I had no motor due to a more complicated than expected MOT and my parts delivery for my installation didn’t arrive at the workshop. There were two choices, cancel the rest of the day due to poor ticket sales or get my bike wheel fixed (see the posts below).
I live within walking distance of a bike shop, Magic Cycles at Bowling Basin, I phoned them up and “Bring it along ” John said. I took off my tyre, cassette and disc, gave the wheel a clean up and headed out.
I took a detour when I got to the station, over the bridge and down to the harbour wall. The harbour is filling up with wrecks again, I think Clyde Port are happy with that, the more wrecks there are the less landfill they’ll have to buy to fill the harbour in and build houses on it. Bastards.
The path’s getting overgrown, folk aren’t using it like they used to. As a kid I was up and down there all the time. Children are more fragile these days apparently. Mmmff.
I arrived at the shop to be greeted by three wee dugs and my wheel was taken off me and put into the wheel truing stand. It was savable, and it would be saved right now while I waited.
The wheel was fixed long before I left, it was fixed and sitting on the floor before I had a coffee and caught up on local gossip and the wrongs of the world as well as the occasional right.
You don’t get this stuff shopping on the internet, the LBS – Local Bike Shop is a vital institution.
Evan’s tendrils are creeping ever wider and Chain Reaction’s internet absorbing warehouse can now be seen from space it’s so big. Glasgow is now devoid of independent outdoor shops and it’s a tragedy, the result of which is bland conformity in kit choice in the stores.
We’ll only have ourselves to blame if it happens to the bike shops.
Speaking of quality outdoor shops in Glasgow, which would you recommend for honesty? (In both price and advice)
I should probably be neutral and diplomatic here. One shop has been quoted as saying about me “He doesn’t like us and we don’t like him”.
But, the truth is that all the stores are sales driven and you’re entirely reliant on which staff member serves you whether you get great advice from an active outdoors person who wants to help and consequently make a sale, or get pressured to buy what they want to sell you by a disinterested clock watcher who’s quoting from brand training given by a visiting sales rep.
I know plenty folk who have worked in the big stores and my favourite criticism was hearing of one of them told by a manager to “Stop giving so much advice, just sell them something”.
The gear’s all good, prices seem to be RRP in the shops outside of sale times, Shop around, find the good folk, they’re somewhere in every shop and deserve the commission.
The wee dugs are nice. I sometimes stop and give them a wee pat on the head as I stagger past them.
As for Glasgow outdoor shops, Nevisport has improved considerably recently, with the range of gear they stock, after a shocking downturn when they were originally taken over.
They also have some reasonable sale stuff in there now.
I’ve purchased a few items from them over the last couple of years, from Patagonia, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear and Black Diamond.
They also have some Haglofs and Montane as well as the usual Rab, TNF and Berghaus.
I hope you stop me and say hello if we run into each other!
I always keep an eye out for you (or a big black hearse going past ) but it’s usually a Sunday morning when I do my long run.
I expect you’re usually on your way to the hills or sitting in the house with a cuppa and bacon roll.
Ooh, bacon roll. I want one of those now.
See you at some point I dare say!
Thanks for that, as I expected really. Much the same in Edinburgh to be honest. I really miss new heights, alas it’s a long time since they were around. I’m a newcomer to your blog and enjoying the reviews. Cheers
There used to be a lot of great independents in Edinburgh. Chain stores take all the fun out of gear shopping.
Thanks for the kind words! Plenty more coming up.