Ben Hayward Ghosts Of Bike Shop Past

Learning to ride a bike.
I was delighted to read the article about Ben Hayward of Cambridge in the latest Boneshaker, though saddened to learn that the shop had closed down. I well remember depending on it as my local bicycle shop as a freshman in 1974. More importantly, my wife, Ling Khong, not only bought her first bicycle there, but was taught how to ride it by Rob Turner. After Ling got her undergraduate degree from University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur she got a scholarship... to do her graduate studies in economics at Wolfson College, Cambridge. She was 23 years old when she arrived in England in September 1985. It was the first time she had been on an aeroplane and the first time she had been outside Malaysia. She had a very tight budget and the food, the weather and the academic environment were intimidating. She realized that a bicycle was essential to getting around Cambridge but she had never ridden a bicycle in her life. She duly visited Ben Hayward & Son, where Rob Turner was extremely kind, guiding her towards a sensible Dawes which cost 175 pounds. Three days later she tried to return the bicycle being quite unable to ride it, and begged either for a tricycle or for training wheels to be attached to it. Bob told her that she would be laughed at, but if she returned at closing time that evening, he would teach her how to cycle. At 6:00 pm he took her across the road to the passage next to St Botolph’s church where he gave Ling her first bicycle lesson. After much practice and help from a friend she became competent and proudly sent this photograph home to her family in KL. Today Ling rides around San Francisco and enjoys tandeming with me on vacations. If you have Rob Turner’s contact details could you forward this message to him, so he knows he has made a real difference and is fondly remembered by the young Chinese girl from Malaysia! With best wishes, Christian
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Would be great to see you at The Bike Depot today. I'll be there 9.30-16.30 ready to say hello and discuss what you would like from an urban, commuter, family orientated local bike shop.

New Years Eve ride. CamRideHome for this month only has moved. This month we will ride from Cutter Ferry Bridge on Midsummer Common, out along the new Quy cycle path to The Shed in Lode. That is starting 11.30am Sunday 31st December https://t.co/GuTGjoXZTN route thanks to Rad Wagon Blow away the cobwebs, wrap up warm and come and enjoy the ride.

Visit Orchard Mobility, now open on the Ben Hayward site in Scotsdales Horningsea. For all your mobility needs.

We are now closed and thank you all for your custom and friendship. Thanks also for your kind comments http://benhaywardcycles.tumblr.com/…/15 6645…/comment-archive quite overwelming.
Still have a few bargains left - look out for them on social media!

Good day Team! Been a pleasure working with you all. Keep in touch.

Final day! Big, big thanks our staff, Mark, Andy, Bully, Joel, Tom, Sam and Eric who have kept keen, positive and professional through this tough time - they and Julie, my Mum, who as always supported with her long knowledge of the cycle trade, are the heart of the business.
We're up for a good day, some fantastic bargains to be had - come and "try it on" we'll soon tell you if we can't help!

Anyone have time for #CamRideHome tommorrow? 6pm @themillcam Friday 27th January. Mystery tour, a selection of our favourite routes, leading inexorably back to The Mill for a pint & chat. Any hours easy ride, exploring the delights of the Cambridge cycle network.

Last days of closing sale! Two free Ben Hayward bottles with each purchase. Half price clothing, helmets, shoes, parts & accessories. One of, silly priced items. Final bikes, great bargains, all realistic offers considered - we'll try our hardest to give you a fantastic deal!

Half price, clothing, shoes & helmets - getting low on medium & large sizes, good choice of small and extra large. All the "strange" parts are coming out of our container!!

Thank you for the great response to our sale! Now all remaining kids bikes go half price. Half price on all parts, clothing & accessories. Unbeatable prices on all other bikes.

Our clearance SALE continues. Most spares, parts, clothing, helmets at HALF price! Best prices on bikes - get ready for cycling, stock up now.

HALF Price SALE now on! Majority of our remaining stock is now at half price, including all clothing, shoes, helmets, tubes, computers, wheels, saddles...... Further reductions on all road and mountain bikes. With prices rising, bag a real bargain NOW!!

Went in today to get some advice on a new bike for my 4 year old daughter. They were really friendly and helpful. We came away with some great advice and a great little bike. Thanks guys.

My wife Judy was considering a bike to help with her arthritis of the knees. I have to say all the staff were superb - so helpful, knowledgeable, gentle and not pushy at all. Great range of cycles and accessories.



The turning point was the offer to use a demo model for a few days which turned into almost a week. But the opportunity to trial the Brompon in her own environment clinched the sale, once the hospital had given its blessing. Fantastic local company who also has a superb location for parking and testing out bikes. Thank you.

Best bicycles shop in Cambridge. Very nice people and extremely knowledgeable.

Are these people magic? Doth they come from a faerie glen and can thus wield magical bicycle powers to all and sundry? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know they managed to fix my bent front forks with a broom handle when the best other bike shops could manage was either scoffing, offering to put it in the skip for me or wielding a pathetic excuse for a new pair of forks and remarking 'she'll never be the same luv, but you might get a couple months use outa these'. I also got a new chain and flywheel+back wheel here and they did some kind of wizardry to my pathetic brakes too. 10 out of 10 Merlin's Beard's.

Went in today to get some advice on a new bike for my 4 year old daughter. They were really friendly and helpful. We came away with some great advice and a great little bike. Thanks guys.

My wife Judy was considering a bike to help with her arthritis of the knees. I have to say all the staff were superb - so helpful, knowledgeable, gentle and not pushy at all. Great range of cycles and accessories.



The turning point was the offer to use a demo model for a few days which turned into almost a week. But the opportunity to trial the Brompon in her own environment clinched the sale, once the hospital had given its blessing. Fantastic local company who also has a superb location for parking and testing out bikes. Thank you.

Best bicycles shop in Cambridge. Very nice people and extremely knowledgeable.

Are these people magic? Doth they come from a faerie glen and can thus wield magical bicycle powers to all and sundry? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know they managed to fix my bent front forks with a broom handle when the best other bike shops could manage was either scoffing, offering to put it in the skip for me or wielding a pathetic excuse for a new pair of forks and remarking 'she'll never be the same luv, but you might get a couple months use outa these'. I also got a new chain and flywheel+back wheel here and they did some kind of wizardry to my pathetic brakes too. 10 out of 10 Merlin's Beard's.

Went in today to get some advice on a new bike for my 4 year old daughter. They were really friendly and helpful. We came away with some great advice and a great little bike. Thanks guys.

My wife Judy was considering a bike to help with her arthritis of the knees. I have to say all the staff were superb - so helpful, knowledgeable, gentle and not pushy at all. Great range of cycles and accessories.



The turning point was the offer to use a demo model for a few days which turned into almost a week. But the opportunity to trial the Brompon in her own environment clinched the sale, once the hospital had given its blessing. Fantastic local company who also has a superb location for parking and testing out bikes. Thank you.

Best bicycles shop in Cambridge. Very nice people and extremely knowledgeable.

Are these people magic? Doth they come from a faerie glen and can thus wield magical bicycle powers to all and sundry? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know they managed to fix my bent front forks with a broom handle when the best other bike shops could manage was either scoffing, offering to put it in the skip for me or wielding a pathetic excuse for a new pair of forks and remarking 'she'll never be the same luv, but you might get a couple months use outa these'. I also got a new chain and flywheel+back wheel here and they did some kind of wizardry to my pathetic brakes too. 10 out of 10 Merlin's Beard's.