Good old bikes

Rob Sargent outside his shop in Mountgrove Road N4

WITH the weather warming and the economy cooling, more and more people are down-sizing from four wheels to two. In this climate, second-hand bikes are a good option. Not only will they generally save you money, but vintage cycles are often of better quality than newer models, and they can be kitted out to order at specialist shops.

The three best such shops we’ve found have all opened in the past year. These are places that can be trusted both to offer you a decent bike for the price, and to have acquired the item legitimately.

In addition to selling and repairing bicycles, they each also provide their own unique range of goods and services, from vintage cycling jerseys to bacon and eggs.

Lock 7

Conveniently located on Regent’s Canal opposite the bottom end of Broadway Market, Lock 7 is a friendly shop with a strong community orientation.

Owners Lee and Kathryn have an approachable and accommodating manner that begets confidence. Their one-stop-shop sells cycling accessories (mostly new) in addition to bicycles. They can also usually repair your cycle the same day or the next, which is quicker than what you’ll find most places.

They’ve got about a dozen bikes for sale at any one time, including children’s and adult models. The prices are eminently affordable, ranging mostly from £50 to £500. A typical purchase at this shop might be a chopper for between £75 and £150.

While considering your options, you can have a bite to eat on the premises. One of the shop’s main attractions is its popular café, which seats 33 and serves a wide range of breakfasts and lunches, in addition to very nice coffee.
An original feature of Lock 7 is their new series of evening courses in bike building and maintenance. These will be tailored to the needs of a variety of cyclists, and will offer specialist advice to DIY bike-builders.

Sargent & Co.

Sargent & Co. on Mountgrove Road (between Finsbury and Clissold Parks) is a tiny place packed with atmosphere. Beneath the hand-painted sign, tomato plants grow in the window in season and resident cat Cassius snoozes in the sun.

The shop sells and restores classic steel-framed road bicycles; vintage English models from the 1930 to the 1990s are a specialty. Straight-talking proprietor Rob Sargent will tell you both what’s right and what’s wrong with the cycle you’re thinking of buying.

With a vast knowledge of bicycle history, Rob prides himself in delivering a personalised service. His customers range from octogenarians seeking to restore history-laden bicycles from the 1930s to young professionals wanting a quicker way to get into central London. He tries to match rider to cycle and builds up bikes to order as required.

Cycles at Sargent & Co. generally sell for £140 and upwards. One that particularly struck our fancy was lovely 1970s lemon-coloured Peugeot touring bike with a leather saddle, fully restored and priced at £450. At any one time, Rob will have about 20 such bicycles for sale.

The shop is also chock-a-block with cycling memorabilia, which spills over in abundance onto the associated website (www.sargentandco.com). Sargent & Co. may be in the far corner of Hackney, but it’s well worth the trip.

Tour de Ville

Having opened just before Christmas, Tour de Ville is the newest of the three stores, and also the largest. The space on Lamb Lane (running between London Fields and Mare Street) caters to hard-core bicycle officionados in addition to ordinary commuters.

The yard in front is decorated by Dutch graffiti artist Erosie, and much of the stock inside is sourced from the Netherlands and Belgium.  Though it has a number of fixed-gear and single-speed bikes, Tour de Ville carries a variety of models, including a range of new (unused) vintage bikes from the 1970s.

Prices start at about £350, and a typical purchase here might be a built-up fixed-gear bike, which would set the buyer back by about £750. Approximately 25 bicycles are on sale at any time. But if you can’t find what you’re looking for, owners Keith and Jos will build you a bike to your specifications.

In addition, they sell an interesting selection of vintage collectibles: bicycle parts, accessories, and jerseys. There is also a shelf of (new) cycling books, which customers can browse while sipping an espresso in the small on-site café.

Lock 7
129 Pritchards Road
London, E2 9AP
Telephone: 020 7739 3042

Sargent & Co.
74 Mountgrove Road
Finsbury Park
London, N5 2LT
Telephone: 020 7359 7642

Tour de Ville
50 Lamb Lane
London Fields
London, E8 3PJ
Telephone: 07867 804 600