Update: Cloud 9 Cycles have now moved to 38 Store St, London, WC1E 7DB
You may recognise this moment. You see a gorgeous unique bike heading the other way and you turn your head almost falling off your bike trying to catch a glimpse of it. You wonder to yourself: When did you turn into this person, who upon seeing an attractive member of the opposite sex, you are more likely to stare at their bike?
There’s a chance this head turning bike may have come from a bike shop you may not have heard of before. It’s called Cloud 9 Cycles and it’s located near the ever-trendy Camden high street in a railway arch, just past the Hawley Arms Pub.
I came across it as I was cycling past one day and something caught my attention in the corner of my eye. I went in for a closer look and was mesmerised by the bikes I saw on display outside. I had to meet the owner.
Adam and Kris are behind the new shop that opened just over 12 months ago. Kris is the Cytech qualified engineer who makes the magic happen and Adam helps with customer service. Both have a keen eye for great custom bicycle design.
The way Cloud 9 Cycles works is to talk through with the customer exactly what their dream bike would look like. The above example is for a customer who was looking for a minimalist singlespeed look but with the convenience of gears. Flicking through the builds gallery on the Cloud 9 Cycles website is a mouth watering experience for any cyclist.
As they put it Cloud 9 Cycles is about “Free range, instead of battery bikes”. Adam was happy to talk about their “Lady in Red” build. It was a bike they recovered from the river and given a new lease of life.
Of course, Cloud 9 Cycles isn’t just about custom builds. Next time your bike is in need or a service then make sure you keep Cloud 9 Cycles in Camden in mind.
The Cloud 9 Cycles website is the best place to find out more and you can follow their bike builds via their Twitter feed.
Those bikes look really cool – know what you mean about that moment when one distracts you though – easy to take your eye off the ball!
Yep, I cycle past Cloud 9 very often and I’m always looking to see what bikes are being sold
My friends and I have been using Cloud 9 for months now. We ride around town as what we call ‘the Rusty Spokes’ – in other words our bikes are usually always falling apart.
Adam and Kris are amazing, we take our loveable wrecks to them and they just offer honest advice and make them barely road legal again.
They have a vast array of second hand parts they are always willing to sell at realistic prices. We have bought new wheels, tyres, saddles etc from them and have never felt ripped off.
More bike shops should be like this!
Those bikes look ace. That must be a super job – building dream bike after dream bike, helping people make their ideas a working reality.
I had some repairs done to my bike about two weeks ago, you explain to them what you want them to do but they don’t carry it out. Then they charge you for not doing what is asked. They don’t check with road tests either, you only realise things are rubbing when you have paid and leave the shop. Sorry chaps but it is very poor service.
I had a bike hand built by cloud nine. I gave specific instructions regarding wheels, brakes, frame size etc. All went well and the workers were all smiles and handshakes. When the bike was finished and I went to pick it up I was so upset because they built the bike how they wanted, not how I asked them. Lucky for me I didn’t leave a deposit or pay any money, but please be careful as you might be charged for things you have not asked for.