Any UK MTB shops still in the same premises?
- Thread starter TreaderSteve
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Nearly drove me mad... But with the aid of Google maps I got there in the end, and they are still there, not in their totally original place they moved across the road, but was many many moons ago. John Borwells cycles, Spencer road, Norwich. B.I.T.D. Mike Burrows used to hang out in there a lot and the parts he designed were always laying around the place.
Once A Hero
Old School Grand Master
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I was thinking this just the other day, that any bike shop that was around in the 90’s and still present now would probably not be be being run by the same people, afterall 30years have gone by…
The bike shop I worked part time at in the mid 90’s is still a bike shop, though not in ownership it was when I was there. It did stock some nice kit when I was there, but the owners at the time stopped paying the bills so the stock ran dry and wasn’t replaced - it was a bit embarrassing not really having anything to sell, we just relied on servicing. So when the new owners took over it was for the best, and although they were a bit “mainstream” they are still there and trading, and they became less mainstream - for a while at least.
Two former managers of the shop have since started their own bike shops which are both doing well.
The bike shop I worked part time at in the mid 90’s is still a bike shop, though not in ownership it was when I was there. It did stock some nice kit when I was there, but the owners at the time stopped paying the bills so the stock ran dry and wasn’t replaced - it was a bit embarrassing not really having anything to sell, we just relied on servicing. So when the new owners took over it was for the best, and although they were a bit “mainstream” they are still there and trading, and they became less mainstream - for a while at least.
Two former managers of the shop have since started their own bike shops which are both doing well.
Betsy
Old School Grand Master
JE James in Sheff has been in the same premises for a good 50yrs, i bought a GT Karakoram from them back in the 90's which got ridiculously tricked out till a frame upgrade made it a Zaskar
Langsett Cycles on Infirmary road (it used to be on Langsett Rd in the early days) they used to manufacture their own road bikes and parts 'Sheffield Langsett' there's a couple in the gallery on Classic Lightweights (they eventually bought that green/white path back from the original owner) they made a head badge cast and hallmarked in sterling silver
they also ran a annual road race which set off from the shop, up to and around Langsett reservoir and back again which attracted competitors from around the world.
Back in the 90's when Kelvin Flats was still in existence and before Supertram transformed that area a retail wasteland they always had a glass cabinet full of lovely Pace, X-Lite ect bits, they would have to wipe my face prints and drool off it every time i called in.
They still get ram raided at least once/year.. so nowts changed there..
There is a book about it's history.
Langsett Cycles on Infirmary road (it used to be on Langsett Rd in the early days) they used to manufacture their own road bikes and parts 'Sheffield Langsett' there's a couple in the gallery on Classic Lightweights (they eventually bought that green/white path back from the original owner) they made a head badge cast and hallmarked in sterling silver
they also ran a annual road race which set off from the shop, up to and around Langsett reservoir and back again which attracted competitors from around the world.Back in the 90's when Kelvin Flats was still in existence and before Supertram transformed that area a retail wasteland they always had a glass cabinet full of lovely Pace, X-Lite ect bits, they would have to wipe my face prints and drool off it every time i called in.
They still get ram raided at least once/year.. so nowts changed there..
There is a book about it's history.
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The really bad side of this post is I can remember loads of great shops that have now departed 
