Basic Bikes is a professional, workshop-based bike shop in Christchurch, built around the idea that servicing and repairing a bike should be done exactly to manufacturer specification, every time. The name reflects that approach — no guesswork, no shortcuts, just following the book, the manual, and the manufacturer's instructions on every job.
The workshop uses original spares, fluids and tools, and has full machine shop facilities on-site, which the team says puts it among the best-equipped workshops around. Basic Bikes personally tests or vets everything it sells, whether that's a bike, an accessory, clothing, or a food supplement, and operates with full independence in choosing what to stock — products have to meet the bar on quality, function, backup support and value, with local products favoured where possible.
The shop is run by a small, long-serving core team, including Ewen Robertson (mechanic and ideas man) and Tanya Robertson (merchandising and stock control), who between them and the rest of the team have decades of combined experience in the industry. Beyond retail and servicing, Basic Bikes is also involved in the wider Christchurch cycling community, working with community groups, volunteers and councils to build and improve mountain bike trails, and running workshop classes for customers who want to learn to fix their own bikes.
On Colombo Street in Christchurch, Basic Bikes has built its reputation on doing things exactly the way the manufacturer intended — no guesswork, no shortcuts, just following the book on every repair and service.
When the team behind Basic Bikes was planning the store, they felt the quality of service and advice across the bike industry was, on average, just okay. Rather than simply claiming to be "the best" without a way to prove it, they built the business around a verifiable standard: every job follows the manual, the manufacturer's specifications, and the correct method, every time. As they put it, there's no art to servicing a bike — there's a method, and Basic Bikes follows it.
That philosophy extends to the parts and tools used in the workshop. Basic Bikes uses original spares, fluids and tools on every job, and operates full machine shop facilities on-site — equipment the team describes as some of the best-equipped you'll find anywhere. Almost all servicing work is done in-house, which supports one of the shop's standout offerings: same-day bike servicing, with drop-off before 10am and pick-up available from 5pm.
For more specialised work, Basic Bikes also services suspension from major brands including Fox, RockShox, EXT and Cane Creek — work that requires its own specific tools and expertise beyond general bike repair.
Beyond servicing, Basic Bikes stocks a full range of parts and accessories, including disc brakes, crank sets, helmets, gloves, tyres and tubes, lubricants and cleaners, locks, lights, pumps, and general accessories. The shop says it personally tests or vets everything before it goes on the shelf, whether that's a bike, an accessory, clothing, or a food supplement — and where local products can do the job, they're favoured over imports.
Basic Bikes is run by a small core team who have worked together for years, including Ewen Robertson, described on the team's own site as "Fall Guy, Mechanic, Ideas Man," and Tanya Robertson, who handles merchandising and stock control. Together with the rest of the team, their combined experience runs deep — the shop notes their total age exceeds 200 years, a nod to just how long they've all been doing this.
Basic Bikes' involvement in cycling goes beyond the shop counter. The team works with community groups, volunteers and councils to build and improve mountain bike trails around Christchurch, contributing directly to the riding scene the shop serves. For customers who want to get more hands-on with their own bikes, Basic Bikes also runs Basic and Advanced workshop classes covering bike maintenance and repair.
Basic Bikes operates from its Colombo Street shop in Christchurch, offering servicing, sales and advice from a team that prides itself on getting it right — and making it right on the rare occasion something goes wrong. Whether it's a routine tune-up, suspension servicing, or picking up parts for a home repair, the shop's approach is built around doing the job properly, by the book, every time.