or a cheaper rate being a new customer I just want to go somewhere where my repeat custom might be a bit more valued in times of strife!

BTW - I havent replaced teh cheap bike as it not gotten stolen and Southwark where I live is the worst place for bike stealing (my husband's has gone and our neighbours had five taken in one year including off his 3rd floor balcony!)

kelsen

Most bike shops should be able to fix the bike for you, the question comes down to cost really, and it'll probably be more than what your bike's worth.

If you're technically minded, or know someone who is, you could just get the parts and replace them yourself.

Edit: Glad the incident hasn't discouraged you from cycling btw.

cornerblock

A friend of mine used these recently and was very impressed. Very reasonable pricing according to her, not used them myself though.

http://www.londonbicycle.com/repairs.html

unixnerd

What happened to you was dreadful. If I lived in London I'd come round and fix your bike myself just to restore your faith in human nature. Hope you manage to get it all sorted out :-) I'm sure Karma will make it up to you somehow.

dilemna

A £90 service on a bike only worth £70 is not good sense IMHO. Bike maintenance is a piece of cake. Learning to do your own will save you ££££££££££££££££.

hstiles

What's the extent of the obvious damage? You would be better off taking the bike to a less 'fashionable' shop for a more functional repair than to a chain or LBS stocking high end gear.

For examples there's Walden's in Kingston and Paul Cycles in Long Ditton. These aren't shops packed full of Specialized or Trek, but I've experience of both and the servicing work they do is excellent and at a fraction of the cost of some other local shops.

Cafewanda

JKam, not sure which bit of Southwark you live but there's a bike workshop on Druid Street, close to Tooley Street. Not used them but heard good things.

http://druidcycles.co.uk/opening-hours-druid-street-2/

or try these

http://www.re-cycling.co.uk/

tptvmbircn

as above, if you know the extent of the damage maybe we could help on here at least, there are many websites also giving you great instructions, sheldonbrown I find the best. I have a copy of "Total Bike Repair & Maintenance" produced by future publishing // bikeradar.com which i'm willing to post to you free of charge to show my support.

Good on you for keeping the cycling going!

The Rookie

dilemna wrote:

A £90 service on a bike only worth £70 is not good sense IMHO.

I disagree, for £90 you then have a fully known quantity bike, whereas buy a used bike for £70 and you may well have to spend another £30 getting it up to scratch and still not know wverything about it.

dilemna wrote:

Bike maintenance is a piece of cake. Learning to do your own will save you ££££££££££££££££.

Seconded though, my daughter (trained in a local recycling centre, now works for ....shhh... Halfords repairs a few bikes for aquaintences who often give her a tenner for her trouble (she doesn't ask for anything for her time, just enough to cover parts), to go to a shop would cost them often £20-30 so they think its a bargain, she is quids in for 30-60 mins of her time!

Simon

Drysuitdiver

where abouts in London are you.

agin if we know what damage there is then i might be able to help with parts etc that have accumulated over the years.