Best Place to Buy a Good Used Bike?

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 13, 2011 at 10:04pm

Working Bikes has been working to improve their quality, I have no idea exactly how their bikes are currently but I do know the quality of people they have had wrenching lately.

 

Personally I recomend Ciclo Urbano, The Recyclery or Working Bikes in that order for purely personal reasons that have no bearing on the quality of their product.

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Permalink Reply by Rowbike Mike on January 14, 2011 at 9:36am

 

Thanks for all of your feedback - this has been very helpful. 

 

In searching on the Internet, I also saw some mentions of a store called "A Nearly New" bicycle shop on North Broadway.  Has anyone had any experience with that store?

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Permalink Reply by pjc jr on January 14, 2011 at 11:40am

I like Nearly New on the northside!  Just south of Irving Park, west side of street on Broadway/Halsted (same street on this block).  Good deals and good service....

 

Also, I and friends have bikes in house collecting dust.  Let me know style of bike (road, SS, three speed) and size your looking for and could tell you if we have any good deals for you!

 

Email me, "pjc jr"

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Permalink Reply by pjc jr on January 14, 2011 at 11:42am

Yes, I pick up used parts and donate old bikes and parts to them.  Always loaded with bikes ready to roll...friendly guys, and small (cash only) business setting.

Rowbike Mike said:

 

Thanks for all of your feedback - this has been very helpful. 

 

In searching on the Internet, I also saw some mentions of a store called "A Nearly New" bicycle shop on North Broadway.  Has anyone had any experience with that store?

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Permalink Reply by Adam Torres on January 16, 2011 at 1:23am

Working Bikes!!!

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 16, 2011 at 1:33am

Good to hear-- I wasn't aware there had been any sort of shift.

It was previously very difficult to recommend WBC to the majority of people who would ask me where to buy a used bike, as I knew they wouldn't have the knowledge or skills to be able to identify what it needed to get it up to par for daily, trouble free use.  Kind of a tough sell to tell them they'd probably have to take it to a bike shop to get it working well after they bought it.

Sean W. said:

Regarding Working Bikes, I can say quite definitively that they have been increasing their quality standards over the past couple of years, especially so over the past year. Prices have inched up to reflect this, but pretty much every bike that makes it to the floor these days has had something resembling a full overhaul, with wheels trued, new grease in all the right places, new cables and housing when needed, new tires, components replaced, you name it. I'd say each bike gets on average 1-3 hours of undivided professional mechanic's attention. They are aware of the reputation from the earlier days and are working hard to change that. The work done to the bike is shown on the tag, and the pricing is intended to be comparable to legit eBay/craigslist bikes. The mechanics inspect, test ride, and and sign off each others work. If you haven't seen the "product" being put on the floor for awhile, I think you might be pleasantly surprised.

Granted I'm biased, as I wrenched there over the summer. But it's because of that experience that I can say they take this quite seriously. Go take a look, then go volunteer :) It's a great place.

 

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on January 16, 2011 at 7:42am

I have a friend who had very good experiences with Blackstone bikes on the southside.

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