A E Wilson Peckham Hight St

Does anyone know if this place is still open? (I dont get down Peckham often) and if it is owned by any of the Wilson family
As far as I know the building is still there.
Just found out my Great Grandfather worked there and consequently got put in prison for fiddling the till in 1909!

Maybe I should go an apologise on behalf of my criminal family!

Yes it's still open. They just sell bike bits and some unknown brand bicycle-like things now.

i go there occasionally when i don't have the tool for something. i got them to pull some cranks off two days ago. it's really near my flat. also, if you take something in they do it there and then, which is pretty good to know. they fitted a BB for me some time ago for £2.50, i didn't have the right splined tool. they also took one out for nothing.

they sell a lot of bicycles that are good for local commuters, sporadic cyclists. although he did have a fixed/free wheel for sale for £30. it looked a bit nasty. he also said he's thinking of getting in the Alf Webb frames. they are pretty shit as well, ask ASM.

it's a south lahndan father-son operation, i don't think it's still linked to ae wilson though. it's sort of like a much smaller, poor man's Edwardes, which you may as well schlep to, or birxton, if you really need something. shame though, the shop front looks great and it's well placed.

Yes, an area that had Gillots and Harrisons within half a mile of where Wilson's is now has nothing really apart from Edwardes.

such a funny shop

funny, but not "Ha ha" funny right now. The "it'll be done tomorrow" joke wears off after two weeks. Should have listened to reeen and done it meself :(

They're just a small LBS thats sells a lot of GRPS u-locks. I like them, but no, they're not quick.

It's hit and miss. Little jobs like fixing a spoke he turned around in half a day, which was great.
But he seems to have a serious lack of parts. I mean: How difficult is it to obtain a Bontrager compatible BB? Not two weeks difficult, is it?
Especially cuz reeen had one at hand!
Could at least be upfront about the missing parts and his difficulties to get any, and I would have gotten a BB for him and he still would have had business. Like this I just won't go back there, because he's sitting on my bike saying "it'll be done tomorrow" every day and am fucking pissed off, having to go by tube every morning.

A Bontrager-compatible bottom bracket? I don't understand that.
Surely they didn't have their own proprietary fitting, a la Campagnolo?

Had the same when someone tacoed my back wheel and wanted them to rebuild it. I think they had it for 3 weeks before i gave up the ghost and took it to brixton cycles to do.

I like that I can walk there and get a headset installed. Or use his enormous mole grips to remove a snapped bolt. (/my two experiences at Wilsons)

+1
Steve (?) the owner removed some old freewheel for nothing and has done a few other things for me for pretty cheap.
He's a nice guy and without being disrespectful, I suspect they need the business a bit more than some other LBSs.
But it's true, they are not exactly quick if you leave stuff with them.

saying "it'll be done tomorrow" every day and am fucking pissed off, having to go by tube every morning.

I had this for 2 weeks. Left my hub and rim with them and asked them to get the spokes for me and build it all up, and nothing happened for 2 weeks. Gave up in the end and took the parts back.

it's a real shame, I actually wanna like the shop and the guy!

I think they just don't have a system for getting things done. They work on whats in front of them, and maybe forget stuff thats long due.

A Bontrager-compatible bottom bracket? I don't understand that.
Surely they didn't have their own proprietary fitting, a la Campagnolo?

well, the fillmore is just one big bontrager branded mess. It's a Truvativ GXP BB, but even The boys at Brixton Cycles have their trouble with it and say it sometimes requires to leave out a spacer. So they told me today, anyway, when I got a BB from them.

The next stop was at A.E.Wilsons, and I left the BB there and asked them to put it in the bike so I could pick it up later.

He did that, and they didn't wanna charge me for putting it in either.
I had a good chat to the guy and his son, and it turned out he went a bit on a mission to find the right BB, he even went to Edwardes, but they gave him the wrong one.
Also he seems to have trouble with supplies as while I was in there about 4 peeps called, and every time the answer was "should be here later today" just as it has been for my stuff... Feel a bit sorry for him, really.

I left and told em to next time just tell me when they haven't got a part straight away, and I'll go out and get it, pay them for the labour or something like that ...

And that's exactly the bottom line with this shop: It's nice, but don't rely on it when you need your stuff done fast. If he doesn't have stuff to fix it, ask him what exactly he needs and go get it, rather than me waiting for 3 weeks.

Did I already say I want to like the shop?

i agree, they're definitely a bit wishy-washy
BUT
at least they would never ever charge someone FIVE FUCKING QUID FOR A GENERIC SEAT BOLT like bullshit balfe's/bc bikes over the road did!
to be fair, they've gotten better as well since they moved to their new shop...

oh, and they are really really nice, and you do want to like em
i'm with you pascalo

Hi to all that have posted re Wilson's,
I would like to say thank you for using the shop, I would also like to apologise to those of you that have not had a quick turn around on the jobs brought into us and can only say that most of the jobs do get turned around quick, I'm not going to even try to make excuses, please don't give up on us and for those that have posted I hope to see you again.

Steve (owner)

Wilsons is one of the nicest and most reliable bike shops I've ever been in. Steve Wilson is a legend and has been in the game for more years than most of the fixie skidders have been alive. He has some great stories!
As the business has been in the the family for a while (I believe), you can rely on a great service and I personally have never had to wait very long for my stuff.
It sounds like your job was tricky for all bike shops and I guess he was just trying to get it done for you rather than turn you away.

They also stock those cheap U locks that got good reviews in the Locks that work thread

An excellent bike shop.

Just to balance this out a bit more: I wholeheartedly think that this is one of the most likeable shops in London. And I am sure they'll never overcharge you for a frickin' screw. I want a shop to not fail, it's this one.

So go on peeps, give Steve a chance and then decide for yourselves.

Many thanks for your support and kind words.
all the best for 2011
steve

i would also like to add my support for steve and the shop. they have always been helpful and accomodating whenever i have been in.
thanks for working on my red EG bates, i am sure i will be in soon with something else. happy new year.

You're alright in my book Steve. I'm the guy that told you to buy more of those GRPS locks, and promised you they'd really sell.
I'm the author of the Locks That Work thread, that's grown to be fairly well known.

You're alright in my book Steve. I'm the guy that told you to buy more of those GRPS locks, and promised you they'd really sell. I'm the author of the Locks That Work thread, that's grown to be fairly well known.

*cough*upyourselfmuch?cough ;)