A bike shop under a bridge ... and a brewery.

The Backyard Bike Shop is somewhere that I have wanted to visit for a while but not managed to get to, so when I heard that the business had moved from its previous location in the Ouseburn Valley on the north side of the river Tyne to the south side of the river it seemed like a good opportunity to pop up for a visit. I must confess that I was a slightly puzzled why Nic Vieri  had decided to move his business from the upcoming Ouseburn area, a cultural and creative quarter to the east of Newcastle city centre to the quayside in Gateshead, which on the face of it didn't seem like an obvious location for a  bike shop - well I was totally wrong there and the reasons for moving to the new location were immediately obvious as soon as I got a first look at the location.  

A glorious July afternoon on Tyneside just taking a moment to enjoy the view of the magnificent Tyne Bridge and on the right a first glimpse of the creative container community that I had come to check out. Picture by Collab Media

Nic has moved to become part of a brand new independent container community nestled right under the iconic Tyne Bridge on the Gateshead side of the river. The community has been developed around the By The River Brew Company a micro brewery with an  adjoining tap room.  

Its just as well I was driving or I might not have even made it to the bike shop, as twenty craft beer keg lines in the tap room represent an awful lot of temptation, anyway getting a bit carried away there talking about beer time get back on track and talk bikes.

Nic Vieri owner of the Backyard Bike Shop is a proper bike guy and it was great to spend some time chatting with him about all things cycling. Nic's strategy for the shop is to specialise in repairs and high end custom builds and over time he has built up a network of reliable suppliers allowing him to source even the rarest and most unusual frames, wheels and components.

One of the Backyard Bike Shop recent creations combining classic Italian styling with up to date components. This Tommasini X-Fire is kitted out with Simano Dura-Ace on Kryserium Exiliath wheels and completed with Deda finishing kit. I am not really a fan of Italian bikes as a rule but this one I like ... a lot.

Literally underneath the Tyne Bridge, if anyone knows of a cooler location than this for a bike shop then please let me know where it is. Of course anywhere you suggest must also have a coffee shop/cocktail bar, brewery and a tap room oh, and a restaurant, did I mention the restaurant ?

Along side the bike shop is TRAKOL an eatery specialising in primitive outdoor cooking  indoors ... apparently. Didn't get a chance to sample the food unfortunately but the restaurant looked great, and serves only British produced meat cooked on British charcoal in an open kitchen.

Nic was a great host and gave me a full guided to tour of the development - including the very impressive brewery and tap room.

Just tell the guys at Backyard Bike Shop what your dream bike would look like and they will make it a reality. To make dreams come true Nic has a couple of expert mechanics on his team who both also race bikes at a high level. By coincidence I know one of them, Zeb Kyffin a real rising star of north east cycling who just happens to ride for Ribble Pro Cycling - small world is cycling.

Another recent build a Cinnelli Superstar with Campagnolo Record 12 speed, Miche SWR wheels and finished with Deda Superleggero, I really like this picture and this build.

 

The coffee shop adjoins the bike shop and is only separated by a mesh screen so you can enjoy a coffee while you watch your pride and joy being worked on. 

When the guys in the bike shop down their spanners for the day the coffee shop transforms into a really cool cocktail bar. Above a house special the Nitro Cold Brew - could easily become my new favourite drink. 

 Capturing content on the quayside and plugging the blog with help from Collab Media 

As if a brewery, tap room, bike shop, coffee shop, cocktail bar and a restaurant were not enough every weekend the vibrant Hawker Market opens for business. Right next door to the Backyard Bike Shop it's a great place to go for craft beer and a fantastic selection of street food from a range of independent traders. 

Final picture this week, a night shot of the container community under the Tyne Bridge where the Backyard Bike Shop is located. If this image doesn't make you want to pay them a visit I don't know what will.