Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Anyone familiar with Yojimbos in Chicago?

Is this place still open for business? What is the store like?

I just read about it in Travis Cully's book, The Immortal Class. Other than that, I know nothing. Glad to be of assistance (not)! ;)

Funny that is where I heard about it too! I may be interested in a fixie and thought I could support the shop as it sounds very fixie oriented.

Funny that is where I heard about it too! I may be interested in a fixie and thought I could support the shop as it sounds very fixie oriented.

This was posted back in Dec 2003. Haven't heard much about it since.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42215

Yea, sure am. Was just there on Sunday, picking up a new pack of bar tape and Reload tool bag. Great place. Nice feel, expert service, and homey feel. The owner, Marcus, is a cool guy who truly knows his stuff. Definately go, and support this great Chicago bike institution. Any particular questions?

Looking to take a look at a fixie bike that would work for my physical profile: 5'11, 280lbs... crazy.. but true.. Nobody around here carries fixies

Marcus (owner of Yojimbo's Garage) is the best- he just got finished outfitting my Bike Friday with new components and made some adjustments on my bike so I'll have a better fit after I came in and complained about the problems I was having. Yojimbo's is the best bike shop I've been to. He supports the local bike messenger folks, and he's always eager to help out. Once I went into his shop in tears- I'd snapped the rear derailleur hanger off my bike, so the whole rear derailleur was hanging off my wheel. I was also totally broke, and I called over to Yojimbo's and brought my bike in. I was totally thinking I would need to buy a new bike, and I was prepared to purchase one, but he told me that my bike could be salvaged, and he fixed my bike instead. Other bike shops would have totally went for the sale and ripped me off, but he didn't. Another time, I thought my bike was kaput, so I took it in again and asked them to overhaul it. Again, I thought I would need a new bike, and I spoke with another guy working there who told me they had a bike there I could purchase. I waited a week, then ran over there with my money, and again, Marcus told me not to worry- he could fix my bike and rebuild some parts that were totally worn out, and not to buy the bike if my bike could be salvaged. Needless to say, my bike was salvaged, and not only was it salvaged, it felt like butter when I rode it.

I also took another newbie bikeforums member out to his shop when she was looking for a bike. He set her up on several bikes and went through a long explanation about the bikes he showed her. He also fit her for the bikes she had her eye on, and he let her take the bike out for a spin too. He totally didn't think that any question was not worth addressing, and he did his best to accomodate her as best as he could.

I've been to a lot of shops in the Chicago area, and I've always walked away disappointed one way or another. Yojimbo's Garage is the first bike store I've been to where I feel totally comfortable, and it's the first bike store I've been to that has a real respect for the bike and for cycling. It's a hard core roadie store, and Marcus has a real dedication to cycling in Chicago, and he's a strong supporter of the Chicagoland Bike Federation- he offers a 5% discount if you're a member of CBF. He's a little guy that's fighting the goliaths of bike stores out there, and anyone that wants quality ought to go and frequent this guy's shop. I'll go to Yojimbo's first before I'll even touch any other shop, and only after I'm positive I can't get it there do I roam to other shops. He could use the support of the cycling community, especially in the winters when cycling dwindles down to almost nothing, while the big guys get everything close to cost and constantly underprice their stuff. You may get it cheaper from them, but the quality is less, the customer service at their shops will be non-existant, and the satisfaction will be about 0. I'd rather pay a little more and get much better attention and customer service and 100% quality.

Go on over there and introduce yourself. I'm sure he'd be happy just to chat with you and get the chance to meet yet another cyclist out there.

Koffee

Oh, and I do believe he has some fixies hanging in his shop.

Koffee

How far is his shop from Schaumburg?

I'm not sure how far Schaumburg is, but it's just north of downtown just off Clybourn and Division (about a block and a half north). The address is 1310 N. Clybourn, so I'm sure you can get on mapquest and get some good directions from them.

It'll be well worth the trip, dude.

Koffee

Dude, I lived in Schaumburg for awhile. Don't go to the bike shops there. I bought my first bike in Elk Grove and this was only because I didn't know any better. I've never been to Marcus' shop but I have been to all the shops in the Schaumburg area. They cater to the spandex clad weekend warrior from Motorola with an excess of money out there. If I was still up there I would make the half hour drive down to Yojimbo's if for nothing else than to breathe the air in that place.

His shop is in the heart of a city no longer wanting a heart; I can smell the blood congealing outside his doorsteps. It is on Clyborn, near the 'Green, which is oddly getting greener the less I return to it.

Shop info:
Yojimbo's Garage, 312.587.0878. 1310 N. Clybourn Ave.

I just might start a drug trade down there to keep property value down enough to allow him his true space. I hate whitey. Be nice to Gary the Cat.

Dude, I lived in Schaumburg for awhile. Don't go to the bike shops there. I bought my first bike in Elk Grove and this was only because I didn't know any better. I've never been to Marcus' shop but I have been to all the shops in the Schaumburg area. They cater to the spandex clad weekend warrior from Motorola with an excess of money out there. If I was still up there I would make the half hour drive down to Yojimbo's if for nothing else than to breathe the air in that place.

damn dude. I know exactly what you are talking about but it is already too late for me. About 2 weeks ago I purchased a Trek 7300fx. It's an alright bike but somehow I think I would be happier with a fixed bike...

']His shop is in the heart of a city no longer wanting a heart; I can smell the blood congealing outside his doorsteps. It is on Clyborn, near the 'Green, which is oddly getting greener the less I return to it.

Shop info:
Yojimbo's Garage, 312.587.0878. 1310 N. Clybourn Ave.

I just might start a drug trade down there to keep property value down enough to allow him his true space. I hate whitey. Be nice to Gary the Cat.

Yea, Gary's cool. Ask Marcus to use the laser pointer to entertain Gary. Gary likes the laser pointer.

Although if they have garage sales in Schaumburg ( I never saw one ) you could probably get some good bikes for cheap! cheap! cheap!

If the Green was the heart I would have to call Schaumburg the asscrack. But what does 165 know? He's in Lincoln Park with his Trixie.

If the Green was the heart I would have to call Schaumburg the asscrack. But what does 165 know? He's in Lincoln Park with his Trixie.

I'd watch out if I were you. His "Trixie" might just cold cock you when you least expect it. I know from experience!

I'm going to try and go to yojimbos this weekend. Weekdays are impossible. I really hope he can stick me on a fix even though I'm obese.

Would he get a kick of me staring at his bikes and saying, "GET IN MUH BELLY!!!"?

Actually I'd like to publicly apologize for the trixie joke. It was in poor taste. Particularly since I don't know either of them. Also because at some point I want to go to Chicago again and I'm afraid that I'll get yanked off my bike by a pissed off stranger because he/she recognized my bike as the one owned by the perpetrator of the trixie jokes.

damn dude. I know exactly what you are talking about but it is already too late for me. About 2 weeks ago I purchased a Trek 7300fx. It's an alright bike but somehow I think I would be happier with a fixed bike...

Well, you could always go on down to Yojimbo's and if you see a fixie you like, get it, and put your Trek for sale there. He does sell bikes on consignment, and I'm sure somebody would buy it sooner or later. Sounds like a plan to me! ;)

That cat creeps me out. But then, all cats creep me out. So do babies. Babies, cats, and big bike stores all creep me out... ;)

Koffee

You're coasting too much! Get a fix and burn those calories!

Also because at some point I want to go to Chicago again and I'm afraid that I'll get yanked off my bike by a pissed off stranger because he/she recognized my bike as the one owned by the perpetrator of the trixie jokes.
You would not even notice the transition from life into death. We'd make you happy...permanently

Do you guys know if Yojimbos carries the Surly Steamroller frame?

Do you guys know if Yojimbos carries the Surly Steamroller frame?

May not have it in stock but you could call and ask and he may be able to order. I did see a Surly fork there the other day.

EEK! I said I was sorry.

I'm going to try and go to yojimbos this weekend. Weekdays are impossible. I really hope he can stick me on a fix even though I'm obese.

Would he get a kick of me staring at his bikes and saying, "GET IN MUH BELLY!!!"?

On Saturdays and Sundays, he's open from 12pm- 4pm. Now as far as the "get in muh belly", I think he'd be pretty amused. Let us know how he reacts if you say that to him.

Koffee

Wednesdays - closed
Tues/Thurs - closes at 3pm

6pm shutdown on other days

Might as well follow through with the entire hours of operations:

Sat, Sun- 12PM- 4PM
Mon, Fri- 8am- 6pm
Tue, Thur- 8AM- 3PM
Wed- Closed

I'm sure those times will change in the summer when business picks up.

Koffee

Any shop with a cat (or a dog) on premises is a good shop, in my humble opinion, especially a cat named Gary.

just wanted to let you know: the other day i saw a rather large guy (at least 280) on a gunnar street dog bicycle. he was smiling. i don't know if these are fixed gear or single speeds, but i figure once you've got one, easy to switch to the other. maybe you could check those out. good luck

dan

Having never been to chi-town.. i've never been in Yojimbo's... but i did buy some gear from him off of Ebay.. and it was exactly as he described, and was at my place lightning fast... I told him I heard about him, and his shop.. he invited me to drop in, whenever I'm in town... sounded like a REALLY cool guy

jeff

Here's another vote for how great Marcus and his shop are. I ride down there every time I need anything at all, it is well worth the trip every time. Even when I am only buying parts off of him, he still tells me all the little details of how to fit it to my bike and he'll check out my work for me once it's done.

And Gary the cat is great, he is a blast to play with.