Are there any in downtown Boston other than Back Bay Bicycle? I live in Roslindale so I never usually hit any places downtown. Back Bay Bicycle is pretty far from where I work so I'm wondering if there is anything closer. Thanks.

garage d'velo just opened up in downtown right across from south station. i hear they're pretty fixie friendly. also, cambridge bikes on mass. ave. o'er the bridge, and boston bikes on beacon street just past kenmore square. those two might be a tad far though...there's also community bikes on tremont in the south end.

back bay bikes is ********ly over-priced. i only used to go there for the air hose, and in an emergency.

Well I am glad someone else feels the same way about back bay bikes. I have never really had a good experiance with that shop. Garage de velo is has alot of used equipment but Jeff and Dave are both good guys. Community is great but you may also want to check out Wheel works or Harris cyclery. I think we all know a little about Sheldons knowledge.

Harris is actually my regular LBS 'cause it's not too far from my house and obviously fixie friendly. They are super overpriced in a lot of cases though. I went to Garage de Velo after I posted and I think they were a little freaked out by me when I walked in. I'm dressed for work(Shirt and Tie) and that place definitely does almost exclusively courier business so they probably don't see too many suits in there. All of that aside the guy was friendly and helpful. Really awesome used frames for cheap. I saw an old Bianchi that was sweet. I may go there for most of my stuff now. They look like they need the business more than International or Harris etc. The world needs more shops like that.

I do agree with that. Jeff used to sell alot of frankensteined singlespeeds to messengers and what not. He used to build up a bike and lock it up with a little sign. Dave used to work at IF. Good shop but I also like Community alot.

Really? I have an old friend that works over at IF that I haven't talked to in a couple of years. We used to work at the Burrito together (R.I.P Big Burrito). Seems like a pretty cool job. I wouldn't give it up for the world.

Anyway, I think I'm going to check out Community today after work. I actually ride right by there every day but I figured it wasn't that good of a shop. It looks super small and it is in the South End which I assumed to mean nothing but $4,000 titanium roadie machines and $hitty mountain bikes. I really need a reliable place downtown that I can get emergency items from (see post titled Thank you for the reason)

garage de velo is by far my favorite bike shop, but i may have a somewhat biased opinion, being a messenger. the guys there are real cool though, super friendly service, i even got a flat fixed for free there once. and plus, unlike the jerkoff's at back bay, garage actually lets you use their tools. (i hate back bay bikes)

Don't take this the wrong way but, if you are a messenger how are you posting on a message board in the middle of the day? I'm not trying to be a d!ck I'm just curious.

RIP Big Burrito indeed. is Burrito Max still alive? they were owned by the same people, right?

Burrito Max does exist, however, it is not quite what it used to be even though it is the same owner.