Northeast - NYC: Tale of two bike shops

Toga: Too much attitude for new riders, if you know what you're talking about it's a slightly better experience.

That's too bad. To be honest, one or two of my cow-orkers were like that when I was there a hundred years ago. So was one of the two owners! It's such bad business to treat customers that way!

And how long has Tread been in business? It's very near where I used to live. I'm glad that neighborhood now has a bike shop. There was none for a long way back then.

Ozzie (Tread) has been around a while now.

I moved into Inwood in '96 and he was there. They had a small shop on the other side of the street until, what, a couple of Years ago? Then moved into their current location when they needed to expand.

He took over the old Sid's Bronx location for a while, but let it go last Year.

If you remember that crazy cable access show with guys riding like nuts in Inwood Hil Park.. that was the Tread guys.

Good bunch of guys.

That's too bad. To be honest, one or two of my cow-orkers were like that when I was there a hundred years ago. So was one of the two owners! It's such bad business to treat customers that way!

And how long has Tread been in business? It's very near where I used to live. I'm glad that neighborhood now has a bike shop. There was none for a long way back then.

Toga's always had a bit of that elitist air to them which I never understand since you want to encourage people to ride and come back to your shop. In fairness some of the staff members are really helpful and friendly, it just depends who's on hand.

I grew up in Washington Heights and we never really had any good bike shops so Tread was a welcome addition even though they were mainly a mountain bike specific shop when they first opened. They have a broader selection now, obviously they were limited by the lack of space in their smaller shop.

And they're an order of magnitude better than Victor's.

That's too bad. To be honest, one or two of my cow-orkers were like that when I was there a hundred years ago. So was one of the two owners! It's such bad business to treat customers that way!

And how long has Tread been in business? It's very near where I used to live. I'm glad that neighborhood now has a bike shop. There was none for a long way back then.

Haha; nice.

Anyway, I've been to a few bike shops since 08, and this is what I think of them:

Manhattan Shops

Bicycle Habitat: Really friendly guys, but they seemed extremely busy. Then again, their location would probably be a cause for that. Took it in to ask a minor question, and they were glad to help me.

Metro Bicycles, 6th Avenue: Iffy shop. Test rode a Madone from them; completely uninterested in fitting me to it, and not terribly knowledgeable in general. However, when I took my bike in for repairs, they were usually pretty fast. Their prices were also reasonable. I had a friend who worked there, and absolutely hated his time with them.

Metro Bicycles, Canal Street: They're okay. Trued my wheels with them maybe once, and were pretty helpful and fun to talk to. Bought my first wheelset from them, and the experience was mostly pleasant. Donated my rear wheel to the mechanic for his time spent putting my new ones on.

Toga: Bought my trainer from them; employees seemed a little stuck up, last time I remember, but it was otherwise pretty smooth. Hate the fact that they only allow exchanges or returns for store credit.

Victor's: Absolutely horrible. I had trouble inflating a tube in an emergency (when I didn't know how to do it), and was insulted, by the store owner, for not knowing how to use the valve adapter correctly. Seemed to sell basic parts and such, but I would NOT trust him or his store for mechanics.

NYC Velo: I went to this shop to help find a bike for a former co-worker. Andrew was really nice and was more than willing to help. I didn't really care for their selection, though.

Metro Bicycles, 42nd Street: I'm going to do some basic fitting stuff with them for a second opinion; will update.

Some shop in Lenox Hill near Central Park: That dude is AWESOME. The fact that he opens up just to accommodate riders in the TA Century at the start is really, really nice of him. Bought some tubes and service from him; really cheap. Very interesting to talk to.

Brooklyn shops

Mr C's: They are right next to me, but I never go to them anymore. Even after they knew me well, they still treated me like a new guy (pretty cold; all business). Mike actually got offended when I didn't buy wheels off of him, which is kind of lame since he overprices just about everything and I went to him for all of my service. Bought my first pair of clipless shoes from them; okay experience, though I hated the shoes (not their fault). Their selection was okay, though.

What I really hated them for, though, was their mechanics. They sometimes found "problems" with my setup and always tried to find ways to part with my money. For instance, a small issue with my brake caliper that he "couldn't fix" was fixed super quick by the guys at Bay Ridge for practically nothing.

I know they did other things that weren't good practice, but I can't remember right now.

Bay Ridge Bikes: Pretty good shop, though their selection is limited for road bikes. Bought my first new road bike from them, and was a little disappointed that I didn't really get a good fit after it. Plus, I've found that trial-and-error is just as good of a route for doing bike fitting and shops like R&A charge an arm and a leg for their fitting services. They more than make up for that by having excellent mechanics. I'm not really used to waiting around for my bike anymore, since I have almost always gotten my bike back the same day after taking it in, even when they were busy. The service was really good too! I don't know how they do it.

Once, I needed a wheel trued pretty quickly, but would have been unable to pick it up during their hours due to my work commute. They actually left the wheel in the pharmacy next door, and I paid the pharmacy for the service, in which they transferred the sale to the shop. They were my main shop after that.

They are also really, really nice easy going guys, and they have a great cappuccino machine. :)

NOTE: I also went to these two shops in Queens; one in Flushing and the other something like 4 miles away from them. The Flushing shop was absolutely horrible, and stocked pretty much nothing. I had a pedal problem, and they didn't stock a tool I needed to fix it...even in their tool shed. The other one was really nice and got me up and running quickly.

Haha; nice.

Anyway, I've been to a few bike shops since 08, and this is what I think of them:

Manhattan Shops

Bicycle Habitat: Really friendly guys, but they seemed extremely busy. Then again, their location would probably be a cause for that. Took it in to ask a minor question, and they were glad to help me.

Metro Bicycles, 6th Avenue: Iffy shop. Test rode a Madone from them; completely uninterested in fitting me to it, and not terribly knowledgeable in general. However, when I took my bike in for repairs, they were usually pretty fast. Their prices were also reasonable. I had a friend who worked there, and absolutely hated his time with them.

Metro Bicycles, Canal Street: They're okay. Trued my wheels with them maybe once, and were pretty helpful and fun to talk to. Bought my first wheelset from them, and the experience was mostly pleasant. Donated my rear wheel to the mechanic for his time spent putting my new ones on.

Toga: Bought my trainer from them; employees seemed a little stuck up, last time I remember, but it was otherwise pretty smooth. Hate the fact that they only allow exchanges or returns for store credit.

Victor's: Absolutely horrible. I had trouble inflating a tube in an emergency (when I didn't know how to do it), and was insulted, by the store owner, for not knowing how to use the valve adapter correctly. Seemed to sell basic parts and such, but I would NOT trust him or his store for mechanics.

NYC Velo: I went to this shop to help find a bike for a former co-worker. Andrew was really nice and was more than willing to help. I didn't really care for their selection, though.

Metro Bicycles, 42nd Street: I'm going to do some basic fitting stuff with them for a second opinion; will update.

Some shop in Lenox Hill near Central Park: That dude is AWESOME. The fact that he opens up just to accommodate riders in the TA Century at the start is really, really nice of him. Bought some tubes and service from him; really cheap. Very interesting to talk to.

Brooklyn shops

Mr C's: They are right next to me, but I never go to them anymore. Even after they knew me well, they still treated me like a new guy (pretty cold; all business). Mike actually got offended when I didn't buy wheels off of him, which is kind of lame since he overprices just about everything and I went to him for all of my service. Bought my first pair of clipless shoes from them; okay experience, though I hated the shoes (not their fault). Their selection was okay, though.

What I really hated them for, though, was their mechanics. They sometimes found "problems" with my setup and always tried to find ways to part with my money. For instance, a small issue with my brake caliper that he "couldn't fix" was fixed super quick by the guys at Bay Ridge for practically nothing.

I know they did other things that weren't good practice, but I can't remember right now.

Bay Ridge Bikes: Pretty good shop, though their selection is limited for road bikes. Bought my first new road bike from them, and was a little disappointed that I didn't really get a good fit after it. Plus, I've found that trial-and-error is just as good of a route for doing bike fitting and shops like R&A charge an arm and a leg for their fitting services. They more than make up for that by having excellent mechanics. I'm not really used to waiting around for my bike anymore, since I have almost always gotten my bike back the same day after taking it in, even when they were busy. The service was really good too! I don't know how they do it.

Once, I needed a wheel trued pretty quickly, but would have been unable to pick it up during their hours due to my work commute. They actually left the wheel in the pharmacy next door, and I paid the pharmacy for the service, in which they transferred the sale to the shop. They were my main shop after that.

They are also really, really nice easy going guys, and they have a great cappuccino machine. :)

NOTE: I also went to these two shops in Queens; one in Flushing and the other something like 4 miles away from them. The Flushing shop was absolutely horrible, and stocked pretty much nothing. I had a pedal problem, and they didn't stock a tool I needed to fix it...even in their tool shed. The other one was really nice and got me up and running quickly.

Are you referring to the Metro on 47th and 9th Ave?

Oh and the Victor's you mentioned was that the one on 174th and Broadway in Washington Heights?

Victor's is awful. They break things instead of fix them.

If the place in Queens, 4 miles from Flushing, was toward the city on Queens Boulevard, that was probably Queens Bicycles. It was never wonderful, but it was fine for basic stuff. However, the husband half of the owning pair died recently, and the wife doesn't know much about bicycles and doesn't speak English well. Any time I dealt with her, she relayed the wrong information to him, and then I picked up a bike that wasn't quite what I'd asked for.

As a human being, I hope she makes it work. As a former customer, I hope she doesn't waste a lot of money thinking she can make it work.

Here are my current ratings:

Bicycle Habitat: Very busy shop, great staff, very helpful. One very young & eager sales kid tried to talk me into buying a Roubaix, but I was more entertained by that than anything ('Tom Boonen won Paris-Roubaix on this frame! It IS a race bike!' ok, kid... :) )

Sid's 34th: Decent staff, good mechanics.

The Metro Shops: These shops typically have 1 or 2 decent salespeople (who quit after a few months) and pushy managers spilling b.s. I've been to 3 of their shops, and surprisingly, received the same lousy service at all three.
NYC Velo: Slightly better since I last went in. Staff seems more attentive. Still, I think they may have to redesign the front of the shop so there is a more room. All the staff seem to gather at the back of the store where it's spacious & less crowded. Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get them out front. The owner Andrew continues to be helpful.

Continuum: Ave A: This is now a crowded & busy store but Jeff & his staff are very helpful. They mostly deal with track frames, but they've done work on my junky commuters with a smile & charged me very reasonable rates.

Larry's Bicycle Plus (formerly Larry & Jeff's) 1690 2nd Ave: Decent shop, knowledgeable staff, ok selection.

Larry's Bicycle Plus (formerly Larry & Jeff's) 1690 2nd Ave: Decent shop, knowledgeable staff, ok selection.

I just wanted to add that not only did Larry's Bicycle Plus have the only two Specialized Hot Rocks I could find in Manhattan (see sig link), but they delivered them all the way up to Washington Heights as a courtesy.

Victor's is awful. They break things instead of fix them.

If the place in Queens, 4 miles from Flushing, was toward the city on Queens Boulevard, that was probably Queens Bicycles. It was never wonderful, but it was fine for basic stuff. However, the husband half of the owning pair died recently, and the wife doesn't know much about bicycles and doesn't speak English well. Any time I dealt with her, she relayed the wrong information to him, and then I picked up a bike that wasn't quite what I'd asked for.

As a human being, I hope she makes it work. As a former customer, I hope she doesn't waste a lot of money thinking she can make it work.

Well I will thank Victor's for one thing: their poor service inspired me to learn how to wrench so I guess they're not a total waste. The service there was really bad, quite often even simple repairs like brake adjustments weren't done correctly. They don't have much selection of anything either, but I suppose it's fine for delivery bike repairs.

Are you referring to the Metro on 47th and 9th Ave?

Yes.


Oh and the Victor's you mentioned was that the one on 174th and Broadway in Washington Heights?

Yes.

Victor's is awful. They break things instead of fix them.

If the place in Queens, 4 miles from Flushing, was toward the city on Queens Boulevard, that was probably Queens Bicycles. It was never wonderful, but it was fine for basic stuff. However, the husband half of the owning pair died recently, and the wife doesn't know much about bicycles and doesn't speak English well. Any time I dealt with her, she relayed the wrong information to him, and then I picked up a bike that wasn't quite what I'd asked for.

As a human being, I hope she makes it work. As a former customer, I hope she doesn't waste a lot of money thinking she can make it work.

It was on Francis something avenue or blvd.

It was on Francis something avenue or blvd.

That would be Francis Lewis Boulevard, right?

MrCrassic I've been to the Metro shop and have never been that comfortable with their answers concerning fit, I asked out of curiosity because they have that Scott CR1 Pro on sale which I inquired about and got the sense they weren't as knowledgeable as I would have liked.

Oh, I worked for Larry and Jeff, too (now running separate businesses). Not famous, but excellent service. If any of you folks ever goes to either shop, tell them I sent you.

NOTE: I also went to these two shops in Queens; one in Flushing and the other something like 4 miles away from them. The Flushing shop was absolutely horrible, and stocked pretty much nothing. I had a pedal problem, and they didn't stock a tool I needed to fix it...even in their tool shed. The other one was really nice and got me up and running quickly.

Just curious - was the flushing shop near the 7 El tracks?

If you ever find yourself out that way, Spin City on Queens Blvd. is a decent shop - well-stocked store and nice/knowledgeable staff.

I've been to pretty much all of these bike shops you guys have mentioned (except for some of the uptown ones), but they have NOTHING on conrad's in tudor city. They're primarily a high-end (think VERY high end) shop (see the gios torino in the shop window), but I've been in there when they've changed flats for $50 beater bikes. They are by far the nicest, professional, and most courteous people in NYC.

They aren't cheap though. They overhauled my Merckx for something like $225. However, it was in showroom condition after. Could've eatened off the drivetrain, new cables, grease, the works. I mean, they even cleaned the pantographing on the frame. Worth every penny.

How come nobody has mentioned them?

I've been to pretty much all of these bike shops you guys have mentioned (except for some of the uptown ones), but they have NOTHING on conrad's in tudor city. They're primarily a high-end (think VERY high end) shop (see the gios torino in the shop window), but I've been in there when they've changed flats for $50 beater bikes. They are by far the nicest, professional, and most courteous people in NYC.

They aren't cheap though. They overhauled my Merckx for something like $225. However, it was in showroom condition after. Could've eatened off the drivetrain, new cables, grease, the works. I mean, they even cleaned the pantographing on the frame. Worth every penny.

How come nobody has mentioned them?

Good point, it's a shop I keep meaning to go to but don't get around to so I think I'll go there during my lunch break today!

I've been to pretty much all of these bike shops you guys have mentioned (except for some of the uptown ones), but they have NOTHING on conrad's in tudor city. They're primarily a high-end (think VERY high end) shop (see the gios torino in the shop window), but I've been in there when they've changed flats for $50 beater bikes. They are by far the nicest, professional, and most courteous people in NYC.

They aren't cheap though. They overhauled my Merckx for something like $225. However, it was in showroom condition after. Could've eatened off the drivetrain, new cables, grease, the works. I mean, they even cleaned the pantographing on the frame. Worth every penny.

How come nobody has mentioned them?

Dude, your screen name.

IT'S ****ING AWESOME.

Conrad's is still around? I know Conrad died years ago. His widow Sarah ran the shop, and she had white hair 25 years ago, so I have to believe she sold the shop to someone else. It was very high end way back then. It was interesting to visit, but my memory isn't so sweet. Conrad and Sarah were somewhat surly to me.

I have limited but very positive experience with Conrad's.

I've never had them work on my bike, or made any big purchases there, but it's close to my office so I'm over there pretty frequently for lots of little stuff - tubes, cables, the occasional baggie of spoke nipples.

The guy there (John, I think) has always been friendly and helpful. One time he gave me a handful of screws for my Speedplay cleats gratis (a rider I was with on a group ride lost 5 of his 8 screws; I gave him one of mine so he could get home). Another guy I ride with takes his bikes there for a teardown every year & swears by the place...

Victor's is awful. They break things instead of fix them.

If the place in Queens, 4 miles from Flushing, was toward the city on Queens Boulevard, that was probably Queens Bicycles. It was never wonderful, but it was fine for basic stuff. However, the husband half of the owning pair died recently, and the wife doesn't know much about bicycles and doesn't speak English well. Any time I dealt with her, she relayed the wrong information to him, and then I picked up a bike that wasn't quite what I'd asked for.

As a human being, I hope she makes it work. As a former customer, I hope she doesn't waste a lot of money thinking she can make it work.


The skinny colombian guy died? Is that who you are talking about?

Yes. Late last year, cancer.

oh man that is horrible, he was a really nice guy and recently rebuilt an old italian bike i had.

i'm not sure what the relationship is, but John (the super friendly asian guy) runs Conrad's nowadays. sarah will be there every once in a while, so the business is still in the family.

honestly, the other bike shops don't even compare. i heart conrads.

Only two spots I've been to that I'll ever return to, which is a real shame. I just don't get why a bike shop can't succeed in this city even if the rent is high.

My experience is the same with Toga. They never have any decent parts in stock which is crazy considering all the high end bikes they sell. Sid's is hit or miss for me. One of the mechanics is great, as is one of the higher up employees but many of the people working there have some issues.

Signature Cycles is the only place I've been to that I trust 100%. From sales to service, these guys know how to operate.

The other, which is now defunct, was Cadence Cycles. Overpriced but great service.

I'm surprised to see support for Tread. The sales is fine, but the mechanics have cost me a lot of money and were the reason I've learned to do nearly everything on my own. I suppose I should thank them and think they actually saved me money.

Tread's mechanic ruined my rear wheel with a chris king hub and revolution spokes after it was only a few months old. I asked him to redish the wheel from 135 to 130, at first asking if this was even possible, sure sure, no problem, it is. All he did was crank the hell out of one side of the spokes to move the hub over. Two days later, total rear wheel failure leaving me stranded and walking. About a year later I decided to give them another chance, and it was basic service so I figured it would be safe. They installed a dura-ace crankset and BB on my commuter. The left arm was not installed properly leaving a gap between the BB and crank arm. I thought this was perhaps because the BB width was different and just assumed such a simple installation couldn't be botched so rode it that way for a few months. Last week, my crank arm fell off while pedaling up a hill. Half the grooves the crank arm uses to attach to the other side were stripped. I limped back home on one leg, and now that I have a full mechanics kit, I reinstalled the arm thinking it was probably ruined. To my surprise, it slid on right up to the BB, just like I've always seen with the dura-ace 7800 cranks on other bikes. So far it works, but it doesnt inspire confidence knowing half the contact point is ruined.

BFold on 13th between 2nd & 3rd (blink and you'll miss it, tucked away under a staircase entrance)- Great place to get a folder. Got my Brompton M6 from them Jan 2008 and just had it serviced and tuned up this past weekend. Rides like new! Dave the owner is super nice and still knows who I am after all this time. They've become very busy, especially because it's a tiny, two man shop, but have always been friendly and attentive. Highly recommended.

bfold.com

BFold on 13th between 2nd & 3rd (blink and you'll miss it, tucked away under a staircase entrance)- Great place to get a folder. Got my Brompton M6 from them Jan 2008 and just had it serviced and tuned up this past weekend. Rides like new! Dave the owner is super nice and still knows who I am after all this time. They've become very busy, especially because it's a tiny, two man shop, but have always been friendly and attentive. Highly recommended.

bfold.com

Seconded. He's spent hours with me, and with my friends, and they always leave with the right stuff. I don't know how many people I've sent his way.

I've had great luck with C & M, on 17th St.

http://www.manhattanvelo.com/

two times i've had repairs done and both times when i went in to pick the bike up, it turned out it was much less than they quotes -- in one instance, the bill came to $6.00. Just took a bianchi volpe in for a tune up for $50. And if they have time, they'll do what you need done while you wait.

Any feelings about the Metro on 96th off Broadway? Or any shops above 96th and below 125th on the west side? At this popint, I'm mostly interested in a through cleaning and re-greasing of the whole drive chain...

Any feelings about the Metro on 96th off Broadway? Or any shops above 96th and below 125th on the west side? At this popint, I'm mostly interested in a through cleaning and re-greasing of the whole drive chain...

My parents bought me my first bike there oh I'd say over 20 years ago and they built my Schwinn up fine.
;)

I can recommend Bicycle Renaissance on 81st and Columbus, the mechanics have done good work on the Orbea I bought from them.

My parents bought me my first bike there oh I'd say over 20 years ago and they built my Schwinn up fine.
;)

I can recommend Bicycle Renaissance on 81st and Columbus, the mechanics have done good work on the Orbea I bought from them.

Hear ya, my 91 Trek comes from there!

I'm really looking more for good mechanics who do thorough work, I don't ant to have to get in an argument over cleaning the drivetrain system to find out all they did was slap more grease all over it.

BTW, came across a very interesting article in the Times:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/for-busy-sidewalk-bike-mechanics-the-fix-is-in/?hp

Hear ya, my 91 Trek comes from there!

I'm really looking more for good mechanics who do thorough work, I don't ant to have to get in an argument over cleaning the drivetrain system to find out all they did was slap more grease all over it.

BTW, came across a very interesting article in the Times:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/for-busy-sidewalk-bike-mechanics-the-fix-is-in/?hp

Ah, makes sense now! My girlfriend and I walked by the guy on 2nd & E Houston last Friday afternoon and I was wondering what the hell was going on. He must be pretty new since I haven't seen him there before and that intersection is on my commute back to Brooklyn.

I had a good experience buying a bike from NYC Velo on 2d Ave in the Village. Others here have, in the past, had less than perfect dealings with them. They were patient, offered good advice, and did some clever work in a couple of tricky situations. I'll recommend them.

I love City Bicycles on 38th near 8th Ave. I had to get my chainring bolts drilled out and took my ride there. The price was reasonable as was the turnaround time, and all the guys who work there are really nice. I've dropped a ton of cash on random accessories there, and they're always waaaay cheaper than anyone else around midtown for stuff like lights, locks, tools etc.

I've been to pretty much all of these bike shops you guys have mentioned (except for some of the uptown ones), but they have NOTHING on conrad's in tudor city. They're primarily a high-end (think VERY high end) shop (see the gios torino in the shop window), but I've been in there when they've changed flats for $50 beater bikes. They are by far the nicest, professional, and most courteous people in NYC.

They aren't cheap though. They overhauled my Merckx for something like $225. However, it was in showroom condition after. Could've eatened off the drivetrain, new cables, grease, the works. I mean, they even cleaned the pantographing on the frame. Worth every penny.

How come nobody has mentioned them?

+1

After the disgusting 155miles to Montauk, I took my bike to Conrad's for a complete overhaul based off of this review.

Their standard overhaul is $225. Expensive for sure, but they take EVERYTHING apart then clean/grease/lube, put everything back together, then clean again. No joke, even my bottle cages were shiny! I think they even cleaned up some of the surface rust spots from the more obvious paint chips. They replaced all cables, (did a great job routing them) and put on new handlebar tape (very well done, can't figure out how they ended the wrap on top of the bars, it's so neat and clean).

My bike is an old columbus tubed schwinn with a mix of original biopace chainrings, ultegra 9spd shifters (triple controlling a double) and derailleurs, and shimano 600 hubs + brakes. The drivetrain has never been buttery smooth and it still isn't perfect, but I think Conrad's tuned it to about as best this combo of components can be. I did a short 20mile test run last night and was very pleased with how smooth everything was.

A few things I wasn't 100% happy with:

The chain was wiped down, but it seemed like an afterthought. It was the only thing they DIDN'T thoroughly clean (both the chainrings and cassette were sparkling).

The adjustable screw for the right side dropout has been broken for a while (the screw head broke off). It would have been pretty cool if they replaced it considering it probably costs a few pennies. Then again I'm not sure if shops have these laying around anymore or if there are odd thread sizes for different bikes.

Tires were a bit under inflated when the bike was returned. Or maybe I usually over inflate them? Whatever, I'm just nitpicking at this point.

Overall I'm more than happy. I'm ecstatic about the quality of their overhaul. The manager there is super friendly and made me feel like they welcomed and appreciated my business - which is a rare treat as most of the shops I've been to in Manhattan and Brooklyn are surly or indifferent.

So Conrad's is my go to shop for repairs/service from now on. I can't afford any of their new bikes, but I'll definitely put them on top of my list if I ever have the disposable income.

Any feelings about the Metro on 96th off Broadway? Or any shops above 96th and below 125th on the west side? At this popint, I'm mostly interested in a through cleaning and re-greasing of the whole drive chain...

I'll never go there again.

I bought my bike from them a few years ago. I live around the corner from them. It's convenient to go there. I'm friendly with the manager, Rex.

Over the years I put up with little annoyances. It seems as though no one who works there is ever happy to be there. I found that after picking up my bike from their shop I would have to double-check the work to make sure nothing was skipped (often) or, worse, broken (once). Whatever piece of clothing I wanted, they never had my size in stock. Etc.

A few Saturdays ago, the day before I rode a century, I stopped in to buy some tubes. The conversation with the sales guy went like this:

He said, "I don't know if we have those in stock. That's an unusual size."

I said, "I bought the bike here."

"It's an unusual size. I don't know if we have them."

Pause.

"Can you check?"

"Oh. Yeah."

He came back with two tubes which he said would fit. I wanted advice about my brakes. I had just changed the pads, and even though I knew the pads were gaped and toed correctly, I couldn't make the front brake stop squealing. I told him I was riding a century in the morning, that I wanted everything to be as close to ship-shape as possible and asked him if he had any ideas.

He said, "You have to know what you are doing."

I said, "Let's assume I don't know what I am doing, which is why I'm asking your advice."

He said, "It can be a lot of things."

"Just name a couple of those things. Maybe we'll hit on something I didn't think of."

"Could you leave the bike here for a few days?"

Pause.

"Never mind."

Finally, I needed some CO2 cartridges for my Blackburn inflator. For whatever reason, I've had a hard time finding cartridges that fit the thing. The standard cartridges always seem off by a few millimeters and don't work. I explained this to him. I pulled an old cartridge out of it that did work and showed him how the ones he had in stock were just a hair too long.

He said, "I don't know. Maybe you should take this to the place where you bought it."

I had bought it there. I pointed to the identical model hanging on the display rack over his shoulder. He took it down and read from the packaging, "Only use with genuine Blackburn cartridges."

I said, "Do you have any genuine Blackburn cartridges?"

He didn't.

Now, none of these things were the last straw. All of them were what I had come to expect of the place. The last straw was that my bill came to $xx.01. I didn't have a penny or any change at all. I was in my bike clothes.

He gave me 99 cents in change.

Now, I'm sure by the end of our conversation I was doing a bad job of hiding the contempt in my voice. I'm sure he thought to himself, "This guy is a dick, so I'm gonna give him a half-pound of change that he has to dump into his bike jersey back pocket. Ha."

Thing is, he was doing me a favor. Free at last, free at last. From now on, I'll go to Renaissance for high-end work and for a day-to-day neighborhood place go to Champion on 104 and Amsterdam.

Ah, thanks NightHawk. The few times I've been in there this summer, I could see very variable service... then again, the only folks I dealt with were the kids at the front.

I should wander over to Champion, I live on 104 over by RSP.

I grew up on 96th St and Amsterdam. That shop has been there since the early 70's, and that's the sort of service I remember them giving. I never bought a bike there. It's part of a chain of about six shops in the city.

What is everyone's opinion of SBR on 58th street?

I have had a mixed bag of interactions there...from helpful to them appearing utterly put out by my desire to spend money there...

anyone had service done there? or is that not really there things and they wouold rather sell you $225 Campy jerseys?

What is everyone's opinion of SBR on 58th street?

I go there for Hammer Nutrition stuff, but it's never occurred to me to have them do any work. It's just way too gleaming white that I could possibly afford it.

What is everyone's opinion of SBR on 58th street?

I have had a mixed bag of interactions there...from helpful to them appearing utterly put out by my desire to spend money there...

anyone had service done there? or is that not really there things and they wouold rather sell you $225 Campy jerseys?

I work around there and stop in every so often, certainly not the friendliest shop I've been too. Most of the time the staff seems indifferent and not particularly helpful unless you keep probing for information. I haven't had any service done there because I suspect it's probably expensive.

What is everyone's opinion of SBR on 58th street?

I have had a mixed bag of interactions there...from helpful to them appearing utterly put out by my desire to spend money there...

anyone had service done there? or is that not really there things and they wouold rather sell you $225 Campy jerseys?

I went in there about a month ago. Knowledgeable staff, but when I told the guy I couldn't spend more than $3K on a road bike (and truth be told can't spend that) he showed me nothing but $4.5K Cervelos and explained that a guy my size should add a $1200 wheel set. WTF???

I went in there about a month ago. Knowledgeable staff, but when I told the guy I couldn't spend more than $3K on a road bike (and truth be told can't spend that) he showed me nothing but $4.5K Cervelos and explained that a guy my size should add a $1200 wheel set. WTF???

It's hit or miss with knowledgeable staff; when I was looking into getting an Orbea they told me the model I was interested in was an aluminum/carbon mix when I knew for certain that it wasn't (it's a monocoque frame). When the salesperson went on about how it was a noodle after giving me incorrect information to begin with I tuned out. It's not a bad shop at all, I just prefer those where the staff are cycling enthusiasts who are knowledgeable and can chat you up about items you're interested in. When I went inquiring about the Orbea Onix and a Scott CR1 they kept steering me toward a Cervelo as well, and granted they're great bikes but if a customer gives you a range they should try and make that sale. I suppose they're trying to snag the impulsive buyer, but still.

You guys put up with a hell of a lot of incompetence and indifference. This would be intolerable in other areas, and it's also intolerable in other industries. I don't know why NYC traditionally has so many bad bike shops. They're not all bad, but too many area.

Try Larry's on 2nd Ave. I worked for him long, long ago. He's very good and always gives a good deal. He's an absolutely brilliant mechanic, and I learned a lot from him. He first learned the trade in Jamaica in the 50's or 60's. He said a Raleigh would come in a box, and had to build the wheels by lacing the spokes.

You guys put up with a hell of a lot of incompetence and indifference. This would be intolerable in other areas, and it's also intolerable in other industries. I don't know why NYC traditionally has so many bad bike shops. They're not all bad, but too many area.

Try Larry's on 2nd Ave. I worked for him long, long ago. He's very good and always gives a good deal. He's an absolutely brilliant mechanic, and I learned a lot from him. He first learned the trade in Jamaica in the 50's or 60's. He said a Raleigh would come in a box, and had to build the wheels by lacing the spokes.

I'll certainly check out Larry's. However, I'll say that my experience in NYC hasn't been fundamentally different from my experiences in Denver, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Boston, or Berkeley. Some shops have felt bad to me, and some have treated me well. Often, the shops that treated me well weren't right for other people with other needs. And some were better on some days and worse on others. It's always hard to get attention when a shop is busy, and people everywhere make mistakes.

For what it's worth, here are some highlight experiences/ shops in some other places:
1. Fastrack Bicycles in Santa Barbara, CA. Dave Lettieri was great to deal with for me.
2. NYC Velo here in New York. Andy, the owner, and several members of his team, especially Brett, have been very helpful and patient.
3. Missing Link in Berkeley, CA. Great people when I was there back in the early 90s. I hope it's still great, but who knows?

In all these cases, I got treated well, found the staff to be attentive when I needed them to be and patient when I was being really picky. I learned from them and felt like I paid a competitive price for great products and services. They were never the cheapest, but the little extra I paid felt vastly worthwhile.

Even so, I have always felt that I'd prefer to do my wrenching myself, and all these shops and people helped me move in that direction.

I'll also say that I've found that to be true across a lot of industries. It's certainly not limited to bikes!

I'm surprised to see support for Tread. ...

I like Ozzie, but his crew is pretty sullen. If there were a serious alternative up here, I'd be trying it. I agree that Larry's seems good (I've only bought there, not tried their service), but it's just too far away.

Anything good in the South Bronx?