To celebrate the first-ever Local Bike Shop Week Awards, we chat with the finalists to find out more about their bike shops.
The Local Bike Shop Week Awards are part of the newly launched Local Bike Shop Week, managed by the ACT.
Starting as Local Bike Shop Day back in 2018 (originally launched by Daniel Jones with support from the ACT), this year sees the ACT expand the event to a week, celebrating from 3-9 May 2026.
We chat with Heather Baker, director of Saddles and Paddles, to find out more about their shop.
Every shop has a unique origin story. Tell us a bit about yours. How did it all begin, and how have things evolved over time?
Saddles & Paddles was established in 1992, so it has been serving Exeter as an independent bike shop and hire centre for 34 years now! I have owned Saddles & Paddles for 13 years and have loved adding my own touches to this fantastic business with such a long history. Since I took over, I have been putting more focus on us as a bike shop, whereas previously the business was known more for the hire activities. As a female-owned shop, it was crucial to me to create a more inclusive, friendly and non-judgemental environment, and I’ve been thrilled at how often we are complimented on our customer service.
I’ve also invested a lot in the workshop, both with a team of highly experienced and qualified mechanics and also in our hardware, adding several hydraulic workshop stands to match the increased trade in electric and cargo bike servicing.
Heather
Is there a specific story or a particular customer interaction from the past year that perfectly captures why you do what you do?
We develop such a great rapport with many of our customers, and often because, sadly, they have had a poor experience in other shops. People respond so well to honest and helpful advice – we regularly get thank you cards and treats, whether it’s after big bike services, or after buying their dream bike, or for helping someone get their confidence to cycle more when they hire a bike. It’s so touching how many people take the time to thank you. We’ve had postcards from customers on epic touring adventures on bikes we sold them, and letters from children who have started cycling to school – this type of feedback means the world to us.
A bike shop is just as much about the people behind the counter and in the workshop. Who makes up your team, and what do they do?
We have a fairly large overall team, with currently 18 staff on the payroll, as we need a lot of casual staff for the weekends and holidays to support the hire side of the business. But our core team is much smaller – three full-time ‘front of house’ staff and three mechanics. We love the mix of ages in our team (between 15 and 63!) and are proud to have an almost even split between men and women too. Every single member of the team is passionate about what we do, and the business thrives because of it.
If someone walks into your shop for the first time, what is the one thing they’ll experience with you that they won’t find anywhere else?
That we make the time to chat and help our customers – we listen, we care, and we respect our customers and do not use pushy sales tactics or over-complicated techy jargon. We would never sell someone a bike if we’re not confident it’s the right choice for them – this means we sometimes recommend other shops! We’d much rather be honest and helpful than to force a sale, and customers really appreciate this.
The cycling industry has seen its fair share of shifts in recent years. What are the biggest challenges you face right now, and how are you adapting to meet them?
Increasing staff costs, business rates, and the ongoing cost of living concerns mean I’ve had to run the business more efficiently and at times, run leaner than I’ve done in the past. But some simple operational changes have meant we can maintain our services without compromising the offer to customers. The flexibility of the team has been the most helpful part of us adapting to challenges – we have all supported each other and made changes to our working patterns to help cover all aspects of the business.
In your opinion, how can the wider industry (manufacturers, distributors, and advocacy groups) best support bike shops? From your perspective, what role do shops like yours play in the ‘cycling ecosystem’ that deserves the most protection or support?
The margins in the bike industry are still incredibly tight, and when a huge portion of bike sales are through Salary Sacrifice schemes, the commission charges can be crippling. But we have already seen some improvements from many schemes, and I’m hopeful that continued pressure will lead to further reductions in their fees. But more could be done nationally to educate employers when they choose which scheme they sign up with.
Many businesses will have corporate social responsibility targets, so the choice of a cycle to work scheme that operates to support independent shops and minimises the commission should be factored in, as well as the financial elements. Being undercut by online sales is still a huge issue. We get regularly frustrated with distributors that offer better prices for direct-to-consumer sales or via eBay shops. This leads to customers asking for price matching, which we can’t afford to do.
Bike shops have always played a role in supporting active travel and enabling people to make sustainable travel choices – we don’t just sell a bike, we offer advice on the best routes to work or school, on clothing, how to carry out basic maintenance on their bikes and signpost people to where they can learn more or do more. We do this because we care, but it’s not time we can charge for, and there are no grants to support commercial bike shops for this type of community engagement. Perhaps there should be?
What are you most excited about for the future of your shop? Are there any new projects, community initiatives, or trends you’re leaning into for 2026 and beyond?
Every year has brought different challenges and different successes! Take being shortlisted for the Local Bike Shop Week Awards – this was such a thrill for us, and the response within our local community was fantastic. To be a small shop in a small city, and to be selected as one of just eight finalists across the UK was a win in itself!
As for the future, we’ve got some exciting new ranges of bikes, from kids to cargo, coming in this year, and some demo events to showcase them. We’ve already had a great response and love seeing how happy our customers are when they collect their new bikes – and often get thank you cards or postcards from their bike adventures!