Rutland Cycling has taken on four Cambridge bike shops, more than doubling the number of its stores in a year, in a move it says comes at an exciting time for the city and the business.
Thanks to growth capital investment, the Midlands-based independent shop has bought Station Cycles’ three Cambridge shops, as well the Giant Store on Hills Road, after opening a “superstore” in Peterborough earlier in the year, bringing the company’s total retail outlets to nine.
Rutland Cycling started life in 1981 and has invested heavily in its online business in the last year as well as its real-world outlets, stocking Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Brompton and Frog.
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David Middlemiss, Managing Director of Rutland Cycling said: “We are delighted to be entering the Cambridge market at such an exciting time for cycling in the city. The team at Station have built a fantastic business and we are privileged to be taking on such a strong and dedicated team. Following a successful rebrand online and instore, and the launch of our new Peterborough superstore, this expansion comes at the right time for us as we grow our family business and build for the long-term”.
Station Cycles, with branches on the Grand Arcade, Histon and Barnwell Road, was started by local entrepreneur, Charlie Warboys, from a shop in the train station, which then closed in 2014 as part of station redevelopment. It also operates a bike hire scheme, that Rutland Cycling will adopt.
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It's a cut throat business online, more competition is welcome. They will have to match wiggle, chain reaction and others for price and service!
Oh no, don't say it's true. :~(
I had some rotten customer sevice from Grafham Cycles one of Rutland Cycling's other shops.
The best bike shop in Cambridge is Bicycle Ambulance in the entrance to Park Street car park. They can build wheels too, ones that don't fall apart like other bike shops such as the ones in this article.
I must say the service I've had from Rutland has always been good. I've been in all of their shops over the years. The Grafham one probably the least so you may know that one better, but the staff at the new Peterborough store were very good and not long ago the Fineshade team were happy to lend me an torque wrench to sort a loose seat clamp that had developed on the way to the cafe there (carbon rails so didn't want to over do it with my multitool)