Balfe's Bikes - Hackney Reviews 

606
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.4

164-167 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 3RG London, England, GB


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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I’m a professional bike fitter and regularly send clients to Balfe’s in Hackney. The staff are great, good range of bikes often at discounted prices. For cyclists who are not very confident at riding... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The guys are super knowledgeable and help with confidence making sure you’re set up and safe - thank you!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

When I first visited the shop 3 years ago because I got a puncture, I was served by a sexist guy who told me “you should carry a puncture repair kit even if it doesn’t go well with your outfit”. I’m... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Staff were very helpful people that work there, there were informative and gave good advice. They kept in touch whilst the process was ongoing (cycle to work scheme), and made sure the bike was all go... See more


Company details

  1. Bicycle Store
  2. Activewear Store
  3. Bicycle Repair Shop
  4. Bike Accessories Store
  5. Road Cycling

About Balfe's Bikes - Hackney

Written by the company

The Bike Sales and Servicing Specialists.


Founded in 2008, Balfe’s Bikes has 12 bike shops in London and the South East. We stock the world’s best bike brands including Trek, Specialized, Brompton, Whyte, Giant, BMC, Frog and more, plus all the acccessories you would expect.


We are proud to maintain high standards of service in our shops, our workshops and online. View our website for the latest product releases, deals and more to find everything you need to enjoy cycling.


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About Balfe's Bikes

Written by the company

Free Click & Collect
To our 12 stores across London and the South East
Free delivery
Free delivery on all bikes over £500 - Free delivery non-bike orders over £30 (*excluding bulky or restricted items free delivery over £100)
0% finance
Available to help spread the cost via Klarna. Terms & Conditions apply.
Cycle to Work available
Vouchers accepted to save 25-39%
Online service booking
For our professional workshops
Balfe’s personal bike delivery
No unpacking required. Bike built and ready to ride straight away, for local customers

Contact info

  • 164-167 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 3RG, London, England, United Kingdom

  • 020 38331544

4.4

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

606 reviews

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4.4

All reviews

(606)

4,586 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Balfe's Bikes - Hackney logo

Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Hackney

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review.

I'm really pleased to hear everything went smoothly and that you had a positive experience with us.

We appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back to Balfe's Bikes Hackney again soon, whether it's for servicing, advice, or your next cycling purchase.

Thanks again!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Very disappointed with my experience at…

Very disappointed with my experience at Balfes Bikes Hackney.
I took my bike in to have the pedals replaced, and the work was carried out by Constantin. On my ride to work shortly afterwards, one of the pedals completely fell off, leaving me stranded. As my bike is my main way of getting to work, this was a huge inconvenience.
When I returned to the shop, I expected the issue to be resolved professionally. Instead, I was told I was trying to make him a "scapegoat," which I found dismissive and unprofessional. I was also quoted a price to fix the problem, even though it happened immediately after the repair.
I then took my bike to Hackney Cycles, where they identified the issue, rethreaded the pedal, and had it fixed in around five minutes. Thank you to the team at Hackney Cycles for sorting it out quickly and professionally.
Based on my experience, I was disappointed by both the quality of the repair and the way my concerns were handled. Unfortunately, I won't be returning.

July 5, 2026
Balfe's Bikes - Hackney logo

Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Hackney

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback.

We're sorry to read that you were disappointed with your experience and that you encountered a problem after leaving the store. While the pedal replacement was carried out as a goodwill gesture, we still expect any work completed by our workshop to meet the standards our customers rightly expect.

I'm also sorry to hear that you felt your concerns weren't handled in the way they should have been. We never want anyone to leave feeling dismissed, regardless of the circumstances.

We appreciate all feedback as it helps us improve, and I'm sorry we weren't able to leave you with a more positive impression.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Customer service is subpar

Customer service is subpar, people don’t really say hello, ignore you, walk away without saying anything. all 3x i’ve been in, ive ended up paying nearly double what is quoted

June 28, 2026
Balfe's Bikes - Hackney logo

Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Hackney

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.

I'm sorry to hear that your visits to our Hackney store left you feeling ignored and that your experience with our customer service didn't meet your expectations. We want every customer to feel welcomed and looked after from the moment they walk through the door, so it's disappointing to read that this wasn't your experience.

We're also sorry to hear that the final cost of work was higher than you expected on more than one occasion. While additional work is sometimes identified once a bike has been inspected more thoroughly, this should always be clearly explained and agreed with the customer before any extra charges are incurred.

We genuinely value feedback like yours as it helps us identify where we need to improve. I will be discussing your comments with the team to ensure we're providing the level of service our customers should expect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Super helpful team

Super helpful team - lots of good advice about my bike purchases

May 10, 2026
Balfe's Bikes - Hackney logo

Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Hackney

Hi,

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to leave us a review.

I'm really pleased to hear that the team were able to offer helpful advice and make your bike purchase a positive experience. We know choosing the right bike can be a big decision, so it's great to hear our team helped you find what you were looking for.

We hope you're enjoying your new bike, and if you ever need any advice, servicing, or accessories in the future, we'll be delighted to help.

Thanks again for your support, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Hackney store soon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Usually Balfes service is great

Usually Balfes service is great. But this time was a bit so so.
Problem: broken spoke

1. I needed to wait 3w+ to hand in my bike (you have to make an online appointment).
2. then the actual service took again quite long ( 3w )
3. I told Balfes that I don’t want my cables replaced and they replaced them reglardless
4. they forgot to screw in my padels properly. A day after i picked up the bike they just fell off lol
5. they didn’t tell me that after cable swap you have to come back for indexing a week later. I was cycling around with an un-adjusted cable for a couple of days until it drove me mad and had to complain with them. only then I was told that this is expected and helped me to adjust the cable

June 25, 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A breath of fresh air over the phone

Title: A breath of fresh air over the phone

I've dealt with a lot of customer service recently and most of it has been frustrating, so my call with Konstantinos at Balfe's Bikes was a genuine breath of fresh air. He was knowledgeable, engaging and genuinely helpful, and took the time to actually listen and talk things through rather than rush me off the phone. It's rare to come away from a call feeling like someone cared about getting it right. Thank you Konstantinos, credit where it's due!

June 10, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Nice staff

Nice staff, however taking too long for a simple job, expensive and no phone call to confirm the job had been completed

May 27, 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Just great people

Wonderful staff who really guided me through the process of getting my bike and accessories. They had a lot of patience and were a lot of fun to be around too. Will be going back for any issues I have in the future with my fresh wheels 🫡🫡

May 19, 2026

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