CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
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resolvedAnother question for the collective experience of the forum...
I know when it comes to motorcycles there are only two or three workshops in the area which I'd use, and only one where I'd be certain of getting a first class job.
So... are there any bicycle mechanics/workshops locally which the forum users would single out as exceptonally good? (esp for roadbikes if it makes a difference).
Thanks all :)
I think the collective wisdom veers towards Bicycle Works, but I wouldn't know because I fix my own!
Bicycle works if your in no hurry, they are pretty busy. Only one i've used tbh, most stuff i just do my self truing wheels is my Achilles heel, i'm just not patient enough.
I've only ever used really used EBC or TBW due to their proximity to where I live. My experience of both has led to me now only using TBW, who have gotten things done significantly faster and cheaper and to a higher standard. I've gotten a bit of an feeling from EBC that they can be a bit disinterested in some more minor repairs - for instance quoting "at least a week on Monday" before they'd even look at a broken spoke, when TBW fixed it (and the other 3 knackered ones that weren't instantly obvious) the same day and re-truing the wheel for a trifling amount under their card limit.
I did used Macdonald Cycles once but they gave off the distinct impression that I was getting in the way of them sitting around looking cool amongst all their bikes :)
(editorial note - the above is just my personal and probably biased opinions and has no scientific basis.)
Freewheelin if you are in the Slateford area
Yep, go for the Bicycle Works.
Looks like Bicycle works gets the vote then, I shall have to make a visit!
Thanks all :)
Tell them CCE 'sent' you...
lol, will do :-)
Well, The Bike Chain obviously has the best two bike mechanics in town and can always be relied upon for a timeous and courteous service.
I hear they've gone beyond coffee and cake and now offer free champagne and caviar to all customers too.
The above may contain some falsehoods and/or exaggeration.
"The above may contain some falsehoods and/or exaggeration."
No cake then?
"Well, The Bike Chain obviously has the best two bike mechanics in town and can always be relied upon for a timeous and courteous service."
So Druidh, does that mean you work there or you're angling for freebies? ;-))
edited to add, I was at Bike works today and I did remember to mention you lot sent me... he looked torn between alarmed and pleased :-)
I always take my big jobs (headset, facing up disc mounts, whatever) to the Bicycle Works. Tried a few others, none really compare.
I'm sure there are good mechs at other shops. Thing is, Bicycle Works actually seem to exist to do work on bikes, as opposed to selling accessories with wrenching as a sideline.
As a bonus, they do it cheaper than some others too. EBC tried to charge me £40 to replace a plain steel fork on my still in-warranty EBC Courier Race bike. I got one from Bicycle Works for £20 which included them cutting the steerer and swapping the race!
"I was at Bike works today and I did remember to mention you lot sent me... he looked torn between alarmed and pleased :-)"
I used to mention that I went there for repairs after meeting laidback there for a tandem demo. Much the same reaction (perhaps also because of inquisitive 3 year old with me...)
I'm sure there are good mechs at other shops.
There are of course. Thing is that TBW do have a bigger pool of staff than some shops so can swap stuff between each person.
It's evolved into the current form and people maybe expect too much sometimes. As documented elsewhere every so often the shop gets full and people just can't accept that you can't have staff going out to look at emergency repairs and still be able to get through the logged in bikes.
The Bike Chain is best shop in North Edinburgh and in the top 1 for all of Edinburgh but many of the southsiders on this forum would have to take big detour to get there. Possibly does not have as many mechanics as TBW. But it is either TBW or TBC
The Bike Chain is best shop in North Edinburgh
They had some Hope brake pads that the Bike Works didn't have. So I certainly would recommend them.
Don't want to knock others. We have a great range of shops in Edinburgh.
We have a great range of shops in Edinburgh.
And people say it's otherwise, all because we don't have a Primark, or the Topshop is slightly smaller (but sells all the same tat) as the one in Glasgow
Eastside Bikes in Abbeyhill are great. I've used them a few times with my folder and ladies bike (!). They have got newish owners, are very cheap, fast (no two week wait!) - good work.
Remember, if you want to learn how to fix your bike yourself the Bike Station holds Fix Your Own Bike sessions on a Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon - http://www.thebikestation.org.uk/fyob/
With advice from mechanics, and free tea and coffee for you, and grease and oil for your bike - for £4 an hour you can't go wrong!
I'd recommend TBS too (maybe not myself as a mechanic though!). Had my first shot there last night. For £6 and an hour and a half of my time I removed my old fork, removed the crown race, re-installed the race on the new fork (using the proper tool), cut the new fork to size (again, using the proper tool), intalled the star-fangled nut (again, using the proper tool) and reassembled the fork, stem, brake, speedo, mudguards and all.
I also got to act all knowlegable to the people there trying to change tubes / tyres and taking 40 minutes to work out that they didn't know one end of a tyre lever from the other and showed them how to do it. Also pointed out to the lad that had gone through 3 inner tubes in the evening that his problem with his tyres that kept going flat was the sharp spoke ends / rim welding pooking out as he'd pulled the rim tape off and binned it. And I got to admire an ancient bike with rod-actuated brakes (and it's owner :P).
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