Help start a bike shop

No don't open one in Walthamstow - I was gonna do that!

Race ya :)

Hey @Mechamorgan glad to see walthamstow gets your vote too.

I'm really into the idea of going in with someone who wants to run a cafe too. cycle friendly off street area, some where to chill meet up with friends before a ride. get a gear tune and maybe a beer?

Haha really? @BobbyBriggs

Join force then.

Stockwell/Clapham/Balham along the cycle super highway, it's busy with evans+apex in clapham, halfords+other shop in balham tooting bec end. If you opened a shop in the clapham south-balham part it would be competitive but a more stylish shop would work I think. It's just getting commuters to give you a try and taking advantage when someone is pissed at halfords/evans/other.

There are two cycle shops at the north end of Balham - Cyclopolis and Psubliminal, right opposite each other. Not sure there's room for another.

Don't forget a little further down we have Crazy Horse Bike Workshop in Tooting Bec (opposite to Halfords), and then further down near the end of CS7, Moose Cycles in Collier Wood, and finally, AW Cycles near South Wimbledon Station.

@Clockwise how have you missed those independents?

@edscoble Crazy Horse is the other one I was thinking of but my experiences going way back to preinternet times was that if ever you ask for anything he doesn't have he dicks you about or suggests he will call you back and then never does. My mind went blank about the balham ones, have been using cavendish road religiously recently so turn off before the bk and miss them I guess. Colliers wood is past the area I was thinking, tooting broadway/high street isn't nice to cycle and while in clapham the lights will be full of cyclists each time by st georges it's the odd one now and then. Moose cycles I remember walking past on my way home from working at the watershed in wimbledon every thursday at like 3-4am for a year or more, they had go karts and motocross stuff in the window so I had always been thinking it was a motorbike/motocross place. Have to admit apart from bike plus past croydon(work in croydon so it's not far from work) and the odd click+collect in evans/halfords I just shop online and do stuff myself, can't get my head around paying someone to replace an innertube for me but then I don't get why ready made sandwiches exist either.

Hi @SKULLS, have pm'd you with a couple of ideas, Walthamstow is certainly worth looking at too.

Thanks Marcos! Thanks everyone. Im really excited about Walthamstow now. Gonna get my friend who lives there to show me around.

If you have the option of land/open space... http://www.gumtree.com/p/other-miscellaneous-goods/shipping-container-20ft-for-sale-converted-into-a-retail-space-or-office-window-front/1089484864

Are there other creative ways of diversifying income - work shop plus coffee / food a la LMHN. You could approach an existing café that might have space and work as a JV. The coffee shop in Esher, Giro, is packed every weekend but not sure about weekdays - is there a similar jumping of point into the wilds heading East / South?

Secure internal bike parking / storage if you had a basement with showers - pay a membership fee to use so if you work in the area but your employer has no facilities then you fill this need?

Bike fitting?

Work with an emerging UK bike builders to offer bespoke builds?

MAMIL shops are a passé .. MTB(-ish) shop in Walthamstow (near Epping) is the winning ticket. I trust @SKULLS 100% to make this into a radical place.

I don't think there's a bike shop anywhere along the cs2 from Whitechapel to Stratford.

^ +1 to that^

+1 on the Walthamstow idea. That place is a fucking dump and could do with livening up!
#SE4LYF

Kidding btw. Def the sort of place you need to be looking.

Also def a gap in decent bikeshops anywhere east of Elephant. Deptford is crying out for one.

I don't think there's a bike shop anywhere along the cs2 from Whitechapel to Stratford.

There used to be Bicycle Magic, it closed down a few years ago.

Cheers Amey. You know whats up \m/

MAMIL shops are a passé .. MTB(-ish) shop in Walthamstow (near Epping) is the winning ticket. I trust @SKULLS 100% to make this into a radical place.

Mamil shops are passé +1mirrion

There's a Cycles UK in Deptford, but not a single one from London Bridge til that one.

Exactly. A desert.

Someone recently opened a 'discount bike shop' near the Prince Albert. They sell Foffa >>>>>>>

I think the problem with the London Bridge > OKR or Deptford stretch is that there aren't many attractive retail locations full stop - I can't believe someone didn't consider it already with the amount of passing trade.

Something in the New Cross / Brockley area would probably do well, though we do have the excellent Vaidas Cycles in Honor Oak.

Epping and Epping Forest has potential to be a gateway to cycling paradise from my limited riding in Essex.

I think you should start up right outside my place.

Make sure you have good bike wash supplies.. I have your first jobs waiting...

Best of luck wherever you start up.

Cheers man. Where you live out of interest?

okr