This isn't the largest of bike shops and doesn't particularly offer a great deal of range limiting…read moreitself to selling primarily commuter bikes and doing repairs and services. Although there aren't that many bikes on offer, they do, however, manage to cover a decent range of bike types by avoiding duplication of similar styles and are on a par with the bigger bike shops in terms of pricing. Personally, I'd still go elsewhere to where you get more choice within each specific price range, but if you do live locally then you won't get a worse deal here, you just won't get the same range.

This is a relatively new bike shop in Edinburgh which opened on Leith Walk just in 2007. I had a…read morelook around about a week ago it seems well stocked with plenty of good quality bikes for both adults and children, as well as mountain and road bikes. They hire out good quality bikes for as little as £7 for half a day which would be very handy if you're looking to get around the city quickly in a a short space of time. Further, they repair buckled wheels, dodgy brakes, misfigured frames and fix the illusive mechanics of gear systems. You can also buy spare parts individually, such as suspension forks, disc brakes and new saddles which all allow you to do up your bike as you want it. The staff are all friendly and seem willing to lend their expert advice for all those looking to start out with a new bike or just improve the one they have.

The predominant style of bikes on offer from here are cross country bikes and it is this area where…read morethe shop offers its most comprehensive section. Despite this the other styles of bikes the store also offers are very well stocked themselves with hybrid bikes (which are suited to both track and road) being its second best area. The bikes generally sit in the price range between £250 and £1000 with relatively few ultra high end bikes on offer compared to some of the specialist shops. The bikes on offer are, however, of high quality and area all good bikes that you would want to buy. If all the choice gets a bit much for you then the staff here are more than happy to help and you only need to ask and they shall do everything they can to help you pick out the right bike.

Terrible after-sales service. Problem with new tyres they…read morefitted; fobbed off three times. Once they have your money they can't be bothered...

If you do cycling of any sort in Edinburgh, you will probably be familiar with Edinburgh Bicycle…read moreCooperative. They're located on Alvanley Terrace, near to the Bruntsfield Links. I've been in a few times - once to get some new inner tubes, another time to get some cycling mitts (fingerless gloves) and finally to replace a light. The shop has such a great range of everything, along with staff who are passionate about the subject matter. Whatever I was looking for, there was always a great range of that item, across a variety of prices. This shop thus caters for the casual and hardcore cyclist alike. It's the sort of place that you'll wonder round, and see something that you don't really need, but do want, and then try to justify whether or not you need it. The selection of complete bikes for sale is also great to look at, with that 'if money was no object' glint in your eye. Apart from sales, the shop also does repairs in a small workshop that is part of the shop. It's pretty much a one-stop shop for your cycling needs, and in a city like Edinburgh where cycling is the quickest way to get around, it is a very useful place. Well worth a visit if you live nearby, or even if you don't!

If you want a new bike this is the place to come because they cover the complete range of bikes and…read morethey're all quality bikes which are good value for money. The cheapest you get is about £200 so perhaps they miss out the very cheapest bikes, but they may be forgiven for their level of quality. Should you want cheaper than this I would recommend picking up a second hand bike from Bike Station which are of good quality but second hand. The next step up is the standard £300 commuter bikes you get sold throughout town and from here the more you spend the more you get with many different types and styles of bikes. My advice would be to tell the staff what you want, what you need it for and they will do their best to find whatever suits you. A great bike shop.

I've used the Bike station before and always been happy with the service but today was above and…read morebeyond. I noticed a puncture as I set off for work, so pushed my bike to the Bike Station, but it was closed. It was Monday morning and I saw on the sign that the shop didn't open until Wednesday. A member of staff from another branch happened to be there dropping off some bikes and asked if I was ok. When I explained about the puncture, he opened up the shop and replaced the inner tube and tyre for me and also oiled some parts of the bike that needed done, all whilst waiting. I can't thank Mark enough for offering to help on his day off, what an amazing service! Lynsey

When buying a second hand bike, the one thing you want to be assured of is quality. Such bikes can…read morebe rusty, slow and not especially good - the last thing you want to be doing is buying a bike with dodgy brakes and in risk of breaking. Thankfully, there is a solution; Bike Station sells not only cheap, but also high quality bikes (they'll also recycle any unwanted bike you have but don't want) - in this respect they cannot be faulted. After my last second hand bike fell apart after just a few months use I was about to give up on second hand bikes, but the quality here is first class and still very good value. Upon arriving at Bike Station, you'll see a sign in the street pointing you into a small car park. Here, in what is really just a glorified garage you'll find Bike Station. On Saturdays (Fridays for kids bikes) from 10:30 till 4:30 you can buy second hand bikes and on Wednesdays 4pm till 8pm and Saturdays 12pm to 4pm you can hire a work stand for £4 to fix your own bike. Throughout all these three times you can also buy second hand parts. In short, this place is well worth a visit, whether you are a bike lover wanting to mend your bike or someone who just wants a second hand bike that won't break. The service here is excellent and the quality cannot be faulted - if only all second hand bike sellers were this good I wouldn't have spent money on a bike that's now broken.

I am an avid cyclist and I was looking to rent a nice, higher end bicycle and I was looking for…read moresome city bikes to rent for my other members or my family, this bike shop delivered much past my expectations and the bikes were perfect! Fair prices on all of them and the staff are some of the most helpful people! This is by far my favorite bike shop and I wished I had a bike shop this good locally!

The first thing to note is that these are summer opening times. Through the rest of the year…read morethings are roughly the same except that it isn't open on Sundays, although they do operate an extended summer here and its only when it really is too cold to enjoy cycling that the summer opening times end. This is very much a high end specialist store, but they do also do repairs. However, when I brought in my knacked old bike to be fixed they sent me to Bike Station. They were helpful and friendly but knew it wasn't worth their while to fix it given that I'd told them it only cost £45 and given the state of my bike they were probably right. It may seem like I'm complaining, but I'm really not, they recognised that I wasn't wanting to spend a lot of money on my bike and instead of roping me along to half fix it they told it to me as it was. Many shops might have strung me along and charged me for a bike I still couldn't use. The bikes themselves are really only for committed cyclists, but if you are looking for specialist bikes this is a great place to come.

If you need your bike fixing in a short time and for very little, come to The Bike Works…read more PRICE: Parts and tools cost as little as they would anywhere. The cost of servicing is very reasonable, and you will only pay for what you have asked to be done. QUALITY: Service is very good. Friendly staff will sort out what you need, and always have a useful suggestion to make. CHOICE: Though small, there are a wide range of parts to choose from, and the shop is able to order in any component not found within their stocks. Being a keen and experienced cyclist, on coming to Edinburgh I needed a shop where I could get my brake pads, tyres and inner tubes for a reasonable price and relatively near where I lived, whilst also providing a place to service the bike if it required work beyond my expertise. The Bike Works provided this. It is a wee shop just off Sciennes Road or the Meadows and easy to find. Staff here are friendly, know their stuff and won't try and fleece you. Maintenance is of a high standard and when the occasion arises that you cannot fix your bike yourself, they will do only as you ask them and the bike will potentially be with you by the end of the day. The shop is also open at very useful hours, allowing you to pop in for that spare part you couldn't find during those evening bike-maintenance sessions, or to pick up an inner-tube before spinning off on a night cycle to the Pentlands. Other very useful features include rails for bike-parking outside; a card-reader for the change-less many out there and regular staff who often recognise you or your bike when you bring it in with a bent hanger or misaligned derailleur. I find this place to be a gem among the many fine shops in this little area of Marchmont, and it deserves a terrific thumbs-up and my own special Gold Award for best in class.

If you live in Marchmont and need you bike fixed then I could certainly recommend that you call…read moreupon the expertise of The Bicycle Works. Although I don't really cycle much myself, I saw the work which they did on a friend of mine's bike and it was excellent. He had smashed his front wheel on a particularly high curb and brought it in to these guys who realigned the wheel and fitted it out with new spokes. Apparantly it only cost about £30 and he hasn't had any problems with it since. The shop inside is clean and ordered with a whole range of spare parts, puncture repair kits and bike chains. The staff are friendly and definitely know what they're talking about, making this the place to come for your cycle repairs.

I'm a newbie to road cycling and had to buy a bike via Evans because my employer is tied to them…read morevia the ride to work scheme. I've spent over £900 with them and customer service I've received has been pretty poor (with the exception of one time when Grace gave me lots of helpful advice on picking out my gear). Tipping point was when I went in to see if they could have a look at my bike, because it has been making a clicking noise since I picked it up from Evans who had to change the tyres due to a recall. Staff member didn't really say anything helpful other than 'bikes make a lots of different noises' and 'we didn't touch anything other than your tyres so can't be our fault'. They offered to check it in but I was pretty sick of their attitude so took my bike to Bicycle Works who asked sensible questions and identified the problem in 2 minutes. Problem had nothing to do with the tyres and if staff member at Evans had bothered to identify what the problem was I would have happily paid to get it fixed. Not planning on setting foot in an Evans store again.

This review is really based on my hubby's experiences as he is the cyclist and the shopper. I just…read morego along to make sure he doesn't get distracted and buy things he doesn't need. He absolutely tries his best to use independent shops - and there are lots in Edinburgh but even though they are great for helping you choose and maintain a bike, unfortunately they aren't always able to carry a large stock of a variety of parts and accessories especially for specialist activities. So after making the rounds to the local shops, if he can't get what he wants he goes on-line. Again - there are lots of on-line shops to choose from but we travel a lot and aren't always home to accept deliveries. The Evans in Edinburgh also rarely has what he needs in store (which is why there's only 3 stars), but the good thing about Evans is you can order and pay on-line and only have to drop in to collect your goods which will be sent to the shop from a bigger warehouse. There is even free parking at the side of the shop - just press the 'Evans' buzzer and they'll let you in. All very easy and stress free because you're guaranteed that you'll get what you want with no need to hang about the shop.

My virtual fitting with Dougie was AWESOME. He talked me through adjusting my cleats to a different…read moreposition and orientation and then changing every aspect of the bike fit. For those who ride a Peloton, my settings went from an I-16-B to an L-20-F! The bike couldn't feel more different under me. Immediately, I felt activation in my hamstrings that I've never had before. Dougie also coached me on my pedal stroke; it's going to require continued work and focus, but it's great to have a professional telling my exactly what I need to do to improve. I haven't even been riding a year yet at this point, and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to get fitted. This is going to totally change the way I ride for the better. I can't wait to do my first endurance ride at these new settings!

This review is based on my hubby's experience but I was there watching, taking notes and pics and…read moremarvelling in the technology and expertise. Before this process started, my hubby was very sceptical of this new-fangled bike fitting system. In his day *coughs* it was very common to get your steel bike custom made and any good bike shop had the ability to measure you up at no extra cost. And if you're not a pro - will a fitting really improve your performance? Well after an in-depth session with Dougie at Edinburgh Bike Fitting we have a much better understanding of who will benefit and how. So, If your're not a pro looking for marginal gains, why is this fairly expensive service needed? ONE: Most bikes are now carbon and stamped out in a factory far, far away. You've only got 3 options, Small, Medium or Large and any adjustments come from your handlebar stem and seatpost. Chances are you bought it online or in a chain store that has no idea how to fit a bike. You now have a sore back, dodgy knees and a stiff neck from riding your expensive yet poor fitting bike. What do you do? Take your bike to a specialist bike fitter and they can adjust your position so you can ride comfortably and maybe even a bit better. TWO: You don't want to buy a poor fitting carbon bike but there are so many brands out there - each with slightly different geometry and sizing. The Retul system Dougie uses is connected a big database of off the shelf bikes. He can take detailed measurements using lots of wires and lasers from all different angles - plug that into the database and hey-presto you get a list of the best bikes for your body and riding positions. You no longer are at the mercy of poorly trained salespeople (or even knowledgeable ones trying to sell you the most expensive bike). THREE: This was my hubby's reason for crossing over into the hi-tech dark side of cycling. You want to buy a good old-fashioned custom built steel bike - made just for your and your quirky long back and short legs. After searching for months the bike builder you settle on is in Holland. You can either fly over for the builder to take measurements OR most builders will accept measurements taken by a reputable system (Retul is top of the list). My hubby was happy to find a Retul Fitter right here in Edinburgh and Dougie took this service to an even higher level. So, although we both saw merit in the bike fitting system in general the 5 stars really go to Dougie (sole proprietor at Edinburgh Bike Fitting). Pretty much anybody can go for a few days training, buy the kit and become a registered Retul Fitter. Dougie's background and previous experience allow him to provide an in-depth fitting service that goes way beyond sticking on sensors and letting the software do all the work. Not only is he an avid cyclist, he has gained valuable knowledge through studying sports science and sports massage both requiring a huge amount of anatomy and physiology. When the laser traces showed an imbalance in my hubby's left hip and leg (where he was also experiencing dull by annoying pain), Dougie was able to offer suggestions for exercises and stretches as well as making adjustments on the bike. I'm sure there are not many other fitters that could do the same! All these measurements were done on a Bicycle shaped 'rig'. For the one price, we were also able to bring the newly built bike in (even several months later) and have his position tweaked to optimise comfort and performance. My hubby is now a bike fit convert - but only if the fitter has the additional knowledge of cycling and anatomy like Dougie. Note: These fittings are by appointment as Dougie may not be in the shop if you just drop in. The entry is the door next to 'Laid Back Cycles'.

Impressive set up - the guys are fast, well priced and super knowledgable…read more While they specialise in some of the high end stuff - repairs to downhill bikes, road bikes, suspension and disk brakes, they're also more than happy to deal with the more day to day stuff. I dropped my bike in on a saturday and it was ready for collection less than 24 hours later whereas other bike shops in town were quoting 2 weeks and twice as much money to do the same job. They guys in the shop are easy going and happy to chat about bikes and talk you through what they do and how they do it so there's no surprises when it comes to collecting and paying for repairs. They also seem to be really well stocked for all sorts of odds and ends, and sell bikes as well as fixing them. Would definitely recommend them and they'll be my first stop for my next pit stop!

every now and again a new idea comes along that just seems right. The way James is going about…read morePedals is just 'right'. Keeping bikes on the road and working as they were designed to is a noble goal and you can tell he knows how to do it. long may it continue! Jez, Edinburgh