Can you suggest a reliable bike shop in northern beaches? Plus company wanted for my 1st ride

is in Manly & have a good reputation, all the guys I have spoken to there have been very helpful.

Manly Cycles is my choice. Its a small bike shop that specialises in MTB's and beach cruisers.
The can generally fit the service in within one or two days and are super helpful and friendly.

I've been to most of the bike shops around here and I'd give BA the best rap. Friendly and helpful mostly.

As for rides, just check out the Calendar and pick a ride that suites your riding style

Everyone has different experiences. I have found B'vale bike factory the worst to deal with. A while back they told me it would be 4 weeks to look at my bike- and I bought it there! The guy in the shop, Andrew, I don't trust. I swore I would never go near there again and I never will.
While I don't use Supreme, I've always found them very helpful. Even fixed my wifes squeeky brakes on the spot on a Sunday 'coffee' ride once.
I go to BA because they have a big workshop and while usually very busy, will fit me in when an emergency strikes. When I need to be back on my bike, they make sure I am. My advice is to find Brad (the manager of the workshop), mention the NoBMoB (referal/ rapport thing), tell him you're new to the country and looking for somewhere to look after your bike. Based on that, he will look after you and your bike.

I just bought a new bike from Bike Factory, but only because the price was right (last years model), I don't think their service is as good as BA. The guys at BA always have time to talk and advise on stuff and I've had great service from their workshop (Brad) every time. But yeah, everyone's experience is different. Where is Supreme? Never heard of them.

i suppose its a matter of which people you talk to at a given time. Some guys are keen to help anyone with any bike and others will only speak to bling people with shiny legs and shiny bikes. Its depends on what you want and who you speak to. Im a shop tart and spread myself across a few shops that tend to look after me. Its all a matter of preference but i like bike addiction for politeness and knowledge on bling., supreme for recognising me,politeness, knowledge of my bikes and big discounts on bikes. Manly cycles for the nicest service and last but not least, cycology at tuggerah for the biggest discounts and great advice with no elitism. At the end of the day its all about the one you feel most at home in and who you get served by.

You guys are great, if you are so helpful now and I've yet to meet a one of you can't imagine what fun it will be to ride with you.

After all your threads and advice in the end the Marin is still in the UK!! It was all packed in a box with loads of other stuff I'd thrown in for good measure. I know I'm an optimist but my understanding was that the bike would go free - WRONG! The box weighed a massive 24 kilos and that was without all my other stuff. It was going to cost $750 excess baggage. Had to take it back to the car and unpack and salvage what I could but at least I've got my riding gear and some tools here.

That incident was the start of an 'interesting' trip. First of all was grovelling on the floor to repack my bags before could check in and make the weight. Was immediately was pulled at Heathrow Xray and they searched one of my carry on bags (full to the brim and weighing a ton). Right at the very bottom was a big pair of scissors - I had no idea were there - naturally confiscated and rightly so.

Then at Hong Kong they seize my handbag inside which I have a credit card vanity Victorinox cute set of useful tools... they took my 2cm mini scissors and knife out of the pack. They obviously realised that i was likely to run amock in the plane, knock down the door the the pilot with the 2cm knife and hold the 2cm scissors to the pilots throat and demand to be flown to Honduras........

After 24 hours and 2 hours sleep zombie like waiting at the carosel for my luggage when a bloody drug dog stops at another of my bags!!So was searched again after the guy shouted 'Mam, passport and open your bag - NOW!' - blimely, no room for humour in the customs business then! (I think the dog smelt the Soreen Malt loaves I hauled all the way from Uk for one of my daughters).

Sorry about that bit of a rant, I feel better now. Back to bikes. Will have to buy a new bike after all, plus a helmet, so some bike shop is going to come into a lump of my hard earned..... think I should go see Brad at Bike Addicition - where is it please?

Elly the Pommy Shelia

p.s. I don't think you take forgranted living here but this morning I walked to Manly Beach (Bondi eat your heart out - better known but common) and I almost cried it was so stunning. You are lucky people to have such surroundings and that's for sure.

when a person with 24 kg's of bike and gear gets charged $750 for excess weight, when a person carrying 24kg's of excess weight on their body gets a friendly smile.

...managed to keep my missus in the shop for an hour and a half talking bikes.
Thats pretty cool, she is a numpty when it comes to bikes. Maybe it was the female aspect?

If you happen to be at Taren Point, Frasers are pretty good on the chat and great follow up service. Some good discounts too.

Inner City Cycles in Glebe have been handy the last few weeks and gave a nice discount upfront for some accessories.

Supreme were good too, no discount though.

Craig

I only got charged $30 flat fee on westjet (calgary -> vancouver, canada) for my bike boxed up and $50 from Vancouver to Sydney with Air Canada. $750.. you may as well buy a new bike?

Beware of Aust Customs and the ports authority charge an arm and a leg for picking items up from the docks if you decide to send freight by boat. We got robbed for shipping one pallet from Vancouver to Sydney. I later found out that for another 700 AUD i could have shipped a 40 foot container worth of gear!

It's more often than not cheaper to buy a new steed, mind you its always a good idea to follow matts advice on checking your airline details on sports equipment.

good luck

they should be perfectly comfortable around me - i very much doubt i display much of either (but flattery gets you everywhere with me!!!)

u might have better luck with a name change horny!
mind u it doesnt work for me either, but if a compliment is due it should be given

guys just to say I've set up a new thread to explain about yet more bad news re my leg and how that is stopping me riding. The heading is to Gazza & Bikemad. Please read as would at least like to meet up with you even if can't now ride with you!