Cycle surgery in bother
Discussion
Akz said:
I took a bike there once for inspection after a big crash. The mechanic mentioned he had shone a torch inside the frame and couldn't see any carbon damage...
What would you expect him to do without an X-ray? He was looking for delamination and isn’t that the best way to find it?As for cycle surgery, the Bristol branch was in snow + rock, so a bike shop for skiers with stock and prices to match....
pablo said:
What would you expect him to do without an X-ray? He was looking for delamination and isn’t that the best way to find it?
As for cycle surgery, the Bristol branch was in snow + rock, so a bike shop for skiers with stock and prices to match....
This is true but he suggested it was fine based on that. Didn't even suggest I can't be sure based on shining a torch down the tubes. To me it felt a bit like shining a torch down a tunnel and deeming it structurally sound. As for cycle surgery, the Bristol branch was in snow + rock, so a bike shop for skiers with stock and prices to match....
They also failed to identify the bent hanger and cage.
A shame to see them go in some ways, as I'd used their original shop, which had been pretty good in it's day.
However, as it moved on, it just became another large bike shop with little or nothing to distinguish it from the competition - I have only used it once in the past couple of years
However, as it moved on, it just became another large bike shop with little or nothing to distinguish it from the competition - I have only used it once in the past couple of years
Inevitable and no surprise really. Sad to say I can't remember the last time I went in to a real life bike shop, time is so precious these days that any spare time on a weekend that I can do bike related stuff I'll either be out riding or training indoors. No time for spending a morning driving somewhere, paying to park, going to the shop to inevitably find they don't have what I need or my size … "we can order it in for 3 days time"... yea ok <orders it online like I should have done in the first place>
Even technical stuff, there's so much online info that it's pretty simple to sort things out yourself. Parts diagrams for suspension, shimano tech docs all online, and you know the mechanic will just look up the same things I'm going to but take longer. I rebuilt my Fox forks last year- easily found all the part numbers, ordered them for a few quid and in the process realised I could mod the internals to make them work better. It's all easy stuff once you've done work on cars!
Even technical stuff, there's so much online info that it's pretty simple to sort things out yourself. Parts diagrams for suspension, shimano tech docs all online, and you know the mechanic will just look up the same things I'm going to but take longer. I rebuilt my Fox forks last year- easily found all the part numbers, ordered them for a few quid and in the process realised I could mod the internals to make them work better. It's all easy stuff once you've done work on cars!
It's a dying business model, unfortunately. They need to diversify and they're too big to. Sigma Sports appears to be doing well but they've nurtured a brand and to be fair, become my go-to now rather than Wiggle due to them stocking 'better' brands.
One of the mechanics from my (now closed) LBS set up his own business. They know they can't compete with selling bikes/parts so that's not their focus. They focus on servicing (offering a collection & drop off service too), building bikes (you can supply the parts), bike maintenance classes, bike fitting, on-site cafe, TV screens showing cycling events and creating events around the big races. They're selling their expertise and knowledge rather than bikes or parts.
One of the mechanics from my (now closed) LBS set up his own business. They know they can't compete with selling bikes/parts so that's not their focus. They focus on servicing (offering a collection & drop off service too), building bikes (you can supply the parts), bike maintenance classes, bike fitting, on-site cafe, TV screens showing cycling events and creating events around the big races. They're selling their expertise and knowledge rather than bikes or parts.
Akz said:
This is true but he suggested it was fine based on that. Didn't even suggest I can't be sure based on shining a torch down the tubes. To me it felt a bit like shining a torch down a tunnel and deeming it structurally sound.
They also failed to identify the bent hanger and cage.
No worries, I wasn’t sure if I was missing something and there was a better way of checking! Snow+Rock has always felt like a lifestyle store rather than an equipment store and I guess you got the same experience...They also failed to identify the bent hanger and cage.
pablo said:
Odd isn’t it, the Halfords in Western super Mare has some awesome cyclists working there, guys that competed in National DH, 4X and BMX yet most people wouldn’t go near them for bike stuff.
I worked part time in a Halfords whilst at uni and one of the guys was a sponsored rider and worked full time in the bike hut bit. No one would ever know he had some real insight and knowledge. Not really relevant to the Cycle Surgery closure, but I'm now making a ten mile ride or drive to a bike shop even though there are [i]at least[/] four much closer to home. Reason? The mechanic. He's a nice guy, and I started following him on Strava before I knew he was a bike mechanic. So I know what he rides, where he rides, and how he gets along with lots of local riders, some of them very well known nationally. Plus, since I started going there, I've been pleased with their very much "can do" attitude to fitting work in to their workshop schedule.
I love to support a local store. I mean, I'll buy stuff cheap if I can do the job myself (I'm living on a pension), but I mix that up with buying stuff from the physical shop too. Which hopefully should mean it'll still be there months, and years, down the line when I need stuff quick or need them to do work that I can't (or won't) do myself.
I love to support a local store. I mean, I'll buy stuff cheap if I can do the job myself (I'm living on a pension), but I mix that up with buying stuff from the physical shop too. Which hopefully should mean it'll still be there months, and years, down the line when I need stuff quick or need them to do work that I can't (or won't) do myself.
I’d just like to add that the bicycle shop is not a die-ing business model. That sort of talk is a bit lazy. It’s a very complex business, being fashion, clothing, mechanical, seasonal, transport, sport, kids, women’s, men’s. Service, fitting, a business built around community, turning consumers into users. It’s very much part of the 2-s transport revolution and is currently experiencing a revolution through E Bikes right now. Don’t just assume everyone buys stuff on line because they simply don’t. People need help, human interaction and They like good service. Large shops that need turnover to keep the cash flow often give margin away to generate those sales and they don’t generate any profit, hence they go bust. At the moment it is the large multiples that are struggling. IBDs are doing relatively well.
We have a cycle surgery in a Snow + Rock based at a snow centre type place in town where I live.
I went in there to look a Gint Propel and they had a good chance of securing the sale as they are local and their price was competitive.
However the shop was an absolute mess and the staff were next to useless. Couldn't answer basic questions and didn't seem that interested. Said they would call me back and never did.
Shame really as they have done basic servicing for me in the past and they weren't too bad and the Snow Centre had a decent car park so was pretty convenient to use when compared to Cycles UK in the next town.
I have been to a few CCs in the city and they better presented than my local one, but of the mighty Evans couldn't survive then CC going down was inevitable.
Also, if CC can't survive, then my guess is that Cycles UK will go soon after. Watford shop used to be good and the manager was decent. Its now pretty poor and resulted in me having a few choice words with the manager on the shop floor and I'm pretty sure he lost a few sales because of it.
I now use a small local shop in the city for my Brompton servicing and will find another one closer to home for the other bikes.
I went in there to look a Gint Propel and they had a good chance of securing the sale as they are local and their price was competitive.
However the shop was an absolute mess and the staff were next to useless. Couldn't answer basic questions and didn't seem that interested. Said they would call me back and never did.
Shame really as they have done basic servicing for me in the past and they weren't too bad and the Snow Centre had a decent car park so was pretty convenient to use when compared to Cycles UK in the next town.
I have been to a few CCs in the city and they better presented than my local one, but of the mighty Evans couldn't survive then CC going down was inevitable.
Also, if CC can't survive, then my guess is that Cycles UK will go soon after. Watford shop used to be good and the manager was decent. Its now pretty poor and resulted in me having a few choice words with the manager on the shop floor and I'm pretty sure he lost a few sales because of it.
I now use a small local shop in the city for my Brompton servicing and will find another one closer to home for the other bikes.
Shame. Sad to see them go.
Bought a few bikes from them over the years and always got great customer service (shout out to Dan in particular) and competitive pricing / inclusion of accessories. IMO definitely better than Evans.
It took me a few years to twig that it was the same Cycle Surgery off Holloway rd I used in the late 90s
Bought a few bikes from them over the years and always got great customer service (shout out to Dan in particular) and competitive pricing / inclusion of accessories. IMO definitely better than Evans.
It took me a few years to twig that it was the same Cycle Surgery off Holloway rd I used in the late 90s
Gruffy said:
Perhaps no bad thing if it diverts servicing business to smaller independent LBSs, who tend to have more passion, skill and experience.
But we’ve always had that choice. Most ‘proper’ cyclist don’t get their bikes serviced at these chains. What they are more likely to do, though, is buy a bike from them (unless it’s a more niche brand/spec) as they have more buying power (ie better deals than the LBS). Cycle Surgery going potentially means less competition and therefore higher prices for us. Not a good thing.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff