J D Whisker

[Cyril Haearn]

Plus One, seems a different business model still works, there is diversity among LBSs

Never used Whiskers but I know the name, hope someone will tell them about this thread

They are just people too mind, I got my bike after repair by another LBS. Something was not right, I stopped to check. The front wheel nuts were loose! Another time, got a new bike. Something was not right. The stem was loose and too high (not much left inside the steering tube)

[JohnW]

Plus One, seems a different business model still works, there is diversity among LBSs

Never used Whiskers but I know the name, hope someone will tell them about this thread

They are just people too mind, I got my bike after repair by another LBS. Something was not right, I stopped to check. The front wheel nuts were loose! Another time, got a new bike. Something was not right. The stem was loose and too high (not much left inside the steering tube)

I've used Whiskers - long time ago now - but they were best supplier of Campag parts at the time. I wish them well.

[Udi]

It’s amazing to hear the place is still going 35 years after I was last in England. I used to buy all the hard to find parts at the Kilburn shop. You’d see people outside, rehearsing what to say because the guy inside was such a curmudgeon and would snap at anyone who took their time or seemed unsure of themselves. You’d tell him you wanted a spring for a 1974 super record rear derailleur and he'd go straight to a box with 3 of them and pull one out for you. Once, I actually had him stumped and he was never impatient with me again. I asked for a bolt for a var wheel trueing jig and he couldn’t find them. It was a small victory and he clearly wasn’t used to it. Two weeks later I was back and the first thing he said to me was to ask how many of the bolts I needed. I still have that derailleur and I’ve just broken one of the bolts which has rusted in the cast iron moulding.

[GEPrince]

Just found Whiskers on ebay as "bikeparts1139417" !!
They supplied and built up a Woodrup 531 frame for me at Kilburn in the early 80s -- fantastic! I loved that shop. The frame is now my Campy-equipped tourer that I've just ridden around Tasmania.
I bought Campy and Huret from them for years, even from Australia and I still have a couple of their lists. Looking forward to shopping with them on ebay.