You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Very sad to see the end of ChainReactionCycles, especially for the hard working staff, wish them all well. Who will be picking up your business going forward ? I think Tredz are going to be my preferred online shop, good deals and always great service.
Merlin, Biketart.
But essentially whoever Google search tells me is the best price for the items i want/need.
Good question I was just pondering myself. Possibly Merlin bit I might also investigate Cyclestore as they are reasonably local to me. SJS for niche parts.
But essentially whoever Google search tells me is the best price for the items i want/need.
This. So no change for me really.
I was already using Merlin anyway on account of them actually having a functional, navigable website
It's time for an ActiveSport / Mark Anthony Cycles revival! 🙂
Have to say I’ve just had a very positive, and swift, customer service experience with Tweeks.
The discounts on CRC were good at making you spend money that you didn't need to. On the odd occasion I really need something then I Google for the cheapest price.
I’ll miss some of their own brand stuff more than anything else. Prime wheels and components were always an absolute bargain compared to anything else out there.
And the brand X stuff was always great for bits for cheaper bikes, bars and stem for the turbo bike etc. Not sure if brand X was a wiggle in-house brand however.
I was already using Merlin anyway on account of them actually having a functional, navigable website
That's just so 2000....
My local bike shop still. CRC/Wiggle were the amazon of bike retail, I'm intrigued by the outpouring of grief for them. I'm sorry for their staff but they haven't been good for the independents.
I like having knowledgeable mechanics service my bike and happy to pay for parts and labour to keep them going.
Don't get me wrong I have bought stuff from CRC in the past, and I'm going to miss the Nukeproof team.
Aliexpress for widgets, adapters and mounts.
essentially whoever Google search tells me is the best price for the items i want/need.
+1 for components unless something specific and worth buying on quality (e.g. chainrings from spa cycles)
But apart from £50 in the CRC clearance (of which over half was things I needed immediately and the rest was rebuild kits) I can't recall the last time I bought something as an upgrade. I'm a rubbish consumer, just drivetrains and consumables.
And Decathlon for clothing.
Merlin or Sigma Sports generally if I'm buying stuff online. These days though I'm more likely to give my LBS a ring and get them to order it in for me as I like them and would quite like them to hang around.
Merlin for me. I have rather a lot of loyalty vouchers to spend with them (I didn't know they were a thing and I've spent a lot of money with them over the last 15 years or so 😳).
After them it'll be places that stock odd stuff I use like Galfer pads (Rush Cycles) or whoever is cheapest for the stuff that I use.
Ive found for bike parts recently (online price) - Halfords have really upped their game. Ive bought quite a few consumables from them recently - chains, bottom brackets etc
Yeah a bit more shopping around, in addition to the abovementioned - Leisure Lakes, Stif, Pedalon and Woollyhatshop's Ebay store.
I'm not sure that I bought most of my bikes/accessories/clothing from Chiggle, I tended to buy from who was cheapest, unless I needed something pretty quickly.
I've had more bargains from Ribble that Chiggle lately, even with their closing down sale.
I like the brands that Sigma stock.
Merlin was always my go to shop, they've been great over the years.
Used the German shops when I can get what I want cheaper than the uk and I don't mind the weight, although the choice of German shops has been reduced since Brexit.
Love SJS for its crazy ability to supply any part you can think of.
Planet X have had a steady stream of money off me since 2005....
Handy being in Germany.
I gave up with Wiggle/CRC when the website was "upgraded" to unusable. I'd always priced up there as well as the usual German sites and bought from wherever I could get the best bargain.
Tempted to try Merlin. British based, German owned, and seem like they might actually get stuff across the Brexshit border with not too much faff, and at decent prices.
I use Biketart where possible. They're a great business local to my best mate (who speaks highly of them) and I've always had cracking service off them.
I think they also put back in a bit doing shop rides as well? May be misremembering.
Either way, buying from them is highly recommended.
And Merlin as well.
Crc site and wiggle now linking to Evans 🙂
TBH I use my LBS for lots of things. Mainly the banter and coffee. Anything I do buy I get good service and decent prices. If they can’t help me out, either on price or lead time then they tell me to order whatever online. In which case it’s either Merlin, Biketart, Bikemonger or Spa Cycles.
My delivery from my new bike supplier of choice has arrived - yantai fragrant tea information technology co. Ltd.
Where's Davey Hindi when you want cough do not want him.
Edit) beaten to it.
But essentially whoever Google search tells me is the best price for the items i want/need.
Which is what I have always done. I just usually ended up at Wiggle as their prices were good, I had an account and the delivery was fast and free. The likes of Merlin, Sigma, Biketart, Cyclestore, even SJS at times have all been used but they never got used as much as Wiggle