Giant in The City - Giant open their latest brand store in Central London

17th May 2013 - filed under Retail

The latest in Giant Brand Stores has landed right in the City of London - the Giant Store St Paul's is now open for business - offering a new and unique Giant cycling experience.

Covering two floors over a massive 950 square metres the store has much to explore including Giant UK's very first Liv/giant area for female cyclists, featuring the complete ladies bicycle offering from Liv/giant - as well as a huge selection of ladies clothing for all types of riding.

Collette Clensy Marketing Manager said "we're really excited to be opening our first of many to come liv/giant areas, covering 150 square metres the liv/giant store offers ladies an exciting and complete cycling experience."

The store located at 200 Aldersgate, opposite the Museum of London is Giant’s flagship store, offering a huge range of solutions for all cyclists and much more including Power Fit, Giant’s professional bike fitting system, that not only measures your riding position but also helps you maximise your power output.

The Giant Store St Paul's features a charity cycle cafe, whether popping in for a browse and drink or making the store a regular stop on your ride. It’s the perfect place to relax once you’ve loaded up with cycling must haves or waiting whilst your bike is repaired in the fully equipped workshop.

Independent bicycle dealer and founder of H2 Bike Run, Piers Slater said “the Giant store offers a unique retail experience, we believe our customers will love this new and exciting shopping environment."

The store open 7 days a week showcases everything from Giant the world’s largest bike manufacturer and also features products from leading cycling brands such as Oakley, Pearl Izumi, Shimano and Endura.

Ian Beasant, Managing Director of Giant UK commented "it's extremely important to us that consumers have great riding adventures, we believe that the experience starts in store, ensuring customers gets the right bike for fantastic cycling experiences..."

Beasant continued "this store is in a superb location, we believe this store is a statement of Giant the brand and will be inspiration to our customers."

Giant propose to roll out further brand stores in key target locations. Further potential stores are already being planned and Giant are in discussions with independent partners.

You can view a full gallery of images of our new store in the Giant UK Facebook Page.

Dales Cycles host An Evening With David Walsh

9th April 2013 - filed under Retail

David Walsh, the journalist who spent 13 years pursuing the truth about Lance Armstrong, will speak in Glasgow later this month about his role in unmasking the global sporting icon as a serial drugs cheat.

Walsh will speak at Glasgow Science Centre on the evening of Tuesday 23rd April before taking part in a Q&A session and signing copies of his book, Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong. The award-winning Sunday Times journalist is being brought to Glasgow by Dales Cycles, the city’s oldest bike shop.

Tickets for the event, the latest date to be announced on Walsh’s sell-out UK tour, are available from Dales Cycles’ city centre store at Dobbie’s Loan now.

Walsh will tell why he continued his pursuit of Armstrong even as the American racked up multi-million dollar endorsements, met with Presidents and dated rock stars on the back of seven straight Tour de France victories. At a time when most people viewed Armstrong as a hero, Walsh was determined to show that not everything was as it seemed with the Texan’s clean-cut image.

That determination did not make life easy for Walsh as he was ostracised by fellow journalists, vilified by Armstrong in public and his employer, the Sunday Times, wrongfully sued by the cyclist’s legal team in 2004.

Walsh’s talk in Glasgow will give Scottish cycling fans the opportunity to ask about his role in uncovering what the US Anti-Doping Authority described as the ‘greatest fraud in sport’.

David Walsh, British Journalist of the Year 2012, said:
 
“Scotland is a country with a strong cycling heritage, from Robert Millar to Chris Hoy, and with its new velodrome, Glasgow is at the heart of the country’s cycling community.

“The response to the book tour has been tremendous and I’m looking forward to coming to Glasgow and meeting some of the most passionate cycling fans in the country.”

Tickets for the event, which will start at 7pm, are available in person from Dales Cycles Dobbie’s Loan city centre store. Only 300 tickets are available for the event at the Glasgow Science Centre so will be limited strictly to two per person, priced £10 each.

Debbie Houston, Managing Director of Dales Cycles, said:

“David Walsh’s story has run alongside Lance Armstrong’s for more than a decade. His efforts to help clean up cycling mean we can begin to believe in the sport at the top-level again.

“At a time when more Scots than ever before are taking up cycling, we are so pleased to be bringing him to Glasgow. It promises to be a great evening.”

The event will be hosted by journalist and former Scotland rugby internationalist John Beattie. A significant donation will be made to a Scottish cycling charity from the proceeds of the event.
 

For more details visit www.DalesCycles.com

Giant Store Radlett voted one of the UK's best bike shops!

9th April 2013 - filed under Retail

Giant Store Radlett has been voted into Bike Biz's top 20 bike shops in the UK for 2013. The UK's leading bicycle trade magazine Bike Biz compiled the top 20 list based on feedback from distributors, brands and cycling journalists as well as through voting at www.BikeBiz.com - selected from around 2,000 independent bike shops.

Opening in September 2010 Giant Store Radlett was the sixth Giant Brand Store to arrive in the UK and has quickly established itself, becoming an integral part of the local community - supporting a local charity, sponsoring local team riders and offering a programme of in-store events including ladies evenings and Turbo Tuesdays. Other services include bike-fitting, demo bikes and travel bike box hire.

"Giant's brand shop network is founded on independents, and the Radlett outlet is one offering classic independent traits like great customer service and supporting local cyclists"

Congratulations to Dan and the whole team at Giant Radlett along with the other independent Giant Retailers who made the top 20 for 2013 - AW Cycles in Reading, Cambridge Station Cycles in Cambridge and Rutland Cycling in Rutland. 

Ding Dong Giant Calling! Giant launches Home Setup service

18th January 2013 - filed under Retail

Giant take on home delivery with the launch of Home Set Up a new service for online shoppers – you can now order your bike direct from Giants website at www.shopgiant-bicycles.co.uk and have it built and delivered to your door by an Authorised Giant Retailer.

At Giant we want to ensure you have the best experience with you new bike, that’s why we don’t deliver bikes in boxes assembled or not. Home Set Up takes the concept of home delivery further, when your bike is delivered you get more than a bike dropped at the door – you get an Authorised Giant Retailer checking that the bike fits and is right for you. Anyone can deliver a bike in a box but no-one else offers a unique service like Home Set Up exclusively from Giant.

When we say ready to ride we mean it, no bars need turning with Home Set Up you have peace of mind that your bicycle is delivered complete and checked – working only with local Authorised Giant Retailers your bike will be delivered ready to ride and that very same retailer will carry out your first three month service, completely free of charge.

Ian Beasant, Managing Director of Giant UK said “Home Set Up offers customers more, everyone leads busy lives and with Click & Collect and Home Set Up we are responding to consumer demands - whilst still maintaining Giant principals and ensuring customers get the right bike and have great riding experiences - this supported by a great independent retail network offers consumers peace of mind and confidence in their online retail experience.”

Click & Collect offers you the confidence of buying from a global brand along with the personal touch and expertise of a local Giant Retailer, Home Set Up has taken this service, one step further.

Check it out now at www.shopgiant-bicycles.co.uk

Dave Mellor Cycles Winter update

5th November 2012 - filed under Retail

Dave Mellor Cycles sent us this report including a great image of rider Ewan Grivell-Mellor in action at the National Trophy Cyclocross Series in Ipswich;

"The West Midland league has now completed 6 rounds and we approach the mid season November league break due to 3 National Trophy races scheduled during the month and the Inter Regional Championships at Milton Keynes.

Ewan Grivell-Mellor is in a commanding lead of the under 16 league with a nice total of 5 wins from 6 races and lies 9th in the National Trophy series after two solid 9th places at Abergavenny and Ipswich. Ewan leads the West Midlands Youth Team in the Inter Regional Championships at Milton Keynes on November 11th.

The West Midland League has seen bigger numbers than ever taking part and as well as Ewan, under 12 girl Mali Jones has been consistently on the podium. Mali is new to cycling following on from the summer of GB success and is now looking to ride on the road in the 2013 circuit race season.

On the track U16s James Elmore and Beth Coupland have been regular visitors to the Manchester Velodrome after gaining selection to the West Midlands Regional School of Racing. Video analysis has been a big talking point with skills sessions filmed and then broken down to see what improvements can be made and they are both loving it.

Olympic success has certainly seen an increase in participation at our Saturday Club and even though it's getting colder we are seeing up to 50 under 12s turning up on a Saturday mornings. The future is certainly very bright."

If you are looking for a club to improve your cycling or you have a budding youngster looking to get ino riding then your local retailer is  a great place to start - you can find your nearest Giant Retailer here.