'This sucks': Brixton Cycles closes its doors after 42 years

Iconic London shop announces closure after premises listed on property site

Iconic London bike shop Brixton Cycles has closed its doors, according to a social media announcement.

It blamed "a brutal economic climate and a million other small battles" for the closure, adding "sometimes love and hustle aren't enough".

Early last year the shop, which is a worker's co-op and opened more than 40 years ago in 1983, reported its worst financial year in two decades and launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £30,000 and prevent closure.

"We have a real fight on our hands," the shop said then.

Unfortunately, with the shutters having been down for some time and – according to local media outlet Brixton Buzz – its premises on Brixton road recently listed on Zoopla, worst fears have now been confirmed.

Yesterday's announcement said the shop had been "a labour of love, a community hangout, and a haven for anyone who believed in two wheels over four."

It continued: "We gave it everything. For years, we have been at the coalface, all the while trying to keep cycling accessible in a city that doesn’t always make it easy.

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"But the truth is, between rising costs, a brutal economic climate, and a million other small battles, we just couldn’t make it work anymore. And while we never wanted to let anyone down, sometimes love and hustle just aren’t enough."

It added: "Huge love to all the co op members past and more recent, customers, and friends who made the place what it was. You brought the vibes, the chaos, and the heart that made it special. The late-night repairs to disco music & beers, the chats over chain oil, the solidarity when times were tough—that stuff doesn’t disappear just because the shop does.

"So yeah, this sucks," the post concluded. "But keep riding, keep fixing and keep looking out for each other."

That the shop's followers reacted with an outpouring of sadness and solidarity across 269 comments in reply to the post was not surprising. The shop was a key fixture in South London, as were the red, gold and green jerseys worn by the riders of Brixton Cycles Club – which was attached to the shop.

Cycling Weekly has contacted the shop and the club for comment.