Brick Lane Bikes (BLB) Bike Shop

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  • Went into BLB today to buy a bb that was on their website for £20 only to be told it was £25 from the shop...or they could post it to me for £20??? Seemed a strange way to do business to me.

  • I like BLB for a lot of the stock they have and the second hand bit can sometimes throw up some gems, but I find their own branded components to be really shoddy in terms of quality. Ive had two different stems from there and both have been visibly badly made and also on both the bolts tended to loosen off. Overall most of their own stuff looks very cheap in every sense other than what you are required to hand over.

    In terms of the staff, some are cool and some arent. hit or miss. Just dont take their shit, like with most bike shops unfortunately.

    That's my honest opinion.

  • Went into BLB today to buy a bb that was on their website for £20 only to be told it was £25 from the shop...or they could post it to me for £20??? Seemed a strange way to do business to me.

    most shops match their online price if it's different instore.It doesn't really make sense that posting it will make it a £5 cheaper to sell.

  • That's exactly the problem they lucky to be where they are!

    ha! not doing themselves any favors...they're just lucky they still have the custom of the hip hop hipster community.

  • Mosquito bikes on Essex road assured me the valve on the inner tube they gave me was long enough for my rims when it obviously wasn't.

    I walked into BLB once after a brake lever and out of the 3 or 4 people working there, no one would speak to me so I just left!

    I bought a bike for her at home from Cloud9 cycles and the BB axle snapped right off after the 1st 5 miles.

    I got a bottom bracket from Tokyo fixed last year. Expensive, chainline was way off, BB was poking out the side of the frame!

    So is there anywhere good to go or are they all fucking cowboys!?

  • Sound like you're in the wrong prairies boy.

  • About the chainline being, why was it their fault?

  • To explain further... It was badly setup when I bought the bike. Loads of things wrong with it (eg. there was no rim tape! The guy sold it because he kept getting punctures!), one of the things wrong that I didn't notice at first was that the chainring was put on the wrong side of the crank (the inside, rather than outside). TF didn't notice either and to compensate for this they actually didn't thread the BB all the way in, to get the chainring further away from the frame. Still wasn't enough space though when all it needed was the chainring moved.

    Sorry, to include TF in the "cowboys" gang probably wasn't necessary for what was just an oversight. I've heard nothing but good things from other people. Expensive though, £30 to fit a BB.

  • I miss 14bike co. The owner was super friendly.

  • Iggy, pick one shop and go there so regularly that you know everyone's names... Best service comes from building a relationship.

    Shops where I know I will get good service:
    All the shops with people I know in them (plus A&J in south Wimbledon... But never bought a bike from them)

  • Just had possibly the worst customer service i have ever experienced in Brick lane Bikes today. basically i am currently building up a dolan track champion and have some dura ace hubs that are in need of rims. I had my eye on some velocity rims (b43 rear and deep v front) and as BLB seemed to be the only uk distributors i gave them a call. I was bluntly told they were in stock and that they were going to put them aside for me. I also informed them that i was cycling from west London to pick them up. when i arrived i spoke to the bearded eastern european man behind the counter which turned out to be the same man i spoke to on the phone. He sent an assistant to fetch the rims but returned with only the b43 and told me they were out of stock of the deep v. I expressed my annoyance in the fact that i had cycled across London to get these rims after being assured they were both in stock. they then gave me the option to have the second rim delivered but i would have to pay £10 postage. I then explained the fact that it was their mistake and therefore not fair that i should have to pay £10 to have them shipped! the bearded fellow smiled at me and said, and i quote "i'm quite tired so if you dont want the rims then you can just leave". I left reluctantly without my rims trying very hard not brake anything on my way out. I have worked in various bike shops since the age of 16 and am now head mechanic of a shop in west London and have never experienced customer service like this!

  • You're head mechanic in a shop, and yet you choose to buy retail priced rims elsewhere? Hmm

  • Head to Fitzrovia bikes in W1, I'm sure they can sort you out mate.

    BLB are generally shit.

  • as i said BLB are the only Velocity distributors for Europe and didn't want to go second hand. In order to set them up as a supplier you need to make a first order of over £350 i've now ordered some halo calibers on trade.

  • I expressed my annoyance in the fact that i had cycled across London to get these rims after being assured they were both in stock.

    Them cycling lark is pretty hard work isn't it? it's a wonder that people ever ride.

    Why not the H+Son? they're as deep as the 43, in fact the 43 was in respond to the H+Son's first rims.

  • as i said BLB are the only Velocity distributors for Europe and didn't want to go second hand. In order to set them up as a supplier you need to make a first order of over £350 i've now ordered some halo calibers on trade.

    Fitzrovia bikes carry velocity.

  • thanks Scoble they look nice but alkali's right. i think i'll stick to what i can get on trade. halos seem to be a tad lighter as well. off topic but do you work for CS! i used to work with jimmy in victoria

  • Nope Evans (until further notice), but I do know Jimmy.

    Trade is the only reason I work for a chain bicycle shop.

  • Can't lie, the stock they have is awesome, they sell amazing products (for example the Notorious hubs). I will happily carry on buying from here online, or 'ratting out' second-hand BLB parts. However whenever i go in-store, they are EXCEEDINGLY rude, very blunt, arrogant people, but then again i don't blame them seeing as they are one of the most famous brands within the fixed gear/single-speed culture.... Anyone else had any issues with rudeness?

  • i don't blame them seeing as they are one of the most famous brands within the fixed gear/single-speed culture....

    lol

  • Don't you know PF?
    BLB invented the fixie in 2008.

  • People usually just fly into a messy rage when BLB are rude to them.

    (Not to me, I've only been there once and they were very friendly and helpful.)

  • Don't you know PF?
    BLB invented the fixie in 2008.

    Had your balls dropped by then?

  • Is that an appropriate question?

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Brick Lane Bikes (BLB) Bike Shop

Posted by Avatar for tomiskinky @tomiskinky

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