The wave of new London bike shops

Anyone watch that show on expensive food last night? Essentially, rich cunts will buy any old shit as long as it's expensive and (can be claimed to be) exclusive enough. It's a market I'd love to somehow get in to, if only I could suppress the rage.

Velorution (who have just opened a second outlet in Selfridges).
Bikefix.
Bon Velo.

I'd imagine that Sigma or Mosquito have more in common with Bike Room that that lot, and I know at least Velorution isn't exactly a poster-boy for economic viability :)

Businesses fail (or just close) all the time. Most new businesses fail. If the closure of one example business means the basic concept doesn't work, restaurants are clearly a bad idea doomed to extinction.

I'd imagine that Sigma or Mosquito have more in common with Bike Room that that lot, and I know at least Velorution isn't exactly a poster-boy for economic viability :)

The examples I cited are more leisure bikes than hardcore roadie but still, overpriced and aiming at the well-heeled. As for Velorution's busines model, it can take several years to turn a viable business into a profitable one. Smart money knows that.

Absolutely. And we don't know what their plan is, or as I said whether they even need to make to money. Who knows what agreements etc. they have.

Doesn't stop us from looking at it and scratching our heads though :)

That's a bad analogy, what's being compared is types of bike shops, not the concept of bike shops overall.

That said, all the shops you listed sell bikes that would be consider mid-range to lower-end as well as expensive rides. I grant that that can work with a focus on selling splashy stuff to people with money to throw around. What I don't think will work is a shop that has nothing but high-end stuff; perhaps that's not what this new store will do, but that was my understanding. People with money to throw around are ultimately not interested in buying high-performance carbon TT bikes, unless they are in which case they already have one.

As for Velorution's busines model, it can take several years to turn a viable business into a profitable one. Smart money knows that.

Velorution has been around for at least a decade. The original owner - of some infamy on here - sold out to Cycle Rublic (who already had a concession in Selfridges IIRC). I don't know what the deal was, but IIRC he had made all his money in banking. We bought some of the store's shelves from him.

Bespoked have opened a new branch in Canary Wharf , Home of the bankers -last week a banker walked away with a 14k bike. Won't be long before his mates will want to compete. Never underestimate the power of bragging rights

It's great when people buy nice bikes.

A £14k OTP would make me sad tho

Let's hope it was a pegoretti or something

Owner still run Velorution.

I'm just going on what Andrea told me and the stuff written here. Maybe you have more up to date information?

Theres a new shop in Putney- run by one of the old Holdsworth staff.
He's a properly decent guy, too.
Lower Richmond Road, just down the road from old Holdsworth:
http://www.elswoodcycleworks.com/

Bizarrely I thought I had already asked this but...

Has anyone used the mechanics in Swift Cycles just east of Bishopsgate... I was meant to do my bike at the weekend and failed because work got in the way

Great news that Hammersmith has got a bike shop again after a good few years. Good luck! You around this afternoon? Might pop in to say hi.

@XJimX yup, working there this week, pop in to says hi!

yo ed when are you at clapham? Could you check a frame for alignment for me?

I went there last month to help the g/f's mum on getting a Moulton.

Dude bring it over to the Battersea one, they should be able to check on the spot.

And Andrea was there and he told you he still owned the shop?

Curious.

Will do

He still run the shop but he didn't says he still own it, sorry wasn't clear on that part.

Visited the new Oakley store on Exmouth Market yesterday; it's only there for 4 months or so, but it looks like they're getting into the spirit of things quite nicely, not to mention the free bike maintenance.

Good to visit the new Hammersmith branch of London Cycle Workshop and to meet you. Will spread the word. Thanks for sorting my bike out so quickly too!

I just visited cycle workshop hammersmith/stamford brook - was a revelation! Everyone knows what they are on about and loads of space since they arent selling bikes.
Very reasonable rates from fully loaded workshop.
Yes! Finally!

does anyone know what the "Bike Curious" signs on an old pub on Thurlow Road just by all the building work near E&C is? (I think it is cycle route 2, coming up from Burgess Park)