If you do cycling of any sort in Edinburgh, you will probably be familiar with Edinburgh Bicycle…read moreCooperative. They're located on Alvanley Terrace, near to the Bruntsfield Links. I've been in a few times - once to get some new inner tubes, another time to get some cycling mitts (fingerless gloves) and finally to replace a light. The shop has such a great range of everything, along with staff who are passionate about the subject matter. Whatever I was looking for, there was always a great range of that item, across a variety of prices. This shop thus caters for the casual and hardcore cyclist alike. It's the sort of place that you'll wonder round, and see something that you don't really need, but do want, and then try to justify whether or not you need it. The selection of complete bikes for sale is also great to look at, with that 'if money was no object' glint in your eye. Apart from sales, the shop also does repairs in a small workshop that is part of the shop. It's pretty much a one-stop shop for your cycling needs, and in a city like Edinburgh where cycling is the quickest way to get around, it is a very useful place. Well worth a visit if you live nearby, or even if you don't!

If you want a new bike this is the place to come because they cover the complete range of bikes and…read morethey're all quality bikes which are good value for money. The cheapest you get is about £200 so perhaps they miss out the very cheapest bikes, but they may be forgiven for their level of quality. Should you want cheaper than this I would recommend picking up a second hand bike from Bike Station which are of good quality but second hand. The next step up is the standard £300 commuter bikes you get sold throughout town and from here the more you spend the more you get with many different types and styles of bikes. My advice would be to tell the staff what you want, what you need it for and they will do their best to find whatever suits you. A great bike shop.

If you need your bike fixing in a short time and for very little, come to The Bike Works…read more PRICE: Parts and tools cost as little as they would anywhere. The cost of servicing is very reasonable, and you will only pay for what you have asked to be done. QUALITY: Service is very good. Friendly staff will sort out what you need, and always have a useful suggestion to make. CHOICE: Though small, there are a wide range of parts to choose from, and the shop is able to order in any component not found within their stocks. Being a keen and experienced cyclist, on coming to Edinburgh I needed a shop where I could get my brake pads, tyres and inner tubes for a reasonable price and relatively near where I lived, whilst also providing a place to service the bike if it required work beyond my expertise. The Bike Works provided this. It is a wee shop just off Sciennes Road or the Meadows and easy to find. Staff here are friendly, know their stuff and won't try and fleece you. Maintenance is of a high standard and when the occasion arises that you cannot fix your bike yourself, they will do only as you ask them and the bike will potentially be with you by the end of the day. The shop is also open at very useful hours, allowing you to pop in for that spare part you couldn't find during those evening bike-maintenance sessions, or to pick up an inner-tube before spinning off on a night cycle to the Pentlands. Other very useful features include rails for bike-parking outside; a card-reader for the change-less many out there and regular staff who often recognise you or your bike when you bring it in with a bent hanger or misaligned derailleur. I find this place to be a gem among the many fine shops in this little area of Marchmont, and it deserves a terrific thumbs-up and my own special Gold Award for best in class.

If you live in Marchmont and need you bike fixed then I could certainly recommend that you call…read moreupon the expertise of The Bicycle Works. Although I don't really cycle much myself, I saw the work which they did on a friend of mine's bike and it was excellent. He had smashed his front wheel on a particularly high curb and brought it in to these guys who realigned the wheel and fitted it out with new spokes. Apparantly it only cost about £30 and he hasn't had any problems with it since. The shop inside is clean and ordered with a whole range of spare parts, puncture repair kits and bike chains. The staff are friendly and definitely know what they're talking about, making this the place to come for your cycle repairs.

My virtual fitting with Dougie was AWESOME. He talked me through adjusting my cleats to a different…read moreposition and orientation and then changing every aspect of the bike fit. For those who ride a Peloton, my settings went from an I-16-B to an L-20-F! The bike couldn't feel more different under me. Immediately, I felt activation in my hamstrings that I've never had before. Dougie also coached me on my pedal stroke; it's going to require continued work and focus, but it's great to have a professional telling my exactly what I need to do to improve. I haven't even been riding a year yet at this point, and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to get fitted. This is going to totally change the way I ride for the better. I can't wait to do my first endurance ride at these new settings!

This review is based on my hubby's experience but I was there watching, taking notes and pics and…read moremarvelling in the technology and expertise. Before this process started, my hubby was very sceptical of this new-fangled bike fitting system. In his day *coughs* it was very common to get your steel bike custom made and any good bike shop had the ability to measure you up at no extra cost. And if you're not a pro - will a fitting really improve your performance? Well after an in-depth session with Dougie at Edinburgh Bike Fitting we have a much better understanding of who will benefit and how. So, If your're not a pro looking for marginal gains, why is this fairly expensive service needed? ONE: Most bikes are now carbon and stamped out in a factory far, far away. You've only got 3 options, Small, Medium or Large and any adjustments come from your handlebar stem and seatpost. Chances are you bought it online or in a chain store that has no idea how to fit a bike. You now have a sore back, dodgy knees and a stiff neck from riding your expensive yet poor fitting bike. What do you do? Take your bike to a specialist bike fitter and they can adjust your position so you can ride comfortably and maybe even a bit better. TWO: You don't want to buy a poor fitting carbon bike but there are so many brands out there - each with slightly different geometry and sizing. The Retul system Dougie uses is connected a big database of off the shelf bikes. He can take detailed measurements using lots of wires and lasers from all different angles - plug that into the database and hey-presto you get a list of the best bikes for your body and riding positions. You no longer are at the mercy of poorly trained salespeople (or even knowledgeable ones trying to sell you the most expensive bike). THREE: This was my hubby's reason for crossing over into the hi-tech dark side of cycling. You want to buy a good old-fashioned custom built steel bike - made just for your and your quirky long back and short legs. After searching for months the bike builder you settle on is in Holland. You can either fly over for the builder to take measurements OR most builders will accept measurements taken by a reputable system (Retul is top of the list). My hubby was happy to find a Retul Fitter right here in Edinburgh and Dougie took this service to an even higher level. So, although we both saw merit in the bike fitting system in general the 5 stars really go to Dougie (sole proprietor at Edinburgh Bike Fitting). Pretty much anybody can go for a few days training, buy the kit and become a registered Retul Fitter. Dougie's background and previous experience allow him to provide an in-depth fitting service that goes way beyond sticking on sensors and letting the software do all the work. Not only is he an avid cyclist, he has gained valuable knowledge through studying sports science and sports massage both requiring a huge amount of anatomy and physiology. When the laser traces showed an imbalance in my hubby's left hip and leg (where he was also experiencing dull by annoying pain), Dougie was able to offer suggestions for exercises and stretches as well as making adjustments on the bike. I'm sure there are not many other fitters that could do the same! All these measurements were done on a Bicycle shaped 'rig'. For the one price, we were also able to bring the newly built bike in (even several months later) and have his position tweaked to optimise comfort and performance. My hubby is now a bike fit convert - but only if the fitter has the additional knowledge of cycling and anatomy like Dougie. Note: These fittings are by appointment as Dougie may not be in the shop if you just drop in. The entry is the door next to 'Laid Back Cycles'.

Took my nieces bike in to get checked over for a full safety check before she began riding it and…read morewas very happy with the service. The two owners were very friendly, very helpful and polite and made us feel at ease. The bike was fully serviced and ready to pick up in under an hour and at a great price too. Delighted and feel better about letting my niece out on her bike knowing that it won't fall to bits. Thanks guys

Very friendly staff and well knowledgeable when I asked for selling my bike there and buying a…read morereplacement. Highly recommended! Will review in more detail once I try out their services

A great wee cycle shop for repairs, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and they will squeeze you in…read moreif you drop in with an unexpected bicycle emergency :) Highly recommended

Having seen The Cycle Service mentioned on the CCE forum I looked up their Facebook after failing…read moreto book my partners road bike in elsewhere for a service. By chance, it was their opening day but Hannah and Chris promised they could sort out a service when I phoned them at 8am that morning. The Dolce had given us trouble for years - it's initial setup and two subsequent services had never managed to get the rear brake working correctly as the geometry of the cable stops on the small frame forced the rear calliper to one side. All the cables at the front were too long and rubbed on the wheels and the shifting was sluggish. After a few thousand miles of commuting it was in need of a new cassette and chain too - Chris wins points here for being very clear about how much life was left in what we had on the bike but we were keen to replace it as we will be doom a sportive this summer. They also win on communication - they wanted to put a better quality cassette on but phoned first to confirm and check our preferred ratio. They had also highlighted the rear brake may be tricky and suggested a short length of Nokon outer to provide more flex between the cable stop and brake. Chris spent quite a while trying alternatives before phoning me to check it was ok to fit this and got an excellent price on it with a price match at his supplier. It's the first time the rear brake has been able to properly stop the bike as now the calliper a can be spaced correctly. The servicing they did was top notch as was all the cable replacement and new grip tape. All the components they fitted were brand names, good quality grades and priced very reasonably. They've also invited us back to check the cables for free in a few weeks if they stretch further on the bike. Whilst I do a lot of bike maintenance at home I couldn't beat the service and prices offered here and it's saved me at least a day of effort. I'll certainly be taking our other bikes back to them in the future. I couldn't recommend them more highly!

Impressive set up - the guys are fast, well priced and super knowledgable…read more While they specialise in some of the high end stuff - repairs to downhill bikes, road bikes, suspension and disk brakes, they're also more than happy to deal with the more day to day stuff. I dropped my bike in on a saturday and it was ready for collection less than 24 hours later whereas other bike shops in town were quoting 2 weeks and twice as much money to do the same job. They guys in the shop are easy going and happy to chat about bikes and talk you through what they do and how they do it so there's no surprises when it comes to collecting and paying for repairs. They also seem to be really well stocked for all sorts of odds and ends, and sell bikes as well as fixing them. Would definitely recommend them and they'll be my first stop for my next pit stop!

every now and again a new idea comes along that just seems right. The way James is going about…read morePedals is just 'right'. Keeping bikes on the road and working as they were designed to is a noble goal and you can tell he knows how to do it. long may it continue! Jez, Edinburgh

This Halfords is located at Hermiston Gates shopping complex. I usually go there when I have a…read moreminor car issue or if I need some car lights replaced. So far the staff has been very helpful and efficient. Last time I went I had to wait for 20min until it was my turn. Fortunately there is a TK Maxx just beside this Halfords and I manged to get a shop done as well. As soon I got back to Halfords I got seen to by a staff member who replaced my bulb without any problems. There is a small fee to pay, but it's worth it. I would not know how to change a bulp. Think the fee was £5. Very recommendable!

This is a standard Halfords but with worse signage. My visit…read morewas marred, not by the staff or store, but by another customer kicking off because the staff wouldn't give him a discount on a bottle of motor oil. Not sure why he thought he was entitled to a discount, but it did mean I and three other people had to wait 15min to pay for our purchases.

Laid Back Bikes specializes in recumbent bicycles with two or three wheels, and even recumbent…read moretandems. These are the world's most amazing human-powered machines--beautiful! The owner, David, is brilliant to speak to; he's kind and full of stories and advice about these weird machines. You can see a half-dozen models in the showroom, but he can order anything you need, and you can rent bikes to give them a try.

Knowledgeable and friendly, give sound advice without being patronising. Far better service than…read moreany of the other cycle shops I have used in Edinburgh, including all of the big names.

BG Cycles stock bikes to suit everyone mountain & all-terrain bikes, BMX, off-road bikes, racing…read morebikes, sports bikes, through touring bikes to hybrid & urban street bikes. the run a great repair service. I use them when I want a new tyre and I just don't want to get all oily. They can true your wheels and replace bits and pieces very quickly and expertly. The also stock lots of skate accessories. Great staff and good prices.