/公棧單車

開業歷史: 1946

業務: 單車零售、維修

地址: 深水埗基隆街98E地下

深水埗地方大，過去街道沒有現在這樣繁忙，不少街坊都會以單車代步。而在深水埗工人亦會用單車運載貨，單車在過去是街坊日常的代步交通工具，但今天繁忙的街道卻容不下單車。在基隆街的公棧單車便見證了深水埗及單車在過去六十多年的轉變。公棧單車在基隆街已六十多年，身掛滿單車零件的舖牆與維修單車的巷都是街道的一大特色。

公棧單車是店東胡老闆的心血，他在和平後兩年一次交通意外另他意識到單車是常生活主要的代步工具，單車維修是一門可維生的生意，便在他十六七歲開始了他的單車維修生意，當時胡先生沒有師傅，只看了別人維修便在旁偷師。在無師自通之下，成為了修單車的老師傅，一做便做了60多年。胡先生回憶起當時的社會資源貧乏，人們都比較窮困，所以維修單車的零件都是由舊了的外國單車拆下來再用的。而現今的零件多是由日本，台灣，大陸等地方出口。當中以日本的零件質量較好，可是在日本海嘯後，價格提高了不少。胡先生年事已高已慢慢淡出，現在的公棧單車胡先生的子女打理，

近期的單車潮流令單車在次大受歡迎。幫手打理店舖的Winnie說90年代玩「街車」（在馬路上代步的專業單車）的不多，公棧主要做街坊生意，特別是維修附近街市的搬運單車。但近４至５年，單車熱潮令顧客的類型有所變化。很多年青人會到店裡維修，而且遠至新界元朗近至九龍城等地區的顧客都特意來光顧。今天的公棧單車店在單車界中無人不知。 但幫手打理店舖的Winnie說公棧單車的服務態度好，價錢實惠，赢得口碑。這才會令到顧客到公棧單車光顧。

/ Kung Chan Cycle

Timeline: Since 1946

Business Type: Bicycle retailing and repairing

Address: 98E, Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po

Sham Shui Po is a relatively large district in Hong Kong. When streets were not very busy in the old days, residents liked cycling for daily transport. Labours in the area also used bicycles to deliver goods. Bicycle was a common means of transportation in the neighborhood. Yet, hustle and bustle streets today can no longer accommodate cycling activities. Kung Chan Cycle on Ki Lung Street has been witnessing the changes in Sham Shui Po over the past 60 years. The 60-year shop has become one major attraction on the street with its walls covered with bicycle parts and the side lane with bicycles waiting to be repaired.

Kung Chan Cycle is the lifeblood of owner, Mr. Wu. A traffic accident after the end of the war made Mr. Wu realized that bicycle could be a daily transportation. He then started his business for bicycles retailing and repairing while he was 16 or 17 years old. Mr. Wu didn’t have a master to train him. He learned his skills from observing how others operated their business. Equipped with his expertise through explorations and practices, Mr. Wu became a bicycle repair master and carried on in the industry for 60 years. Recalling from his memory, Mr. Wu mentioned that people were relatively poor at that time and resources were rare. Bicycle parts for maintenance were often taken from old used bicycles from abroad. Nowadays, bicycle parts are usually imported from Japan, Taiwan and China. Among them, those from Japan are with the best quality. The price has gone up a lot after the Tsunami in Japan though. Now, Mr. Wu is getting old, so he is passing down Kung Chan Cycle to his children.

The recent trend of bicycle craze makes cycling popular again. Shop assistant, Winnie told us that there were not many “street cars” (professional bicycles used on the roads) back in the 1990s. Therefore, Kung Chan Cycle mainly catered for the neighborhood, especially for bicycles that were used to deliver goods to and from nearby markets. But the trend in the recent 4 or 5 years has changed the customer base of the business. More and more young people come for bicycle maintenance. Some customers are from other districts, from Kowloon City to Yuen Long in the New Territories. Almost everyone in the bike circle has heard of Kung Chan Cycle. According to Winnie, their reasonable price, good attitude and services, all contributed to Kung Chan Cycle’s good reputation.

他們善用店舖的空間，令空間成為維修單車與及客人交流的平台。

The efficiency in using the shop space provided a platform for repairing bicycles and also communication with clients.

到了晚上又是另一個維修單車的黃金時段。

Night time is another peak hours for repairing the bikes.