- Tell us a bit about your shop? Who opened it and when? Who works there? What are your main brands? What types of riders do you cater for? Tell us a little known fact about your shop/staff.
Slam 69 is a family run Bicycle Shop and Professional Workshop based in
Gloucester, UK. It began in Grahams garage where he would spend evenings and
weekends building and fixing bikes for family, friends, and his friend’s
friends. After several years of increased visitors and demand the garage had
outgrown itself so in 2010 it was moved into a commercial unit where slam69 was
born.
In our close knit, friendly team we have Graham the owner, Sheila his wife, Millie their granddaughter, Spanner man Luke and newest recruit Laura. Alongside a retail and online store and bike workshop we also specialise in custom wheel building and work with a range of reputable brands covering all styles of riding such as BMX, Jump Bikes, Mountain Bikes, Fat Bikes, Gravel bikes and Road Bikes. If it’s on two wheels we’re interested. You name a discipline, we do it! We are stoked to be stocking a range of bikes from Identiti – bikes designed by riders, for riders.
Alongside all this Graham also designs his own bespoke bike brand here at Slam69, it’s called Smokestone Bikes, it’s predominantly fat bike and expanding as we type!
Interesting fact: Graham won the UK National Downhill Championships in 1996!
2. Describe your local MTB scene. What are the nearest mtb trails to your shop? How do you rate them? Do you ride there regularly?
Local scene is richly varied, there is a bike park a mile away that has uplifted DH, national 4x, loads of dirt jumps, and indoor options too. Cotswold XC is in abundance too with miles of bridleways and woodland trail, but the jewels of the crown are the huge network of enduro/natural trails along the Cotswold ridge, a few concentrated spots have tens of trails each, with plentiful options of steep, flow, or tech, to suit your mood on the day!
3.Why did you choose to stock Identiti?
We worked closely with identiti when the brand emerged back in 1999 and was a main sponsor of our local mtb events which took place at our very own bike park called ‘Kis Dirt City’. Once Identiti re-emerged with the full sus in 2018 we were keen to represent the brand and stock the new awesome range!
4. Full sus or Hardtail?
Graham – Both!
Sheila – Hardtail
Millie – Hardtail
Luke – Full sus
Laura – Full sus
5. What’s your favourite Identiti product? (Doesn’t have to be current)
Graham – V2 Mettle
Sheila – S2 Grips
Millie – The original Dr Jekyll from 1998, which I am lucky enough to own!
Luke – Original Dr Jekyll, I had one in white (it got stolen)
Laura – Has to be the V1 Mettle in purple as that’s what I’m currently riding!
6. What’s your favourite feature on the Mettle V2?
Graham – New Geometry
Sheila – It’s faster!
Millie – The colours
Luke – Its awesome that the Mettle range has the same size bearings and allen key bolts throughout. One tool does the job!
Laura – The longer reach
7. What’s the best/fastest/most fun Identiti bike to shred your local trails on?
Graham – Mettle RCX
Sheila – AKA
Millie – The original ‘go faster gold’’ Dr Jekyll
Luke – Slam69 custom Mettle V1
Laura – Biased answer again, V1!
8. Favourite Identiti
colour?
Graham – Grey
Sheila – AKA blue, sparkly!
Millie – Blue aka colour, it super shiny!
Luke –
Laura – Purple for obvious reasons!
9. Stealth or in your face?
Graham – In your face
Sheila – Both!
Millie – In your face
Laura – I love my purple mettle, but I sweet on the stealth look also
Luke– Stealth
10. If you could ride a Mettle V2 anywhere in the world where would you go?
Graham – FOD
Sheila – Sunshine Coast, Australia
Millie – Whistler…One day!
Luke – Queenstown, new Zealand.
Laura – I’d love to go back to Finale, the riding there is rad!
11.Mullet bikes – yay or nay?
Graham – NO!
Sheila – Nay
Millie – They look cool
Luke – Yet to ride one…
Laura – I’m yet to ride one but I’m open to the idea…
12.
Is it time for Duncan to shave his beard off?
All – NEVER!!
Slam 69 – More than just a bicycle shop.
