Pacific Northwest - Shameless Plug; Veloce Velo in Issaquah

I was up in Seattle last week; stopped by these guys after seeing their ad on here. I just wanted some local ride advice, really couldn't find anything to buy that I needed. The guys in the shop not only told me where to ride, but GAVE me 2 very nice bike Seattle maps (not crappy printouts, real color fold-out maps) because they didn't have any in stock yet. The ones he gave up were his personal maps, wouldn't take any $ for them. Great guys, neat shop, good vibe. Next time I'm up in Seattle and need any sort of bike stuff it'll be through them.

This plug was the best way I could think of to pay them back.

Thanks for the info -- it's always great to hear about good local shops!

I was in there last September just when they opened. It was a huge selection of Specialized bikes and gear...not much else. But a lot of Specialized.


Has it changed?

Specialized, Pinarello and Wilier were the big 3 when I was in there last fall.

Good shop, really nice guys, but a very limited cross-section of items. From what I saw, they seemed geared mostly toward high-end racing gear.

Hi, this is Graham Hunter, one of the owners of Veloce Velo. We really do appreciate the feedback whether positive or negative. We're a brand new shop and appreciate everyone's patience as we get everything up and running.

Specialized is our core brand and we have pretty much the entire range from them, both road and mountain. We have the complete lines from Wilier and Pinarello on the floor now, and Colnago and Moots in a more limited capacity. We're definitely not trying to be exclusively high-end road, but also meet the needs of the broader local market.

We have one of the largest selections of demo bikes and demo equipment in the region, and we're really proud of the quality from our guys in the service department. Jason Goff, formerly of Issaquah Ski & Cycle, is managing the store and we've also just hired Eamon Stanley, a real veteran of the Seattle biking scene (he starts mid-April).

Specialized is our core brand and we have pretty much the entire range from them, both road and mountain...Wilier and Pinarello...Colnago and Moots

Hi Graham, thanks for posting.

I'm always on the lookout for interesting new shops to look at....but with the line you describe it seems to me that your shop is Specialized + high-end road + Moots high-end mountain. So, except for folks with $4000 or $5000 to spend, you're saying you are a Specialized store.

I can get Specialized on the West side of Lake Sammamish (Gregg's) or the North end of the lake at Gerk's . Seems like Specialized is not doing its dealers any favors based on the small territories they are giving you. And the high-end road selection at Sammamish Valley Cycles pretty much blows yours away.

I would love to see one of the suburban East Side bike shops stock (on the floor) some of the more interesting smaller / urban / commuting / cyclocross brands -- Surly (built up, on the floor, not just orderable from QBP); Salsa; Soma; Redline. As far as I know you have to go "into the city" for those brands now. For example: Check out the selection at the old Ti Cycles location on the Burke-Gilman,or the kind of commuter bikes available at FreeRange in Fremont.

I realized that these stores/demographics are a bit more "urban" than yours, but I don't see anyone in the suburbs doing anything like that. I would love to see a new shop on the East side that isn't "just another suburban Trek/Specialized/Cannondale" store, and hope you continue to broaden your line beyond that.

Hope you aren't offended by the feedback, but am looking for a reason to put your store on "the list of shops I ride to".

Offended by the feedback? Not at all - I definitely appreciate it. Being small definitely means we need to be different.

Wilier and Pinarello both have bikes just over $2000 that we carry (Mortirolo and FP2, respectively), so the non-Specialized entry point is a little lower than $4,000 :) Our clothing and accesory lines for 2008 are definitely different than the others on the East Side, so I hope you can stop by to see that too. With all other things equal, we're hoping that a more relaxed atmosphere, wider demo programs, and a higher service quality differentiate us.

I would be very interested in knowing what makes SVC's high end selection so much better than ours in your opinion. That's neither a defensive comment nor a statement that I believe ours is equivalent. Just curious.

We have been investigating the commuter market very carefully, and have some interesting additions coming from that perspective in the next few months. Both Eamon and Jason are very knowledgable in this space and have been following it closely.

Feel free to e-mail me any time at graham (at) velocevelo.com.

I would be very interested in knowing what makes SVC's high end selection so much better than ours in your opinion. That's neither a defensive comment nor a statement that I believe ours is equivalent. Just curious.

Hi, I guess I didn't mean "better;" I am not sure I am the judge. How about sheer quantity?

They stock these high-end (or at least higher end) lines; and what surprised me the last time I was in there was the sheer number of in-stock, built-up, ready-to-go high end bikes they had ready to go:

Litespeed
Serotta
Colnago
Cervelo
Marinoni
Parlee

They also had some of the upper end of the Bianchi and Scott lines in stock; and some Quintana Roo...so all I meant was the sheer number of high end bikes they had on the floor.

BTW, thanks for listening to the feedback. I would agree that if you can focus on service and a great demo program you will find a niche on the Eastside.

When I am shop on the Eastside (where I live), I go to Gregg's on the Eastside -- I used to be put off by the "big/corporate" nature of their big new store in Bellevue and they seemed a little lost in that big store when it first opened. As I've gotten to know the store, though, and they've "moved in" over the past year I've gotten really good help there. And, despite the generally high regard for SVC, I've not had good luck shopping there the two times I've been there.

I will stop in and see you guys, thanks for listening!

I've wandered into Veloce Velo a couple of times when I was already there to visit the Blue Sierra fish store in the same strip mall building. My impression was that it is kind of a yuppie bike shop. They had really nice (and expensive) high-end bikes featured at the front of the store and along the wall and parked in the middle were the generic bikes that they could sell to the mere mortals who happened to wander in. I'm sorry, but I felt very uncomfortable in the store; they seemed to be willling to do business with ordinary non-racing folk, but I couldn't help feeling an underlying "We'll-serve-your-kind-but-we-really-don't-like-to" attitude about the place.

We (the owners) realized that there was a real problem with the snobbish attitude in the store, and our new manager Jason Goff is anything but. We've had a number of customers and reps comment very positively on the shift to the more casual environment and attitude. To anyone who has ever felt unwelcome in our store, please accept my sincere apologies.

We now have mid-ranged bikes at the very front, and are in the process of moving all the higher end bikes to the back to keep a more "boutique" feel without being intimidating when you first walk in. We have also moved the checkout counter into the middle of the store so there's not someone in your face when you first walk in.

Keeping stock of ultra high end bikes is a funny thing. Generally speaking, our customers in the $6,000+ range haven't been looking to ride out of the store with a bike that day. Instead, they have a very specific color and size in mind and don't mind waiting a week or so to get every piece of their bike exactly to their liking. With 20 sizes and at least a dozen colors of the Colnago C50, there is a pretty slim chance of us meeting the customers needs with something in stock. We always keep stock of the components, so if the customer is in a hurry we can overnight a frameset in and have it turned around in two days while still being completely custom. Having some demo bikes in key sizes lets us size the bike properly, and lets the customer try some different options or just make sure it's exactly what they want.

We'd like to expand our offerings, but before our first anniversary it's more a matter of establishing ourselves in the marketplace, learning the lessons (some hard, some easy), selling what we have, and (most importantly) listening to what the customers want. Please keep the feedback coming!

We (the owners) realized that there was a real problem with the snobbish attitude in the store...

Wow. I am really impressed that you not only are not offended by my comments, but that you have already seen it as a problem and have taken steps to address it.

I had this shop due some work on my Orca a few weeks ago and found the work to be excellent. The guys were very proffessional and friendly. They even followed up by calling my home to make sure the derailler adjustment was good.
In addiiton, I've had some clear coat problems with my Orca and the mechanic is trying to contact the Orbea sales rep. to see if they can fix it even though the shop doesn't sell Orbeas.
I'm 54 and not a yuppie for sure.

Great attitude Graham!

Just ran across this thread. I stopped in the store close to a year ago and shared the views previously expressed. Looking forward to my next visit!

It is good to hear that someone has had a good experience at that shop. You are the first person I have heard that hasn't walked out of there vowing to never go back. The other bike shop in Issaquah is great too if you are ride Trek and there is another great shop in North Bend.

It is good to hear that someone has had a good experience at that shop. You are the first person I have heard that hasn't walked out of there vowing to never go back. The other bike shop in Issaquah is great too if you are ride Trek and there is another great shop in North Bend.

Let me be the second person that you have heard that had a great experience at Veloce Velo. I drove 70 miles just to go look at the shop... not buy anything, but just to have look. I watched as there were two customers doing test rides... the guys in the shop were willing to do anything... they swapped wheels, changed saddles, and changed stems on the bikes for these customers. While they were out riding, they educated me on the pinarello line, showed me some cool chris king hubs, and answered my questions about wheels. I had told these guys that I had just bought a new cannondale and I wasn't going to buy a bike... but they spent time with me anyway.

Now, on the other hand, I had just visited the other store in Issaquah that sells Trek ( I had stopped in to ask for directions to Veloce Velo) and the guy just kept on telling me how much better Trek was than any other brand. I told him I had just bought a cannondale and was not in the market for a new bike. As soon as he heard that... it was time to ignore me (they don't have time for "lookers.") He referred to Veloce Velo as the "museum." I asked him what he meant by that. He said, "they only carry high end stuff, people just go in there to look at the bikes - like in a museum - but they never buy anything." He said that he would "give them another six months before they have to 'close the doors' on the shop." He seemed a little perturbed that another shop was in town competing for his business.

I'm no yuppie either. A mid 40's "clyde." The guys in the service department were young and enthusiastic and knew how to relate to me very well. +1 on for Veloce Velo. I hope they are around for a long, long time!

I was really surprised to here the Trek shop in Issaquah bad mouth Veloce Velo. There are a few shops down here in the South Sound... I'm a customer of most of them and I talk with them about the other shops. I have never heard one shop say anything negative about another shop.

I was in the shop this morning and met two (more) people that had previously vowed never to return, but they had heard from friends about the changes and decided to give us another chance. I'd like to think that the smiles on their faces as they left meant that they approved of the "new" Veloce Velo.

As far as having to close the doors in six months, rest assured that we're doing just fine and both my partner and I are in this for the long haul - we'll definitely be around helping people enjoy their bikes for many years to come. We have referred several customers to both Bicycle Center and REI when we either don't have something in stock or they need something we don't carry, and will continue to do so in the spirit of good customer service and local community.

I'd like to be cautious about saying this in a thread where we've been accused of being too high-end and not accessible to everyone, but... we are looking at bringing in a few more high-end European brands and would love to hear from people who would be willing to take them out for longer demo rides and give us their opinions before we pull the trigger.

Graham Hunter
Co-Owner, Veloce Velo
graham (at) velocevelo.com

Graham, 'looking for people to take out high end euro bikes for longer demo rides'? I'll do that in a heartbeat! There are some great routes right outside your door. That would be fun! BTW, I have been in the shop a few times. Once recently, I was on riding home from work and stopped in to ask about some play in my rear hub. Your shop adjusted it at no charge. You also installed a new quill stem on my Merlin and I had it back early the next morning - great turnaround. Thanks

Matt

Matt - zip me an e-mail with your schedule, frame size, riding preferences (hills, speed, distance) and we'll get you set up. I also might ask you to come in and ride a few bikes from our current brands for reference points.

Graham,

I have to admire a small business owner who responds very quickly to bad press about their shop. I'll wander in next time I am looking for something for my bike. It sounds like you have made all the right changes and it appears that you have many satisfied customers and visitors. You have a great location and we can use a high quality bike shop in town. Thanks again for being in Issaquah and reaching out to those of us who may have had a bad experience or two when you first opened. Good luck and with your attitude your shop should be wildly successful.

Jim

I'm a local "eastsider" who hangs out in Veloce Velo on a regular basis. We've needed a shop like this for a long time. The staff is fantastic and will do what ever they can to help. The shop is excited to work with all levels of cyclists and are willing to listen to any and all input.
Obviously most bike shops sell similar items. Customer service is what sets business apart and these guys understand that! A growing excited bunch of guys who are asking "what do you want?" how can this be anything but a great place to hang out and shop!
Scott S

With Eamon working at the shop I know where to go for my next wheelbuild.

I remember before the Microsuck boom when Issaquah was still in the country...

:mad:

Country is nice, but so is an economy that supports an ongoing lifestyle...what is a ZooBomb, and what does it have to do with this thread?

This is Rich Willard, the other owner with Graham Hunter of Veloce Velo. For those of you who haven't been in lately, stop in and meet Peter Birkner, our fit specialist. Getting a good bicycle fit is the most important thing you can do to improve your comfort and performance on a bicycle, and essential to prevent injury. We have also added Jamis, Cyfac, Time, and Fondriest to our line-up of bicycles. Jamis offers an affordable alternative to the Specialized brand that has been popular among our commuter customers. When you come in, ask to see our Giordana Forma Red bib shorts, the most comfortable and best cycling short we carry.

You would think that in the Seattle area we would have a broad selection of shops that are capable of providing a service level that encompass an understanding of fit, nutrition, rider specific info for product decisions, and follow through..... if they're out there, I havent found em....until a few months ago.

Veloce Velo is the first shop I've come across that has the combination of product mix, (or at least the follow through to get it quickly) "big picture" mind set on customer service (they took a big hit on a frame warranty issue for me) and with the adition of Peter Birkner, the most in depth understanding of how to fit an individual correctly that I've found. (the amount of money we all spend on "cool stuff" that does little or nothing for our efficiency on the bike is crazy!) the power increase and long distance comfort from a 175.00 fit from Peter has been far and away the best money I've spent in 20 years of cycling....

Anyhoo....I think it's important to support guys like this that "get it" and really enjoy being in the bike biz...its really easy to point n click to save a few bucks on ebay...but Ebay didnt set me up for my most enjoyable season on the bike or take care of a really expensive frame issue....

just my .02

I've been in the shop twice and was impressed by the attitude, not put off at all. They even showed me the new Campy 11 speed brifters on my last visit.
I'll 2nd the earlier comment about a few bikes from smaller builders such as Surly, Soma, etc. Waterford and Gunnar can be ordered as custom. But I realize you can't do it all.

We do listen to our customers, and encourage you to keep the comments and suggestions coming! You said you wanted to have better access to world class brands and we responded. We have endeavored to provide the best demo program in Greater Seattle where you can demo many of the bicycle brands ridden in the pro tours, and some like Moots, made in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who have brought titanium bicycle manufacturing to a world class level. You wanted precision fits like what the pros get. We responded by bringing in the Cyfac Postural Fit System. If you haven't been in to see it, you have to make the effort to stop in and meet Peter Birkner, our fit specialist, and see the most advanced cycling postioning system in the world. It provides the ideal rider body position, optimal bicycle frame geometry for your unique body measurements, coupled with shoe cleat placement. Comfort, health, performance, and aerodynamics are the primary values factored into their system to achieve your optimal fit.
Keep the feedback coming, we are here to stay and want to earn your business!

So this thread is alive again...coincidentally, I stopped by the store yesterday, and it sure has changed a lot. In addition to the Specialized products and high-end Italian stuff, they now have a much more complete line of accessories and clothing than I had seen before.

Also, I saw Jamis and Moots, which I had not seen in the store before.

I had a nice chat with a couple of folks in the store. And I spotted some 2008 Specialized products on sale, a couple of which I am going to recommend to a friend.

Since my comments above (from some visits in late 2007) were not so positive, I just wanted to add, "Nice store."

Glad I ran into this thread. I'm new to Seattle and bicycle shopping. I'll stop by this shop tomorrow and see how it goes.

OK... looks like it's time to stop in and have a look again! Thanks, Rich and Graham, for some great interaction with us here!

I'm primarily a commuter and transportational cyclist, but it's true that most of the cyclists this far out in the Eastside tend to be either well-equipped roadies, often on club rides, or families toodling along the sidewalks in the subdivisions. The families buy their bikes at the big box stores, so I think this shop is doing well to focus on higher end makes while providing great customer service. Best wishes for a great year!

Thanks again for the positive feedback, and please keep any and all suggestions coming! Ragdoll, I'd be interested to know what you think after your visit.

The East Side does have an interesting mix of cyclists, and it has taken us a few years to really start to understand what the optimal brand/product/inventory mix is. This year we're adding a few new brands to the road lineup, and also opening a mountain/cross boutique next door - Mountainside Bikes. The specialty road shop with high service levels has worked well, and we're wanting to expand the same concept to the "dirtier" side of riding.

Rich has stepped down from bike shop ownership to focus on his real estate business, as a tangential FYI.

I have been in there six times in the last month trying to convince myself that I need a Pinarello fp3 and have dealt with four different sales guys and they were all great. They all answered my questions, listened, and did not push me into anything at all. I will echo that I think they need one or two low end bikes to get new people into biking, as most first time bike buyers will be hard pressed to shell out the 2grand plus on something they are not sure of. And for the space they have, I think they have a great mix of bikes, clothes, and gear. Sure, it would be great to have more bikes in there, but with the room they have, I think they do a great job. Also, I love all of the test bikes and saddles they have there, I have always like Selle Italia saddles, but I will be trying out a few of the Fizik test saddles this summer. You never know if one of them might fit me even better. As someone who has dealt with both stores in issaquah "I will not call out the dealer by name, but they love Trek", I will only be shopping at VeloceVelo.

Keep up the great work, and keep hiring great people, as that is the number one reason that I will be back, a lot....

We would all LOVE to help more people get into cycling and by no means are we a $2000+ only shop. We have at least six choices (on the floor right now) between $600 and $1500 from Specialized and Salsa, and we're happy to give the same level of service to anyone who comes in looking for their first bike on a budget. REI provides strong yet friendly competition in this range, and they're located only a few miles away from us.

To better serve new riders I'd think we need to make it more clear where those bikes are located in the racks, and step up our presence with Cascade. Would those changes help?

Thanks again for the positive feedback, and please keep any and all suggestions coming! Ragdoll, I'd be interested to know what you think after your visit.

.

Couldn't help me with what I needed specifically but it was nice to look around.

Thanks.

Hey Graham, maybe I just didn't pay enough attention. I guess when I shop I only look at the bikes I am interested in, so I probably did not even notice the less expensive bikes. I did notice that the prices were on all of them, so that was nice. Now if you could just get in the 2010 FP3 for me to drole over, that would be swell......

We still have a few 2009 FP3's left over (and priced nicely), once those disappear we'll have the new FP3's sent in. Hopefully the Dogma is drool-worthy enough until then...

Hey Graham, just visited the store yesterday and I like the changes, well thought out. Oh, and I dealt with two guys that were extremely helpful, I think one was "Pete"? and the other guy was a tall skinny kid, probably mid 20s, sorry, missed his name, but nonetheless, VERY helpful. Sooo, like the changes, and keep up the good work. And I didn't see the Dogma, but I hope you got it back, shame that kind of thing still happens.....