Druid Cycles, a fascinating bike project

It was love at first sight when I came across Druid Cycles, squatting beneath the railway arches between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. The brightly painted signs and quirky DIY bike carts lounging outside make the place truly intriguing.

I guessed the workshop would be filled with anarchistic hippies but what I discovered was far more reassuring, if a little unfamiliar. The guys crowded into Druid Cycles are proper mechanics - a refreshing change from the high street store workers who often care more about the model and make of a bike than its functionality.

Most fascinating is the gentleman who sits at a large sewing machine, stitching beautiful leather saddles, peeking out over his spectacles like a Dickensian cobbler. Bicycle paraphernalia adorns every square inch of wall and a viking style helmet hanging from the ceiling completes the scene.

On this first occasion my wheel was wobbly - it needed to be trued. This was done on the very same afternoon at an incredibly low price (I'd inquired earlier at Evans, whose quote had made my stomach turn). Ever since I've always been delighted with the speed, price and quality of repairs.

Druid Cycles offers a range of new and old bikes to buy. There's something for everyone, from top-end racers to standard city push bikes. The shop has a strong environmental ethic of reusing and recycling bike parts. Cyclists can custom build their bikes from new or used parts.

For riders who want something really unique, the shop specialises in airbrushed and hand painted bikes. Designs range from ancient symbols to football team colours. If you have something in mind its also possible to develop personal designs with the artists. They're always looking for new designers, so pop in if you've got some experience and are interested in getting involved with something unusual.

Another unusual quirk is the recently established mobile bike rescue service. From 4 til 8 everyday distressed cyclists can call out the Druids, who will shoot to the rescue in bizarre medieval dress, fully equipped with tools to fix the most common problems. Call 07551 016 380 (number may change in future- check website), or DRUIDCYCLESMOBILE from Skype!

But Druid Cycles is not just a great bike shop, its also a community project. Many of the employees are brought to Druid on international exchanges, so they learn English and skills too (and you can brush up on your Russian). Furthermore, the bike shop is always involved in local community festivals and events to promote environmental issues around London. It has already designed a range of bikes specifically for the Olympics. It's working abroad too- this year it funded Parmod Singth, a Mumbai cyclist, to ride in 2 competitions in India. Druid Cycles hopes to continue this project to give cyclists in developing countries the opportunity to compete.

So, if you like reliable cheap bike workshops, and you want to support local unique projects, then head down to Druid Cycles. The address is 18 Druid Street, SE1 2AH. Or visit www.druidcycles.co.uk to find out some more info.