What are the best bike shops in London?

Gabbo

And please don't say Evans or Cyclesurgery. I'm looking for decent bike shops that are not shy to display their components. Sigma in Kingston is good, but im heading slightly more central.

Thanks

Tom Dean

Condor

philbar72

I've used Surbiton Cycles a couple of times, once for a service ( which was well done), and another time for advice on clipless pedals, and to fit them as i didn't have the right spanner at the time...... very helpful and knowledgeable. they don't stock loads of bikes, but have a reasonable range of spares....

ugo.santalucia

Depends what you are after... the only interesting one for me is Brick Lane Bikes... I can't stop turning my head up and steel framespotting

Condor is not bad either

RDW

Some of the best shops are 'less central', like Geoff Butler in Croydon and Pearsons in Sutton (and now Sheen):

http://www.gbcycles.co.uk

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk

ugo.santalucia

RDW wrote:

Some of the best shops are 'less central', like Geoff Butler in Croydon and Pearsons in Sutton (and now Sheen):

http://www.gbcycles.co.uk

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk

And what would be nice about Pearsons in Sheen?

flasher

ugo.santalucia wrote:

And what would be nice about Pearsons in Sheen?

Nice contemporary store, interesting selection of bikes, and a coffee bar, what's not to like?

the playing mantis

gb cycles is very nice, i concur. not that far out when u consider its only a few mins from london bridge on the train, but obviously not central and no good for popping out at lunh from the office . Does any one know of any decent ones around canary wharf or in the city itself, or does Evans have these areas cornered?

MrSweary

Sigma leaves me cold. The only staff I had any dealings with gave the impression that they couldn't be bothered. No idea what the mechanics are like. Lot's of top grade bike porn - not sure there is a bike in shop I could afford!

Pearson in Sheen - seem ok but some of the staff are a bit away with the fairies - mechanics did a fine job of building up my bike though. Some very nice bike porn including lots of lovely steel.

Gabbo

I visited condor today and bought a few parts - very, very impressive. Their steel frames are eye catching and now somehow, I have gone from wanting a Cervelo S2 to one of their old school steel frame's. Why that is, is beyond me! Clearly I'm indecisive and unsure what bike I want in the near future, but the older frames tend to show more character than the newer, carbon frames.

I've been to Sigma many times. As impressive as it is, they tend to stock higher end bikes. Good for parts but then again, they're priced relatively high. Pearsons in Sutton ok, but never visited the Sheen store. GB cycles is similar to Pearsons but stock a wider range of frames.

Out of the lot, Condor for me is by far the most appealing.

Gabbo

Tom Dean wrote:

Condor

Thanks for this advise! Decided to go there today and wasn't short of impressed!

marcusjb

Gabbo wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Condor

Thanks for this advise! Decided to go there today and wasn't short of impressed!

It is a great shop - it's definitely best to try and go during the week as it can be a bit too busy on the weekend (only open Saturday from memory).

Their product range is great and the staff are generally totally clued up and happy to advise.

It is always a disaster when I find myself in that part of town - suddenly, without warning, there is money flying out of my wallet and landing in the Condor till.

rogan

Look mum no hands and Micycle are my favourites

nunowoolmez

I have used Sigma & Condor before. Sigma did my bike fit & did an great job, really went to town on it. They also sell good kit & have decent sales on from time to time. I have always found staff very helpful & friendly. Condor likewise. I was after some specific bolts for a cranket & when they found they didn't have the right ones, they put in a special order for them. Staff very helpful.

I use 2 wheels good in Crouch End for servicing & some maintainance stuff & could not be happier with them. They are brilliant.

Not been to any others, Bike & Run in Finchley should be avoided though. Absolutely terrible service & rude with it.

cornerblock

nunowoolmez wrote:

Bike & Run in Finchley should be avoided though. Absolutely terrible service & rude with it.

I agree with that 100%. Went in there once, never again. If a shop can't be arsed to be polite and at least look like they care about a sale then I won't bother myself being a customer. Fools.

mikenetic

nunowoolmez wrote:

I have used Sigma & Condor before. Sigma did my bike fit & did an great job, really went to town on it. They also sell good kit & have decent sales on from time to time. I have always found staff very helpful & friendly. Condor likewise. I was after some specific bolts for a cranket & when they found they didn't have the right ones, they put in a special order for them. Staff very helpful.

I use 2 wheels good in Crouch End for servicing & some maintainance stuff & could not be happier with them. They are brilliant.

Not been to any others, Bike & Run in Finchley should be avoided though. Absolutely terrible service & rude with it.

2 Wheels Good are decent, and I try to put business their way seeing as Evans have opened up around the corner. I get the impression 2WG are moving much more towards servicing. They certainly seem to stock less bikes than they used to.

shipley

Depends on what you want.

If you want some extreme bike porn, and a chat with some genuine, knowledgable and welcoming guys then it has to be Mosquito.

In Islington, an area where you expect to be mugged (or worse :shock: ) this is a paradise island.

http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/

smidsy

In the other thread with exactly the same title by exactly the same OP 8)

mikenetic

Shipley wrote:

Depends on what you want.

If you want some extreme bike porn, and a chat with some genuine, knowledgable and welcoming guys then it has to be Mosquito.

In Islington, an area where you expect to be mugged (or worse :shock: ) this is a paradise island.

http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/

I think you may be somewhat overdramatising there, seeing as Mosquito is on the edges of one of the most affluent areas of the borough.

ugo.santalucia

smidsy wrote:

In the other thread with exactly the same title by exactly the same OP 8)

This morning I went to Brick Lane Bikes to collect H plus Son rims, as they are the UK distributor... They had a set of Ambrosio Excellence in anodised blue...

smidsy

ugo.santalucia wrote:

smidsy wrote:

In the other thread with exactly the same title by exactly the same OP 8)

This morning I went to Brick Lane Bikes to collect H plus Son rims, as they are the UK distributor... They had a set of Ambrosio Excellence in anodised blue...

But I need Yellow 8)

shipley

mikenetic wrote:

Shipley wrote:

Depends on what you want.

If you want some extreme bike porn, and a chat with some genuine, knowledgable and welcoming guys then it has to be Mosquito.

In Islington, an area where you expect to be mugged (or worse :shock: ) this is a paradise island.

http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/

I think you may be somewhat overdramatising there, seeing as Mosquito is on the edges of one of the most affluent areas of the borough.

Quite possibly, but it's the edges I had to walk through ........ I wasn't overdramatising about Mosquito though !

max1234

You must be easily scared if you find the Essex Road dodgy - Mosquito are notoriously rude

stongle

Bespoke in Farringdon. Not a lot of stock (for components) but a lot of bike porn. Parlee, Pinarello, Trek ProjectOne. They also do fitness and physio work. Bike fit is Retul, and lasts 2-3 hrs.

They stock a fair bit of Assos though.

giant_man

stongle wrote:

Bespoke in Farringdon. Not a lot of stock (for components) but a lot of bike porn. Parlee, Pinarello, Trek ProjectOne. They also do fitness and physio work. Bike fit is Retul, and lasts 2-3 hrs.

They stock a fair bit of Assos though.

And your point is .... ?

tomlockbart

max1234 wrote:

You must be easily scared if you find the Essex Road dodgy - Mosquito are notoriously rude

+1. Essex Road is paradise compared to lots of London

Hoopdriver

tomlockbart wrote:

max1234 wrote:

You must be easily scared if you find the Essex Road dodgy - Mosquito are notoriously rude

+1. Essex Road is paradise compared to lots of London

I have not been to Mosquito since September 2009 having vowed never to go there again after their shop comprehensively buggered up my bike. Perhaps they have lifted their game since then, I don't know, but I sure have not heard anything lately that would make me want to set foot in there again.

jezzasnr

Tokyo Fixed, in the heart of Soho. As you would expect, mostly fixed, but still enough for a decent browse.

stongle

giant man wrote:

stongle wrote:

Bespoke in Farringdon. Not a lot of stock (for components) but a lot of bike porn. Parlee, Pinarello, Trek ProjectOne. They also do fitness and physio work. Bike fit is Retul, and lasts 2-3 hrs.

They stock a fair bit of Assos though.

And your point is .... ?

None, aside from in my first sentence I said they didnt carry a lot of stock of components, but they do actually carry fair bit of Assos. You paranoid or something? I'm not some inverse snob like Raffles, I buy and where it because its immensely comfortable and washes well (3-4 times a week).