A well lubricated conversation over a Chinese meal that Christmas revealed that we both felt something was missing for us, we weren't happy any more working for large corporations and we wanted something that would give us more fulfillment. We also agreed that whatever we did in the future it should be sustainable and self-funded rather than feeling lost in the wheels of industry. We didn't agree to open a bike shop at that point however the idea was founded so when the opportunity arose the following year we didn't waste any time.

 The change from a plush office to a nuts ‘n’ bolts, grease and grime, 'please mister can I borrow a spanner' kind of a place felt liberating, and at that point we knew we wanted to be deliberately small. We took on a couple of young, local mechanics to train. Through time we introduced all sorts of different bikes: Italian; British; retro and ultra modern but we always knew that our local community was more focused on leisure cycling and commuting.

Anyone in the bike trade will tell you how difficult it is for a local independent bike shop to compete with the prices and convenience of the online giants. Despite being fun the revenue from servicing, repairs and the odd bike sale just wasn't enough to keep the lights on so we had to do something. 

Having been used to polyester cycle wear we got to try some merino SportWool jerseys and it was a complete revelation to us. We knew that these classically designed jerseys felt (and smelt) like a breath of fresh air. We also realised that if we sold direct to the public we would be able to offer an amazing product at an affordable price. It meant that we could continue with our dream of being sustainable and self supporting.

Ten years down the line we have introduced new colours, new styles and developed our products whilst maintaining our ethos. The sales allow us to continue running our local bike shop and riding our bikes.