The wave of new London bike shops

Hub Velo have been good for me so far.

Cool, thanks. Have had some bad experiences with bike shops recently so nice to know somewhere very local is decent.

I've had some indifferent service from a couple of places as well. I went to Hub Velo after being a bit disappointed eslewhere.

They've only done a couple of small jobs for me, price was fair, work was good, service was good and as mentioned above, good coffee as well. So can't say fairer than that - they are my preferred lbs at present.

I love it when new independent bike shops open. Luckily a few in west London have popped up. But I even more then that it's great when it turns into a brand like brixton bike ,condor, Blb or pearson.

But consolodation by velorution has swallowed up mosquito bikes in Islington and fitzrovia bikes now too. Two great stores im starting to get annoyed.

Any thoughts.

Anyone have recommendations for repairs near London Bridge / Bank?

Unfortunately I can't travel far as have limited time to nip out from work and need repairs done before a tour setting out on Friday, so the places I would usually go are out. Had considered Bespoke Cycles but there's a thread on here (admittedly an old one) that makes me not want to give them my custom. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Druid Cycles. They're practically underneath London Bridge station.

Rad Bikes opening on Lewisham Way today, Ben & Tom ex-CyclesPS guys. Launch party tonight!

I am kinda keen but wont get a pass .. riding with @pastry_bot in lanes then straight home ..

Oh wow, awesome, what's the address on Lewisham Way / what's it near? Not that I'll be going but keen to check it out.

Google says 148 Lewisham Way

Just discovered that London Fields Cycles has closed down - in August. Anyone know why (apart from the obvious going out of business)? I'd have thought that of all places, central Hackney would be a good bet for a bike shop...

Apparently mad rent increases, same as LMNH on mare street and Red Bike Shop in Islington.

It's a pity about London Fields. I remember when they started, in a squat, not far from where they ended.

And Skinny Eric's in Hackney Wick has a new owner.

They were mentioned in this article from Bikebiz re. bike shops closing faster than at any point since the 1960s.

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/bike-shop-closures-now-at-highest-since-the-1960s/022105

Hm, this is all making me re-evaluate my dreams of opening a shop in my own little corner of east london one day.

I learned to fix my own bikes so only have myself to blame.

And YouTube.

The industry response is "the Internet won't fix your bike" which is bullshit when Youtube means I can build internal cabled Cervelos and di2 bikes in my kitchen

Does your kitchen have a vice? Mine doesn't. When it does though...

Actually, I'm too fucking lazy busy to build whole bikes these days. That's one thing I like my LBS and/or TBW for. Hmm, maybe if I had a work stand.

TBW?
(obligatory lower case lettering section)

Retail premises have had the latest round of Business Rates revaluations which kicked in April 2017 and have generally risen massively in London and South East as they are pegged on rents in 2015.

If you have a cunty Landlord who then also triggers your review at same time its a bit of a killer double blow...

A lot of people cannot and do not want to do that.

A lot of shops are clinging on to workshops as a way of surviving. Good bike mechanics are like gold dust and I only know three (two are on here...)

Normally hesitant about giving my bike to a bike shop for work, but the guys at London Cycle Workshop (Hammersmith) did a great job replacing my rear hub bearings - feels like a new bike!

Just discovered that London Fields Cycles has closed down - in August. Anyone know why (apart from the obvious going out of business)? I'd have thought that of all places, central Hackney would be a good bet for a bike shop...

It looks like it's going to be another Velorution shop.

Really? Where'd you hear that from?