Small world.
I've ridden with Sid a few times - used to go out with the CTC bunch in Nottingham, late 90s/turn of the millennium. Very sorry to hear he passed away (when?) - I think he'd just come out of hospital for some heart thing (??) when I was out once but he kept plugging up the hills. I didn't know him well at all but he struck me as a really nice guy - I remember one rainy Sunday sitting in the tearoom at Rothley station:
http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/rothley/18320.htmlnattering about this and that - I remember being impressed by how open minded he was - clearly a very experienced old time cyclist but a fan of more recent improvements like clothing. And I particularly remember him very gently commenting (no idea how the conversation drifted that way and I have no idea what his politics were - irrelevant) that the consensus during the war was that the Soviets were real heroes. RIP Sid.
Freewheel - yes a good shop but they wound me up because I was pretty sure (can't be totally sure) that on a fair few previous visits I'd asked if they gave CTC discount. Was told no, but I used to continue to support them as my LBS even though I could get the discount from London bike shops on my frequent business trips there. Then later by chance I was told that they'd always done it - at which point I asked for past discounts (they always asked for my complete name and address for even the smallest purchase so that they could log it on the computer) – with their one opportunity to use this for maximising customer relationships, the owner refused. It then got a bit hysterical and the owner started wittering about “caveat emptor” and then, as he followed me out into the street, with a manic note of triumph in his manner and a strange gleam in his eye, said: “I bet you don’t even know what that means do you?” Maybe he thought someone with a northern accent couldn’t possibly have any sort of education. I don’t know. Probably my most bizarre experience ever in a bike shop. Ever used any Latin on them Zoidberg?
<<From Zoidberg>>
[/quote]Sid's standards in Beaston are good but very very pricey - sadly Sid is now dead which may have some effect on that.
A certain second hand dealer on Beaston high street is well dodgy as I have seen them buying bikes off kids for cash, to quote the words of the shop owner "without ID I can only give you twenty quid".
The best chap runs two little shops in Beaston, one near the fire station and the other just up the road from ultimate pursuits, one is the workshop for MTBs and the like the other is a little road shop, he is a race mechanic IIRC.
Freewheel in Notts city centre have always been trustworthy, Bunnys next to the train station are good for hard to find second hand bit's as he buys scrappers from the recycling centre, he is the only second hand dealer you can trust, he will also let you store your bike in his cellar for 50p for the day which is way more preferable to locking it up in Notts city centre.
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