West London LBSs

Toby Sleigh said:

I've just had my Marin San Raphael ( main commuting bike) & Giant Alu Lite
( son's bike ) stolen from our back garden overnight. ( Ealing)

Sympathies. My bike is in a similar place but safe so far. Email back
if a strong ring to attach to a wall to lock bikes to would be any use
to you.

Please tell the police. They need to take cycle theft more seriously,
which they'll only do if it gets into their stats.

Quoted message said:

Has anyone any experience of bike shops in West London / outer west London
area with good range of hybrids and helpful attitude. ( e.g. I would want
the front wheel rebuilt for a Shimano hub dynamo). Only ones I know of are
either very small ( Woolsey's of Acton ), biased towards mountain biking,
off road etc, or not over helpful. e.g. Ealing bikes.

I think Woolseys are your best bet. They're bigger than they look,
with stock upstairs. The only other place I have any experience of is
most of the way to Shepherds Bush on the Uxbridge Road, on the right.

Colin McKenzie

--
The great advantage of not trusting statistics is that
it leaves you free to believe the damned lies instead!

"Colin McKenzie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Toby Sleigh said:

I've just had my Marin San Raphael ( main commuting bike) & Giant Alu

Lite

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

( son's bike ) stolen from our back garden overnight. ( Ealing)

Sympathies. My bike is in a similar place but safe so far. Email back
if a strong ring to attach to a wall to lock bikes to would be any use
to you.

Please tell the police. They need to take cycle theft more seriously,
which they'll only do if it gets into their stats.

Reported to Ealing Police, good response. visit from two officers then later
two others brought back wife's bike ( also stolen but I didn't mention it
earlier ) which had been dumped in neighbours garden.

Quoted message said:

I think Woolseys are your best bet. They're bigger than they look,
with stock upstairs. The only other place I have any experience of is
most of the way to Shepherds Bush on the Uxbridge Road, on the right.

That's a branch of action bikes, not impressed when I've visited. Lots of
£199 mountain bikes etc.

Quoted message said:

Colin McKenzie

Quoted message said:

x-no-archive: yes

Toby Sleigh said:

That's a branch of action bikes, not impressed when I've visited. Lots of
£199 mountain bikes etc.

Why not venture into central london some really good shops for seeing
what's available and you could always and taxi to padington should not
be too expensive.

http://www.evanscycles.com
http://www.condorcycles.com
http://www.bikefix.co.uk

Peter

x-no-archive: yes

Why not venture into central london some
really good shops for seeing what's available. If you purchase a taxi
to padington should not be too expensive.

http://www.evanscycles.com
http://www.condorcycles.com
http://www.bikefix.co.uk

Be warned though though you may not have much choice on where you
purchase as a lot of insurance companies you need to use their prefered
suplier.

Peter

Toby Sleigh said:

Only ones I know of are
either very small, biased towards mountain biking, off road etc, or not
over helpful.

While they are small they are helpful with no bias. They've been very good
for my £6 bike I won in an auction for instance :-

http://www.bicycleworkshop.co.uk/

"Toby Sleigh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've just had my Marin San Raphael ( main commuting bike) & Giant Alu Lite
( son's bike ) stolen from our back garden overnight. ( Ealing)
Has anyone any experience of bike shops in West London / outer west London
area with good range of hybrids and helpful attitude. ( e.g. I would want
the front wheel rebuilt for a Shimano hub dynamo). Only ones I know of are
either very small ( Woolsey's of Acton ), biased towards mountain biking,
off road etc, or not over helpful. e.g. Ealing bikes. When I needed a
replacement front wheel a couple of years ago & asked for it to be built
with hub dynamo I was told they weren't made any more. When I said I knew
of two mfrs they suggested if I could supply said exotic item they would
build wheel with it. Eventually they did a good job but it would be nice to
find shop one could have confidence in.
P.S. If any sees a dark matt grey/black Marin San Raphael with hub dynamo
and, although I say it myself, ingenious crud protector made from plastic
milk carton on front change mech, please let me know.
Toby

Toby,
I've every confidence in Ealing Cycles, and Woolsey's. John at Ealing
Cycles always builds my race wheels, and I trust them with my life.
They've changed their staff a couple of times since you last went in.
OTOH, they are not a chatty lot, and don't deal in exotica. Woolseys
has a huge range which isn't always apparent from the front. These
two, and The Bike Shop in Harrow are the only people I would trust my
bike to.

There is a shop in Greenford Centre (Greenford Cycles?) which seems to
sell everything, quite friendly as I remember. Apart from that it's a
bit dead unless you go to Richmond Cycles. You are right not to trush
Action Bikes in Isleworth. You can get to Evans in Wandsworth easily
if you must. And there is a "general" bike shop in West
Drayton/Yieldsley, which looks quite big when I go past it, and Walton
Cycles (or something) in Walton - quite a racing feel to that one.
Don't forget "The Bike Shop" in Harrow. It's racing credentials (Team
Quest) are immaculate, but most of it's business is from normal
people, and the shop is stocked accordingly.

The Ealing Cycle Campaign website also has some ideas.

HTH
Steve

"stephen pridgeon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >

Quoted message said:

Toby,
I've every confidence in Ealing Cycles, and Woolsey's. John at Ealing
Cycles always builds my race wheels, and I trust them with my life.
They've changed their staff a couple of times since you last went in.
OTOH, they are not a chatty lot, and don't deal in exotica. Woolseys
has a huge range which isn't always apparent from the front. These
two, and The Bike Shop in Harrow are the only people I would trust my
bike to.

HTH
Steve

Thanks all for suggestions.
I never realised Woolsey's had stock upstairs , I might try them for a
replacement bike for the son, but will probably go for second hand.
However I've already replaced my San Rafael with an almost brand new Marin
Fairfax sold to me by "Racer" ( See Bianchi San Remo thread )
Well chuffed with it,
Major [censored] on insurance front though, it was hopelessly inadequate as I'd
never bothered to add up the value of all the accessories on my Marin.
Including hub dynamo, stuff in panniers etc it came to £390. A mistake I
won't make again.
Toby