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ABOUT US
Established in Sept 2000 in Belfast,
Northern Ireland, Real Cycles was one of the first cycle shops to start
selling bikes online, at the time a few shops were selling accessories
via the internet, but not complete bikes. That was about to change!
By 2004 we had become one the UK's best known online retailers for good
quality bikes, largely thanks to our no nonsense and honest approach to
all things retailing, at the same time we were rapidly outgrowing our
small base in Belfast. So in 2008, after three expansions across three
separate buildings we moved to a large single unit outside of Belfast in
the Lisburn jurisdiction. We now operate all aspects our business from this location at Temple, County Down on a site that covers two stories and approx 5000sq ft.
On the first floor we have a fully stocked 2500sq ft showroom with opening hours to suit most, plus a fully equipped workshop where we service and repair all makes and types of bikes. Our main office is also on the first floor where the day to day running of the website is done.
On the other floor is our online dispatch dept. It's here that all the
bikes we sell are prep'd and tested before dispatch or handed to our
customers. Our warranty dept is also located on this floor.
Since the very beginning we have had one very simple rule regards
selling bikes: Be honest. No matter your a visitor to our showroom or a
mail order customers we promise to always give you honest advice, based
on our experiences as cyclists not based on what we want to sell you.
This approach has sometimes meant we've lost a sale as we were unable to
supply exactly what was needed, but it's gained us a loyal following of
regular customers who are happy to share their good (and bad)
experiences with you on our testimonials page.
When it comes to what we stock we've always had an equally simple rule
too: If we wouldn't use it, we won't sell it. It's a simple approach,
but over the years it's worked for us.
The Real Cycles Timeline
- 2000 - Real Cycles opens it's door in a tiny shop in Carryduff, Belfast.
- 2000 - We start stocking bikes from Raleigh, Claude Butler, GT & Ridgeback.
- 2001 - We launch RealCycles.com and start selling bikes online, one of the first to do so.
- 2001 - At the request of our regulars we launch MTBrider.com, a community website for locals bikers.
- 2002 - Realcycles.com takes off and we take over the warehouse to the rear of the shop
- 2002 - We expand the shop doubling it's size.
- 2003 - We add Kona Bikes to our portfolio and drop Raleigh.
- 2003 - RealCycles.com is rebuilt to cope with demand and online payments.
- 2004 - More staff join Real Cycles and the shop is further expanded into the unit next door.
- 2004 - We launch a race team.
- 2005 - Commencal comes to Real Cycles. It turns out to a pivotal move for us.
- 2005 - We launch CommencalOwnersClub.com and it's an enormous success from the off.
- 2006 - More staff, more brands, running out of space, again!
- 2007 - An incredible year: Turnover doubles!
- 2007 - The workshop is moved to a separate unit in the quest for more show room space.
- 2008 - Kona is dropped as is a few smaller brands to allow us to focus on a few.
- 2008 - Time to relocated lock stock and barrel to a MUCH bigger unit.
- 2009 - Relocation year, never again!
- 2009 - The economy goes into freefall but we remain strong.
- 2010 - After ten years as a MTB specialist we move into leisure and road.
- 2010 - Road almost immediately over takes MTB sales!
- 2011 - We re-build RealCycles.com again and start streamlining our operation.
- 2011 - We are now a lean mean bike selling machine with very competitive prices.
- 2012 - Lots of new services added and Avanti Bikes joins us.
- 2012 - A tough year in retail but we come out of it stronger than we went in.
- 2013 - Our goal: Even keener prices, more riding and to keep smiling!