Texas - best dfw bike shop

Hey guys need some info I am about to get my first road bike and I am trying to figure out where I want to invest my money. I have a store pretty close so I am going to give them a shot first since they are the closest, but I am wondering if there are any shops I should check out. My fiance and I want to buy each other bikes for our wedding presents so we are looking to buy two bikes and full gear and stuff. Thanks for any advice!

Richardson Bike mart (www.bikemart.com - multiple locations) and Plano Cycling and Fitness (www.planocycling.com) are two of the biggest in the area. Performance (www.performancebike.com) is a national chain that just opened stores in Plano and Fort Worth.

I know I left out a bunch of smaller "mom and pop" type shops around the area but these three chains have massive selections and, for the most part, very knowledgeable staff. Check around and see who gives you the best "vibe".

Buying a bike can be a lot of fun, but requires a fair number of decisions to be made as you narrow down your selection. Fit is critical. Getting a bike that suits the type of riding you do is key as well. This is one area where larger stores have an advantage since they typically have much more inventory than smaller stores.

Good luck! :)

from someone who is just getting back into cycling since my late teens, I had some reluctance about the bike shop experience and the sale people etc. I talked to Lee at Bike Mart-White Rock and a few weeks later talked to Geoff at Bike Mart-Richardson. Bought my Trek 1500 from Geoff, and he fit me perfectly on the bike and I cant seem to stop riding. Wherever ya'll get your bikes from, MAKE SURE THEY FIT YOU!!! You will notice a difference from your first test ride to the final fit.

chris

So far I've got the best service from Colonel's. They don't have as much in stock as some of the bigger stores. They just don't have the room, but everyone there seems to know their stuff.

Another vote for Richardson Bike Mart. That said. Most bikes at a similar price level have the same components on them. If you local bike shop seems competent and has a bike that fits you, go with them.

Hey Shooter!!!! Long time, no see, how is life treating you?

Bike Mart gets my vote not just as a customer/rider myself but also because I sent my mom there for her bike and they not only spent literally 3 hours with her but the same person fit her shoes, let her ride multiple bikes and taught her how to work her pedals and gears. He didn't do the actual bike fit but stayed with her the whole time the fitting was being done. That's even more amazing since it was a busy Saturday around lunch time.

RBM is a lot of flashy, overpriced stuff. That said, they have one of just about everything, so go spend 8 hours trying it out before you buy something.:D

RBM has the best and most experienced service department. They have done a couple of complete builds for me and did a good job in a very reasonable amount of time. Great company. Their owner is on the board of my hosptal (non-profit, 120 beds). Good people.

If you notice all the Dallasites are voting for RBM...for those of us that live on the western side of the plex the clear choice is Bicycles Inc. I like Eddie at the Arlington store, but they are great at all 4 stores, Bedford, Keller, Arlington and Fort Worth.

Don't forget Bicycles Inc. in Arlington. I have dealt with Gordon and Robert and they are great. I got back into cycling after a 10 year hiatus. Gordon sized me up and after telling him what I wanted in a bike, helped me find the right bike for me. All the Bicycles Inc stores are have knowlegable people. They have a store in Keller, Bedford, Arlington, and Fort Worth.

I have heard the Performance Bicycle shop in Ft. Worth did not have knowledgable people in the store and Customer Service was not that great. Could be that it is a new store and they haven't fished through the pool of applicants to get the right people.

I dislike every shop I've been to so far exect Fort Worth Cycling. I've not been to Panther or Colonel's yet.

Bike's inc has treated me horrible - the Arlington Locale in partixular. Paid them to pack and ship a bike, and it arrived broken, and they've never filed a claim with fedex, after months of prodding and asking.

RBM is just too big - I can't get good help, rarely get knowledegable help.

the place I am closest to is B&B Bicycles in cedar hill. anyone ever shop there before? I think I am going to end up giving them a shot first and if they dont have what I am looking for or they dont have great service then I will end up shoping around a lot.

Go with a shop this is somewhat close to you so you can develop a relationship with the shop as you return for parts and stuff. If the shop knows you then they usually will give you a break on minor repair costs etc... Otherwise I vote for RBM. The only shop I know whos prices are competitive with on-line shopping.

I've been ignored at RBM in Richardson on multiple occasions. I usually am forced to seek out a sales person to get any kind of assistance there. They do have a massive selection, but it can be overwhelming.

I get great service at Bikes Inc., in Bedford. Of course, that's probably because I used to be drinking buddies with the manager, Russ. Both Russ and his brother, Ian, are very competent guys.

We just bought my wife's bike at Uptown Cycles. Donovan is a great guy, and gave us a great deal on her bike. They also worked with us on the accessories she wanted, not price-wise, but selection-wise. His shop doesn't look like it's got a large selection, but it does. He only builds up one or two of each model for display purposes, but will build up the size you need for you. His mechanic, Tommy, is competent, too.

just as an update I went by B&B today and spoke with a couple of the sales people and they were both great. there were more customers than there were sales people, but I was still helped with all of my questions. I did not have time to test ride or anything but they said they will make sure they get a proper fit they also do service free for the first year. So thanks to everyons help I am going to go local.

I have tried the RBM stores and have had pretty good experiences with them. My shop of choice is Plano Cycling and Fitness. They have an awsome selection of bikes and accessories and an excellent service department.


I've been ignored at RBM in Richardson on multiple occasions. I usually am forced to seek out a sales person to get any kind of assistance there.

+1. If I go to any of the RBM locations it is the one in Frisco.


Go with a shop this is somewhat close to you so you can develop a relationship with the shop as you return for parts and stuff. If the shop knows you then they usually will give you a break on minor repair costs etc...

+1. Get to know the people who work on your bike. Build a relationship with the people who you will hand lots of money over to:D I actually go out of my way to get to my shop of choice because of the service and attention that I receive when I get there.

RBM gets my vote. Best inventory, good people. Cove shops there too!

Well...

I have bought 2 bikes from PCF and 2 bikes from RBM. I live in Frisco and drive to PCF. I guess that tells you who gets my vote. ;)

Can't really say I have ever had anything but good experience at both places. RBM is massive and really fun to visit. The folks at both stores are great to work with and very knowledgable. Much more of a 'your part of our family' feel at PCF IMO. I think the prices are a bit better at PCF but some have disagreed with me on that one. Maybe I am getting better deals now because I have pretty much committed to PCF solely?

RBM is building up a set of wheels for me right now. Great service.

*update*

I think I have narrowed it down to the Specialized Allez Elite. My only problem now is choosing between the 06 and 07. I like the look of the 07 better, but the 06 is full 105 and the 07 has Tiagra shifters and FD. How much better is the 105 stuff? would it be silly to pay a little bit more for the 07 just because I like the way it looks?

Thanks for any help

would it be silly to pay a little bit more for the 07 just because I like the way it looks?

LOL:roflmao:

*update*

I think I have narrowed it down to the Specialized Allez Elite. My only problem now is choosing between the 06 and 07. I like the look of the 07 better, but the 06 is full 105 and the 07 has Tiagra shifters and FD. How much better is the 105 stuff? would it be silly to pay a little bit more for the 07 just because I like the way it looks?

Thanks for any help


I would go with the '06 full 105 group. What's the price difference? You can bargain on the '06 as well. Specialized has been dumbing down their bikes in the last couple of years so you're getting less for a little bit more. I bought my Roubaix Pro ('05) with full DA and two years later my wife's Roubaix Pro comes with half DA, half Ultegra. Not sure if they're doing this across the lines but I'll bet they are.

yeah I was thinking the full 105 makes a little more sense B&B has it marked down to 999 and I may be able to get it for a little less than that. The 07 is 1099 so a little bit more for a not as well equiped bike. Seems like an easy decision I guess but in the looks department the 07 wins by a landslide. As soon as I get the money for the bike I will probably go ride both and see if i can tell the difference. Thanks for everyones help!

Bikemart is cool. Plano cycling never been, but I heard it's good. I used to go to bicycles plus...expensive but the technicians know their bikes. Bicycles INC I think has the best prices.

So far I've got the best service from Colonel's. They don't have as much in stock as some of the bigger stores. They just don't have the room, but everyone there seems to know their stuff.

+1 I know it's too late and inapplicable for the OP, but Colonel's is my favorite Fort Worth area shop. I have bought a few things at Performance, but rely on the great customer service at Colonel's -- they fixed a bent derailleur hanger on my bike for free though it was clearly my fault (or my kid's fault). They just moved a few doors down into a bigger shop.

Before I ever bought a bike from them, I ran my old bike over with what I thought was a quickly failing headset. Rick, one of the partners, pulled out a few wrenches and fixed it on the spot. For free. It was pretty easy to pick where my next bike would come from when I was in the market several months later.

I don't dislike the Bicycle's Inc. on Granbury, but haven't gotten a good feel from it.

Just thought I would update this thread now that I actually have the bike! Thanks for all the help and suggestions I ended up having a very good experience

here it is!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/kyle721/DSC01771crop.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/kyle721/DSC01773-1.jpg

Kylen: I just bought that same bike from B&B this past weekend! Those guys are sooo good there. I need to post my pics as well. Did you adjust your bars or is it just the angle of the photo? I still have more tweaking to do, but I love it so far!

Oh...and in the small world category...the whole reason I even went to B&B in the first place was because I read this thread and mapped out a trip to Dallas visiting some of the shops mentioned here.

Kylen: I just bought that same bike from B&B this past weekend! Those guys are sooo good there. I need to post my pics as well. Did you adjust your bars or is it just the angle of the photo? I still have more tweaking to do, but I love it so far!

Oh...and in the small world category...the whole reason I even went to B&B in the first place was because I read this thread and mapped out a trip to Dallas visiting some of the shops mentioned here.

when they fit me to the bike the fitter switched out and flipped the stem for me to give me a little more agressive position.

I also had a little tweaking to do with my seat and cleats, but now it feels great.

p.s. I could not buy the bike till monday so thanks for not buying mine...haha

FYI...I had a two-year old Zipp/PowerTap wheel that looked to be developing a flat spot near the valve. The seam in the carbon portion of the rim looked to be separating. I had bought it through RBM Richardson so I called Woody and asked if they had anybody who could look at it and tell me if the wheel was horked. I honestly expected them to tell me just to take that up with Zipp directly but thought it worth a try anyway. He told me to come in, ask for him and he would introduce me to Mike, their warranty returns and RMA guru.

Within 10 minutes of doing that, Mike indicated that he was going to be sending digital photos of the wheel and seam to Zipp. As soon as called them though, they said to send it back for them to inspect. So pretty much, just the fact that he was calling them and saying that there was something not right with the wheel was enough for them to authorize an RMA on their nickel.

So RBM handled the return. Zipp took one look at the wheel and pegged it as a manufacturing defect and overnighted back a free replacement. Within just a few days total, Mike was calling me to tell me that I could come in and pick up my replacement wheel any time.

No that is pure greatness.

RBM is great. I somehow lost (aka: I rode the bike outside without cable attached and bolt loose) the pinch bolt on a rear brake. It was a Tektro brake, and every low to mid level bike out there seems to come with them so I figure RBM would likely have a few laying around. Ends up their packaged replacements didn't quite fit, so Jack spent a good 5+ minutes in the back with my brake working up a suitable fix. Cost - $0.

A week later I went back and bought a few parts from them I could have probably bought online slightly cheaper, but wanted to support my local shop for helping me get the bike back on the road.

I took two back wheels in last week needing the cassettes switched wheel to wheel. They did it while i waited for a grand total of $2.00.

Congrats on the new bike Kylen. Great looking ride and glad that BF was able to help you find a local shop to meet your needs. Come ride with us some time. Or organize a ride out your way and make the RBM bunch come to you!

Nice new ride!!! Now get out there and ride:D

No matter which shop you decide to make "your" shop build a relationship with them and don't just use them when you are in a pinch. Some of the online retailers may save you a few bucks but that LBS can save your A$$!!!

I just bought some Fulcrum Racing 1's. I could have saved some money by purchasing them online then worry about when the shipment would arrive, if the package would be damaged and all sorts of other things. I bought them at PC&F along with some GP4000's and some latex tubes...the full deal. By using "My" LBS for a purchase like that they WILL remember down the road and give me the royal treatment as they always do. They all know me by name. They take care of me when I need them because I always take care of them.

Well said Kevin. Rick and his guys at PCF are great. Used to work down the street, and got treated great by those guys. Could have been that I worked at the boat service shop that Rick took his bass boat too also!

Same wheel replacement experience at RBM, except I ran over my wheel (dumb*$!). Great service from Mike.

I do, however, love the feel of the smaller bike shop. If you get a chance, stop in Mad Duck Sports sometime. If not for a purchase, just for the eye candy. They carry many high end BMC's, Litespeed, Yeti, Ellsworth, Opera (couple of frames), and other gems that are fun to look at. See www.madducksports.com (http://www.madducksports.com) . Also, they always have their RV at many Texas Rides. Great shop, the owner, Clarence, will offer you a Fat Tire beer (on tap). The barstools have motorcycle (harley dress style) saddles on them, and whe whole place is pretty cool.

Also, just stopped into Panther City Cycles, neat shop (architecturally), but low quality bikes (which I am assuming they have a different corner of the market, not a bad thing.) and the guys weren't very friendly. Cool shop though.

Colonels has to be the best and most consistent shop with service/bike quality(in-stock)/experience. Rick and Doug have been in this business for over 20 years, and you can't beat their consistent genuine attitudes and impeccible service (where else does the owner of the shop love to do the wrench work?).

My experience with FW Cycle Fitness is that they want you to just buy what is hot at the time, however, I have found that they have experienced sales staff, which is nice. Not my favorite shop though.

Bikes Inc. in Arlington/Hurst are amazing at service and friendliness. I try to purchase from and support all of the bike shops in this area. Bought my bike at RBM, Wheels at Sun & Ski, Headset & other odds/ends at Bikes Inc. (gone there most over the years for service), Colonels (use them for service), EC90 Seatpost at RBM, Pedals/tools at MadDuck, clothing at all shops, etc.

I am new to the forum and new to cycling as well. I have been to just about every shop named in this thread in the western half of the plex in the last few weeks. I don't really have anything bad to say about any of them as I felt I got great one on one customer service from each shop. In the end for me it was finding the right bike, at the right price, at a shop close to home. For me the closest were B&B in Cedar Hill, Bike Inc in Arlington and Debo Cycle in Arlington (only one not mentioned yet)

I ended up buying from Debo. Their service was great, I got a great deal on an 06 cannondale synapse and they did a great job setting up the fit with my new shoes and seat as well. They have some real nice Jamis bikes too. They gave me 10% off of all accessories. Free tune ups on the bike for life as well.

I am a big believer in supporting local businesses when it makes sense to. For the most part every shop was in line with each other as far as pricing. Some discounted a little more than others on the bikes. Fort Worth fitness and cycle had the best Trek pricing. Debo had the best Giant pricing. But the others were close and I would spend an extra $50 to have the relationship with a close shop. Especially once you start getting into the $1g and up bikes.

I like(d) Debo too. Didn't they recently shut down, or are they still open. They have always serviced my Mtn. Bike (have to use the tools from Cannondale on the HeadShock). Brad's really great.

They are alive and well. I bought my cannondale from them last week. Will be going back this week when the '08's roll in to find a decent bike for the wife. Either Giant or Jamis flat bar for her.

The one constant I found with all the DFW shops was the great customer service from the sales folk. I can't speak for the post sales support from anyone but Debo. And Debo so far has been excellent.

I went to B & B over the weekend and bought my first bike. Really I haven't ridden since I was 6, on training wheels. Got a Trek 7.3 FX. Jeremy helped me find the right bike and he a one of the other guys helped to get me going in the parking lot. He put an adjustable stem on so I can have a higher stance to start out with. They were very friendly and helpful. The store has a great atmosphere also. I'll be back many times for service and gear. I have to go other there tomorrow, seems the key to my lock didn't get in the bag with everything else, it's okay though, it's spending a few days in the dorm.

I went to B & B over the weekend and bought my first bike. Really I haven't ridden since I was 6, on training wheels. Got a Trek 7.3 FX. Jeremy helped me find the right bike and he a one of the other guys helped to get me going in the parking lot. He put an adjustable stem on so I can have a higher stance to start out with. They were very friendly and helpful. The store has a great atmosphere also. I'll be back many times for service and gear. I have to go other there tomorrow, seems the key to my lock didn't get in the bag with everything else, it's okay though, it's spending a few days in the dorm.

Congrats! yeah they have some very helpful sales people there. Congrats on your bike purchase I am sure they will take great care of you.

I went to B & B over the weekend and bought my first bike. Really I haven't ridden since I was 6, on training wheels. Got a Trek 7.3 FX. Jeremy helped me find the right bike and he a one of the other guys helped to get me going in the parking lot. He put an adjustable stem on so I can have a higher stance to start out with. They were very friendly and helpful. The store has a great atmosphere also. I'll be back many times for service and gear. I have to go other there tomorrow, seems the key to my lock didn't get in the bag with everything else, it's okay though, it's spending a few days in the dorm.


Congrats on the new bike. That was one of the bikes I was considering for the wife. Although the LBS I have been using does not deal Trek. Nothing wrong with having 2 stores to feed off of. Do you think that is a good bike for a woman who is not the type to get into the more aggressive riding positions? She is "top heavy" and does not want to be bent over to support the weight of the twins. For her she might need the 7300 with suspension though

Panther City, Panther City, Panther City

hey evictionsurplus,
I thought you get your supplies at wal-mart?

Panther City, Panther City, Panther City

I have only been in Panther City twice, and both times I spoke with the owners. Bernie (?) was very nice and helpful, but the other guy acted as if he was busy and didn't really have time to talk (there were no other customers in the store). Cool looking shop though.

If you get a chance, stop in Mad Duck Sports sometime. If not for a purchase, just for the eye candy. They carry many high end BMC's, Litespeed, Yeti, Ellsworth, Opera (couple of frames), and other gems that are fun to look at. See www.madducksports.com (http://www.madducksports.com) . Also, they always have their RV at many Texas Rides. Great shop, the owner, Clarence, will offer you a Fat Tire beer (on tap). The barstools have motorcycle (harley dress style) saddles on them, and whe whole place is pretty cool.
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+1 on Mad Duck in Grapevine. It's small (but a little bigger since they expanded), but they have some very nice bikes. Cut my steerer tube while I waited for $10.