Calling all Brooklynites!!

Discuss your favorite bike shop experience in the Brooklyn area

Roy's Sheepshead Cycles
Coney Island Ave. Btw. X & Y
Sales help: It depends who you get. Ilya (red beard) is excellent
Mechanics: At least 2, very good, knowledgable mechanics
Selection: Pretty big selection for a LBS.
Prices: Competetive
Mail order: Can't compete with the selection on other sites.

BayRidge Bicycles
Third Avenue & 59th Street
Pat (the owner) was a former tri-athlete herself - very informative and patient with her customers. Great mechanics and great neighborhood shop.
Price - very competitive

The best selection of course is at R&A. I have had mostly good experiences there, although I understand not everyone does. Just don't go when it is busy if you want to get help with small stuff.

R&A second (for inventory)

Dixons in park slope has been super good though. I showed up with a flat and no cash and they gave me a new tube and said, come back later and pay. I doubt I would get that many other places. and they always have those little bits that nobody else would carry. IF THEY WOULD ONLY CLEAN UP THEIR SHOP! I wish i could buy everything there, but there is not to much inventory as half the shop is random crap like a key making station?

Verrizanno bs in Bayridge is also very very helpful and has fantastic prices (5th ave and 71st st)

Bay Ridge Bikes is great!

They did one build for me and tuned up my other; always the best service and well worth the trip over to my home town. They also have excellent prices. Check out the Merlin in my sig for the build they did.

FYI, one of the best Cheesesteak places I have ever been to is right nearby at 4th Av and 99th.

Second vote for Verrazzano Bikes - 5th Ave. and 72nd or 73rd in Bay Ridge. Bought my Trek 5200 tere, and have gotten nothing but good service from them.

Stevesurf, what's the name of your cheesesteak place? I gotta check it out!

So, I only know it by sight (southbound side of 4th near 100th Street), but I believe it's Philadelphia Grille - it's take out only.

stopped by R&A cycles this afternoon. Can't understand their policy - how can one determine which bike is good for them if the customer is not even allow to test the bike out (not even on a trainer)?

...and that's a great reason to try Bay Ridge Bikes!

R&A won't let you test ride a bike unless they know you are serious. They got to know me when I was looking to buy and offered me a test ride without my asking. However, when it came to the bike I ultimately bought I couldn't test it as it was a custom build. I can't blame them for not wanting to build up a bike for a test ride.

R&A???
Where are they located?

Great, I know exactly where it is - I'm gonna check it out this week. Thanks for the tip!

I think that's complete b.s. How can anyone buy a bike first before being fitted -- can't understand the logic behind that claim.

After speaking with the salesman this afternoon, I specifically asked about different bikes and he insisted that I should pick a bike first (meaning buy it first) and then R&A will customize my body geometry to the bike selected. That's like basically saying once you pay for the bike, you're stuck with it regardless of the fit/comfort. What he's implying is that any "potential" buyer should just get charged upfront before even consider a purchase.

This is not a R&A bashing thread, just had to give my two cents!

If you are there when the loony toons owner is there, he tends to take good care of you also. Ilya is great as well. Great selection, great prices. I don't know much about the mechanics though. I am due for a tune up, might stop by later this week.

I'll bump this thread w/ my $0.02. R&A offered to let me take a test ride one Sat. when it was raining so I doubt they have a no test rides policy. Might just be the salesperson. Having said that, I 2nd or 3rd Sheepshead Cycles. Way out in Bklyn, but good selection of Lemonds, Bianchis and probably Treks, and the owner will work w/ you on a price you can live with. Didn't notice if they had Specialized or Cannondale so give them a call first if that's what you're looking for.

R&A does a really good job with the fit, I wouldn't worry about that. They have enough inventory to make sure you get something that does. When I went for my bike they had one in the next size up from their size estimate, one that I thought should fit, and they convinced me otherwise, and they were right.

I guess it could depend on the amount being spent. I spent a lot. If you are buying a $500 bike they may not spend as much time. It helps to go when they aren't busy.

Ultimately, the bike I bought fit perfectly and I could ride it all day without fatigue.

And Sheepshead Cycles is another good place to go. I go to both R&A and Sheepshead. I also go to Sids on 34th a lot (near my office), and Toga on the way back from the GWB.

I bought my Specialized Sequoia there.
Not sure about Cannondale.

Great shop, Sheepshead Cycles. They do carry Cannondales now and are big on Specialized stuff.

I bought both of my bikes there. Very happy with prices and service.

yup yup..
there great people.. they will go out of there way to make us feel like home.. they can get alot of different bikes not listed, plus can try out the stuff before buying or just sit there an chit chat..

Phil was the salesperson, I was told later that he may be the owner of the shop

Phil is the owner. He can be very tough. It is sometimes best to talk to the sales people who are not Phil.

Just picked up '08 QR Lucero



Special THANKS to Patrice/Anthony & crew

Bay Ridge Bicycle World
8916 Third Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11209-5706
Phone: (718) 238-1118

More pics here: https://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=386542

Mr C's Bicycle Shop
4622 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Phone: (718) 438-7283

The three people that run it are very knowledgeable and helpful. The prices for some of their items are a little over MSRP, but they have some amazing deals on clothing and other things. They sell mostly Cannondale and Specialized, and their selection is varied, but not as large as I've seen at some other shops. The maintenance they provide is great!

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Mr C's
kind of very stuck up... people they sold me a ill fitted bike .. 2 sizes too large.. an told me it was fine...