London bike shops closing

Makes sense if you have multiple mechanics you can trust but only a few of them come with warranty. Some people are very "this person is my bike mechanic" so warranty or not they want that person.

Harvey seemed happy enough with it so I don't mind much, if he was down about it then I'd be more sad.

I am like that with my Mash Work, coz Harvey did me a solid when he first built it, I am not sure if he actually made any profit from that bike, so he is the only person other than me who has ever worked on my Mash Work. But for a new build, I might just go to another not so local LBS or something.

I popped into Harbour cycles the other day to pick up a brake cable. Guy in there was nice and seemed knowledgeable. Had a chat about a cool pink Coppi that was in the racks.

Not sure why but it surprised me, having previously assumed it was a shop for turning around cheap second hand clankers.

Worth giving them a go.

Yesterday I needed to get a BB out of a frame that had been in there since 1996. I couldn't do it myself as the tool I have is just home mechanic sized not shop grade.

Anyway so I went to the shop on OKR called Happy Cycles. Guy says no problem and gets out a worse BB tool than I was using and an adjustable spanner, tries to get it to move and can't. Says the BB is really stuck and won't move but he can get it out for £30 if I leave the bike there.

Are you fucking kidding? You used an adjustable spanner and you have cyclist arms. It needs LEVERAGE - that's why I'm here.

Told him thanks but no thanks and walked up to Cycle Fix on OKR. Guy got it out in about 4 minutes using a big tool and a long bar.

I told him the story about Happy Cycle and he was laughing so much it added at least 1 minute to getting the BB out. Charged me £10

^ That's the exact reason bike shops are closing all over London. Providing shabby overpriced service to customers they take for mugs.

@jeez is turning in his exiled grave £30 for a B.B. removal!

there is some truth to this

But garages have thrived on this model for decades. I'm not even being facetious.

Because MOT is a legal requirement

Most people would not bother if it wasn’t.

they had disc brakes for YEARS!

I've always dismissed this place for the same reason - I'll pop in next time.

Providing shabby overpriced service to customers they take for mugs.

Standard London regardless of what you are selling

I'd be fairly certain that Jeez is currently lurking under another alias.

I'd be fairly certain that Jeez is currently lurking under another alias.

I'm not.

OK, then, how did you manage to hijack Pifko's account?

Oh nooooo, gutted about cycle ps. Was my LBS close to work before I changed jobs. :(

That was @Breso ‘s place - it shut a year or two ago, which is a shame as it was great.

Now I remever I actually went into Harbour Cycles once a little while ago when I needed some new 23c tyres like NOW on a Sunday afternoon and they were the only place that was still open. So I went in and asked if they have any 23c tyres, they had no idea what I was talking about and I had to point out a 23c tyre on a customer's bike...

I took the train to work the next day...

So I went into see Harvey yesterday, as @Clockwise has said, he seems OK with it, he says he is kind of looking forward to work for someone for a little while so he hasn't got all the tax / rent / staff etc ect of running a business to worry about.

Lewis is going to be the workshop manager for Evans at Dulwich...

Still feeling sad though!

We should go and have one final forum drinks there before they close.

Good idea. There's a closing party on the 23rd, so should we perhaps do the 19th?

Not sure why but it surprised me, having previously assumed it was a shop for turning around cheap second hand clankers.

That's pretty much what they are. Even worse (and smaller) selection of components and accessories than Halfords and they finally sacked their only competent mechanic a couple of months ago. I would not recommend it as somewhere to get any work done on a bike.

Rent, rates, shit margins, wiggle cunts, amazon etc etc it’s a tough marketplace. I had a customer ask me today, if I would price match a lock he has picked up with Amazon’s price. I said, it’s already £20 off retail, that’s the cheapest I can do. You can buy it from amazon if you like, I really don’t mind. But just remember, maybe one day there will be no shops left, and only amazon.

He ended up buying a more expensive lock, but only just.

Some customers are soulless weasels - I hadn’t heard about wiggles mobile mechanic model before but it is concerning. Just gotta hope customers still succeed in ordering incompatible parts and that the mobile mechs don’t carry enough stock to cover those bases....

Everyone looking for London alternatives going forwards, how about SBC?

Some customers are soulless weasels - I hadn’t heard about wiggles mobile mechanic model before but it is concerning. Just gotta hope customers still succeed in ordering incompatible parts and that the mobile mechs don’t carry enough stock to cover those bases....

I can see the news now... "Mobile mechanic bludgeon to death in random guys shed for saying chain is rusty and needs to be replaced." can honestly see the service plagued by customers wanting everything for nothing and kicking off at mechanics but without the security of a shop.

SBC is too far for me and I do most of my own bike work but the guys there are really really sound, I just bought some mudguards from them and they were happy to work around me not being able to come in. Took payment by bank transfer and ordered me in the guards especially. Been following them since Tokyo fixed. Would thoroughly recommend.