Chicagoans ~ What Is This Place?
 

The clues.

1) Bike store
2) Broadway
3) North Side
4) Under the tracks
5) Cheap-o fixed gear conversions for $400 sitting outside

What's up?

Uptown Bikes (was Urban Bikes)
(773) 728-5212
4653 North Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640

pretty good shop, very cool people. Stop in and chat with them, or just check out the store. The had/have a bsaement/'warehouse' full o' goodies!

Not Urban Bikes, Uptown Bikes.

Good people. Some track stuff in there. I go there when Marcus is closed. It's also closer to me.

thinking old skool in a new school world - thanks for the correction

It's a nice spot for a store and it's close to my fav 'lil Chinatown bakery on Argyle. Though $400 is bit much for a conversion.

How long have they been open?

since this morning

Don't tell me you were one of the squeegee guys dartin' around on Wilson & Broadway!

Didn't David Allen Grier play a squeegee guy in a skit on "In Livin' Color" ?

Ah, DAG! He's a riot. Especially when he's a guest on "Loveline". And who can forget "Crank Yankers" !?

I think raygunner is another incarnation of Merton. Please see the above post for credible proof. ;)

Among other cool things about that shop is they have a snow-plow bike.

I just think $400 is a tad bit too much for a fixed gear conversion.

Maybe, but they built those bikes from frame and fork up. New wheels, chain, crank, bb, stem, handlebar, etc. For the non-bike savy -- I'd say that's not too bad.

like I said, this is a pretty cool shop and was a nice alternative is Marcus was not in the office. They do really good work and have a pretty savvy staff. The wall of cranks/rings/pedals has some good deals on it every now and then. Personally, I think hitting up Working Bikes first for a conversion project that YOU can build-up (and learn from! Go figure!) is the way to go...

165 is right. Working Bikes is the way to go. Their warehouse is closed for the winter, so you'd have to wait until spring. Got this bike for ~ $50, and in 3 years the only thing I've replaced is the wheelset and front brake. And I learned a heck of a lot along the way.
http://education.ragnaroksystems.com/peu1.jpg

Where is Working Bikes? Hadn't heard of it before...

Working Bikes Cooperative | 927 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL. | 708 660-9452

so if working bikes warehouse is closed for winter what is in their storefront? i am coming down from milwaukee this weekend and i was going to try to stop by there and see if i could pick up a bike to convert for my bro. for his birthday.

Best to call regarding the storefront.

the storefront seems to have bikes that they've already cleaned up and made all the adjustments on, which means that you're not going to get the best deal. I highly recommend the warehouse once it's open. But that's just my style. If you want a bike that you can ride home on, go to the storefront.
I've learned to make it perfectly clear when buying a bike from their warehouse that you dont want them to do ANYTHING on it, otherwise, tell them you want one tiny thing done like having the wheels trued for a flat fee, they will go to town (no stopping those geeks once they've started adjusting your brakes, shifter, chain tension, etc - seriously) and then try to charge you for it. But I'm not bitter. Oh wait, that's a lie.

I usually go the other way. I walk in, know exactly what I'm looking for and tell them so. I usually walk out of there with a frame stripped down. They start dropping the price. I tell them - "I don't want the wheels, the derailleurs, the brakes, this seat, etc" save for cranks and handlebar stem and seatpost and you can get a frame for about $30 bucks. Good times. Built 4 bikes this way.

http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/misc/bikes.jpg

I miss Gretchen, even if she coasted... :'(

So do I, so do I.

I still haven't named the new ride yet. It'll come to me eventually. Hopefully once I'm done tinkering.