this is a serious bike shop. Everyone there from the mechanic to the front of house guys, just gets it. It was an absolute pleasure to get our bike there. Nothing silly just exactly what we needed.... See more
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See what reviewers are saying
Everyone was really helpful and knowledgeable, from first phone call to test drive and then collection. I was unsure about size, setup and how it worked with cycle to work scheme. I initially phoned t... See more
Great bike, not great service. Took a lot of chasing to confirm the bike had arrived and was ready for a test ride. After the test ride I waited whilst the mechanic fitted the mudguards, only to dis... See more
Excellent service from Ed. Quickly sorted out a minor brake leak and swapped brake pads out despite having a stack of bikes to work through on a busy Saturday.
Company details
About Balfe's Bikes - Islington
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.
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
33 Essex Road, Islington, N1 2SA, London, United Kingdom
- 020 45315550
4.7
Excellent
1K reviews
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Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Great price
Great price, flexible customer service, friendly staff for Halfords cycle to work Trek Madone
November 12, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Great advice and guidance to help make…
Great advice and guidance to help make a decision on bike to get
November 8, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
My experience has always been a…
My experience has always been a pleasant one. if it’s purchasing a new bike or buying accessories it’s always been a good one.
Thank you Balfe’s !
November 10, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Excelllent service but a little slow to…
Excelllent service but a little slow to get the job done
November 5, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
Thank you for leaving a review. We are happy that the outcome was good and we are working getting the workshop a bit quicker. kind regards Balfe's Bikes
Bad experience last time, this time different
I had a bad experience last time I came to Balfe's a few months ago, with a really grumpy and unhelpful mechanic. It had always been a friendly place, it now felt like a big, impersonal chain.
I had to pick up an inner tube so I came back. The sales assistant was very friendly and we had a laugh. It reminded me of what the business used to be like when it still felt like a local bike shop.
October 22, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We are glad to see we have improved from your last visit to store. We look forward to seeing you again. Kind regards Balfe's Bikes
Really good service and really quick I…
Really good service and really quick I requested a certain day and receive that day highly recommended
October 15, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
Several times I visited the store at…
Several times I visited the store at like 10am on a Tuesday, and with like 3 employees working there got 0 assistance. Atrocious customer service. Bought a new bike, helmet, accessories. It does not matter. Could not get help with the smallest request. Literally my least favorite store in London.
October 22, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We are sorry to hear about your experience in store. We have taken this onboard to improve and have put actions in place to stop this from happening again. Kind regards Balfe's Bikes
Quick bike fix
I popped in early to fix a wheel that was rubbing against my frame and it was sorted so quickly by a colleague (I think his name was Stuart!). Super helpful and really friendly - couldn't recommend this service enough!
October 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
They were brilliant start to finish
They were brilliant start to finish. I got my bike + accessories through the cycle to work scheme. The entire process start to finish only took about 3 business days! They were very responsive when emailing back and forth about the order, invoice and collection process, and when I collected my bike from the Islington store, everyone there was super helpful and accomodating - really speedy bike assembly, they installed my lock and lights for me, and took me through everything I needed to know in terms of insurance, servicing, etc - they went above and beyond!
October 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfe's Bikes
fast repairs, "on it team"
Fast and reliable. The only repair shop I trust in N London
October 21, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
I always get great service from the…
I always get great service from the team when I come to the shop. Alexis is always on hand to help out when I need something for my bike.
October 17, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Alexis in Islington staff was able to help you out! Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
Great service as ever
Great service as ever, always best to be served by someone who actually knows about and is interested in bikes
October 17, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We appreciate you taking the time to leave us this positive feedback. We are so glad our Islington staff were helpful and polite for you! Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
I'm so happy with my new bike!
I'm so happy with my new bike!! Balfe's Bikes made the whole experience of getting my new bike smooth and great. From the moment I went to the shop to see what kind of bike I would like, to doing a test ride and then actually getting my bike, Balfe's Bikes were so helpful and amazing! A special huge thank you to Courtney, who helped me with everything and sorted out my Cycle to Work voucher! Balfe's Bikes provides excellent and expert customer service and I would highly recommend it to everyone.
October 12, 2025
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We're so happy to hear that you're pleased with your new bike! It's great to know that our Islington team provided a smooth and amazing experience, especially with the Cycle to Work voucher. We appreciate your recommendation and thank you for your kind words. Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
Great staff
Great staff, Ed helped me pump my daughters tyre up coming out when he saw me struggling. It wasn't straight forward as the inner tube had shifted he had to put in on the stand but wouldn't take any money. Thanks again!
October 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We're happy to hear that our Islington staff member was helpful and went the extra mile to assist you with your daughter's bike. We appreciate you taking the time to share your positive experience! Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
Balfes Bikes Islington are the best
Balfes Bikes Islington are the best. They are always willing to help out or repair quickly if they can. Nothing is a problem. Sometimes they do it on the spot. This kind of service stands way out from the crowd. Go in and see them. I can not recommend them highly enough.
Stewart
October 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Balfe's Bikes - Islington
We're happy to hear that you had such a positive experience in our Islington store! It's great to know that our team's helpfulness and quick repairs stood out to you. We appreciate your high recommendation and are grateful for your feedback. Kind regards, Balfes Bikes
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