About Kingsmead Vintage Cycles

At Kingsmead Vintage Cycles, we see each classic bicycle as a living record of design, road texture, and patient craftsmanship. Our small workshop in Bath began as a side-room experiment — a borrowed stand, one truing gauge, and a shelf of spares rescued from local jumble sales. What started as quiet repair evenings has grown into a space where people bring bicycles with family stories, tour memories, and the simple wish to keep them moving without losing their character.

Our approach is deliberately calm. We never rush diagnosis, and we record every adjustment so the owner understands what has changed and why. When a wheel is corrected, the notebook shows which spokes were altered; when a bottom bracket is cleaned, the bearing count is written by hand. That discipline lets us work transparently, and it keeps the bicycles recognisable — machines that feel right under their original riders.

Many of our visitors find that restoration is also conversation. Some bring catalogues from the 1960s to compare fonts on decals. Others arrive with frames that carried them across Europe and want only a new chain to keep the patina intact. We learn as much from them as they do from us. The shared detail — a headset thread, a rim drill, a saddle stamp — builds a small culture of continuity inside a modern city centre.

We believe repair should be proportionate. Not every job needs a full strip-down; sometimes it’s a matter of gentle cleaning and choosing grease that behaves well through British winters. Our service notes explain options in plain language and outline which parts can safely stay original. Whenever replacements are needed, we look for period-correct geometry rather than flashy upgrades. A quiet bicycle, properly aligned, often feels faster than one weighed down with excess polish.

Bath itself shapes our rhythm. The cobbled lanes and steep approaches test every hub and spoke. Morning light falls across Kingsmead Square as we roll bikes in for assessment, and by afternoon the sound of a truing stand mixes with buskers from the next street. Visitors often stop to watch; the motion of the wheel, glinting slowly under the gauge, explains more about patience than any brochure could.

Our small team — Sofia Hart, Tom Weller and Emma Cole — shares a single bench policy: finish one frame at a time. That rule prevents parts from wandering and keeps focus on the bicycle in front of us. Sofia manages inspection and test rides; Tom handles spoke tension and rim symmetry; Emma records component codes and sources vintage stock through regional suppliers. Each signature at the bottom of a job card means accountability, not hierarchy.

We also document our work for future mechanics. Each major service leaves behind a note sheet archived digitally with date, wheel size, and hub model. Owners who return years later can see the entire life of their bicycle captured in a simple timeline. It’s not marketing; it’s memory maintenance.

Today, Kingsmead Vintage Cycles continues to grow through word-of-mouth. We host short “open stand” mornings where cyclists may watch a brake balance or learn basic cable routing. These sessions remind us that preservation depends on shared skill, not secrecy. The goal is neither nostalgia nor novelty — it’s continuity, ensuring that heritage bicycles remain part of everyday streets, not museum corners.

If you wish to visit or discuss a project, our workshop door at 7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB is usually open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can call 441 225 915 364 or email [email protected]. Whether your bicycle has chrome, paint, or simple bare steel, we’ll listen before touching a single bolt. Because restoration begins with attention — and ends when the ride feels natural again.