SUBSTANCE Cycles, an Edinburgh-based bike shop and repair firm, has relocated to Inverleith after running out of space in their “tiny” previous location.
The shop did not have to move far, however, relocating just “ten doors down” to a new location in Inverleith.
The manager of the new store said that their previous location had become cramped, with customer spilling into their workshop area.
The new shop features a separate workshop and showroom, where people can try out bikes – something the previous store lacked.
The move has been in the works for some time now, with owners painting and redecorating the new location for more than a year.
Substance Cycles is a respected bike shop and cycle repair company which was founded at 26 Montagu Terrace in Inverleith in 2023 by Rory MacKay and Andrew Graham.
A successful opening run led to the opening of a new store at 35 Hopetoun Road in South Queensferry.
They sell a full range of bicycles from Trek, Genesis, Cannondale, Frog, and more, and offer expert bike repairs from a fully qualified team of bike mechanics.
Their original store in Inverleith, where the company spent two years, was successful but became cramped, and more space was required.
Fortunately, a new, larger location just down the road at 6A Montagu Terrace was identified.
Refurbishments began around a year ago, and the former dog shop was refitted to accommodate a spacious showroom and workshop.
Despite its close proximity, the “back-breaking” labour of lugging goods and equipment up the road made this no straightforward task.
The move went ahead as scheduled, however, and an opening party was held on the evening of the shop’s opening, on the 6th, to warm the place and welcome new customers.
Speaking today, MacKenzie Barker, bike mechanic and newly-appointed manager of the store, said:
“The owner spent about a year refurbing this place – it used to be a dog grooming shop I think.
“The other shop was very successful, but it was very, very tiny, to the point where customers would walk in the front door and they’d be standing in the workshop.
“The new shop allows us to have a cyle showroom, so people can come in and try before they buy, pick a bike, give it a spin, ask for advice, that kind of thing.
“We didn’t have that before, we had no space for a showroom. We have much more product on the walls now.
“It was just a very, very tiny shop, and it was good as a starter, but this is an upgrade.”
MacKenzie was brought on to run the new store after the manager of the previous Inverleith location decided to leave.
He described moving goods and equipment by hand to the new store as “backbreaking” but spoke of his excitement at being brought on to front the new operation:
“I was at Bike Tracks previously, they went under this time last year.
“So yeah, nice to be back at an independent bike shop and I’m looking forward to the new year.”
He described business so far as steady: “We’ve had repairs ticking in, but we’ve only been open for two or three days.
“We had our opening on the 6th and then our opening party on the evening of the 6th, with maybe like 50 or 70 people and snacks and beer and stuff.
“So that was a nice booster, just to let everybody know we’re here.”
Their new location can be found at 6A Montagu Street in Inverleith and is open Tuesday to Saturday.
