Is there one decent bike shop in SE1?

I too have had a bad experience at Recycle, Elephant Road. They have partly put it right, but they have still managed to make me feel aggrieved and a very dissatisfied customer.

My bike was in for a service, and was stolen from inside their shop. It's not clear how this happened, but I assume someone paid my bill as a way of getting a cheap bike. It doesn't quite make sense.

Anyway they initially offered me £50 off any bike in the shop (£50 was the repair bill), but I politely said no way was I paying anything at all for their error. They then offered me a replacement new bike, worth £150, with a one month service, which I was happy with. I do sympathise to a certain extent because they have also been ripped off too by the thief, and they say it has never happened before. On the other hand, it seems that their systems appear to have allowed the opportunity for the theft.

My bike also had light brackets, cup holder, lock brackets and a rear rack, all of which I have had to replace at my own expense (from a different source). This cost me around £75, considerably more than the £50 I was prepared to pay for the original service on the stolen bike.

I took all these replacement parts to the shop and asked the Manager if under the circumstances they would fit them under the one month service, or as a good will gesture, but she would not. It would be the standard £7.50 charge. I was polite and asked if they think it it is fair that I will have paid more than £30 for their error. Manager is very focussed on her own loss of £150 (the cost of the bike they gave me), and seems to feel that by replacing the bike itself they have done more than enough.

In the end I decided to pay the stupid £7.50 charge, and at least get them to do the work, but I will be writing to them to ask for a refund of the costs of getting the bike back to how its predecessor was before.

It would have so easy for them to do the work for free, and morally it would have been the right thing. As it is, they have left me feeling greedy and ungrateful.

I had problems with my gears and brakes. So I took my bike to VeloDro on a Thurs eve and could pick it up Fri eve and I must say I was really impressed by the service and the price... They fixed my brakes and gears all for £30.00 in just one day. The best deal I've had from any bike shop in SE1..... Try them....!

For bike repairs done by a g8 people trying to run a small business go no further than.

Druid Cycles
18A Druid Street, Southwark
London, SE1 2EY

Hi

I had my bike serviced recently at Velodro which is on Tower Bridge Road and just opened recently. They did a great job and the price was v reasonable compared to other local shops (Evans, On Your Bike). They event went the extra mile to help out a problem I've been having with one of my bike lights. Small touches like that really make a difference.

I recommend them highly.

http://www.velodro.com/

Can also add my recommendation for Velodro on Tower Bridge Road. Took my bike in for a service on Friday and picked it up this morning. Very reasonable price and the work was finished to a very high standard. I will definitely be using them again. Keep up the good work guys !

Thanks for the recommendations. Now that spring is almost upon us, I was thinking of getting my bike serviced & start cycling again.

I had my bike serviced at Balfes Bikes on Kennington Road last week. Very quick, replaced a few parts that were becoming rather worn and even took the time to straighten by bent handlebar caused by a collision with a wall on a particularly slppy day last year.

Robinsons on Jamaica Road (though SE16 is it only just outside SE1) does excellent repairs at very competitive prices. I have taken my bike to him many times.

I went into the cycle shop on Hatfields this evening and they were lovely, and very quick.

They didn't mock me for a rather silly thing that I'd done and just fixed the problem!! I've always found them to be very nice and always willing to explain what's wrong. They are expensive though, but seem very good.

Druid Cycles is a Community Interest Company and none for profit organisation at 18 Druid Street, SE1 2EY. We offer same day repairs for decent prices 9 (lowest in Southwark) and we build customized 2nd hand vintage bikes to order. Why dont give us a try the next time around?