Tracking down bike shops is an essential skill. The list below is not an exhaustive directory, more a short report on those that we have visited on our journey.

Turkey - Istanbul

Amongst a plethora of bike shops, these four seemed the business, stocking an eclectic supply of top-end Shimano goods, including LX, XT, Ultegra and Dura Ace.

Pedal Sportif
Mimar Kmalettin Cad
Sirkeci - 34420
Tel: +90 (212) 511 06 54
Fax: +90 (212) 520 28 81
Email: pedal@superonline.com

Very friendly and knowledgeable, good English and excellent German spoken. Plenty of tourers pass through and parts can also be sent to elsewhere in Turkey in the case of breakdowns. A wide selection of imported goods - Shimano, cycle clothing etc...

Asli
Hamidye Cad
Eski Duyunu Sok No2/2
Sirkeci - Istanbul
Tel: +90 (212) 527 35 63
Fax: +90 (212) 522 55 81
Email: sinanemanet@superonline.com.tr

Not much English spoken - Russian and Bulgarian though - but understatedly friendly. We were invited for lunch as well as the usual Turkish tea. Excellent supply of top knotch Shimano goodies, very good prices.

Bahar Hirdavat
Yuksekkaldirim Galip Dede Cd. No 181 Karakoy - Istanbul
Teshir Magazasi Bahar Han No 169
Tel: +90 (212) 244 47 15
www.scott-turkey.com

Over the bridge (Golden Horn) towards Taksim, there is another knot of bicycle shops, of which this one seemed to be the best.

Taz Ticaret
Bahir ve Hakki Tezgoren
Altiyol
Yazuzturk Caddesi No 33
Kadikoy V.D. 8420022847
Kadikoy
Istanbul
Tel: 337 49 66
Fax: 336 72 66

This shop is over in 'Asia', a pleasant half hour boat ride from Karakoy. An Alladin's Cave of eclectic bike parts, new and old, bits and bobs, even a WW1 motorbike under a layer of dust. Run by two enthusiastic brothers with thirty five years in the business. They can also send parts out if needed. Definitely worth a visit.

Turkey - Ankara

This shop comes highly recommended by Thomas Dutour, a tourer we met on the Caspian Sea, for parts and excellent servicing:

Delta Bike
9 Sokak No:4/Bahcelievler
Ankara
Tel: (0.312) 2236027
Fax: (0.312) 222 3492
www.deltabisiklet.com

Though not stocking many Shimano parts, we've heard this shop can order them in at good prices.

Cariyoglu Cankiri
Cad. 65/C
06060 Diskapt
Ankara Tel: (0.312) 324 2880
Fax: (0.312) 324 2881

Iran - Tabriz

Home to the Azerbaijan International Bike Tour, Tabriz has an unusual amount of bike shops. The majority stock locally made and Chinese bikes with the most basic of Shimano parts, but lurking around are a few more specialist shops with top end spares - LX and the like.

For parts but not servicing you can try

Commerce M.Alamir
North Artesh Ave No 24
Tabriz, Iran
Tel 5566363, 5567023

Hub of serious roadies, the following shop is more of a workshop than anything else. But if there's a part in town, Ramazan will know where to find it. He doesn't speak a word of English, but there's generally someone hanging about who does:

Ramazan Gulizade
Corse Bicycle
Add: No 44 Felestin Ave
Haghighat Crossroads
Tel 5878043, 5218053

Other town for good bike shops on the highway between Tabriz and Tehran include Zanjan (Shohada street) and Gazvan (also Shohada Street).

Turkmenistan - Ashgabat

Forget about spare parts in Turkmenistan. Not that the city's without an illustrious cycling history. Home to the society Bicycle Club of the 19th century, the mountains around Ashgabat were also the favoured early season training grounds of the Soviet athletes. There's still a national cycling team, but we could only track down one lone basic bike in a shopping centre. If you're in trouble, Russian speaking Sacha, one of the few cyclists from the 'old days' still in town, might be able to help. His phone number is 41 13 52.

Brendan Dallas at the American Center; a keen cyclist who's lived for several years around Central Asia, he's also a great person for cycle tourers to get in touch with if you need some help.

Brendan Dallas
Accels
78 Magtymguly St
1st Floor
Ashgabat
Tel (993 12) 39 90 66

David Berghof at Ayan Travel promotes fantastic desert tours around the Kopet Dag mountains by bike and jeep, and is also well worth contacting. See Ayan Travel in the visa section for details.