About Retro Ride

We specialise in many areas of the cycle trade, including restoring and customising all types of bicycles to the highest standards. We also offer a first-class repair and maintenance service for all types of bikes; and we have a wide range of bicycles for hire.

Retro Ride was set up and is owned by Mr Tony Houben, who, after leaving school at the age of 16, served as an apprentice at West Drayton Cycles, where he learned the entire range of bicycle building and maintenance skills, including wheel building and repairing Sturmey Archer Gears. Later he went on to work for the manufacturing company of Ken Rogers' Tricycles in Cranford, Middlesex.

Tony is himself a very keen cyclist who was one of the top road race and time trial cyclists in the late 70s and early 80s. After a break from competitive cycling he returned to training with the help of Spin Classes which are held at The Fitness Space, located in Ascot High Street (tel: 01344 875053), which is fast becoming one of Berkshire's top gyms. Tony started competing again at the age of 54 in 2009.

He has been a member of one of England's oldest and most famous of cycling clubs: the Bath Road Club, which was formed in 1886. Tony held the position of schoolboy champion for a year and junior champion for 2 years. Although Tony's father has passed away, his father still holds the as yet unbroken Bath Road Tandem records for the 30 mile and 50 mile time trial from the late 1940s.

Apart from cycling, Tony also spent 5 years motor racing in the 1980s, competing in Ford Capris and Porsche cars. He drove in England's first ever 24-hour race against Stirling Moss, Eddie Jordan, Martin Brundle, among other outstanding names.

On returning to cycling, Tony decided to renovate one of his original racing bikes back to mint condition, and the pleasure and satisfaction it gave him were the impetus behind establishing Retro Ride - the initial aim being to renovate old bicycles but with a twist (see the renovation page, and you will understand what the twist is).

Although we are a small company, we give a blue ribbon service and make sure that every customer is fully satisfied when they buy, hire or have a bicycle serviced, repaired, renovated or customised.

We also offer a bicycle disposal service. What might seem rubbish to you might just be our next project and means it will not end up in a tip.