This is the first installment of our interview project on independent bike projects. L of the bikespace has been interviewing some of London’s independent bike mechanics, and different independent bike spaces/people/projects during her summer travels in the US of A.
[slideshow]
Jon of Old Street Bikes (formerly known as Ganesha Cycles) talks about his racing past, working solo, constructing a bicycle, philosophy of riding and fixing a bike, changes in London, recommended rides and bike shops/mechanics, and he shows us some of his sweet refurbished bikes — check out the rim with the floating sprocket! His business is mainly out of his house in Whitechapel where he has up to 100 bikes! He also sells bikes at bike jumbles and the like around London.
“Really, I try and put bikes back to how they were when built. So I try and keep my original parts, and if I can I’ll improve them. So maybe I’ve got a ’30’s bike, maybe I’ll improve it by taking off the rod brakes and putting on a ’50’s drum brake. So a certain bike which would have been updated in the ’50’s, it’s a better bike than it was. That’s what I try and do; I try and either improve bikes or put them back.”
Jon can be contacted at 07five7218zero815 and operates out of 34 Mount Terrace E1 2BB.
Thanks very much for posting contact details for Jon.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for reminding me! Wanted to make sure some contact details with Jon were correct/approved. Will update the post soon with it xbikespace
Good interview. Intriguing character. Definitely want to visit his setup. But where do we find Jon, the indy mechanic and owner of Old Street Bikes cycle shop, exactly?
Went on a harebrained excursion trying to find it on Friday. Thought that asking about at “Look Mum No Hands!” and other cycle places would help, but no such luck.
Jon seems to be so underground that no-one there had heard of him.