London bike shops closing

I went into the KX store today and thought this, the Soho one has the same issue where it looks like they're not restocking the shelves.

Bikefix in Lamb’s Conduit St is closing down too. A 100% rent rise and continuing gentrification of the area means that Stuart can’t make it work any more. More details when I get them, but this is a real pisser.

It been dying since Steve and Ben sold it to Snow & Rock

Oh, that's terrible news. Really hope he can reopen somewhere else.

Also bad news about Cycle Surgery closing. Not good.

Yeah, bad news. A very knowledgeable shop.

There are stuff in the works hoping that it could be relocated.

Was approached about a potential investment in it, only time and circumstances will tell...

@Chak My friend worked at the Birmingham store and one of his colleagues messaged him this evening.

Yeah, we got the shout out this morning. Not all stores are closing at the same time. There's a time frame for it all. Waterloo and Victoria are, as of now, gone. The rest progressively. Mine will be a while.

Good luck. Which store do you work at?

Much obliged. Bishops Square. All bike shops have taken a hit in that area.

Is the market massively softening or is all trade moving online?

Two things--cycling going down and trade moving on-line.

In Stuart's case, obviously the rent increase will be a significant factor.

I got a bike built there about 10 years ago. Was great. Should have used it more often. Shame they are shutting.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/video/2013/mar/07/the-art-of-repair-bike-fix-video

Great bike shop..thought I'd post this if anyone interested.

Yeah, it’s really sad. It’s been there about 30 years I guess? Helmut Berns, aka Sonic Cycles, was based upstairs too, I had four bikes build there and raced them all, with a fair bit of success.
It’s always been a bit of an institution amongst more left-field cyclists, Stuart was big into recumbents and utility bikes from the start. There really isn’t another shop like it, and it’ll be seriously missed.

My experiences in Bikefix were entirely negative, found them awfully arrogant and patronising towards anyone who didn't know a lot about bikes (as I didn't, at the time), though that was a long time ago, the early 90s. I stopped going except to go upstairs to see Helmut, who was a different beast altogether.

Thats a massive shame. First used them 20 years ago to service my Brompton. Great shop.

Thats a sad one for sure about Bikefix. That street used to be something of an oasis in an oddly dead area. Didn't Helmut have a shop at one point in a sort of shopping precent in an estate somewhere sort of Regents Park/Camden way? @jj72

I think it was in Robert St. He sold Principias.

@WillMelling That was it. A while ago now. Nice fella.

The first time I saw a Sonic bike, at Critical Mass of all things, I thought it was one of the most beautiful bikes I'd ever seen.

If on bikefix reviews. Took my elderly Birdy for a big service last year, every part&pivot clapped out. Advised to bring on a Thursday (can't remember for which mechanic, Alex?), he got it running like new, including a fix for the poor rear V-brake pad alignment they have. Thanks, hope everyone there finds a new home.

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I’m biased, but Helmut made some beautiful bikes. He built me a time trial frame to a design by Mike Burrows (compact frame, sloping back too tube, seat stays shot in about 5” below the seat clamp) and it won me a national record, and he went on to build loads of them. He was a great TT’er himself and finally beating him around Eastway was a real honour.
Such a shame he quit frame building, apparently he just got bored with it. No idea what he’s doing now, but I’m hoping there’ll be a goodbye party at Bikefix and we’ll manage to track him down for it. I’ll post details up on here if it happens so people can come along and give Stuart and co a proper send-off.