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| Walton Street Cycles |
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In Oxford, travelling by bicycle is known to be one of the most popular methods of transport with around 22,000 cyclists riding into and out of the city each day. Therefore ‘Bainton Bikes’ on Walton Street could not be more conveniently placed. Founded by Kevin Moreland and Honour Tomkinson, their bike hire company ‘Bainton Bikes Limited,’ combined with ‘Walton Street Cycles’ forms an enchanting shop offering anything from new bikes to bike accessories to repairs, to personalised cycling tours around Oxford.
After meeting Honour herself she told us how they were overjoyed when the opportunity arose to take over ‘Walton Street Cycles’. The whole ethos of the shop is very friendly and knowledgeable; this is one place that really does care for their customers. Honour makes it clear that everyone here is more than happy to ‘offer free advice’ instead of just trying to make a sale. Walton Street cycles offers a wide range of excellently cared for bikes, all built and maintained in Oxford, supplying everything from mountain and hybrid bikes to children’s bikes and trailers.
Honour and Kevin do seem truly enthusiastic about their bike shop, with Honour exclaiming ‘we get to sell the bikes that we love!’ and ‘everything that we sell we own as well so we do believe in the bikes we sell’ emphasising their true commitment. Honour also tells us that the business originally began when the two ‘realised that there wasn’t really anyone catering for large groups for hire in Oxford’ and so set up their own business from home (Bainton Bikes Limited.) They were later ‘approached by a local business man who had purchased Walton Street Cycles from John Wilson’ who sadly passed away. Kevin and Honour already knew the shop well and Kevin had even gone there to buy bicycle parts in his childhood and so they were thrilled when the opportunity arose.
A nice touch is that Cycling Tours can be varied; Honour tells us they are willing to tailor cycle tours to the needs of their customers so that there is no need to feel you have to agree to a specific tour. One group of ladies, for example, were in Oxford on a business trip and wanted a relaxing break but knew the city well and so Bainton Bikes were able to plan a route exactly how they wanted (therefore devising a wonderful tour from Sandford upon Thames up along the river and ending at Orial college.) Bainton Bikes alongside with Walton Street Cycles definitely forms a business that everyone can benefit from allowing you to experience the very best of Oxford on a bike!
Reviewed by Rie Marsden
Photography by Charlène Llonch |
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