Turd Ferguson

ANyone know where I can go downtown Toronto to have my biker serviced that isn't too expensive? I'm finding many places charge more than a mechanic for my car and living in a condo it's difficult to DIY.

Turd Ferguson

Last year I paid $65 to have the chain and gearing degreassed. They also checked/lubed the berings and cables. I need the same done this year..along with truing the rear wheel.

Most vehicle mechanics are $65 - $90..depending on the make.

sweep242

Prices vary & there are a ton of shops in Toronto all of witch must pay rent. But call around here is an online list https://www.tbn.ca/retailer/rtdb/at.htm
Guess it depends where you are D/T i like Cavern Cycles 179 Queen St. East
Cheers

dskunk

Try Urbane Cycles https://www.ucycle.com/ on John St just north of Queen W. They should be reasonable. If you want to do the work yourself you might check out Bike Pirates https://www.bikepirates.com/ on Bathurst just south of College. I'm not sure, but I think they might be willing to let you rent out work space. There's a shop up on the Danforth just east of Broadview that might be reasonable for work as well but I can't remember the name and I haven't had anything done there myself, just been in and poked around a bit.
Cheers, Dave

jm01

most places are about the same, but there is a big difference in the quality of the work.

Urbane on John St. is great, depending who does the work...they're a co-op and charge $50.00/hr plus parts...usually a waiting list so make an appointment

I now support Dukes on Queen St. W....they replaced my rear derailleur last week (Sram SX5 @ 44.99), straigtened the hanger, replaced the cable and cover for $85.00...not bad, and it's dialed in perfectly and will adjust when the cable stretches at N/C (it was my commuter bike so they did it while I waited...and they were full!, but then, I've bought a few bikes from them so they like me)...they replaced my entire drive train (chain, cog set, chain ring, bottom bracket, & crank) for $180.00, including tax last year

There's the Cycle Shoppe on Queen W. and the new guy at King and Bathurst, but they usually have kids do their work...both are more interested in selling rather than wrenching

Just a long way of saying that it's hit and miss...I've found an lbs that does great work, has quality parts, and is fairly reasonable...I think that price is secondary to quality

IronMac

I used to go to Duke's but the last time I had my bike in it didn't shift properly after the tune-up. I pointed that out to them and said there was a problem. They intimated that maybe I haven't ridden my bike enough to know the difference. At my shocked look, they took it back downstairs and within minutes had it adjusted properly. I don't know who to trust now but I've heard good things about Urbane and Cave Cycles.

sweep242

I have the latest issue of pedal & in it there is a piece on the oldest bike shops in Canada & dukes is the 3rd oldest, so they must be doing something right?
But yes I have heard a few folks complain & some has had no complaints. I’ve been in there a few times looking around no problems seemed like good folks, never asked about rates.

I second urbane they are great, but always very busy. As i said before the guy at cavern cycles is great.
There are great shops all over the city.

fredf

I think, as some have said, that it can be hit and miss. I've taken stuff to Dukes and come out with it not properly adjusted. To their credit, though, when I take it back they are happy to do it right the second time. Frankly, that's probably as good as it gets.

You've all missed one place that I think is pretty good: LaCarrera on Harbord a bit west of Spadina. They're quite nice and happy to work on $200 bikes as well as $10,000 bikes. Nadir is one of the owners and has racing experience and knows what he's talking about. He did my son's girlfriends cheapo bike and took it seriously.

There's just something about Urbane that I just feel uncomfortable about.

Toronto girl ryder

I love cavern cycles....always there to help, good turn around....on queen east just east of jarvis....across from moss park.

nerdsgirth

There is a guy from Thornhill who advertises his services in Craigslist. Haven't talked to him though.

cooker

No idea how prices compare. I've patronized Bikes on Wheels on Augusta south of College, and Cyclepath and Sports Swap, both at Yonge and Millwood (north of Davisville) and none seemed to gouge me.
There's also a scary looking guy who works out of a junk-filled mess opposite Trinity Bellwoods Park at Queen and Strachan, who I haven't dared to go to yet.

jm01

that would be Igor...he's actually very expensive for someone who does his work on the sidewalk with used parts

I've picked up some used saddles from him and he trued a wheel while i waited

CordellB

Isn't Igor a suspected dealer of stolen bikes and parts? I've seen his name thrown around whenever anyone talks about bike theft in Toronto.

jm01

I've heard that as well, but I've seen him buy bikes and he always asks for ID and quarantines the bikes for the required 2 weeks to allow for the police check. He will not buy a bike if the seller has no ID (I know this to be a fact).

I also know that he has testified in court against those that sold him stolen bikes.

I guess it's like anything, pawn shops, eBay, Craiglist...there's no way of knowing if something is stolen, but Igor does take precautions (He's out the money if the bike is stolen and is confiscated)

If you need to look for a stolen bike, there's a couple of places in this neighbourhood that knowingly buy and sell stolen bikes and parts...you don't have to look too hard

Turd Ferguson

I've heard sames stories about Igor. Someone told me they found their bike there after it had been stolen. I also heard a rumour someone set fire to his place once? Could be a tall tale that made a life of it's own.

Anyway, with the hookers on the corner I didn't think it's a place worth going to although when my bike got lifted I did check it out

My rear wheel needs truing so I'll have tofix it asap. Cycle Shoppe did this for me last Sepotember and it cost me around $45.00. Is it normal for a rim to go out of whack again or could it of been a poor job? I'm wondering if I should just buy the truing tool and do it myself? I decided much of the bike work myself ( cable, cleaning etc) to save a few buck but I've heard turing is a skill that takes practice?

jm01

Must be rumours...no one has set fire to his store...a few broken windows, though, they're now boarded up, but he'll be opening for the summer shortly.

If you checked out Igor's when your bike was stolen, you'll remember that he didn't have that many...mostly old donor bikes in the backyard...2 or 3 hanging on a rack by his back door

You should come down to our neighbourhood occassionally...you'll notice a lack of hookers on Igor's corner (he's next door to a funeral home...yes, the clients get stiff, but not in the way you imply)

Yep...wheels go out of true quite often...depends on the weight, spoke tension, bumps, etc....I have mine done at The Urbane Cyclist on John Street, but lately have been taking them to Kamikaze in Collingwood and have them done on the weekend...Kris does a great job at half the price of the Toronto stores

Turd Ferguson

I ended up taking my bike into Urbane to have the wheel trued. Cost me $20...not bad. Unforuntately I can't get in for a tune up until May 3rd so I'm going to do the work myself.

jm01

that's not bad...they usually charge me about the same...a couple of weeks ago I took my rear wheel to Kris at Kamikaze in Collingwood when at the cottage...ended up replacing 9 spokes and truing the wheel...he charged me $38.00

mike alanko

Absolutely the best shop in the city is Bicycle Specialties. Mike is quite fair in his pricing and I know of no one in the city whose skills rival his. Shannon at Bikes on Wheels is also excellent, though. I do my own work, mostly, so I'm not that informed, but I would recommend getting major repairs done in the middle of winter if possible. I've noticed how busy shops get in the summer, it's definetly a problem.

chephy

I had quite a bad experience with Bike on Wheels wrenching once. After they tuned-up my bike it shifted much worse than before the tune-up... a couple of hundred kms later it didn't want to shift at all. Turns out the cable they put in was all rusted up. That was the last of the incidents I've had with bike shops after which I decided to do all the wrenching myself. I did learn a lot and had a lot of fun in process, so maybe it was all for the best.

gbcb

I'm going to put in a good word for Derek at the Bike Joint (290 1/2 Harbord). I've always been happy with the service there, and he was great in helping my friend to build up a bike around an old Gardin frame.

DHR

Sorry to revive an old thread, but the topic interests me and I think that a lot might have changed in a year. For example, Bicycle Specialties and Cavern Cycles have closed since the last posting.

I have a Dawes Galaxy bike that I have hardly ridden in a couple of decades. The current model is here https://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/galaxy.htm but mine is 30 years older.

I'd like to try biking again so I'm thinking of getting the bike cleaned up and tuned up. Any recommendations for an LBS not too far from Yonge and York Mills? I am willing to travel , so I'm considering Urbane, for example.

I don't want to spend lots of money or effort -- I'm not sure how much biking I'll actually get around to. But of course I want someone who does a reasonable job.

IronMac

BoW didn't put in a stainless steel cable then.

I took the TDSB's bike repair course and can now do most repair jobs up to medium.