The run up to Christmas in a bike store

All our customers expect us to be super busy this time of year but it's just not the case. We're busiest in the months when the sun is shining, the trails are dry and the evenings long.

That's not to say we haven't been keeping busy(ish). We're slowly moving through the last few remaining 2009 bikes, Dave's been building wheels to wile away the lonely wokrshop hours and we're getting plenty of clothing enquiries to keep everyone cycling through our rainy season.

We are still getting lovely new 2010 bikes in, Trek's Session 8, the gorgeous Project One Madones, and Haro's interesting slopestyle bike 'The Porter'. This keeps the shop looking fresh which is as good for us as it is visitors.

I spent my day off yesterday experiencing customer service from the automotive industry in the form of Alfa Romeo warranty, all I can say is we're light years ahead in our shop if not the industry as a whole.

Whilst I had a courtesy car to drive round I thought I'd visit a couple of new local bike shops and an old established one. Firstly, as I was in Tunbridge Wells I popped into Wildside Cycles, I used to shop here for decent stuff before I was in the bike trade and must say it hasn't changed much if at all, not sure whether that's good or not though.

After this I popped down to Lewes to have a look at two brand new shops. Lewes is a lovely old market town which has lacked a bike shop for several years and has just had two open in the same week! Cycle Shack is small but perfectly formed and is situated inside the sports shop in Cliffe High Street, very knowledgeable member of staff, Danny. Future Cycles is a second branch of a store that's been in Forest Row for as long as I can remember. They always specialised in Recumbents but this store is a Dawes stockist with a range of family, town and kids bikes including a Pashley or two.

Well, running into christmas we'll no doubt have plenty of BMXs to build and more customers getting their partners the odd item or two, looking forward to our store christmas meal on the 22nd, a good friend is back from his first tour of duty in Afghansitan so should be a fun evening.

Well the Endura display is looking sparse so best get back to ordering stock and filling hangers...