I've been here a few times now. It was especially useful where I used to live as I'd pass it on…read moremy bike enroute from my daily commute. Soon as you step in you are warmly greeted with a cosy patch of living room to your right filled with arm chairs, books and board games to chill or pass the time while your bike gets attended to. The coffee has always been spot on too with very fair prices attached. As for the bike repairs/assessments themselves they are very knowledgeable and transparent with pricing etc. It is quite busy at the moment with depending on your bike can take a while to get looked at but besides this all the staff are lovely . Highly recommend if you need a bike repair or just a coffee..just ring in advance if you do require your bike to be looked at just in case they are fully booked!

I've used the services from these awesome bunch of bike lovers several times and I cannot rate it…read moreenough. Nothing is too much trouble, they're fantastically knowledgeable and always aim to get the repairs done on the same day. Absolute first class service and my go to in Manchester.

If your a bike freak evans is where you spiritually belong. Big into road bikes I can waste up to…read morehalf an hour just gawping at expensive machines in pristine condition, screaming for someone to use them. Inside they have every variety of two wheeled transport from 3,000 grand triathlon bad boys to funky fixed wheels, evans stocks a lot. If they don't have what you want in there either the guys can order it in and sort it out for you usually within the week. Everything even slightly bike related is covered as well including books, DVDs, locks, panniers, parts, pumps, racks, puncture repair kits, multi tools, helmets, on and on it goes.

Evans is big chain of cycle stores, and this is a fair-sized bike shop - about the same size as…read moreHarry Hall although not as big as Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op. They stock every type of bike and accessory. In their catalogue, Evans claim to be exclusive stockists for some niche, high-end cycle manufacturers. Plus, they have their own Pinnacle brand bikes which I suggest checking those out, especially if you are on any sort of a budget - compare with the relevant Edinburgh Bicycle 'Revolution' brand model. I personally believe no time spent in a cycle shop is ever wasted, and Evans Cycles is worthy of your time, as is their catalogue. These days, bike kit runs to include such exotics as iPhone bike mounts (to use your phone as a satnav), sat navs, and I've just noticed a little video camera which you can mount to your bars or helmet - this is the Veho Muvi, currently on sale at £69.99. Last month, I bought some fantastic Ergon grips which, at £40 cost more than the bike I had them fitted to is worth! Sounds crazy, but the difference in comfort and handling is out of this world. They are a bit tricky to fit, especially due the need to loosen/refit the brake and gear shifters, and I was glad to have Evans' staff expertly fit them for me while I waited. I've always found the staff here helpful and together...bike enthusiasts! All else being equal, I would still tend to shop at Edinburgh Bicycle as they are huge and also a co-op, or at a smaller independent bike shop. But there is nothing at all wrong with Evans and their staff, and a lot in their favour, such as the clear list of repair and fitting charges writ large on the wall behind the checkout. BTW, I've just noticed another branch of Evans Cycles at Chill Factor, in case that is handier for you.

Ridelow is the perfect place to get a really good range of kitsch, weird and wonderful bikes that…read morefrankly you won't find anywhere else in Manchester. It's awesome inside, with bikes and all kinds of things hanging off the ceiling, and a sofa to have a sit down on if you want. But it also has a line in doing loads of other stuff. Be that watches, gothic jewellery, skater t-shirts, rucksacks and even a desk offering canvas printing services! The limited clothing stock out on view is apparently for display purposes - they have more sizes and if you ask they'll go find the one you need in the storeroom. The staff in here are dead friendly and willing to give you a hand or even just have a chat. I always like it when a shop has that kind of vibe.

Ridelow, as the name suggests, is for the cool kids. If you know your bikes then you'll know that…read morethis store doesn't just stock any old brand. This store stocks the crème de la crème of lowriders, cruisers, bmx's and choppers. Since this is the store where the likes of Kate Moss and the Beckhams come to get their rides, you can imagine that it isn't all that cheap. In fact, you're looking at around £500 for an Amsterdam or from £200 for a chopper, but you won't find anything else like them on the street. You won't want to leave them unattended on the street either, even if you have 3 locks, and for a city dweller like me that poses a huge problem. I guess the people who can afford these bikes also have a private place to store them?

RevolveMCR is a bicycle repair shop on wheels. Dave will come to you to repair your bicycle pretty…read moremuch anywhere in the M60 and even as far as Altrincham and Hale in South Manchester. I've used RevolveMCR regularly now for my bike servicing and repairs as he will make his way to your home or work or anywhere in between that works for you. Dave's only request is somewhere undercover on those wet days which I think we can all appreciate. You don't need to supply any repair equipment as he and his team will bring this with them. They do quality work and at extremely decent prices considering the convenience your are purchasing. RevolveMCR has a semi regular pop-up at the university corridor (UMBUG) cycling events and even does free bike assessments and repair recommendations at these events in the lead up to Winter. RevolveMCR is a god send for all bicycle commuters in Manchester and should be on your speed dial after your significant partner and parents.

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.

The worst customer service ever. They stop response on my e-mails as soon as i purchase the item. I…read morehave paid £400 for bike which supposed be a birthday gift. Today is the day and i still don't know whether for bike or my money. Because i have already canceled whole transaction. No answer to this as well. I do not want to be too harsh, but you certainly need help to keep this business. Announcement!! To all Marketing Managers! Fixed Gear Frenzy needs you. Even if they thing they don't need anyone. That is not truth. The company is desperate. Please help them!!!