Mat has just completed the build of my Surly Bridge Club. The result is outstanding and his…read moreexpertise and attention to detail is second to none. There was an issue with the fit of my Hope headset where he had to ream out some metal to fine tolerances. He explained why this had occurred and how the issue was resolved. Customer care is obviously a top priority with them and Mat could not have been more helpful, even to the extent of making sure that, as I was limited with time, my bike was ready for collection on Easter Saturday having prioritized in on Good Friday. If you want excellent service and expertise, don't go anywhere else, it's as simple as that.

Great people, astounding service. John and his team did an overhaul of my bike (more like a…read morecomplete rebuild) and changed it from a tired, neglected, sad old mountain bike that couldn't manage a hill let alone to a mountain - to a spiffing retro MTB that looks the bees knees.

It is all very well having a car in Bristol, but when it gets to 6 o'clock and you try to negotiate…read morethrough the city centre you can find a 10 minute journey taking 40 minutes, and the most annoying thing, seeing all the cyclists as happy as larry zipping through all the traffic well on their way to being home before any car driver could dream of! So, get yourself a bike, Park Cycles is a good a place as any, and then to keep it up to the standard that you need park cycles can help you massivley with that, from new inner tubes, puncher repair kits and pumps, to unnecisary accessories, sports drink holders and funky helmets!

I do enjoy cycling, but there is a certain part of it that really puts me off from going as often…read moreas i would really like; the actual constant pedalling. As the first Cycling City, Bristol really is the ideal place to jump on that tiny saddle, grease up those chains and shift though those gears with the wind in your hair and mud all up your back, but I can't bring myself to go much further than to the end of the road and back because i'm not sure my little legs could quite take the strain if were to shut down half-way, and my bike is rubbish and I need to get a new one. If I did manage to build up my calf muscles however I know that my first point of call would be Park Cycles because of the sheer knowledge they have of cycles and all those accessories! The prices are not entirely cheap, but if you can muster up the cash and want to lower you carbon footprint then get yourself a bicycle!!

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.

The Spokesman is yet another jewel in the glittering crown of St Werburgh's. Another local business…read morewhich knows exactly what people in the area need as so many of them rely on two wheels to nip about. I popped in here totally clueless after damaging my bike in a fall and, rather than treat me like the clueless idiot I am and fleece me, the owner, Baltazar Padilla- aka Balti - did a great job. For £17 he gave my bike a mini-service, fixed the brake blocks, made some adjustments and sorted my mud-guard. And he was friendly, bright and breezy all the while. It seems he knows most people in the area as passers-by are always popping in to say hi. And he sells a range of essential cycling accessories for very reasonable prices as well as new or second-hand bikes.

A small shop with lots of bicycles and bicycle paraphanelia. The staff are knowledgable and very…read morehelpful. Then can order items not in stock, and assist with any queries or problems. It may not be as huge or impressive as The Mud Dock or Dave Bater Cycles, but it's an excellent small local shop, not too far off the Bristol/Bath Cycle Path.

really helpful first moped mechanic to give a straight answer (had tried 3 previously)read more

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.

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.