OT Cycles of Dartford was Prob the best BMX shop ever
OT Cycles Original gate still stands
I can remember going to the East Hill Shop most Saturdays. I am sure i also saw a Team Mongoose Demo there with Andy Ruffell and Tim March They had a huge white van and a ramp in the driveway
Update Oct 2008 found this review of the day in a BMX weekly
The view from the gate to the shop along its driveway
The view back to the gate from the shop along its driveway, the fence must of been added later as i do remember a kinda parking area up by the shop, on the right of this pic.
A sneaky shot through a hole in the bottom of the door
OT's had two shops the original one in Lowfield street (still is !) and the bigger one on East Hill
OT's of Lowfield Street opened in 1965 and derived its name from the area in which it is built: Orange Tree. This confirmed by The Pub some 100m away with the same name, parts of which date back to the 15th Century. Orange Tree is a ward of the parish council of Wilmington.
OT's original Artwork - poss from East Hill shop
East Hill was originally their repair centre and when BMX exploded into the UK in the early 80's, they opened it up selling just bmx's. I can remember going there and seeing the murial being painted on the wall. The East Hill shop shut in the late 80's as BMX went into the dark era of the 90's and was later sold off
Colin Sharp was the owner and ran it Colin's son Paul still keeps the Lowfield Street shop running Here's some adverts and Pics of sponsored riders from magazines etc
Scan of 1981 Catalog (more pages to come)
Colin Sharp also produced Sharp Racing Products
The shops still there in Lowfield Street, selling & repairing bikes - Ask for Dave !
They also have some remaining old stock in the shop and at another secret location,
which one day Paul will sort out so i am told
Alot of it has been sold already, but they still have some Sharp Racing Products
and other bits up in their first floor stock room
one day i might get an invite up there ........
As well as at least a couple of old Frames and Forks in the shop on the wall
I have seen an Ammaco made mongoose all NOS and shiney
Great shop and I have some great memories of it
OT Cycles, 291 Lowfield Road, Dartford, DA1 1LB, 01322 225698