Catnap 

bumping this thread up, because like others I was ready to fork over $500+ to these guys but they won't answer my emails. I live in NYC and it's not that hard for me to swing down to Philly on the train. If I want to buy a bunch of stuff from them, is this a better idea than continuing to try to get an answer online?

ilikebikes

THAT! ^ ^ ^ ^ and this > > > > Throughout the years I've dealt with Curtis only a handfull of times, and despite popular belief he's a pretty cool guy. If you take a direct no bull**** answer as being "rude" then you have a problem, not them. but if your looking for just about any part/bike look no further! Yeah, you'll prob pay a premium for that hard to find part/bike but I know if I can get it the same day its needed its well worth it. Again, Curtis has NEVER, EVER been rude to me. Hell, I saw him at the Trexler Town bike swap and once again he was pretty ****ing cool and remembered me (by bike, not name! LOL!) even though I've been to his shop maybe four times.

ilikebikes

I just remembered my first visit to Via. I walked in and asked to see a vintage Brooks Swallow that was hanging on the wall behind the counter, I asked a worker if I could see it so he took it down, handed it to me and walked away. Not a minute later Curtis walks by and says to me,"Can I have that." takes the Brooks out of my hand and hangs it back on the wall. He then walks up to the wrench and proceeds to chew him another *******! I was like, "Daaaaamn!" He then walks by me and says, "He knows he's not supposed to take anything off the wall." and keeps walking right by me. Rude? Nah, direct and to the point? Hell yeah! LOL! I bough a small backpack full of Schwinn tids and bits that day directly from "The mustache man" , after the sale he saw my bike and googled it for about ten minutes, then he turned and said,"your bike?' I said, "Yup." he said, "Nice!" then he said, "Which way you headed? I said, "North." He picked up my bike and yelled, "Make a hole!" and walked it out of the shop, to the corner, grabbed my backpack and held my bike, I got on the bike, he placed my backpack on my back, shook my hand and I was on my way. Pretty cool dude if ya ask me.

KonAaron Snake 

I am going by Via tonight anyway...if there's something you need, send me a PM and I'll talk to them when I'm there.

They're busy and only one guy does all of the on line stuff (Joel). He's as nice a guy as it gets, but he's one guy and they do a fair amount of on line. He's also on the hook as a mechanic and sales.

I have said this before - but, IMO, these guys are as nice and as honest as it gets. I've known these folks for a while and have only the highest praise for them as human beings across the board. Folks who know me know that I am not one to offer praise lightly and I'm cynical by nature. These are good people.

noglider 

I hadn't seen this thread before now. The shop sounds pretty eccentric.

KonAaron Snake 

I think it's important to say this...

I stopped by Via, on crutches, when my leg was broken. Curtis found an old exercise bike and drove it to my house to help me out. As an indefinite loan. That's the kind of people they are. When I organized the show at the Philly expo a few years ago, Curtis volunteered stands, cables, etc. and Joel volunteered his time as a judge.

noglider 

He sounds like me. Generous to a fault and disgustingly disorganized. By the sounds of it, some customers can't tolerate his disorganization, which is what happened to a few of my clients, and rightly so.

SlowRoller

I just wanted to chime in to say that I've had good experiences with them. I've bought a few things from them online over the past few years, first contacting them through https://www.bikeville.com/email.html. All of my experiences were good, and they even dug stuff out that I was searching for (but didn't have listed), photographed them, and e-mailed me pics. Sometimes I had three or four e-mail exchanges over an item before buying them. This was with both Curtis and Joel from my recollections. I hope the purchase works out for you, Catnap!

KonAaron Snake 

- and Curtis has a stache like yours Tom!

Scooper

I bought the front and rear Paramount hubs for my 1940 Paramount from them. They weren't cheap, but I'd been looking for months so I paid their asking price. The transaction was on-line, and I had the hubs in a week. The condition of both hubs was exactly as they had described. I also bought a pair of new high quality repop chain adjusters they listed on ebay from them.

I have no complaints.

dbakl

I dropped in once (my son's in college in Philly) and bought a Schwinn Paramount track crank arm I'd been looking for over 20 years. Wasn't cheap, but I don't know where you'd find another...

Edit: Actually, they were quite nice to me as an out of towner. Took me up a few floors to see the stash of parts and bikes. Too much stuff to take in. That's where I spotted Paramount crank arms in the case.

Alex Moll

I think very highly of Joel, and VIA Bikes. Haven't had a chance to visit in person, yet, so all of my dealings have been online. I bought my '63 Jack Taylor from them, and at least half a dozen hard to find bits over the last few years. I'll confirm that a couple of email queries went unanswered, but I chalked it up to the ghost in the machine. Overall, it's been a pleasure dealing with them, and I definitely want to visit in person one day.

KonAaron Snake 

Really glad to see them getting support - they work for it and they care. Also, expensive is relative; they're cheaper than the optimistic ebay'rs and they're cheaper than the other vintage area shops. Honestly, I think they're pretty fair...on average they're probably under standard ebafy pricing.

noglider 

Yes, someone took a picture of us together at Trexlertown, just to prove we're two different people.

parkrun72

Purchased NOS Paramount badge online. Fair price. Good customer service in replying to my emails. Seem interested in keeping alive all things vintage for my hobby. I'm just glad that places like this still exist.

Captain Blight

I was considering buying some parts, but this seals it. There is no way I will willingly give money to someone who will ream an employee in public. Seeing someone publicly humiliated, just to do it, raises my hackles in a way nothing else does.

KonAaron Snake 

That guy also gives his folks benefits, which not many do. He's had the same core employees for a long time, and it's for a reason. He has a busy shop and it can be stressful...there are a lot of kids in Philly shops that Curtis trained and they almost all speak highly of him.

SuperLJ

I've ordered from them online at least 3 times with great results and good prices. Just got a NOS Stronglight 93 toothless ring/chaingaurd for $25, which I thought was very reasonable. The entire transaction, from inquiry email to part arriving in the mail, was about a week. Ralph, who handles all the vintage stuff, is often gone to Europe collecting stock, which would explain the occassional delays in responding to emails. The brick and mortar store in Philly is worth a visit if you're ever there. They have many things not listed on the web. Last time I was there I asked if they had any aluminum ends/handles for Silca frame pumps. Ralph produced a cigar box full of NOS ones and let me basically name my own price.

CMC SanDiego

I was in Philly on business once and dropped in to the shop just because I'd heard I needed to see it. I ended up spending an hour there looking at everything crammed into the place, then just bought a nice Japanese Crane bell, and picked up a business card to prove I'd made the trip.

They appeared to cater most to the hipster crowd, and their prices are probably more than I would want to pay, but they certainly did have a good selection, and a lot of what was available there would sell for similar prices on Ebay, and of course at Via you have the satisfaction of being able to touch it and take it home with you immediately.

jimmuller 

I've purchased stuff from them and been satisfied. They are expensive, but they may be the only source for some eclectic items. Once I ordered something and it didn't arrive for a long time, so I called. They apologized, said they had been out of town, mailed the stuff immediately and threw in a few minor items as extras, things for which I found a good use. I'd order from them again, but not for stuff I could find elsewhere easily.

SuperLJ

I have never thought their prices were out of line. A year or two ago I purchased an NOS TA front rack from them (which was as perfect as the day it was made) for $45. Used ones with the chrome flaking off sometimes bring over $100 on ebay.

clubman 

Apologies to VIA for carelessly slagging their prices. I confused them with BCCbikes.

ilikebikes

How many times do you think the empoyee was told (probably and more than likely privately) not to touch the items on the rack before he got a good public tounge lashing?

Not trying to drive the last nail in the coffin but I once saw one of his employees let a customer ride away without collecting payment, Curtis asked her about it and she said she forgot...again! All I heard him say was, "Collect your tools and come inside."