Micycle - new bike shop on Ferme Park Road

odd stewart · January 2013

Opening in the closed side of the Nicholas Nickleby.<br><br>It's these guys:<br><br>http://www.micycle.org.uk/<br><br>The existing one in Barnsbury looks good.<br>

andy · January 2013

Interesting given that Two Wheels Good in Crouch End is closing.

kreuzkav · January 2013

Probably like chip shops on SGR. One closes, another opens. You could call it a cycle.

TheMimsy · January 2013

Is Two Wheels Good in Crouch End the shop on Crouch Hill or the one near M&S?

Tordie · January 2013

It is the one on Crouch Hill next to Oddbins

gardener-joe · January 2013

@kreuzkav: "cycle" ... pure genius!

kreuzkav · January 2013

@ joe. Don't get carried away.

yagamuffin · January 2013

Two Wheels Good is closing?

That's a shame, the guys in there are always friendly although I'm not surprised if they are struggling with the horrible Evans chain around the corner.<div>Not sure I like the look of the new one though, looks horribly trendy. Another example of the Hoxton crowd moving this way?

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andy · January 2013

Keeping the shop in Stokey, according to sign in the window.

odd stewart · January 2013

I think it looks like a very nice bike shop run by people who know what they're doing, with the added bonus of serving coffee. <br>

Mirandola · January 2013

Hornsey Road boosterism here: Hadron, down by the Seven Sisters crossroads, is also very good.

tosscat · January 2013

<P>I never found that chaps to be that friendly in 2WG, in fact I struggle to find a friendly cycle shop in the area, so welcome along Micycle.</P> <P>My bicycle shop of choice is CycleLab in Old Street - they are really friendly and reasonable, I can't recommend them highly enough.</P>

mikep · January 2013

That's a shame about 2WG. They were always good in my own experience. I did wonder if they were going to shift more to servicing, but I guess they can't compete with Evans.<div><br></div><div>I've dropped into Micycle in Islington - I'm not sure what's mean by the "Hoxton crowd" because they were never based in that neck of the woods, nor are they part of the 'fixie' scene. They actually focus more on spares, accessories, servicing and bike maintenance classes. They are also jolly nice people, based on my experience.</div><div><br></div><div>Hadron's good, but honestly, having looked into myself, the last thing you actually want to sell as an independent bike shop is bikes, unless you're targeting a very very niche market.</div><div><br></div><div>CycleLab is good, as is Look Mum No Hands on Old Street.</div><div><br></div>

odd stewart · January 2013

Is the coffee any good in the barnsbury shop?

nick_m · January 2013

Another vote for Hadron on the Hornsey Rd. 2 Wheels Good was OK, but was connected to Specialized and the staff were a bit aloof. Hadron is genuinely independent and they know what the are talking about. Absolutely no attitude, which is quite often the case in bike shops, and they will deal with your battered old commuter with the same respect as a high-end racer.

Papa · January 2013

For repairs Finsbury Cycles on Seven Sisters Road is good. It's very old school bike shop, but they are quick and good value.<br>

fothers · January 2013

<P>TWG were poor - I took 2 bikes in for services and 2 had to be returned and tweaked. Also, I saw them being incredibly rude to another customer - tho were fine to me. </P> <P>Hadron I liked a lot when i visited - but used for 1 service and the bike had to be returned when the front brake stuck on..... v annoying, but would give them another go</P>

kreuzkav · January 2013

Old school is often good. I love that cycling has increased twofold or even fourfold over the last five years, but the sad side-effect is that it's also led to a lot of opportunist money making cycle shops.

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Mirandola · January 2013

Finsbury cycles are great - but they more or less specialise in bikes under 500, which is roughly where Hadron start.

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Ali · January 2013

<P>Finsbury are great and will fix just about anything.</P> <P>No upselling to put up with either !</P>

nick_m · January 2013

@ Misscara - agree with you on Evans, but tend to disagree with you on Finsbury. My wife bought a bought a bike from there years ago and they just sent her on her way, doing nothing to set it up for her. Hadron are definitely not too cool for school, they just know their stuff about high-end bikes. I find they tend to avoid the jargon, or at least explain it where possible. They will take any bike for a service and do an excellent job in my opinion - made my Boardman feel like new. I also paid them £40 to set the bike up properly (something Halfords, Evans, or most other bike shops, don't bother with), which involved a 2 hour session with them on the turbo, and I have stopped having shoulder pains and feel much more comfortable on the bike - money well worth spending if you go for long-ish commutes. To cap that they are properly independent and passionate about bikes. I have tried many other bike shops in the area and feel that it's worth supporting one when you find one as good as Hadron.

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emine · January 2013

Finsbury Cycles have always repaired my bike quickly and efficiently. But then again they did sell it to me - with its dodgy gears - in the first place. But I like them.

Patso · January 2013

Hadron thumbs up for me and have used a couple of times. 2WG inconsistent and pricey sometimes nice sometimes up their **** still shame an independant bike shop is going under.

Papa · January 2013

I think it all depends on people's view on bikes as to whether an old school Finsbury is preferred to a new school trendier option.<br><br>I have a decent flat bar road bike, bought for £500 with a lot of money off (ie about 40%) for it being a previous years model from Evans. I bought it there after researching what I wanted and my decision of where to purchase was based solely on price. I've had it five years and it's been great - if you buy a bike I would always recommend spending as much as you can upfront to get the best spec possible.<br><br>But to me it is a mode of transport, I ride everyday all-year round to work and to places I need to get to. It's not a hobby, I don't go on rides for the sake of them.<br><br>When I want something fixed, I want it done quickly, cheaply and using parts that are a combination of quality and value. I do what I can myself and pay for other things where needed. If I replace a chain and the cassette needs doing, I'll replace it, but I don't want to be upsold a cassette every time and new chain rings etc. I also don't want to take it in for a service and end up with a bill topping £100.<br><br>I totally understand, however, that if cycling is your hobby - ie road bike rides at weekends etc. then people will be happy with splashing the cash on upgrading, maintaining and pampering their baby.<br><br>Stereotyping means that I bracket Hadron into the market for the latter attitude and Finsbury into my just need something fixed attitude. That said I'd probably be more likely to actually buy a bike from the former than the latter, as I'd look to spend a reasonable amount upfront.<br><br>Hadron sound pretty good from what you say Nick M and Mirandola. <br><br>

miss annie · January 2013

Detritus and I have just got bikes. They are nice Raleigh bikes, old but in working order, and fine for our purposes. They were both completely FREE from Freecycle, one owner was getting rid of junk, the other was giving away her daughter's old bike. If you're in the market for any old pair of wheels for a bit of hobby riding, or are prepared to do a bit of tinkering I heartily recommend checking out Freecycle - I am a convert! It's only cost us a couple of bus journeys to collect. We've also got a monitor keyboard and tower from there - jazzy new computer!

mikep · January 2013

I had a word with the Micycle Islington shop to find out more. Apparently they won't be opening for quite a few weeks, the recent bad weather has set back their building plans a bit.<div><br></div><div>Interested to see what they do with the space.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

ShaunG · February 2013

@papa l - I thought if you replaced the chain you really do need a new cassette at the same time so they'll wear evenly. Or have I been duped? I never liked 2 wheels good. Found the staff somewhat sneery, and tried to convince me I really needed hand built wheels (for my £240 bike) rather than replace a spoke. Finsbury cycles is my preferred local - though mostly I get repairs done while at work, and the London Bicycle Repair shop, down an alleyway near Waterloo, is fab.

Papa · February 2013

@ShaunG Depends how often you change the chain and how stretched it is / how worn the cassette is.<br><br>The chain wears faster than the cassette, change them fairly regularly and before they stretch too far and damage the cassette and you can do about four to five chains to a cassette.<br><br>Different people suggest different distances, but as a rough rule of thumb you can get 1,500 miles off a chain, or more if you keep it clean and greased properly.<br><br>If you don't ever clean the chain you will kill the cassette quicker.<br><br>Proper way to check a chain is with a chain tool. I aim to swap them about every three months, but usually end up leaving it about six and change the cassette once a year or so.<br>

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Micycle - new bike shop on Ferme Park Road

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