Colchester Cycle Stores

Great place run by knowledgeable enthusiasts. Brian got me back on the road with an emergency brake repair, whilst on tour from London. The shop is brilliant. An Aladdin's cave of vintage, good value budget (Orbea) and high specced machines. I wish there were more places like this still around. Recommended.

Went into the shop and was completely ignored, so I left. I Then later called about finding a cheap bike and was literally laughed at. Pompous and arrogant, well done.

They do have some nice frames and parts but the customer service here is more often than not utterly woeful, disrespectful and bordering on insulting from some members of staff.

I have been using CCS now for over 2 years, and wouldn't take my bike anywhere else, the service and knowledge is exceptional. I bought an Orbea a couple of years ago from a shop in Ipswich, and had it built there and then, considering I paid a little under £1000, you would expect it to be perfect. However after a couple of weeks, I noticed a few things wrong and as I work in Colchester, thought I would take it into CCS. The team were really friendly and were more than willing to go the extra mile. A day later my bike was fixed and running the way it should have done from day 1. They had put a few bits on the bike the original shop had forgotten to put on, and to my delight didn't charge me for, only the labour and time, which is very reasonable. I have never looked back, any time there is anything I feel is wrong I just pop in and they are more than happy to assist, Outstanding Service, very friendly and great knowledge. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

I have a love-hate relationship with this place. Brian Lewes, the owner, is a genuine and knowledgeable man and I would recommend this place based on that. Sadly, there is a certain level of disorganisation here. Staff often fail to communicate with one another, and it seems that work carried out here can vary in quality, as if some of the mechanics are good, and some do not really know their stuff, or staff tell you they don't have something in stock when they do. I would consider buying a new bike here myself, and do send friends here, but only because I then check it over after purchase (and sometimes put things right). One of the good things about this place is that the shop is a proper shop with stock you can LOOK at, rather than everything needing to be ordered in (which, given the efficiency of the ordering-in process is just as well). One of the two bike shops I use in Colchester. There seems to be a very fair first-come-first-served approach to customers which can be a nuisance when you just want to buy an inner tube and the customer in front is discussing a three-speed hub repair for ten minutes, but at least it shows they have time for people. As I said, it's all love-hate.