Repair, don't replace

Less new stuff bought, less scrap landfilled

If you bring your 20-year old bike in for a service, we're not going to tell you that every component is obsolete and needs immediate replacement. We understand that pragmatism, familiarity and continuity can be more important than having the latest widgets. Using second-hand and reconditioned parts keeps the costs down, and often means that we can supply obsolete or hard-to-find items. And it's more environmentally friendly: each reconditioned component on your bike means less needless use of materials and energy to make a new component, and one less piece of scrap in landfill!

Stock Sourcing Policy

Wherever possible whole bikes are recycled. Those which we cannot recycle economically are donated to the Bristol Bike Project. Where a bike is damaged or is otherwise not reusable, its components are salvaged. If possible these are reconditioned and repaired ready for re-use, or otherwise dismantled for recycling. We sometimes buy hard-to-find second-hand components from ebay or from specialist cycle collectors. Please see this link for our strict anti-theft purchasing criteria.

Components and accessories are bought new if we are unable to source large enough quantities second-hand, but wherever possible used wheels, brakes, derailleurs, shifters, frame fittings and even gears are given a new lease of life in preference to buying new. The only second-hand items we will not consider re-using are consumables such as cables, brake blocks, chains and tyres for reasons of safety and reliability.

Tools and Materials

Salvaged, recycled or second-hand tools and materials are used wherever possible. Our bike trailer, tool cabinets and workshop shelves as well as some of our tools are sourced from jumble sales, charity shops, rubbish skips, and other non-new sources, including the excellent Bristol Wood Recycling Project.