Cycling UK Forum

Just wanted to put in a good word for JD Whisker Ltd of Welwyn Garden City. Phoned them up last week to order an O ring for a Campag hub and they sent one out free of charge. Excellent service. I've no idea what they are like as I'm a long way from them and can't conceive that I'll ever be in their area, but that's pretty generous service and thought it needed highlighting.

I've been dealing with Whisker's since the 1960s. They used to have shops in Kilburn, Goffs Oak and now Brownhills, Welwyn. J D (Joe) Whisker passed away a few years ago and now David and Andrew (his sons) run the company with Steve Ephgrave doing excellent work with them.

They are excellent for old Campag bits-and-bobs as well as more modern stuff at great prices. I recommend them unreservedly, as they've never let me down in over 40 years.

Word association. Say the first thing that comes into your head when I say a word. "Whisker's."

"Our stock is our gimmick."

A great firm and it's good to hear they are still thriving, though I think they have reorganised a bit over the years. They used to have at least one lbs in London as well. I once had a day in London, courtesy of the Home Office, and we finsihed very early, courtesy of the Home Office. There were queries about what I might do as a bumpkin with the unexpected spare time in the metropolis. "I'm going to Whisker's" I replied. I think they thought I was off to some shady joint in Soho.

(Anybody who said, 9 out of ten owners..etc is on the wrong forum. Anyway, that's Whiskas.)

Hell's teeth, I've not thought of them in many years. In the 70s it was nice to order from them (Goff's Oak) and then send a cheque on receipt. My last purchase from them would have been early 80s, a pair of Campag brakes - stirrups only. Since I have not bought any cycling magazines for many years I've seen no advertisements, nor have I seen an internet site. Do they publish a price list or how else do you find out what they have?

Bought a pair of Mavic rims from their Goffs Oak shop in the 80's. The shop was shut, but they opened specially for me so I could pick them up personally. Then took them to Rory O'brien's in Romford to be built with Specialized sealed hubs.
Kelly.

Goffs Oak.
They had adverts in mags, and you either phoned or wrote to them with a cheque.
Excellent service and stacks of Campag spares and stuff.
I've mentioned them on here many times.

Why aren't they on line?

I used to shop from them in the 70s and 80s, and I've no idea why I don't do now. They used to have a very comprehensive product list, and they did specialise in Campag.

The guy who used to build my wheels in those days - Steve Cheeseman of Wheelspin Cycles, in Huddersfield, told me that if I wanted wheels with Campag Record hubs, it would be best for me to buy them from Whiskers, and he'd build the wheels for me. This was because he couldn't buy Campag hubs as cheaply as Whiskers could sell them to me.

Sadly, Steve has now passed on.

Does anyone know if Whiskers still do their list - I'd probably patronise them again, now that I've been reminded.

I had a Campag spare on order for months at what was then my regular lbs - a well-known West Yorkshire establishment. It had all been noted in writing, but after about six months when I eventually got persistant, the comment was on the lines "Where do you expect us to get one of those?"

I got it from JD Whisker's - "Our stock is our gimmick" by return of post. I should have shopped there in the first place. I used to enjoy browsing through their lists, which were obviously carefully prepared with relevant explanatory notes. We had a short discussion recently about the word "rider." JDW's lists used to have expressions like "... some riders may prefer ..." As I wrote above, it's good to know such an excellent outfit is still going.

Used to buy most of my stuff there when living in Hertford. Great place, great folks. Every spare part and widget you ever needed. In stock, right now, and able to lay hands straight onto a (for example) 8 speed Campag Record derailleur Cable stop screw. Also built me a lovely set of wheels.

Used to buy most of my stuff there when living in Hertford. Great place, great folks. Every spare part and widget you ever needed. In stock, right now, and able to lay hands straight onto a (for example) 8 speed Campag Record derailleur Cable stop screw. Also built me a lovely set of wheels.

Does anyone know if Whiskers still do their list - I'd probably patronise them again, now that I've been reminded.

AFAIK, they haven't done one for about 5 years. I keep asking Steve Ephgrave to update his last one (which I still have) but have been assured that it's too long a job to do, as prices keep changing frequently.

I always chuckle about their postage fee - it's £4 for everything; whether you order a pair of brake blocks or even a pair of wheels, it's always four quid.

They don't have an Internet site but can be contacted through various local enterprise sites. The actual shop is the Brownfields address and the Bridge Gate address is the warehouse that doesn't have a retail facility.

I have given them a severe test which sadly them failed. They l/h cradle on my two bolt Campag seat pin failed after only forty years use. They are listed in my 1971 price list at £1.30 but Steve says they are out of stock!! Apparently they gave "collectors" the opportunity to buy all their old stock and what is now left they will probably dump.
In 2003 Alan Ephgrave road P-B-P and we rode together for part of the third day. He was a lot more cheerful than he used to be at Willesden Lane. I saw him about three years ago and was amazed to see he was riding factory built Mavic wheels, and this a guy who must have built more wheels than anyone in the UK.

He was a lot more cheerful than he used to be at Willesden Lane

Idi Amin was more cheerful than Alan when he was in the Kilburn shop! However, I did once get a smile from him when I got back 20p in change and put it in the Welwyn Wheelers track fund box.

I bough my first pair of sprint wheels from them back in the late 60s. They were Campag record LF hubs with Fiame sprint rims. I raced them for about 3 years and never had to touch the spokes once apart from when I crashed in a road race at Otley in 1970 and trashed the front wheel. I seem to recall that they were about £15 at the time. That was a weeks work on the farm at harvest time (16 hours a day). By 'eck, them wer't days

For anyone who's interested whiskers are still going, we have a trade account with them and they still have a big range of obscure stuff and really good prices. Their trade catalogue is a wage of black and white photocopied or printed text! Old school