After 12 years on Church Street, cycle shop The Winners Edge is wheeling down to new Front Street premises.

Owners Paul Madeiros and Greg Hopkins are currently renovating the former Davidson's shop space at the eastern end of Hamilton's main strip for a February 1 opening.

The move enables the pair to double the size of their current retail space from 8,000 to 16,000 square feet and accommodate an office and workshop area for bike assembly and cycle repairs.

In addition, moving to Front Street was cited by the duo as increasing the shop's accessibility and visibility.

Although the two cycle enthusiasts - each has been involved in the sport for decades, including Mr. Hopkins holding the post of national cycling coach until about a year ago - told The Royal Gazette that their focus would remain on gear and equipment for the sport, they will also diversify their offering to include some new merchandise as well as organised Hamilton -Spanish Point - Black Watch pass cycle tours for small groups of tourists.

Mr. Hopkins admitted that the move to the prime Front Street location would mean higher rental costs but said Winners Edge clients should not worry about a price hike at the till. He added that the plan was to stick with their long-term business strategy of low mark-ups on high volume.

Mr. Hopkins said the passion they had for cycling - something that is shared by all of their staff including one other full-time employee and seasonal part-timers - had also helped them build up a loyal clientele.

“We have become renowned for our competitive pricing compared to the US. We even challenge our customers to go online and compare, and they come back saying that it would be impossible for them to bring in a cycle, taking into account shipping and duty, at a lower price.

“We have always worked on the principle of low prices, and a focus on turnover. That has paid off for us,” Mr. Hopkins said, adding that customers also came to them because Winners Edge staff knew the sport and shared the same passion.

He added that their policy of lifetime cycle frame warranties and two-year gear and brake warranties did not hurt either.

Although Winners Edge was well-established on Church Street and its owners did not really want to move, Mr. Hopkins said development plans for the building they have been in for more than a decade did not include them.

But now they are looking forward to the move to the new premises, and reflected on how far they have come in the years since they opened their doors with only seven cycles in stock.

Now the store's annual sales typically top the 1,000 mark.

Mr. Hopkins concluded: “Some have the perception that now we are going to be on Front Street, that we will jack the prices up.

But that is not the case.

In the new space, we will diversify a little bit on what we already carry, but there will not be many other changes,” he said, adding that the shop's history of carrying equipment for both children and adults, as well as equipment and clothing for a range of sports will continue.