Cycles UK Greenwich

kelsen
kelsen Posts: 2,003
edited August 2012 in Commuting chat
My colleague wanders into the office today at 11am. I asked him what happened and he tells me he had two punctures this morning and eventually ended up driving in. The first puncture he had to find a bike shop as he'd forgotten his puncture repair kit. The nearest shop was Cycles UK in Greenwich. When he got there the shop wasn't open yet but there were people inside, so he knocks on the door. Somebody comes out and my colleague explains he needs to buy some stuff to fix a puncture. It was around 9.35am at the time. The guy in the shop responds "We open at 10am". My colleage tells him "Look, I'll even buy a pump off you to fix my puncture. Can you not sell the stuff to me now?". Guy replies "I will sell you the stuff...when we open at 10am", and wouldn't budge from that position.

The rest of story isn't that interesting (In summary:- phoned wife to pick him up, fixed puncture at home, heads out again, punctures again, returns home again, feeling fed up, drives to work, pays £8 in parking) but I think we're all in agreement here, what an absolute idiot...fancy forgetting your puncture repair kit!

Comments

  • jds_1981
    jds_1981 Posts: 1,858
    Something to be said for shops like Evans. Open at 8am, pumps outside for free use.
    FCN 9 || FCN 5
  • Gizmo_
    Gizmo_ Posts: 558
    Cycles UK is a decent-size chain, isn't it?

    Website always looks so scammy I've never used them.
    Scott Sportster P45 2008 | Cannondale CAAD8 Tiagra 2012
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Been to the Greenwich one a few times and they've always been friendly. Not in a year to be fair but may just be that none of the tills were on and it takes a while to get sorted in the morning so they didn't have the ability to sell anything. Bit of a shame though certainly
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
    CAAD12 Disc
    Condor Tempo
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    I used to cycle without the full repair kit with me until about 5 years ago, I was about 10 miles from home and had a puncture. I had a spare tube etc but for some reason no pump. I ended having to get an expensive taxi ride home.... I've got friends who still regularly ride without any kind of repair kit. Having said all that, it's a bit miserable of the shop not to just let hime buy a repair kit and use a pump, I mean it's not as if he was asking for advice on a bike purchase, it was simply a case of giving them a tenner for a few bits and pieces and letting him get on with it
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    what a bunch of tools...

    he forgot to pack.
    Dolan Mythos
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    A mate bought a Spesh Secteur recently from here - they set it up very shoddy. The free mechanics at Viccy Park for the Olympics tore it apart... said it had been set up 'terribly'.

    So there you go.
    Dolan Mythos
  • Pufftmw
    Pufftmw Posts: 1,941
    The Bike Shop over on Lee High Road is pretty good AND they open at 8AM

    (of no help if your m8 was nowhere near but its not too far from Greenwich)
    1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur

    2009 Scott Spark 60

    2010 Ghost 5000

    2011 Commencal Ramones AL1

    2012 Commencal Meta AM1
  • mudcow007
    mudcow007 Posts: 3,861
    given the amount of people on bikes around laaandon you would expect bike shops to open early to cater to all the commuters?
    Keeping it classy since '83
  • phy2sll2
    phy2sll2 Posts: 680
    clarkey cat wrote:
    A mate bought a Spesh Secteur recently from here - they set it up very shoddy. The free mechanics at Viccy Park for the Olympics tore it apart... said it had been set up 'terribly'.

    So there you go.

    They did a decent job with the g/f's bike. Usually OK in there, however there is one mechanic who (although very good at what he does!) is very much not a people person. It could well have been him.

Categories