My Story
Where my journey with bikes began, where I’ve been and what I’m doing now.
Making bike repairs accessible.
What Do I Want to do with Denton Cycles
My mission is to remove any barriers that people have visiting traditional bike workshops, making bike repairs accessible to the different groups that exist in my local communities.
The typical barriers I encounter are age and/or vunerability, lack of transport, number of bikes, care responsibilities, child care, type and size of bike, busy life, work type and hours, unable to be without their bike for a day or more, or problems that occur with a bike outside of bike shop hours. All these groups will at some time need a bike repair or bike service, but because of one of these barriers, will struggle with the mainstream bike shop offering.
How it started
I was a child of the 70s and lived my teens through the 80s. Life revolved around bikes and my Raleigh Grifter. I was the boy who fixed all his friends bikes in my own little bike workshop based out of my parent’s shed in Ashington. The 80s was also the decade when I got my first job as a bike mechanic. It’s therefore no surprise that I developed a particular passion for bikes of that era.
I worked as a bike mechanic in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north east of England. I experienced the widest range of bikes, from the huge amount of student bikes repaired on a budget, couriers riding across the city who needed on the spot repairs, commuters who rode everyday in all conditions and needing quick turnarounds, to professional road and MTB bikes built to top specifications and using the latest technologies.
The shop was called Denton Cycles. I learned my trade in this shop, surrounded by decades of knowledge and experience from others.
Bike building and wheel building was our main business. We built new bikes made of Reynolds 531, 653 & 753 frame sets from the local suppliers such as Dave Yates and Joe Waugh, or vintage Mercians, Flying Scots and Hetchins. There were also the finest steel and bonded aluminium or carbon fibre frames from builders such as Colnago, Vitus & TVT. Every discipline was catered for… Road, Time trial, Track, Cyclo Cross and even Tandems, and for every level of cyclist. Mountain Bikes were even in there too! The shop sold mountain bikes during the MTB boom from Orange, GT, Kona & Marin. Three of the bikes I built being ridden by a National champion in three World downhill championships.
A little bit later
Although there were lots of new frame designs and materials coming through in the nineties, the steel frames of the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s remained my firm favourite. And that is how my passion for Raleigh’s Specialist Bicycle Development Unit (SBDU) started.
Since 2011, I’ve researched and blogged about the [SBDU] and their frames. That involved delving into the details about frame design and geometry, tubing types and the small details that underpinned my ability to identify genuine frames. My blog has had over half a million views and I’ve written 300,000+ words, I’ve given buying, identification, estimates and restoration advice to owners across the globe on this niche subject.
My Own Frame Build
In 2015, I visited Dave Yates and built my own frame under his tuition. Every tube mitre, cut of the hacksaw blade, sweep of the file and flow of brass was my own – with Dave on hand to pass on his masterful knowledge. There is no better feeling than riding off down the road on a frame & wheels built by you, and a bike assembled by you.
Have a browse through the posts I wrote at the time, documenting this experience… [Dave Yates Frame Building Course]
Prior to Covid and Lockdowns
I employed my skills and experience by managing the operations or a local north east bike recycling charity, Recyke y’bike.
During my time there I’d see lots of bikes sold at Dentons come through the door as donations (all of them still having the small ‘DC’ sticker on the back of the seat tube).
I’d run training sessions to individuals and groups, even doing online training. Delivering outreach work in the local area was a key part of the charitable objectives, so I helped to keep kids pedalling with free pop up repairs, while passing on skills on how to repair their bikes and giving the message about the value of recycling and reusing.
Absolutely any type of bike could come in as a donation, so a wide ranging knowledge of different bikes, both vintage and current was essential.
My main role was as a technical lead (and vintage expert), ensuring that on average, 5000 donated bikes a year were processed, and either refurbished and sold, customers bikes were repaired, and our surplus bikes were recycled responsibly, or given away to other charities.
Covid, Pressure, Anxiety & Stress
As an essential service, the charity remained open, with government restrictions and procedures in place. However, no matter what precautions you take, it was still a worrying period for myself but more so for my family. The demand for bikes went off the scale, and the operational running of the charity was extremely challenging due to the forced closure of all the facilities we relyed on. The bike parts supply chain fell apart, and sourcing even the most basic component required for a refurbishment became impossible.
All of a sudden, I wasn’t well and had to leave work. But I see all of this as just a part of my story. If you would like to know a bit more about this, please have a read through this post. I finally opened up about the struggles I had.
Getting things back together
During this enforced break from work, I started assembling all the parts I would need to start my own business. I already had the backing from the previous owner of Denton Cycles to re-register the name and use the same name and imagery in a way that I wanted.
I had the tools, I had the experience, I created a website and social media, and arranged insurance. Working for myself meant that I would be able to carefully manage my work/life balance.
What helped massively, was approaching WATBike, and asking if I could volunteer. I hadn’t worked for approx 15 months, and knowing that I could attend WATBike and help to refurbish bikes would benefit us both.
The Start of Denton Cycles – Mobile Bike Mechanic
In December 2023 I went out in the car for my first mobile bike repair, and haven’t looked back since.
Instead of volunteering with WATBike, I now collaborate with them as ‘Denton Cycles’. I help them to deliver training and Dr Bike sessions to exisitng customers and a growing number of new customers who are asking for their Dr Bike service.
My own private work is growing at a pace that feels good, being mindful not to overload myself. I’ve delivered several different types of work to my own customers, including repairs, servicing, maintenance training and events.
My Mission,
Making bike repair & maintenance accessible! I’m a mechanic that comes to you, a ‘mobile‘ bike mechanic. It’s as simple as that, I come to you at your convenience, at your home for mobile bike repairs and mobile bike servicing.
— Neil McGowran DENTON Cycles
