Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - bareknuckle frame in SF

does anyone know a good fixie shop in the bay area or SF to get a bareknuckle frame besides American. I have heard way too many horror stories and everytime i go in there they arent the friendliest of people.

horror stories about american? are you sure you're not confusing it with freewheel valencia?

I have heard both, maybe it was just that American was expensive

I never got a good vibe from American, and what's with the teasers on the wall? Cool stuff too bad it's not for sale.

I saw a bareknuckle today at Albertsons on fulton. They do look nice in their plain brown wrapper.

I like American. They've taken good care of me.

I'm sure Road Rage can order one if you know your size. Probably also Freewheel Hayes. Any of the more track friendly shops should be able to get you one from EAI.

Saw a hot pink one over at Montano Velo on Piedmont Ave in Oaktown, its sweet.

horror stories about american?

yeah its true...way back in 1942, just a year after the shop was opened, there was this guy who rode a bike around town. The bike made the sound of 100's of sea sirens and 100's of screaming banshees. Its said that if you ride by at 11:10 am, which is the 666th minute of the day...the the guy on the bicyle, who noone has ever seen, cause when they look at him in the eyes, the eyes shine really really shiny light- like only a million cromo handlebars would-but the light is soo bright that it burns you up really quickly and the sonic reverberations, from the banshees and sirens, blow your desicated body dust into the wind...then he takes your bike away. so i hear anway...

i like american they are great, the store has a nice feel, like nostalgic. but their stuff can be a bit on the pricy side. i have heard bad stuff about the place, freewheel valencia.

good luck

Why not just order from businesscycles.com? They're super nice.

Why not just order from businesscycles.com? They're super nice.
I think there may still be some folks out there who still like to support their LBS... American and Freewheel aren't the only shops in S.F.
Road Rage Bikes (http://www.roadragebicycles.com) and the Freewheel on Hayes St. (though it is owned by the same guy who runs Freewhell Valencia)

One more vote against American here. I went in there once for a 16 tooth 3/32 DA cog, asked for just that, and got this look of shock back from the girl working there. WTF you are a specialty shop arent you? WELL I HERE I AM BEING SPECIAL FOR YOU.

One more vote against American here. I went in there once for a 16 tooth 3/32 DA cog, asked for just that, and got this look of shock back from the girl working there. WTF you are a specialty shop arent you? WELL I HERE I AM BEING SPECIAL FOR YOU.

That's odd, the only girl that works there that I know of, Rhonna(sp?), has always been friendly and helpful.

Yeah I mean, its anecdotal evidence for sure and YMMV. Its amazing though that It does seem to come up often American or otherwise. How does a bike shop manage to have an attitude in the first place?

yeah I frequent LBSs in the area but I got my bareknuckle frame from businesscycles.com don't feel bad about ordering something specific once in awhile outta town.

Citybikes if you're in PDX about as community as you can get support them above all else.

I think there may still be some folks out there who still like to support their LBS... American and Freewheel aren't the only shops in S.F.
Road Rage Bikes (http://www.roadragebicycles.com) and the Freewheel on Hayes St. (though it is owned by the same guy who runs Freewhell Valencia)

Road Rage is good and Freewheel on Hayes rules. Unfortunately, neither of those shops carries stuff from EAI (maker of the Bareknuckle frame). So...

Went into American today to borrow some tools. I didnt think it would fly or if the did they would charge me for the bolt they spent thirty seconds tightening, but there was this new guy and he hadnt learned to be overly snooty yet, so everyone get in there before he goes to the dark side.

yeah its understable if you have to leave an ID but I mean ....... contribute!

not sure but "borrowing" tools from the lbs is a sure way to get some 'tude. sounds like going to the grocery store to "borrow" some food.

I've never gotten any attitude from Henry when I ask to borrow tools. Of course the only times I've borrowed tools have been when I just bought something there and wanted to install. I've gotten attitude from Brad before, but that's how he is, it's more of a joking kind of attitude. American is nice because they almost always have what you need, but their prices are astronomical.

I usually try Freewheel Hayes or Road Rage before going to American.

Now that velo-city's gone, american's probably my favorite shop on bike row. Still, I'd rather ride the extra few blocks to the non-sucky freewheel over on hayes. (Y'know, I worked there about a decade ago..)

I've gone into American several times with a will to enjoy the experience, and yet, have always left feeling sour. Once in search of a Silca pump for my schrader valve, I recieved an acidic comment from a worker as to Silcas ONLY being presta. Duh, Wrong. Another time, I knew exactly what I needed; a new freewheel. I asked If I could purchase the part for my own installation and was barked back: "leave your bike overnight."

Of course, all the stanyan shops blow and their relation to the haight confirms this.

Freewheel on Hayes, or the Bike Kitchen, or Pedal Revolution, or Box Dog Bikes on 14th.

Never American Cyclery.

i've never got anything other than straight love from american from the first day i stepped in to just the other day. but then again, i don't want anything for nothing or expect internet pricing either, so i know going in what i'm dealing with-

ps. boxdog has a few bareknuckle frames as of today.

i've never got anything other than straight love from american from the first day i stepped in to just the other day. but then again, i don't want anything for nothing or expect internet pricing either, so i know going in what i'm dealing with-

Yeah, I've seen them pretty busy, but they've never been mean or anything.

I wear a t-shirt sporting freewheel on hayes logo. I've never been there but damn what a rad logo.

Just sayin'.

If I remember right, I saw a bareknuckle at boxdog earlier this week. Might wanna give em a call.

and yea, I love the freewheel logo, and the guys there are nice (dunno about valencia one, I never go there)

It's not exactly SF, but Montano Velo here in Oakland has them...and so much other eye candy that you'll find it hard to leave.

It's not exactly SF, but Montano Velo here in Oakland has them...and so much other eye candy that you'll find it hard to leave.

Yeah, Montano Velo just keeps getting better and better.

another two votes here, one for Montano Velo, which has some of the nicest stuff around, and while you may occationally get a 'tude, it's a joking 'tude and usually the joke is on the employee and they know it. They're all super friendly and helpful there, and are helpful even with less-than-fancy bikes even though they all ride some beautiful bikes.

Other is for Boxdog, which is still kinda in the startup phase, but is nice and friendly and has good stuff and is a worker coop, so the workers there have a vested interest in being friendly to you. If you work for a bay area coop, they'll even give you a good discount!

I was in MV this morning, saw two nicely built Bareknuckles. FWIW, price is $675 for frame and fork, compared with $580 online.

Anyone have a Web site address for Boxdog?

http://boxdogbikes.com/

as far as I recall, they were selling it for 500.

i've got a brand new, never assembled, 52cm bare knuckle frame set, in khaki green. talking to a forum member right now about it but if that falls through, it's available for sale or trade for a comparable smaller frame.

http://boxdogbikes.com/


thanks a lot! fwiw, they're open until 7pm tonight, then closed until next tuesday.

I called EAI and they told me the shops that they sell to. This is up in Seattle. I bought my frame from counterbalancebicycles.com It's Seattle's serious fixed gear shop. They just recently updated their site to buy stuff now. Check em.

american cyclery is getting rid of like 5 of them in a range of sizes for 500.

i've never got anything other than straight love from american from the first day i stepped in to just the other day. but then again, i don't want anything for nothing or expect internet pricing either, so i know going in what i'm dealing with-

x2

Another so-so experience at American where I was assisted by some young kid who came off kinda cocky. Anyway, I went in to check out the Brooks saddles and accidently refered to the model I was interested in as the "N-17" (for some reason the NC-17 rating system came to mind), instead of refering to it correctly as the B-17.
Any normal (non *******) that knows anything about bikes (such as one who works in a bike shop) would have plainly seen my mistake since there are not all that many Brooks models to confuse, but this guy just played dumb and refused to show me the seat until I finally asked for the it by "B-17", which eventually came to me.

Not only that, my girl friend, who doesnt know much about bikes, was with me and asked why the seat was so expensive since it appeared to be nothing more than a piece of leather and a frame. And he proceeded to go on a rant on how he "personally thinks they suck anyway"--In a rather elitist tone. He's entitled to that opinion, but there are ways to express it tackfully, especially if your in a sales position.

Not a huge deal, but beware of the "I know way more than you do" attitude.

isn't refried cycles in san fran? i only saw their website, but it looked like they were and they had plenty of bareknuckles.

dude, Ive been into American numerous times, spent a lot of money in there, and they suck. Attitude everytime. And they are expensive. Freewheel Valencia is even worse, but there is a bleach blonde girl that works there that is nice sometimes. Freewheel Hayes rocks. But they dont have a whole lot of stuff in there, hence the need to order. I say get the bareknuckle online, Im getting parts online from now on!

chalk up another mark against American--
I love the Soma brand which Woehl co-owns
but the American shop blows--all attitude.

im pretty sure that any barenuckle frame in stock now has cable stays. businesscycles (and prolly other spots) is supposed to be getting a new shipment of barenuckle frames w/out the cable stays in about a month.

mv or box dog should have em I think pacific might as well

im pretty sure that any barenuckle frame in stock now has cable stays. businesscycles (and prolly other spots) is supposed to be getting a new shipment of barenuckle frames w/out the cable stays in about a month.
thats cause the builder ,ade a booo booo

Went into American today to borrow some tools. I didnt think it would fly or if the did they would charge me for the bolt they spent thirty seconds tightening, but there was this new guy and he hadnt learned to be overly snooty yet, so everyone get in there before he goes to the dark side.

Dark side? You mean charging for a service? The real dark side is being a cheap sh*t with a sense of entitlement.

Montano Velo
Boxdog
Freewheel/Hayes
Pedal Rev
or online.
American...nope. Support good LBS.

Yes, follow the above order. If you're in the East Bay, go to Montano, otherwise, go to Box Dog, they have them in all the colors, even the ltd ed ones. Online, thebikebiz.com has em.