Freedom bikes

does anyone know whats happening with Freedom bikes, have these guys permanently closed down?

google says permanently closed and their phone line is dead but don't know if its just a virus thing.

they're my go to when all else fails on getting bottom brackets out and other things needing obscure tools

Sadly I think they closed down last year, I vaguely remember seeing a post somewhere about it.

Edit: Yup. It's the pinned post on their facebook page.

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Bike shops do appear to struggle in Brighton.
G-Whizz are still going.

Yeah unfortunately another one bites the dust. I used freedom bikes for years when Ben owned it also syds, rule 5 and ubyk all gone now such a shame and there seems to only be one decent shop left now in a city that seems full of cyclists

yeah its not great is it, I think its the high rents and subsequently the rates that make it so hard to do and make a living out of it.

I think my first proper bike when I were a nipper came from freedom bikes (or a bike shop on that street at least) back around 1987... sad times

I've gotten to know the owners and mechanics in most of the bike shops that have now closed down in town over the years and they all say the same thing. Sky high rents and rates and everything is cheaper on the Internet. I know its a nationwide/industry wide problem at the moment so its happening everywhere but when you have fond memories of being a kid and teenager hanging around those shops spending your first wages on shiny new bike things it is a sad reminder of how things have changed.

I guess community workshops are a double edged sword as well. Great that people are learning to fix their bikes but less business for shops.

Ideally they'd learn to fix their bikes and then buy the parts from the shop.

I think its the high rents and subsequently the rates that make it so hard to do and make a living out of it

Sky high rents and rates and everything is cheaper on the Internet

These are exactly the problems. The rent problem is really exaggerated in Brighton.

BTW... Paul of Rule 5 Bikes couldn't make the shop work for this very reason, but is now going great guns being the "mobile bike mechanic". He comes to you. Check out his FB page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/rule5bikes/

His cargo bike setup is really impressive. Pretty much everything he needs (including portal bike stand) is on there. He re-cabled my MTB from it just the other day. Forgive the shameless plug, but maybe give him some love (and business)!

Yeah Pauls a really good guy i met him when he was at syd's before he went out on his own and often chat to him when he's doing mechanical support at local races. So thats two plugs then 👍👍

I was gutted when I saw Freedom close. I live on the same street so they were very much my lbs.

Out of curiosity, what are peoples recommended bike shops in Brighton? I've used Baker St for some work recently and was happy with the result.

I'm only using Rayments now as Baker Street have pissed me off the mechanics are ok although my favourite there has just left. My issue was with the owner so I'm not using them anymore out of principle

When I'm not using Paul H (see above), and for an actual shop: Rayments. All the guys in there are really great.

This is good to know, thanks guys. Rayments is on my commute to and from work which is nice. @sea-level I had a look at Paul/Rule 5, mental cargo setup! Kudos points for strapping Wonder Wipes to forks.

Just curious but don’t any of you guys do your own work on your bikes?

I do as much as I can myself, recently had to take my bike in to Baker St for an insurance quote and a full rebuild as my frame cracked after an accident, which funnily enough happened at the Preston Circus junction, just down from Rayments.

It's just headsets and bb's I avoid like the plague. I also do all my bike work at the bottom of my stairs which is fun...

Just curious but don’t any of you guys do your own work on your bikes?

No. I'm mechanically inept. I'm good with computers and can ride a bike pretty well, but doing actual work on them... forget it!

Same stay clear of b- b and headsets
Use Sussex velo in Rustington on the Worthing road
His spot on