Their green signposts-bikes strapped to the lamposts on Curry Mile alerted me to the existence of…read moreThe Bicycle Doctor, which is located on one of the larger side roads off Wilmslow Road. While Neil M. makes an obvious and valid point about the larger stock of Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, I don't feel that is necessarily a deal-breaker against buying a bike from The Bicycle Doctor which is still quite sizeable. Plus, I get the feeling that the stock offered by The Bicycle Doctor is quite savvy in its own way, with some unique products which may be hard to find elsewhere in Manchester. For example, an electric bike by Trek at £1,700 and a rainbow of cute pastel-coloured Brompton folding bikes both suggest that people are spending serious money here - in fact I don't think EBC stock electric bikes at all. I parted with cash for an interestingly versatile 100% merino wool 'buff', which can be to protect and the cold and UV also, plus a neat pair of cycling sunglasses which several people have asked me where I bought them from. I am in the market for cycle panniers, and I will definitely consider buying them from the good Bicycle Doctor, especially since they stock the high-end Ortlieb roll-top waterproof designs and even had four or so different colours in stock. On the repairs front, their website states that all their mechanics are Cytech-certified which sounds good enough to me! Lastly, The Bicycle Doctor allocates a significant corner of their precious floorspace to a rack of cycling leaflets detailing local routes, mass rides, and cycle-friendly tourism further afield - an authentic touch which typifies this Workers' Co-op which has been 'Serving the Cycling Community for over 25 years'. Thanks, Doc - you left me feeling good, and good to go!

It's worth going out of your way to go to a good bike shop, bf says, and he's had two bikes from…read morehere and many services and upgrades/alterations (180,000 mi on one of the bikes) and highly recommends. It's a coop where the staff are passionate, knowledgeable and cater to all customer types. In stock are great brands such as Surly and Brompton. They won't try to force you to buy something off the shelf, they will help you customise it and go the extra mile e.g. offering to loan us a bike so bf could accompany me home and giving us flapjacks! Purchase also comes with 3 free services after which bike is a good as new.

My friend was struggling to put her wheel back on after taking it off to transport it to my house…read more We went down to Bill Nickson having been there before and found them extremely helpful . No hesitation to help on this occasion either and sorted us out with the spacer ( that should have been supplied when she bought the bike ) not purchased from them may add and she was back up and ready to ride . Fast , friendly and no charge. So thanks again to staff in there. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Thank you

Just bought a second hand bike off Facebook. They were more than happy to help. The bike was…read moreoriginally bought from their shop. I told them that I was new to cycling and they helped with everything. Didn't over sell me on anything and when I didn't understand how to switch my hub, they just told me to come back and do it for me. I didn't spend a lot but I'll definitely not go anywhere else. Find somewhere good that's local. Never go anywhere else!! Brilliant staff and service.

This shop is packed from floor to ceiling with a bewildering array of bikes - new and second hand,…read moreadults and childrens, cheap and expensive. It's not quite so well organised or spacious as Edinburgh Cycles or Cycle Logic, but they do the best they can with the limited space available. The knowledgeable staff are on hand to advise you, and every new bike purchased comes with 2 free services. They can also order bikes and accessories in for you. I've never had any repairs done here, but wouldn't hesitate to take my bike in if I was nearby. They offer a full repair service from punctures to a complete makeover for your bike. A basic service will set you back £40 not including parts. A great little bike shop suitable for everyone from students looking for a cheap and quick way to get to uni, to cycle pros.

Withington Cycles helped me out when I got a flat tyre last year. I was miles away from home and…read moreonly had a few pounds in my backpack. The usual price for taking off the wheel and replacing the inner tube is £10 (plus the price of the tube). After a little bit of persuading and a lot of eyelash batting, the kind gentleman helped me remove the wheel for £6 and allowed me to come back with some cash for the tube. It's well worth getting your bike serviced here too, if you use it frequently. Cleaning and degrease is £10 and brake service is £8 each. If you look after your bike, your bike will keep looking after you!

Took my old (2021) trusty for a service. Had really high hopes judging by the reviews (and price) …read more I wasn't in a hurry,left the bike with cyclehouse for about two weeks. Work required: service, and upon furter inspection: new chain, new cassette, new break pads back&front. Asked for the tyre change (brought my own set) Work completed by the shop: full (mid level £100)service + new chain & new casette, guys changed the tyres free of charge which I thought, was a nice touch. Issues: 1. don't get me wrong, my bike wasn't super clean but I'd thought if you're changing the chain and cassette you'd at least wipe/clean the derailleur including pulleys as well as the hub & front sprockets down from the old buildup grease and dirt/gunk. It looks a mess. Makes you think what is actually included in that 'full service' 2. Gears - after collecting and taking the bike for a test drive, noticed that rear cassette was grinding on two or three mid cogs, took it back for a "re-tune", now it's engaging on all but is very noisy and still grinding slightly on two smallest cogs. I'm no expert but maybe slight frond derailleur adjustment would help? 3. Breaks - I thought I'll do them myself as it was a tad more expensive than I would normally pay for the pads; came to changing them and the rear safety pin is missing and I'm 100% sure it was there when I dropped the bike off at cyclehouse

I could not speak highly enough of the team at Cycle house. Absolutely top draw service. I bought…read moremy first bike from them back in May of 2012 and I've not looked back. I didn't have a clue what I was looking for but I left there with the perfect bike for me. The after sales are as good if not better! The guys in the workshop must be sick of me! They assembled the bike originally and have been great ever since. They have offered me all sorts of advice. I've had a couple of accidents on the bike whilst I was getting use to cycling for the first time. The accidents left me a little nervous and left my bike requiring a safety check. The guys were quick to reassure me not to worry, just to bring the bike in at my convenience. The turn around on my bike was just 24 hours and the communications were excellent. A particular note to one of the work shop lads. Sorry I don't know his name but he wears glasses. Top draw lad. Patience of a Saint! Thanks a lot to everyone at Cyclehouse

Ken Foster's is everything you would expect of the main cycle shop in the 'right on' and fairly…read moreaffluent suburb of Chorlton, and Cycle Logic warrants mention along with Unicorn etc as a pillar of the great, green civilisation that is Chorlton. The shop is on a Victorian front of shops at the far side of the 'burb, with lots of shutters down on either side due to vacant premises or else restaurants and tapas bars that open in the evening. However, on a Wednesday at midday, Ken Foster's was busy with plenty of customers, although still with a pleasantly relaxed Chorlton vibe. I haven't bought anything from them as yet, but I would second Kirsten's comments about the stock being more than adequate - it is all on one level, but a very deep plan store and with more bikes under cover out the front of the shop. I think they sell second-hand bikes also if you are needing a good machine for under £200. On the customer service front, I asked about detachable baskets and tag-along bike trailers. While they had a good enough selection of panniers and baskets in stock, I was impressed with how quickly staff pulled out various manufacturer catalogues with prices to give me a good look at the full range of options available. I've since come home and Googled 'basil.nl' and also 'klickfix' and come up with too many parameters, I guess, although with a good feeling of no stone left unturned! Also, any in-depth technical questions the sales staff was unsure of (e.g. custom brackets required for mounting baskets) he went straight to the mechanic in the back shop who had the answer. Plus, I talked with the sales staff about where each of us lived and bike routes, and he gave me free copies of the Manchester and Trafford area cycle maps produced by the city council, which I've found hard to get hold of elsewhere. If you live anywhere near Chorlton your cycling needs are well-covered by this place. Also, if you live a bit further afield but appreciate a more customer-facing approach you could do a lot worse than asking for Sean at Cycle Logic.

When you get past the terrible pun, this is a fantastic bike shop with a range of bikes and…read moreaccessories for both road bikers and mountain bikers (and hybrid bikers like myself!) I didn't buy my bike from here, but shortly after buying my bike, I realised that I was missing an essential for any bike owner in Manchester - a decent lock. I knew that I needed a D lock and I wanted something pretty good, as I knew so many people who had had their locks cut within seconds. The guy who served me was incredibly helpful. He talked me through all of the locks that were available and advised me about the pros and cons of each one. He wasn't at all patronising or pushy. If I were to need any further bike accessories I would not hesitate to go back to this shop. It seems like a great team of guys who work there, and they also do custom builds, maintenance and repairs.

This place is excellent. The owner Peter, his wife and son that run the place are very friendly…read moreindeed. They are willing to chat and offer advice on problems cycling related as well as provide any necessary equipment needed at very reasonable prices. The store moved not so long ago (only down the road) and now is located in a place that is twice the size of the orignal shop. Of course, this now allows for more bikes to be left on display as well ascycling jerseys, bottles and other cycling accessories. There is a workshop at the back where the work is done on your bike and a lot of the time if the problem is minor they can sort you out there and then. I could not recommend this place highly enough and it is indeed THE cycling shop of St Helens.

Absolutely brilliant bike shop. They gave me a great deal on my first road bike and have bought all…read moremy equipment from there since. The guys are always willing to chat and give advice no matter how amateurish your questions, and they have a real passion for what they do. Bike shops nowadays more than ever have to provide added value in the service they give to compete with the online market and this family company certainly do that. I would recommend this shop to anyone.

Sitting in one of the railway arches on Whitworth Street, Harry Hall's Cycles is a cycle shop for…read moreserious cyclists. It's well set out and sells mountain and road bikes as well as loads of accessories. I'm a bit of a cycling novice, but I recently acquired quite a good road bike and my old pump didn't seem to fit the valves on the new bike's tyres. I popped into the shop and feeling like a complete idiot, explained that I had no idea how to pump up the tyres on my new bike. The chap serving me was really polite despite my clear cycling ignorance, and explained the technicalities of the valves and what pump I needed to buy. He presented me with a few options of what I should get and I've now got something perfect for the job that's also really light and fits snugly on my bike. The pump was quite expensive, and this typifies the cost of most of the cycling gear in the shop, which includes a good range of pumps, tyres, helmets and accessories as well as lots of different cycle clothing. However, it's all quality stuff and the staff know exactly what they're talking about. Though you would probably find cheaper gear at somewhere like Halfords, its worth going to Harry Hall's to know that you'll walk away with some kit that will be right for you, work properly and last a long time.

The railway arches of Whitworth Street West serve as a magnet for cool stuff, housing Green Room…read morealt: performance space, an achingly cool interior design showroom, Cocotoo Italian restaurant (?) and the cool effect spreads across the road to froyo café Frurt and round the corner to The Engine Room Café in Cambridge Street and even the front of restaurants in Chester Street. Plus, access the canal via any of a number of entry points on the same side as Frurt to view a timeline of the late Haçienda Club. (The canal path is a fantastic traffic-free route to Castlefield, Piccadilly and Stockport). Harry Hall Cycles is a good general purpose cycle shop, but I also commend them for showcasing some niche bikes. The current window display is mainly given over to the current trend for stripped down fixed gear or single speed bikes - fewer moving parts means less to go wrong and also lighter. I was also amused to read a poster publicising a Brompton bike race to be staged by that leading manufacturer of folding bikes - I've not seen that poster elsewhere in Manchester, so well done HH for showcasing that. (One cool thing about Brompton bikes for a cycle shop is how small they fold up, allowing many more Bromptons to be stored per sq. metre than regular bikes!) Downstairs is also home to road bikes, cyclo-cross bikes and the usual bike accessories. Upstairs features mountain bikes, style/girly bikes and some retro stuff including a modern take on a butchers bike. I think you have to pay them a visit and test ride a bike or two to decide if Harry Hall is the bike shop for you, but I enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and friendly staff who are generally happy to talk. I'll end by sharing a tip given to me by one of the guys here, which is to dismount and push your bike up over kerbs and such - apparently mounting kerbs wrecks the wheel bearings, and was something he would never do with any of his bikes. He had me at 'bikes' :-) I find something precious about city centre cycle shops - they are there in the midst of the polluting traffic offering a highly-effective, low-tech transport solution. The young and able-bodied car drivers amongst us, let's get on our bikes! And if you are an apartment dweller unsure how you would store your bike, all the more reason to get along to Harry Hall as they have a variety of storage solutions from wall hooks to floor-to-ceiling bike stands to store your speed machine up out of the way.

Excellent service and sales…read more They know the bikes and do the job well (I know all bike shops should but that isn't te case). Generally takes a little time to get the bike booked in for service because they busy but when you get it back it's done and it's right. Also bought a bike there, they give good guidance without any pressure.