There's nothing I'd love more than buying a posh bike from here and whizzing down Blackboy Hill,…read moreWhiteladies Road and Park Street before taking a peaceful cycle ride along the docks. The reality is, I live on a huge hill and would have to drag myself and the bike back after, which would not be quite so exhilarating. It makes me very sad how hilly Bristol is, I'd be cycling all the time if it were flat. This doesn't put off a lot of cyclists in the city though, and this shop is a vital retailer to the people of Clifton and surrounding areas. They have a selection of top of the range bicycles, as well as bikes to hire, spares and other cycling gadgets.

Family run and very welcoming, Blackboy Hill cycles offer an excellent service, both for repairs…read moreand for purchases. For the latter, they've got a massive range of bikes, and are main distributors for big brands such as Falcon and Haro. They check each bike before selling it, and also offer a free service for every bike they sell. On the repair front, they work very efficiently, usually diagnosing the problem whilst you wait and never taking longer than a few days to get it fixed. They don't charge extortionate prices either, and you get the impression they really care about doing a job well. The only down side I can think of is if you get here from any other way than the direction of the Downs, it's a real trek to get to on a bike (fix it to your car and drive up the hill instead!).

I'm surprised these things haven't taken off as fast as I thought they would. I mean, you can have…read moreall the fun of cycling with none of the toil by wackinh on the motor when you come to a steep incline! As well as the vast stock of Bikes, they also sell electric scooters, and electric skateboards! They look pretty mental, I would fall of a skateboard as it was without a motor, with one I think I must have a death wish! For the keen cyclists who want to maintain their bike to the standard that they are acustomed to having it there is a servicing.... service!

Electric Bikes. Electric Scooters. Electric Skateboards…read more Well, while I had trouble working out quite how street-cool an electric skateboard would be considered as the electric bike would really be handy. Bristol is, after all a cycling city, although the people who decided that must not have been aware of the big mammoth hills such as Park Street / Whiteladies Road / Gloucester Road. To be honest, the thought of riding up them, and probably just ending up at the bottom again, really puts me off cycling. Mt recent visit to Atmosphere Electric Bikes did change my mind set a little though. From prices of £1000 I can't say I'll be rushing out to buy one, gives out a lot less exhausts than a car though...

My family have been going to Reg Braddicks for about 40 years. All our family bicycles have come…read morefrom his shop. I recently took my bike for a service and got a flat tyre mended. I love my bike and being without it is tough. It's my only means of transport. Braddicks is a little treasure on the drabness that is Broadway. While other business have found it difficult to prosper there Reg Braddicks have continued to expand until they now take up quite a sizeable chunk of the block they occupy. Basically the shop has everything you could want lots of new gleaming bikes in stock lots of bike parts and lots of good advice when you need it. They also do an ordering and repair service. Often if it's something small they will try and fix it on the spot. Sadly I never learnt to change a tyre or do any of the usual maintenance stuff that I should have, but I'm never made to feel small about this. Bikes and bike repair can be an expensive business so they phone you as a matter of course if they have to do more work than was anticipated originally. I find this reassuring.

Put my bike in for a service. At the time my cycle was my…read moremain mode of transport and I used it to and from work on a daily basis - I did point out it was my commuting hack so it was needed. The service took a whole week to complete ! On the day it was due back to me - I had to call to see what was going on as it was coming up to lunch time and I needed to collect the bike in my lunch hour. It cost £94 which is a lot for a cycle service. The fact that it took so long means I won't be using them again as I can't wait that long for my cycles - I have one which I commute on and one which I race on - I think I will be learning how to fully service my own bikes if you don't need your bike in a hurry then book here - the work carried out to my bike was to a good standard and the bike felt so much better for the first few weeks after having the service done.

Contrary to all the high end bike shops that cater to those who want to buy flashy gadgetry bikes,…read moreFred Baker Cycles is such a breath of relief. Relief that a normal, homely, down to earth cycle shop exists. The staff here are always friendly and they let you wander around the shop at your own pace, and are always happy to help you out with any biking issue you've got and can't get your head around! They also participate in the work cycle scheme. This shop is deceptively big - it is very long and goes all the way back, full of bikes and their spares. A great, family run business.

Fred Baker Cycles is a fantastic little family run bike shop on Cheltenham Road. It's a father and…read moreson operation, originally set up by the father, who now is getting a little too long in the tooth, and has handed over the reins to his son. It's a while since I chatted to them about the legacy f the business, but I think they have been going for over thirty years... or something to that effect. As you'd expect from a family business, the motivation to open the shop came from a passion about bikes, or perhaps more accurately, a passion for what bikes allows the rider to do. I pay regular visits to the shop and I'm offered as much of a welcome if I'm coming in purely for advice as I am to buy something. Obviously businesses don't stay in business if they don't make money, but everybody at Fred Baker seems to be able to somehow balance their passion for bikes, their willingness to be of help, and making sales s that they continue to succeed commercially, whilst at the same time being incredibly helpful. They do a lot to inspire people to take up biking seriously.

Like most bike shops, John Bikes is staffed by people who clearly know what they're talking about…read more I needed a bike to ride to work and they had a good selection (not as much selection as I hoped for, but still good). I had to wait a while to be served; they get very busy in lunchtimes. For Bath, its quite a big shop. They've joined together two shops into one and a few doors down they also have a service centre.

I had to think long and hard about my rating. The shop is lovely and most of the staff is great…read more But there is this little sh*t with long hair and too much of an attitude that thinks rather highly of himself. I'm certainly not new to bikes and needed a quick fix (i was visiting a friend and had no tools on me). He takes a quick look at it and tells me I should most certainly dump it and get a new one. Something I happen to know as utter rubbish. I won't go on a rant about that situation. Long story short, a less knowledgeable costumer would've done what he suggested, and spent a fortune on a new bike. That is not costumer service and, quite frankly, a fairly dishonest thing to do. Like I said, bar that guy, the shop is great.

The largest of the Zero G group of bicycle shops in Bristol (they also own the Specialized in Park…read moreStreet, a store in Bradley Stoke and the lovely shop in Downend). This is a great place for the more serious bikes, including trails but they do have a selection for kids and for us less muddy commuting cyclists! They have a wide selection of brands as well, including the fantastic Giant, Cannondale, Cube, Trek and Specialized. Also open by appointment on Sundays.

One of the best customer service I ever had! My partner…read morebought a shorts for me, and I ended up not liking it. Since it was a present, the receipt was already in the bin. She went, they promptly took the stuff back and instantly issued a monetary voucher. No fuss, no bull shit. Now with that, I buy her a T, she dislikes. They again take the stuff back and reissues,yes, another voucher! Liked a pair of biking glares, one of the staff, voluntarily came down to explain the specifications of the respective shades. When I downed on one, they even gave 10% student discount, without any hue and cry! These guys couldn't be more helpful. And, they really know their stuff. The quality of the products is excellent and the shop has got a huge stock! The shop, is definitely worth a visit, if you are an outdoor sports guy! Recommended? Yes, definitely!

My preferred method of transport around this fine city is on two wheels, and like many of my fellow…read morecyclists I want a bike shop I can trust. I got my most recent bicycle from here - (a cute retro style ladies number, complete with shopping basked, but boy can it nip along). Mountain, road, hybrid, kid's, trikes, folding/touring - and all the top brands including Ridgeback, Kona, Marin and Whyte. They have speedy deals of the month and the staff have massive brains full of expert, tried-and-tested biking knowledge (many of them are amateur downhill racers in their spare time too), just ask them! Any bike you buy comes with a quarterly service for just a little bit extra money. Now, on yer bike son!

If you need a service or a bike repair you can count on the spokesman for honest friendly service…read more He will not rip you off and he will tell you exactly what needs doing. If you are strapped for cash he can usually tell you how to get away with doing the bare minimum or if not you can get a full service at very reasonable prices. He tries to tell me how to fix it myself but is gradually learning that I am a lost cause. I would never go anywhere else to get my bike serviced as the spokesman is so helpful and is always open late so I can get there after work. On a couple of occasions when it's been a quick fix he has just done it for free.

Any business can be environmentally and socially aware regardless what it is they do - it's all in…read morethe mindset. The Spokesman Bicycle Shop is a fine example. A cycling fanatic from Chile, the owner has been here only a short space of time and has already amassed a firm group of workers and customers. He explains to me (in a beautifully fluid mix of Spanish and English) that his ethos is to put back into the community what he takes out. He takes trade in with his cheap prices and honest approach, but puts back with cycling fares and mini festivals in the local park. A good service for your bike will cost about thirty pounds plus parts. You can pick up new or second hand models as well as all the reflectors, lights and accessories you could ever need. It's an independent store so they can't afford to be as cheap as some places on everything but they're a lot more personal, friendly and human. It's what you want really.