I recently posted about some of the issues when it comes to buying a woman’s bike and how frustrating my girlfriend was finding it. Great response to it from readers on the issues as well.
Today I can announce that she is the very happy owner of the Bianchi that she had set her mind to getting. And it’s thanks to Geoffrey Butler Cycles in Croydon.
Not only did they have the bike in stock and held onto it for her for over a week while we tried to find the time to make the trip across town (3 different trains to get there, taking around an hour and a bit) but when we got there they were helpful, attentive to her needs as the customer and delivered a good experience for her as a first time buyer. The first of those is obvious enough but the other two might need some explaining.
By taking me along there was the risk that I could have got in the way and suggested things that might not have been entirely helpful. I know what I think she needs to buy, but is that the same thing as what she does need to buy? Possibly not, which is why it was great that while the guy (apologies for forgetting his name) serving us listened to what I had to say, he focused on why my girlfriend was saying more closely.
I remembered to bring along the Shimano M324 Combination Pedals
It’s been said of the bike trade that it doesn’t traditionally cater for the needs of women, something which was confirmed by what we we’ve seen and heard about the availability of clothing and accessories for women, but the quality of service at GB Cycles was totally contradictory to that received wisdom. My girlfriend is now happy to make the trip round to Croydon again if we need anything because it was such a positive experience.