Northern California - Berkeley bike shops

I always ride past the Bent Spoke and Karim Cycle on my way up Telegraph and was wondering if anyone has any opinions/experience dealing with the 2 shops. I dropped by the Bent Spoke and looked at a Bianchi in my size they had built from a kit (I think it was around $650). And I've been in Karim once but was overwhelmed by the amount of bikes this guy had and was a bit weirded out by his customer service. He does have really good prices on used bikes but I don't know if it's worth getting a deal from him... has anyone else been in there?

Never shopped a either but I have heard negatives about Karims. With so many great berkeley bike shops, why take a chance? I go to Cyclesports in Oakland, but you can't go wrong at Left Coast on Dominguez or Missing Link on Shattuck (and Mike's is around the corner).

wrong at Left Coast on Dominguez or Missing Link on Shattuck (and Mike's is around the corner).

I met Eddy Merckx himself at Missing Link. It was spring of 1985 and he was on a promotional tour. Must have worked, I bought one of his bikes a few years later (still have it).

Left Coast consistently gets high ratings on customer service.

I got my used bike from Karim a few months ago. I didn't spend much time there (he had just received something in my size that I liked), but I think he just gets these bikes from acquaintances that find them in the course of their work, and he just tries to make a profit--not a real community shop.

I've also been to Missing Link to buy some stuff (new stuff that you can't/shouldn't really buy used--tire, helmet, lock) and to use their tools. They have a lot of shiny new stuff, but I don't know about the prices.

There's also Recycles Bicycles on Sacramento between Alcatraz and Ashby. They have mostly used stuff, and I think they let you use their tools, too. You can even wrench for them in return for gear.

There's also a place on University--upper end, I think. Velospace?

About Missing Link, though, I was looking at an old receipty from them and, on the bottom, it said, "Have you hugged your chinchilla today?" I thought it was pretty great. Do they have a new saying every day, or something?

Never shopped a either but I have heard negatives about Karims. With so many great berkeley bike shops, why take a chance? I go to Cyclesports in Oakland, but you can't go wrong at Left Coast on Dominguez or Missing Link on Shattuck (and Mike's is around the corner).

I'm a cheapskate so I was drawn to Karim by the cheap used bikes (but since I already have an old bike I probably should get a new one too). I've heard good things about Left Coast as well. Do most riders (more experienced than me) go for "new" bikes built with kits? Bent Spoke always has new Bianchi frames coming in...

I got my used bike from Karim a few months ago. I didn't spend much time there (he had just received something in my size that I liked), but I think he just gets these bikes from acquaintances that find them in the course of their work, and he just tries to make a profit--not a real community shop.

There's also Recycles Bicycles on Sacramento between Alcatraz and Ashby. They have mostly used stuff, and I think they let you use their tools, too. You can even wrench for them in return for gear.

Were you happy with the bike from Karim? I don't know if Karim will be able to help me choose something that'll really fit me...I get the feeling I should go in there knowing exactly what I want and need (and since I'm new to biking this might be hard for me to know). I'll have to check out Recycles Bicycles. Thanks.

Karim's is reputed to deal in stolen bikes, but I have no firsthand knowledge to confirm or deny. I went looking for my stolen bike there on the recommendation of some neighbors, but didn't find it. The Yelp reviews are pretty negative. I found sales service there to be pretty poor. I've had good luck so far with Mike's Bikes in Berkeley.

EDIT- This is hilarious. I just read the Yelp reviews on Karim's (http://www.yelp.com/biz/M0ot3l0eFvNDxV6V2M6rPw) again and every single review is pretty negative (1 or 2 stars) except one that is clearly written by the shop or a friend and reads like an ad for the shop. Please do not buy a bike from this guy.

Were you happy with the bike from Karim? I don't know if Karim will be able to help me choose something that'll really fit me...I get the feeling I should go in there knowing exactly what I want and need (and since I'm new to biking this might be hard for me to know). I'll have to check out Recycles Bicycles. Thanks.

I think the most important thing when going to Karim's is to be judicious--maybe I'm wrong, but I can imagine him trying to sell you the first bike that fits. If you can walk away from the store because they don't have what you want, you might as well give it a shot.

Good luck.

the people at missing link are very nice and helpful -- i think they mainly stock trek's and bianchi's (plus it's a co-op if you care about that).
Mike's deals in specialized and cannondale mostly and sponsors the cal cycling and tri- clubs (if you care about that).
Karim is known for poor customer service and shady business tactics. If you're doing that you might as well spend a couple of weeks on craigslist, you'll be better off.
Don't know anything about recycles, but then again there is always Performance over by REI/chipotle (Gilman and San Pablo -ish) if you're budget minded (as you appear to be, and so am I)- they have some fuji's, mongoose's and whatever they're calling their house brand .

Wasn't Karim busted couple years ago for selling stolen bikes?
Not sure if Mikes service improved or not, but when my mom was looking for a road bike we stopped by Mikes. The "kid" who helped out seemed like he would rather be somewhere else and really didn't put any effort or enthusiasm in to it. It was like pulling teeth to try to get any information from him.
Missing Link has better service, but still not as good as I had in other shops. Maybe because they seem to be very busy whenever I stopped by.
Left Coast. I only stopped by there to buy some gels, and spare part or two. They seemed to be good people. Also I heard their fitting is pretty good. Not sure if the same guy still doing it thought.

Missing link is awesome!! I love that place. They are so kind and helpful. Very patient.

Missing Link started out oh-so-many years ago now as a co-op on the UC campus (lower level of Sproul Plaza). They've always retained some of that ethic. It makes for cluttered surroundings and an odd clientele sometimes, but it also makes for a good shopping and customer service experience.

Nobody has mentioned VeloSport yet on Martin Luther King Jr. Way (cross street is somewhere in the general vicinity of Vine). It usually has good selections of stuff and knowledgeable people. Peter Rich, the long-time owner (long-time enough that I hope he's still alive) was a major supporter of the local riding scene, including the local racing scene, back in the 196o's and 70's, when the incrediubly few who had so much as heard of the Tour de France couldn't hope to learn anything about it until sometime in the Fall when the British and French magazines finally made it across the Atlantic and the North American continent. VS deserves to be checked out, if only to continue to reward Peter for all he has done for the cycling community over the years.

Nobody has mentioned VeloSport yet on Martin Luther King Jr. Way (cross street is somewhere in the general vicinity of Vine). It usually has good selections of stuff and knowledgeable people. Peter Rich, the long-time owner (long-time enough that I hope he's still alive) was a major supporter of the local riding scene, including the local racing scene, back in the 196o's and 70's, when the incrediubly few who had so much as heard of the Tour de France couldn't hope to learn anything about it until sometime in the Fall when the British and French magazines finally made it across the Atlantic and the North American continent. VS deserves to be checked out, if only to continue to reward Peter for all he has done for the cycling community over the years.

Not there anymore, they moved to University about 6 blocks west of Shattuck. I don't know if Peter sold out or retired or is still active but the new place doesn't have much soul.

Not there anymore, they moved to University about 6 blocks west of Shattuck. I don't know if Peter sold out or retired or is still active but the new place doesn't have much soul.

:(

What size/type bike are you looking for? I've got a few framesets laying about that can be built up, but mostly "old school" with down tube shifters.

What size/type bike are you looking for? I've got a few framesets laying about that can be built up, but mostly "old school" with down tube shifters.

Oh I have an old Nishiki (a 49cm and it also has down tube shifters :)). I love it but I was just looking into a new bike since I'm new to biking and I don't have the knowledge yet to do a lot of work on my old one.

I live a couple blocks from the Bent Spoke. Although I have never bought a bike from them, they have done a good job servicing my rides. I am going to have them do an xtracycle conversion for me in a few weeks, as well.

karim is shady. Missing Link is great and I hear good thinks about Mike's Bikes. Re-Cycle Bicycles are good people too, but call first. Their hours are notoriously running on hippie time.

Not there anymore, [Velosport] moved to University about 6 blocks west of Shattuck. I don't know if Peter sold out or retired or is still active but the new place doesn't have much soul.

I've been going to Velosport for years and years, and my take on the new place is that it's cleaner, lighter, and has more space for bikes. Peter is still there (or at least I saw him a few months ago when I went in there) and the employees are still generally good; I've had at least slightly mixed experiences every place I've gone more than once. No place I've been to has been great every time nor have any been notably bad to me, although I've been ignored (or left alone?) more at Missing Link than other places and the people at Bent Spoke are particularly nice and helpful.

The man who owns Karim was charged with selling stolen bikes, but the charges were dropped a few months later for lack of evidence. See:

http://tinyurl.com/22vggm (from the SF Chronicle)

However, I've not gotten the impression its shady reputation has improved at all in the cycling community.

Another shop I'd recommend that's not far from Berkeley is Montano Velo in Oakland on Piedmont off of Pleasant Valley. They're very good, and if I had to stick with one shop that's probably the one I'd choose.

John

I've been going to Velosport for years and years, and my take on the new place is that it's cleaner, lighter, and has more space for bikes.

But the old shop had the upstairs that used to be John Howard's apartment, and the back room where all the stuff was that never sold and you had to walk through the mechanics area to get to some stuff, and they had that little closet full of takeoffs you could rummage through, ancient old centerfolds from Le Mirroir du Ciclisme hanging from the ceiling... that's what I meant by soul.

But the old shop had the upstairs that used to be John Howard's apartment, and the back room where all the stuff was that never sold and you had to walk through the mechanics area to get to some stuff, and they had that little closet full of takeoffs you could rummage through, ancient old centerfolds from Le Mirroir du Ciclisme hanging from the ceiling... that's what I meant by soul.

Goodness! I'd had no idea what I was missing. I was only upstairs once - that's where their clothes were, right? and only peeked into the mechanics' area a couple of times. Thanks for the details; you're right, the new place isn't like that at all. Give it another 30 years, maybe ... :-)

John

Goodness! I'd had no idea what I was missing. I was only upstairs once - that's where their clothes were, right? and only peeked into the mechanics' area a couple of times. Thanks for the details; you're right, the new place isn't like that at all. Give it another 30 years, maybe ... :-)

John

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