Volt Spotlight – Chris’s Cycles

Nestled on the stunning borders of Wales and Herefordshire, Evenjobb is a village bursting with charm and character! This Welsh border village in the Powys district is surrounded by beautiful hills, perfect for cycling… And Chris’s Cycles have the largest selection of new and used bicycles in the area. Serving customers across western England and Wales, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a friendlier, more passionate bike shop. We love Chris’s Cycles and we think you will too, here’s what they have to say in our latest Spotlight feature…

What motivated you to open/run a bicycle shop?

I have always had an interest in cycling, then found myself in an area that was not well served by bicycle shops. We already ran a different business, but I had the time (and space) to indulge my interest in biking. We started off small with just a few used bikes, but 5 years on, we now have 100+ bikes in stock at any one time (including electric) and have gained a good reputation and loyal customer base in the area.

What makes your store different from others?

We are on a little off the beaten track – in a small village on the Welsh border, but this means we have something that a lot of town and city shops do not have – a quiet, private road where the bikes can be test ridden safely. We are also a Bosch Approved Repair Centre. We often get people coming here who have been to the bigger retailers but felt that they were either ignored or undervalued as a customer – we take the time to discuss their needs and find the bike that suits them best.

Where is the best/favourite location you’ve ever cycled?

I don’t get much time for cycling as I’m usually too busy fixing other people’s bikes, but we do enjoy a break in South Wales and ride the Millennium Coastal Path when we are down there.

What about the Volt brand and range led you to stock them?

Volt was the first brand of electric bike that we took into our stock. The combination of quality, modern design and value was very appealing to us, as well as the quality of back up service that we get from the guys at Volt. A real bonus for us (as a fledgeling company at the time) was that we didn’t have to make a financial commitment to buy the stock, this worked (and still does) really well for us. Customers who have done their research and want to view the Volt bikes very rarely buy any other brand.    

What is your top tip for anyone looking to buy an electric bike?

My advice for people thinking of buying an electric bike is to make a ‘tick list’ of what is important for the customers – style of bike, where it will be used, the range they need per battery charge, wheel motor or mid-drive, what budget they have etc., then do some homework on the internet or visit a local friendly dealer (like us) to discuss their requirements and test ride the bikes. We ask the right questions to be able to recommend the right bike for them.