Late 80's bike shop - Headrow, leeds??

Anyone remember the bike shop on the headrow BITD - think it became the AA shop?

Ruddy useless place full of posh kit that no-one there (I ever found) knew how to fit or what went with what?

Just one of those do you remember conversations I was having.

Stiif obviously and the little one near Hyde Park pub wasn't bad but...

Can't remember one on the Headrow but remember Freewheel down near the Square on the Lane. Think it's a nando's now!

The original Stif was ACE!!

Edd - yep I think I could have been freewheel - did it have a downstairs? (a lot of water and alcohol has passed since!)

Thanks! daft conversation I was having and remember always being frustrated that the good shops were out of town whenever I needed anything and I was in (Brunswick Building behind the Merrion Centre).

Stiff was great but in a "poor student and would have to give up beer to have one of them oranges" kind of way.

Now I just have to give up beer. But got the orange!

And

Early 80 s there was Watson & Cairns in Leeds centre. When i was 13 or 14 my Dad got me a Diamond Back Harry Leary Turbo BMX for xmas from that very shop.

I can't remember one on headrow either. I've been rummaging through images on 'leodis- a photographic archive of Leeds' but, nothing yet.

Back in late 80's we had a LBS within walking distance (probably 3 miles, like) so never ventured to town for such an outlet.

But, watson and cairns, lower briggate/junction of boar lane was the place to be! they stocked marin and, that's all I need to mention. Of course they did a comprehensive range and also did skateboard stuff. Originally they were motorbike dealers, back in 70's...

A few shops up, you find yourself on the actual juction, (where mcdonalds is on opposite corner) literally behind you is what used to be 'two wheels good' and i think it was freewheel before that, as brocklanders mentioned.

I have seen a few bike shops come and go in leeds centre, they rarely did more than 2 years. Infact, right at the top of vicar lane (opposite the old ABC cinema, now demolished) was a bike shop i can't even remember the name of.

The 'don't last' phenomenon is something i can't truly explain but, lack of parking. generic(boring) stock and upp'd prices may be in there somewhere. Stiff opposite arndale centre, headingley, had some parking at rear and failing that you could get in the streets up there, somewhere. Forget that now though! in hindsight. As the streets in headingley are largely 'resident only' etc...

Next time i'm in Drake's cycles, harehills, leeds I will ask in there, at least two remaining staff were in the industry back then, so may be wise to ask the wise. Including john Drake himself.

I'll get back if i gain any info.

marc two tone":23gvvqwq said:

But, watson and cairns, lower briggate/junction of boar lane was the place to be! they stocked marin and, that's all I need to mention. Of course they did a comprehensive range and also did skateboard stuff. Originally they were motorbike dealers, back in 70's...

A few shops up, you find yourself on the actual juction, (where mcdonalds is on opposite corner) literally behind you is what used to be 'two wheels good' and i think it was freewheel before that, as brocklanders mentioned.

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Yes - it was freewheel because i remember it being two wheels bad on my return for postgrad (or even later finals, which would have been 91-3ish.

I remember Watson and Cairns too - and the marin's - I bought some early mtb shoes (like Karrimor "walking" trainers!) from there BITD! IIRC they got destroyed on a midnight bike-trek (after pub :facepalm: ) over to Horsforth to 'see' a trainee teacher

Thanks for the memory filler.
And

https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53. ... 3,,0,15.21

The link above shows nando's, ex freewheel. On the same side of road but further down towards the railway bridge was watson and cairns, around 3 o'clock just short of rail bridge.

Memory lane alright! I remember going into watson and cairns with a a bag of saved coins asking for 70gs shifters :shock: they looked lovely and a big upgrade to the sis thumbies on the mustang. tell nobody!

There was/is of course the 2 Woodrup shops, the Headingley one run by Maurice's missus and selling 'ordinary' stuff. Bob Jackson's up from the Clock Cinema - and they relocated to Holbeck for a while and then Stanningley. Compton Cycles in Compton Rd. I'm sure there was one bit further on from Jackson's in the parade of shops on the left going down before getting to the Compton Rd. junction? Cyclefit up in Bramley for a few years (early 90's though? He part sponsored our 'Team Spirit' MTB race team for a couple of years). There was a shop up near the University, can't remember the name (Dave's Cycles or similar?). Mel Bentley (who also sponsored Team Spirit for a while) in Knowle Terrace.

Somewhere I've got a Freewheel catalogue from the Leeds shop, full of stuff you'd never think of buying these days!

Flamin' nora! COMPTON cycles! Yes, he 'vanished' 10+ years ago, run the shop on this own, a small but, handy bike shop.

The one on harehills lane, nearer compton road was drakes' before they relocated to other end of harehills lane, near fforde greene. Stocking orange now

It must have been early nineteen eighties because I can't remember a time before the AA shop on the H/row opposite the Leeds and Holbeck.

Archemist":36dp4mwd said:

Ruddy useless place full of posh kit that no-one there (I ever found) knew how to fit or what went with what?

Click to expand...

Sounds as though it was ahead of it's time though, ill-informed bike shops seem to be "Where it's at" now!

Thinking about Stiff, was there a bike shop or frame builders there before? When I was very little on the bus (This is red West Yorkshire bus, old) I can remember been fascinated by an old bike frame that was always bolted onto the apex of that building's roof. Now that Stiff has gone to posh-Harrogate way an old frame has appeared again, now it's green and hung up from the side of the building almost like a pub sign.

BTW the last time I went in Watson and Cairns must have been about 1994/5, as I brought my first ever pair of grey Tioga Physco II's there and I seem to remember that my mate Dunc, who I knew from BTCV was with me and had to be steered away from all their scooter stuff :roll: in the motorbike accessory part!