Battery Cycle Works

[LittleSkink]

not sure if this is in the right place, wondered who remembers Battery Cycles in Plymouth? - it was my folks business and they only sold up when my dad got real poorly, the business went to the wall pretty quickly after that

When they first bought it (c1980) the shop was down the road - I always remember in the workshop were 100's boxes perfectly arranged in racking, each with hand painted ends to tell you what component was inside. Now that was retro!

I spent a fortune in there over the years (they made me pay just like everyone else!)

 

[maverick]

Re:

My firstest ever bike (A Grifter) came from Battery Cycles.

In my youth myself and the Sinnerman used to ride to all the bike shops in the Plymouth and look at the bikes in the windows. I used to love the Raleigh Displays in the window here.

We used to ride to Bembo Street (still going), Devon cycles (gone), Bike on Royal parade (gone) Battery Cycles (gone) then out to Barretto's Bikes (gone too) and ogle at bikes that we could not afford, until now.

I can't believe that your folks used to make you pay for parts too.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

My brother lives in Plymouth and when I was a feckless youth I always made a ritual of going to Battery Cycles and Devon cycles almost broke my heart when I saw your dad's shop was gone, it always looked immaculate with lovely displays

 

[oldschoolfool]

Re:

hi there

i had my first "mountain bike"bought from Battery which was one of the first of the raleigh mavericks they sold.it was the 15 speed version which i was very grateful for but really i would have loved the handbuilt 18 speed version they had!!this was about 1985.
i loved that bike but through time it gradually wore out. i still have the frame albeit resprayed(badly) and a few of the components hanging around!.
imagine how i felt when a two years ago i came across a complete near mint one for sale at a local second hand shop!!trying to think if it has the BCW sticker!

im guessing the lady in there was your mum?
i seem to remember it having that distinctive new bicycle rubber tyre smell and also slightly dark and very quiet!!
did your dad sell up before it moved downstairs?
one thing that i wish i had was the old heron badge sign that was hanging outside.it was there for a couple of years after the place closed .would have made a nice retro piece.hopefully it didnt get trashed.

do you have any pics of the place?

BTW,i have just realised what you meant by down the road.it was originally where the pet shop is now wasnt it?

do you still live in plymouth?

dave

 

[maverick]

Holy thread revival! Not the right type of batteries, but good to read the old comments about Battery cycle works in Plymouth. Stay safe. (written during Covid 19 lockdown)

 

[ultrazenith]

Re: Re:

LittleSkink, do you have any photos from inside the shop etc. from back in the day? What year did the shop close down?

From what I remember, you'd walk in the door and there'd be a long glass cabinet/counter on the left, containing components (I think), behind which was a door leading to the workshop. Io the right there would be two or 3 rows of bikes, all set up facing the counter. The first row would have the best sellers, colourful kid's bikes with disc wheels and bull bars, activators and the like, and behind that would be the more serous bikes, like the Off Road Series and the holy grail bikes from Special Products Division. Mounted on a wall would be an MT4 or an MT5 framset, with champagne main tubes and dark rear triangle and lugs. Being a bit of a shy kid I didn't interact with the owners much, but I remember they were nice people.

Battery Cycle Works is where this all started for me. In the early 90s I had a Raleigh Marauder from the shop, and we used to ride out there to ogle the bikes inside. One of my most important cycling memories is of walking round the display bikes, starting at the low range / kids bikes (Raleigh Amazon etc.), and on the second row back there were the 1992/1993 Dynatech Diablos, an Ogre and a Torus! That was the first time I'd lusted after a bike, with the realization that a bike can be more than just a tool, but a thing of beauty and a masterpiece of engineering. Also some mysterious MT framesets up on a wall.

In 1994 I bought my blue / black Dynatech Jersey in Battery Cycle Works, and I still have it. It's one of my most prized possessions from those days. My younger brother and his best friend bought their Diablo STX and M Trax Ti 1000, respectively, there.

i seem to remember it having that distinctive new bicycle rubber tyre smell and also slightly dark and very quiet!!

I seem to also remember the smell of the particular grease Raleigh used to assemble bikes. I've got a couple of Ralighs from that era that had such little use before coming into my ownership that they still have the smell of that Raleigh grease. I whiff of it takes me back to 1993, a teenager ogling Diablos and the Torus.

By 1995 I was a retrobiker, complaining that the 1992-1994 dynatechs were better than the modern 1995+ Special Product Division ranges. In 1996 I left home to live in Herfordshire, and I stopped cycling for some years. When I returned, Battery Cycles was gone, sadly.

 

[maverick]

Just talking about that smell when you walked in makes me almost smell it now. I might go into the garage and sniff some tyres and grease for the full effect.

 

[Electradriver]

Re:

Hi there
Just the forum we have an old cycle works bike in Lincolnshire however it’s difficult to date . The remnants of the badge say the battery cycle works Plymouth tel: but the number is gone and then underneath it 665 which must be part of an address any ideas ? How old the sticker may be can send a photo ?
Regards

 

[Marsh]

Just been out for a ride on my (I think) 1986 Raleigh Lightweight ATB. Loved it - Battery Cycle works sticker wearing off a bit but the bike still goes and it reminds me how much I enjoyed the slog up to Princetown for the off road downhill. Lovely job and proper handsome. (I'm an Emmet so forgive the cultural appropriation!)
Anyway loved the bike shop

 

[MadCamel]

not sure if this is in the right place, wondered who remembers Battery Cycles in Plymouth? - it was my folks business and they only sold up when my dad got real poorly, the business went to the wall pretty quickly after that

When they first bought it (c1980) the shop was down the road - I always remember in the workshop were 100's boxes perfectly arranged in racking, each with hand painted ends to tell you what component was inside. Now that was retro!

I spent a fortune in there over the years (they made me pay just like everyone else!)

I wonder if your folks bought it from mine? The business was started in the late nineteenth century by my great grandfather. My grandfather took over, and when I remember it, it was being run by my uncle.