Northeast - NYC: Tale of two bike shops

Bought a vintage Trek on eBay in June.

Bike shop #1:
Dropped it off at Toga (West Side) on a Sunday afternoon for a complete tune-up, which goes for around $225. They say it'll be ready in 8 days. Eight days later I call from work, just to make sure the bike'll be ready. "If we said it'll be ready Monday night, it'll be ready Monday night." Fine... just want to confirm so I don't waste a trip.

Head to Toga after work; bike's not ready. It sat there, gathering dust, for 8 days. They apologize, say they'll deliver the bike to my apt the next day and take 10% off my bill. Bike arrives the next day (well... night, around 9pm). Chain and rear cassette are filthy.

Bike shop #2:
Riding in Central Park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I notice rear derailleur won't shift onto the smallest cog. I take it to Champion Cycles on Amsterdam Ave, figuring I'll have to drop it off. "No problem," they say, "we can adjust it now". And they do. $4.

I know where I'm takin' my bike from now on.

$225 for a tune up? owwie.

wow, $225???????
that's a lot of money. for me, at least.

Ha, yeah. I've taken my bike to metro canal street several times for a tune up and have asked to have the chain and cogs cleaned. Picked up my bike each time, no cleany. They just kinda ignored anything I asked.

Then, I recently bought a super nice used Scott Cr1 and had it shipped from California. When it arrived I put it together but I just didn't feel comfortable with the dérailleur adjustment etc. I decided this bike deserved more attention than what Metro offered so I brought it to Cadence in Tribeca. Assuming it was going to cost me an arm and a leg, I figured it was worth it since the bike I bought was worth 4999 when it was originally bought. The tech not only adjusted my shifting set-up, he re-adjusted my brakes, steerer tube, and flipped my front wheel which I put on with the treads facing the wrong way. He didn't leave any details behind. charged me $15 and had done it all while I watched, no waiting or leaving the bike.

Toga and Metro are probably one of the worse bike shops out there. Metro is pretty corporate, overcharges everything and has HORRIBLE fitting for test rides. Toga has a no return policy, which would have helped a lot after buying a trainer that was teh suck...

$225 for a tune-up?!?? Everywhere else, this is a $65 job, unless they were to repaint your bike or something!

I've seen service packages that go for $225ish but that should include an absolute tear-down and rebuild - they open clean and re-lube all moving parts. I have my doubts they did everything they were supposed to do in 24 hrs.

A der. adjustment should only take a shop 10-15 mins. (assuming the cables are okay and there isn't anything broken or damaged, eg, a bent hanger, badly worn sprocket teeth, etc.).

Did you take any pictures after they dropped it off? It's almost worth stopping a check payment or calling your cc company.

I've seen service packages that go for $225ish but that should include an absolute tear-down and rebuild - they open clean and re-lube all moving parts. I have my doubts they did everything they were supposed to do in 24 hrs. My concern exactly! They did change the cables, adjust the derailleurs and brakes, and put on new handlebar tape (as I requested). But the fact that the chain and cassette were filthy—and that it wasn't ready 8 long days after I dropped it off—makes we wonder if Toga did everything promised in their "Complete Tuneup". (They offer two lesser levels of tuneup for less money.) For over $200 I was expecting they'd clean, lube and check every last ball bearing. Very disappointing.

Last year Linda go fitted at Signature. She didn't want to wait 2 months for a custom built bike so they suggested a Specialized Roubaix, which she purchased across the street at Toga. She brought them the measurements from her fitting so that they could dial it in for her. They refused and wanted her to pay $175 for their fitting! She walked the bike across the street to Signature and they dialed it on for free, only charging her for parts they need to swap ( a new stem and handlebar). This year she bought a custom built Guru. She didn't buy it from Toga. I'll only go in there for an emergency part (tube, etc), but their service and attitude suck. You get better service buying a bike at Wal-Mart.

FWIW Signature's tune-ups are free on their bikes. A complete tear down with ultrasonic cleaning is $210.

man, you got ripped off. i've never been to Toga or Metro myself, i go to Bike Habitat and they've always done well by me.

i'm also a member of Times Up! and now i can do my own tune-ups and overhauls at their shop for free.

Bought a vintage Trek on eBay in June.

Bike shop #1:
Dropped it off at Toga (West Side) on a Sunday afternoon for a complete tune-up, which goes for around $225. They say it'll be ready in 8 days. Eight days later I call from work, just to make sure the bike'll be ready. "If we said it'll be ready Monday night, it'll be ready Monday night." Fine... just want to confirm so I don't waste a trip.


What's supposed to be included in a complete tune-up?

man, you got ripped off. i've never been to Toga or Metro myself, i go to Bike Habitat and they've always done well by me.

i'm also a member of Times Up! and now i can do my own tune-ups and overhauls at their shop for free. Yes, I know I was ripped off. Actually, that's the point of the thread. So that others can avoid it.

i hate toga and gotham. bike habitat is solid, but city bikes and continuum are my spots.

I used to work near Gotham and I went in a few times there to buy small stuff, accessories, etc on my lunch break. I saw lots of really nice bikes in there for service, so they must be nice to some people.....

I also once stood at the counter politely waiting to be helped, while two guys stood behind the counter ignoring me. There were no other customers there, and one guy was eating; the other was doing something with the register. They looked like they hated being there. Maybe they were on strike.

Not saying they shoulda dropped everything and started anointing my feet with oil, but a "hi" or "be right with you" would have been nice. I actually walked out after about 5 solid minutes of standing there. Incredible......

I'm always amazed when people do what they say they're going to do on time and on budget.
It's usually the norm to get less then expected for more then expected and your going to have to wait.
It's as if they are doing you a favor. Over the years I've learned to do it myself. It may take a little longer but it's always cheaper and done right. Jack of all trades, master of none. lol

That's wise, especially with bikes.

some jobs require special tools and mega time and patience, so sometimes the shop is the way to go (wheelbuilding, etc.) but most bike maintenance and repair tasks are easy enough that they are worth mastering.

One of the biggest problems in ny is space. It's hard to become a jack of all trades if you can't really bring your bike, parts and tools inside.

I'm not naysaying, just for me it's unfortunately not going to be in the cards particularly soon.

One of the biggest problems in ny is space. It's hard to become a jack of all trades if you can't really bring your bike, parts and tools inside.

I'm not naysaying, just for me it's unfortunately not going to be in the cards particularly soon.


dude, join Times Up! (www.times-up.org). on thursdays their co-op has a free open shop, stocked with tools and 1-2 mechanics who can answer your questions. they also have free classes on tuesdays.

so yes, you can learn and work on your bike in a dedicated space in NYC. :thumb:

Catnap, thanks for the excellent suggestion. I'll be looking into it.

thank's for that tip catnap.
that's a great thing they're doing, an open shop, wow.
I gave up all my tools when I couldn't pay my storage fees.

What's supposed to be included in a complete tune-up?

Standard Tune Up $55
Includes: Lube chain, brakes, gear, headset, hub and bottom bracket adjustment, plus we wipe down entire bike

Deluxe Tune Up $100
Same as above plus true wheels, clean drivetrain

Pro Tune Up $180
Same as both above plus we take entire bike apart and reassemble it. Repack all bearings.

The tune-up prices do not include any parts that may be needed.

I had the Pro Tune Up, plus had them install a couple of bottle cages, new cables, new handlebar tape. Looks like they should've cleaned the drivetrain; don't believe they did that.

I second Times-Up, great organization to become a member of. They run a bunch of great rides throughout the year and the workshops are awesome.

[I]
Looks like they should've cleaned the drivetrain; don't believe they did that.

absolutely. Again, when you are rushing the job out the door, you are not doing a good job. They goofed.

what they should have probably done - and this is not just for the OP's sake, but in keeping with his post's spirit, in helping others avoid the mess - is:

1. apologized,
2. given you the discounted price,
3. delivered your bike,
4. but imo they should have taken as long as needed to do the job right and given you a loaner.

For $225 that better include new gears, seat, and handlebar tape. The bike better be wrapped in dry cleaning plastic and smell like raspberry tire wet when it arrives at my door.

Standard Tune Up $55
Includes: Lube chain, brakes, gear, headset, hub and bottom bracket adjustment, plus we wipe down entire bike

Deluxe Tune Up $100
Same as above plus true wheels, clean drivetrain

Pro Tune Up $180
Same as both above plus we take entire bike apart and reassemble it. Repack all bearings.

The tune-up prices do not include any parts that may be needed.

I had the Pro Tune Up, plus had them install a couple of bottle cages, new cables, new handlebar tape. Looks like they should've cleaned the drivetrain; don't believe they did that.

So if they didn't even clean the drive train how can you trust them to have done anything else?

Is the bike itself any cleaner? Last time I brought my bike into the shop for a new chain and cluster. When they returned it the grips were so greasy I had to replace them too.

A $200 tune up should include the following in my mind: complete teardown, bb, headset, full cleaning & adjustment, new housing & cables, wheel truing, replace brake pads & lube.

As Air says above, Times Up can teach you some of those skills. Worth checking out.

In my experience, I've found Habitat to be fast & reasonable with repairs (minor things are free forever if you buy a new bike there). They are busy, so you have to figure on waiting if you turn up on a sunny weekend afternoon.

Metro I've found to be overpriced, slow & sloppy.

You guys ever use Sid's Bike Shop on the West Side of Manhattan? I've been there maybe 5 or 6 times for minor tune-ups and adjustments (bent hanger, front derailleur adjustments, etc). I went there for a fitting a year ago too.

I haven't done their pricey overhaul - but I was really impressed that their mechanic took the time to show me step-by-step what he was doing and why.

In general I trust establishments where the work is done in the open (restaurants with open kitchens, bike shops with open workspace). I hate the idea of some guy taking my bike out back and banging away at it.

Toobiz

I love Sid's on 19th (just east of 8th ave) so far. I've been praising their mechs up and down here since that shop opened. Very nice guys and they seem super honest and straightforward.

My wife bought her new Cdale from the 34th st store back in '05; she was very happy with her experience overall. For those who know the old store, but haven't been to the new one, it is much bigger and (so far) less crowded.

I love Sid's on 19th (just east of 8th ave) so far.

I didn't get my bike at Sid's (got it at NYC Velo), but I sure wish I had. I was told that minor adjustments would be free for the life of my bike by the NYC Velo guys. I spent tons of money for shoes, a bike, pedals, a helmet, gloves, shorts, etc on my first visit. Brought my bike in three times in the past year (first for the usual adjustments after 150 miles and to buy more from them--a computer, tube, light, jersey, and other stuff; second and third to ask about a clicking in the handlebar area, which they blew off as "Bikes make noise--sometimes it could take days to figure it out"). All three times I was treated HORRIBLY, and the guys there (who were doing nothing) acted put out and wanted to know why I was there--I had to explain it to person 2 when person 1 pawned me off on him, and then person 3 when person 2 passed me to him, etc. Just miserable, condescending guys. And for what it's worth, I'm not a demanding customer at all.

Sid's has been my shop ever since. Jay (at Sid's) is a great guy, and the rest of the staff is great as well. Planning to buy my next bike there, and I'm going to be taking my current bike for the overhaul tuneup within the next couple of weeks. My wife purchased a Dahon from Jay a couple of months ago, and we've wandered in since, and he always asks how the Dahon is treating her (really nice customer service, which is so rare at any kind of shop in NYC). The NYC Velo guys wouldn't give me the time of day even after they recognized me.

I'll post after my Sid's tuneup.

I go to the Sids on the east side - also great. Had a horrible ride once where the tube blew and blew apart my tire plus broke spokes and just wanted a new tire and then go drink. They gave me a beer while I was waiting :D Great guys there.

I haven't had the best of luck with wheel tensioning there though...

I liked nyc velo during the buying of my bike but after buying everything went south I would not reccomend them to anyone. I used innovation bike shop on 106 st columbus to amsterdam for all my bike stuff and highly reccoomend them.

I'll give one more thumbs down for Metro.

I used to go to the guys on 96th street. I bought a new bike from them and even though it wasn't several thousand dollars, I dropped about $1200 with tax. That's plenty for me!! But after the sale, they treated me like a nuisance when I came back (at the salesman's request!) to have it "adjusted".

The crappy wheels the bike came with were probably not trued before I bought it and when I went back, they guy working told me it was my fault since I probably hit a pothole or something. When I told him I just bought the bike a few days earlier, it never ran quite right on the wheels and wanted them to fix it, he just refused saying that didn't cover wheels. :wtf: Only when the manager came out did they take it back to fix it.

I never went back after that.

All your shops are a little "downtown" for me now...but I'll give the thumbs up :thumb: for Tread up here at Dykman Ave. They're not a fancy shop, but good and knowledgeable people working there as far as I've dealt with them.

The experience with an LBS' can be very personal. NYCVelo is around the corner from me, and I actually WANTED to buy from them. But the sales guys weren't all that helpful & seemed rather aloof. Andrew the owner is very helpful, even when the shop is busy. I've seen him running around taking care of 3 customers at once, while his staff stood around with their hands in their pockets. He needs to find some people that want to work.

The couple of Metro shops I've been to were just bad. They might have a decent staff member or 2, but their managers I've always found to be stressed, unhelpful & pushy.

Sid's mechanics I thought were good in my experience, but a couple of people have told me the too typical story of dropping off a bike & picking it up to find the work not done. One person walked out with a loose stem that resulted in a crash. Def. worth checking the work you've had done before you leave any shop.

Continuum on Ave. B is great for singlespeed/fixies. The owner Jeff is very helpful.

Habitat is my default shop and they can be flinty at times when the shop is busy. But they're usually very helpful. Their mechanics are uniformly good to great in my experience.

metro were hands down the worst shop.
Nyc velo had a attitude that seems aloof, except for the black dude he seemed with it everyone else was baiscly brushing me off upon return.

i stopped by Affinity Cycles in Brooklyn on Sunday and got the WORST attitude from the girl working there. that's more of a track-bike specialist place, but geeeez, do they really need to have the crappy hipster 'tude about it all? you'd think if all their stuff is premium and priced as such that they'd be a little nicer. it's so exemplary of the American Apparel-style bored & annoyed salesperson behavior that is now common at any place that's trying to be trendy. :(

What do you all think about Citybikes on 38th street (8th /9th), by far the friendliest staff I know, they have just about everything from road/track mountain/ townie. Nice large area, people including messengers just come in there to hangout because Johnathan the owner loves to talk about bikes even if hes not selling them. I'm so used to that shop, that I get nervous around other bike shops.

Check them out if your in midtown.

I stopped in Bicycle Renaissance this morning to pick up some gels. I stood around for a bit--one guy on the phone and the other big dude looking at the computer, legitimate business from what I could tell. The big guy turned around from his computer and looked at me without saying anything. I said, "can you help me?" and he gave me this "Well, what do you thing I'm doing" routine.

That's the second time he has done this and it is also the last. They are just around the corner from me but I'll live.

Had a bike shipped to B's and they set it up with 24 hours of receiving it (yesterday) and then put a new seat on that I had laying around when I showed up (not a big deal, but it did take 5 minutes). Pretty happy with my new old road bike.

I'm sure a lot of stores do this, but for those of us not living in a doorman building being allowed to ship directly to the store saved me a lot of hassle. I was either going to have it shipped ot midtown, where I send all normal packages, or to my parents' in westchester.