Cycle Exchange - Kingston upon Thames

Rasheika Byfield

I am a student and today I did not have a pleasant experience. Me and my friends always come to this lovely cafe/ bike shop as there is always a happy atmosphere but today that wasn’t the case. It was very quite and me and one another friend needed someone quite and warm to sit for just under 10 minutes till we have to be back for a class. It was raining and we knew this was a lovely place to go as we go 3x at least a week for the last 6 months. We always make sure to buy something but it has never been an issue if we have not the very few times we haven’t. Today I was getting direct eye contact and stared at by a member of staff who didn’t work in the cafe but the bike shop. She made her way over and asked us to leave as if we weren’t going to buy anything we couldn’t be there. I understand if this was a restaurant, but it’s a little bike shop that had only 1 other customer in it. When she asked if we would buy something and I politely said no, not right now ( as I was waiting to be transferred money) she looked shocked and implied if we weren’t going to spend money right away, we had to leave. This is really upsetting as it was a lovely place to go and feel welcomed for a long time, but this has completely knocked my self esteem and they have now lost 6 happy costumers that are always there, not causing disruption and always but at least a coffee.

They clearly aren’t a fan of students who can’t always pay for a £6 coffee.

Oscar Manville-Hales

Brilliant service from start to finish with the team in there. I went in last Friday to try out a few bikes and their knowledge and patience was fantastic! I had a few bikes in mind and left having tried a couple more I didn't realise would suit me. Top notch all round! Attached a couple of photos I took of 2 of them from my test rides. Highly recommend this place if you're in the market for a verified 2nd hand bike!

Charlotte Ainslie

We had such a great experience at the cycle exchange on Sunday. After visiting another shop who laughed at our budget and were not willing to give us any time, Luke was exceptional. He took the time (on a very busy day) to understand our needs and talk us through the different options and make recommendations. He also then got us bikes to try and let us ride them round the block to give them a go. So grateful for the time Luke spent with us and hoping a bike in my size and specs will come in soon! The smoothies from the cafe were another bonus and the cakes looked amazing so will be coming back for one soon!

Roger A

Good honest mechanics and I very much thank them for it. Initially took my Enve wheels for a service and it was nicely serviced and cleaned. Took my Hunt wheels because I thought it was out of true, and was shown that it wasn't. It was a quick check for them but most bike shops will charge for it. I offered for a coffee and pastry and even that was declined.

John

Company relies on people who are desperate for cash for their bikes and components and pays peanuts. It would be nice if they supported the local cycling community on which they rely. I live in Kingston but I’ll be continuing to give my business to that US based conglomerate eBay.

Liam Cullen

Absolutely great bikes and service! I would highly recommend Cycle Exchange to anyone wanting a serious bike upgrade.

I purchased my Trek Emonda SL7 from Cycle Exchange towards the beginning of the year. The service and support from the team when choosing the correct bike was great. The bike came in perfect condition and at a great value.

Unfortunately, after a few months of riding I had difficulty with my front fork (thought to be due to a crack in the carbon frame). After notifying Cycle Exchange of the issue, I received a speedy response and was even offered a replacement temporary bike (up to the same spec) for an upcoming event. The workshop quickly ordered the new part, prioritised fitting me in the workshop and managed to replace the fork within a few hours so I didn’t have to make two trips. As the bike was still within the warranty period, Cycle Exchange covered all costs.

Thank you Cycle Exchange, especially to Josh and Hazel who have been extremely helpful throughout the whole process.

Laurence Tennant

I've had a great experience with the mechanics here. I had a Trek Emonda that developed a creaking in the bottom bracket, it turned out to be a frame flaw and the mechanics handled the warranty replacement perfectly. I had a new bike within a few weeks. Unfortunately the new bike had an issue with the headset. Again the mechanics were able to look into the problem within a few days and have communicated everything clearly to me.

Chris Johnson

Had a manufacturing issue with a frame I was planning to get built up and the workshop were absolutely BRILLIANT in helping. Really did a lot more than they needed to, as it wasn’t their fault. Excellent service.