It’s a familiar story – your bike gets nicked and the next thing you know your insurance company’s mucking you about, insisting that you have such-and-such a bike from its favoured supplier. Never mind that you know what you want, never mind that you’ve got a friendly local shop that you’d actually quite like to get a replacement from, it’s sticking to its guns. Even if your insurers are more accommodating, getting a replacement bike sorted out can be a long and tedious process.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Fetch is a new, free, service run by the ACT, the trade body for independent bike dealers in the UK. Here’s how it works. Participating dealers (there are currently 350 in the UK) act as Cycle Recovery Centres. Find you nearest one (there’s a list at www.fetch.uk.com or call 0870 460 8167) and pop in or phone them up.

It doesn’t matter who your bike was insured with, as long as it was insured against whatever happened to it. All the shop needs is your name, address and details of what you’ve had stolen or damaged. It’ll pass that on to Fetch, which will liaise with your insurer and get your claim sorted out. When it’s all settled you’ll end up with credit at the shop to spend on whatever new bike, accessories or repairs you like.

Fetch is endorsed by Brompton, Giant, GT, Marin, Mongoose, Specialized and Trek, but you’re free to spend your credit on any brand you like. And if you’ve been injured Fetch can help with those claims too. Full details at www.fetch.uk.com.