[notfastenough]

I popped into a new place in South Manchester recently, (Punta Velo in Didsbury), where a nice chap called Graham is selling Bullit cargo bikes from Copenhagen, and some exotic Italian road bikes going by the name of Ciocc (I thought he said this was pronounced Church, but I’ve since heard it’s “che-oh-ch” which sounds a bit more plausible). As an example, the Columbus steel race frame was just over a grand including custom tube lenths and paintjob, and he reckoned was lighter than 953. The top-end carbon race frame was £2k, but that’s also fully custom, built to order in 6 weeks. The ‘Extro’, an aero-looking endurance frame was £1400, also including a custom paint job (I think that might have been a monocoque though, so no custom sizing). Apparently they’re still handmade in Italy in the same way (wrapping further carbon on top once the tubes are bonded together) as Time still do it in France, not in the far east. There are also retro steel frames with fancy lugwork and chrome forks etc, a Titanium frame, fixies etc.

Anyway, they sound like a bit of a bargain to me, just wondered if anyone else knew anything about them? I posted not long ago about thoughts for a dream bike build for my 40th birthday, and regarding the frame, these guys are now firmly on the shortlist.

Incidentally, Graham was very pragmatic about his business. For servicing, builds, race preparation (whatever that is?) and the above he looks like he’s probably a good guy to know. He did say that he’s not bothering to stock most other products because he can’t compete with CRC, Wiggle, Merlin etc.

Topic

[therevokid]

Always been told it’s
Always been told it’s “church”, although they guy saying this is Sicilian so the
dialect may be different (and I’m not going to argue with him :D).

some of the old steel frames are just bike porn 🙂

[Scrufftie]

I think it’s pronounced choc,
I think it’s pronounced choc, as in chocolate. If you want to be pedentic (or correct, depending on your point of view, you should probably give the C at the end a bit of emphasis) Anyway, I’ve always liked them

[Kapelmuur]

I’ve seen Neil Walton in Bike
I’ve seen Neil Walton in Bike Shak, Altrincham – I remember him from my running days.

I think it’s his business, although not certain.

[alexjones5]

I’ve just got a Ciocc Supremo
I’ve just got a Ciocc Supremo and can honestly say it is the nicest frame I have ever ridden.
There is a shop called Racescene in Barnsley that specialises in small Italian brands (also Casati and Somec) and they would be great to talk to maybe?
I’d say snap it up!!

[farrell]

Neil Walton, that’s the
Neil Walton, that’s the badger. It wouldn’t come to me earlier.

I remember the robberies and knew that was the reason for the closure. I also remember the old bike shop up the road on School Lane that was ran by two old boys before they packed it in. It was a shame to see that shop go too.

Actually, didn’t Neil Walton open the bike shop in Altrincham?

[notfastenough]

Ha, no I had wondered that,
Ha, no I had wondered that, but I think Harriet and Dee probably turn over a decent profit (my wife likes it!) so are firmly ensconced in that plot. Punta Velo is indeed on Warburton Street, but directly opposite, and upstairs. (I wouldn’t fancy lugging all those cargo bikes up narrow stairs) He’s only been there a couple of months.

It’s got me thinking about a nice steel frame with Chorus (well it would have to be all-Italian) and some nice wheels.

Do you remember why Neil Walton cycles closed though? Those daylight cool-as-a-cucumber raids by a gang of bad boys just walking out with £20k of mountain bikes was awful. When it happened the second time, that was them done for as they couldn’t get insurance. It was a shame, I built my first good bike from there after buying a 653 frame from Harry Halls.

[farrell]

I saw a Punta Velo sticker on
I saw a Punta Velo sticker on someones bike yesterday during the Manchester Day Parade and wondered what it was about, I didn’t it was a bike shop in Diddlesburg.

It’s been years since there has been a bike shop round there, but I’m a bit disappointed though, as I was recently saying to my wife that I reckoned Didsbury would be a prime location to start selling cargo bikes. Beaten to the punch it seems (not that I’d have the capital to start up such a business!), I hope they do well though.

I’ll have to stick my head in and have a perve at the bikes in there, I’ve often tried snapping up an ebay bargain Ciocc. Lovely looking frames.

*edit*

Is it in the same place where there used to be a bike shop in the past? I remember a place on Warburton Street that used to do Mountain Bikes in the early/mid-90s.

[Author]

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