Bicycles by design, The Tandem Shop and Tandem Experience – Covid update 5/1/21
We are happy to remain open for servicing and sales to keep our customers fit and healthy during the new lock-down, however, we are adjusting some of our procedures to reflect the new guidelines and laws and the seriousness of the situation.
Please bear with us as everything is and will take longer than usual.
Servicing and Repairs
• Please call us first to discuss your bike and requirements. Before booking a service slot we’ll need to assess your bike for any replacement parts that are required. This can be done outside of the shop with customers and staff wearing masks. Apart from the safety of this, the reason is that some parts are still out of stock with suppliers or have much longer lead-times. We can then work out when your bike can be booked in for servicing/repair.
• We will have to store your bike for 72 hours before we work on it – this is to ensure that there is no possible transmission of the virus. Although we will wipe down the areas of your bike that we work on, we strongly recommend that you do the same after collecting your bike.
New Sales of Bikes
• Ridgeback, Genesis, Raleigh, Lapeirre, Tern, Reise & Muller, The Light Blue, Salsa, and Frog. Please do not travel to the shop without making an appointment. Please bear in mind that many bikes are still not in stock with suppliers or have long delays. We can discus details over the phone or via email in the first instance to see what may be possible.
• Swallow, Ironbridge, Duratec, Landescape, Co-Motion and Circe. Again please call or email to discuss your requirements. We are able to offer virtual sizing consultations as government guidelines suggest that people do not travel outside their local area. We can also arrange delivery of your bike to you if required.
• We can only offer a limited test ride option and will consider this on an individual basis.
Tandem Experience
• Under government advice and guidelines we are sorry to say we are currently unable to offer any Tandem Experience days.
The health and well being of you, our customers, your families and our employees are our biggest concern at this time. Following on from the Government advice and as we do not usually have more than 1 or 2 customers in the shop at any one time we will continue to stay open and operate the best we can.
However, to ensure that we can minimise any possible contact and risk of infection, we will change our interaction with customers visiting the shop in the following ways:
Keep at least 2 metres apart while dealing with you
We have hand sanitiser available as you enter and leave the shop
We will clean all common touched surfaces such as door handles and stair rails regularly during the day
We will clean/sanitise hand grips/saddles and other surfaces of your bike before receiving it or handing back to you
We are experiencing some disruption to supply and services and this does affect the delivery dates of products that we supply, make and/or assemble here. Please bear with us on this as we are trying to mitigate things as best we can.
The scientific advice also says that fresh air is good for you and what better way to get it and also keep your distance from others is take a bike ride.
We’re so lucky to work in a field that brings so much to the world. Who can argue with the benefits of fresh air, vigorous exercise, and the freedom and joy that bicycling can give?
“In accordance with the latest Government guidelines, face coverings are now mandatory when visiting the shop. We also have the NHS Track and Trace QR system in position on the front door, so please download it if you are using the NHS Track and Trace App? All staff members are also wearing face coverings and social distancing is observed”.
Good health to you, and may all of your bike rides be glorious.
Pete, Rob and the Team.
Association of Cycle Traders Covid-19 Guidance
Following the announcements made by the UK government on 23rd March 2020, bicycle shops have been made an exception to the forced business closures. Further information on this announcement can be found within this document here.
The ACT welcomes this decision as we believe that bike shops, as well as cycling in general, can play a key role in tackling this pandemic, in ways such as:
Bike shops that are to remain open must ensure a distance of two meters between customers and shop assistants, and only let people enter the shop in small groups to ensure that spaces are not crowded. Other measures such as queue control are also required.
It is up to each retailer to decide whether they are to stay open or not. First and foremost please consider your own safety and the safety of your staff before choosing to stay open.
For those retailers that choose to stay open, The ACT has put together this guidance document to help with continuing with business and remaining safe at the same time.
It may be an idea to adapt the way your business operates to reduce contact with customers further, whiles still providing essential services. For example:
It is important that customers are aware of the measures you are putting in place so that they can follow them.
Customers looking to use their bikes during this period should be responsible.
To keep up with the latest updates and news, please regularly check The ACT’s website here.