To celebrate the first-ever Local Bike Shop Week Awards, we chat with the finalists to find out more about their bike shops.
The Local Bike Shop Week Awards are part of the newly launched Local Bike Shop Week, managed by the ACT.
Starting as Local Bike Shop Day back in 2018 (originally launched by Daniel Jones with support from the ACT), this year sees the ACT expand the event to a week, celebrating from 3-9 May 2026.
We chat with Paul, shop manager at WetRocknRide, to find out more about their bike shop.Â
Every shop has a unique origin story. Tell us a bit about yours. How did it all begin, and how have things evolved over time?Â
We are a Veteran and Family-owned business, having spent 22 years in the British Army and served overseas in some hostile climates. I yearned for a career and lifestyle change. I am proud to have served my country, but longed for something else!
Another passion developed while serving was mountain biking. I now have the pleasure of running our family-run business and serving the cycling community.
Owners, Paul and Jackie
Is there a specific story or a particular customer interaction from the past year that perfectly captures why you do what you do?  Â
We have donated a bike to a child’s bike to local social services at Christmas time to help a child in need in the community anonymously (we did this through a local radio station and an ambulance charity).
We always go above and beyond, even if the bike was not bought from us. An example of this is a local triathlete who purchased a bike online from an online-only brand. This came in for a safety check, and we quickly identified that the wheels had been the subject of a safety recall, and the timeline would not work for this customer.
So I rang the friendly guys at Hope tech, and they built a wheel in 24 hours, and I drove to the factory to pick them up in Time for his flight to Dubai and his Triathlon. So I believe we went above and beyond for this customer.
Hamsterley Beast Great North air ambulance charity. I am the industry point of contact for the Hamsterley Beast and get the willing to come along and support this great event.
I have been involved with this event as a rider and shop/industry organiser for coming up to 10 years now, and the event is growing arms and legs. This year, supported by Madison, Ison, Schwalbe, Kona, to name a few, and had many other big industry names over the years.
It’s a grassroots community event put on to support and contribute to the Great North Air Ambulance charity.
 A bike shop is just as much about the people behind the counter and in the workshop. Who makes up your team, and what do they do?
- Paul (Me), social media website shop manager, mountain bike leader, suspension tech and Cytech level 3 chief brew maker.
- Jackie (Wife), Website Guru, Organiser, Human Resources, Shipper, Dispatcher. She originally started the business on her own on the high street.
- Liam (Son), Head mechanic 10 plus years.
- Jason, Senior mechanic with over 30 years of experience.
- Kane, a bike builder serving as a soldier part-time, helps out and is a shop rider.
If someone walks into your shop for the first time, what is the one thing they’ll experience with you that they won’t find anywhere else?
We greet everyone with a friendly and tailor the customer first approach from Cytech-trained staff. We always ask what their needs are and hopefully, discuss how we can serve and meet those needs. If possible, exceed them
The cycling industry has seen its fair share of shifts in recent years. What are the biggest challenges you face right now, and how are you adapting to meet them?  Â
Constant pressure from huge competitive corporate companies and the need to stay up to date with the latest trends and tech.
We stay ahead of the training curve by constantly retraining and looking for new training opportunities. We look at cycle maintenance like first aid its constantly evolving, and the latest tech is always around the corner.
Training, adapting TQ bosch Shimano video health checks, Video consultation, working with suppliers, always trying to get the best outcome for the customer, regardless of where they bought the bike.
We are part of the Ebike Positive network and pledge to only work on safe and road-legal e-bikes and give free advice on safety when we cannot.
 In your opinion, how can the wider industry (manufacturers, distributors, and advocacy groups) best support bike shops? From your perspective, what role do shops like yours play in the ‘cycling ecosystem’ that deserves the most protection or support? Â
Sharing market data and trends directly from manufacturers to retailers gives us the insights that they clearly know to avoid us buying the wrong stock at the wrong time. In other words, share your corporate strategies, and if we are successful, then this will also benefit the brands that we represent. They clearly have more insight into the future of the cycle industry, including what the predicted selling trends are?
What are you most excited about for the future of your shop? Are there any new projects, community initiatives, or trends you’re leaning into for 2026 and beyond? Â
Growth sustaining our business and eventually expansion in-store and online with new brands and opportunities for outreach to our local riders. We look at new customers as new energy and enthusiasm. We look forward to supporting them wherever they are on their cycling journey.
We put our customers’ needs first, that’s how we operate, and hopefully, in return, our customers will support us.
