The Chainlink

Best cycling/bike shop in chicago (personal opinoin)

So i live in the burbs but ill be heading up this weekend to check out some shops i chitown. So tell me your favorite one, and why.

Thnks

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Permalink Reply by youngmancycle on April 9, 2013 at 9:43pm
Ok I've narrowed my search to boulevard bikes and working bikes.. Wht do you think?
Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on April 9, 2013 at 9:59pm

The two are vastly different. I have bought both of my bikes from Working Bikes, but I buy accessories and service from Boulevard. If I were buying a new bicycle, Boulevard would be my first, and likely last, stop.

Permalink Reply by youngmancycle on April 9, 2013 at 10:03pm
So you would suggest buying used from workin and a new bike from boulevard?

Justin B Newman said:

The two are vastly different. I have bought both of my bikes from Working Bikes, but I buy accessories and service from Boulevard. If I were buying a new bicycle, Boulevard would be my first, and likely last, stop.

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on April 9, 2013 at 10:06pm

On your way in from the burbs stop at RRB in Kenilworth. Ron has been building frames and bikes for 40 years. He still builds them. The mechanic is Ron and/or his brother Wally. Infinite depth of knowledge does not cost a bit more than you pay at other shops, it probably costs less.

Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on April 10, 2013 at 6:56am

Yes. Visit both and see what bicycles talk to you!

youngmancycle said:

So you would suggest buying used from workin and a new bike from boulevard?

Justin B Newman said:

The two are vastly different. I have bought both of my bikes from Working Bikes, but I buy accessories and service from Boulevard. If I were buying a new bicycle, Boulevard would be my first, and likely last, stop.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 7:24am

I don't even think Working Bikes carries new bikes.  Their whole shop revolves around donated bikes and rehabilitating some to send off to Africa as donations to the needy.  Their motto is "Giving old bikes new homes."   They fund this charitable operation by selling some used bikes (those not suited to application in Africa or wherever) and stripped parts locally here to raise money to support their main mission.    

They sort the bikes they get in, rebuild some, strip others,  sell some bikes & parts locally,  and ship out certain ones suited for where they are going as a charity.  You should really read their website.  They are not really a "bike shop" in the traditional sense and more of a coop that rebuilds donated and abandoned bikes for re-gifting abroad to the needy 3rd-world.  

I'm not even sure if they even take in bikes for repair unless they were originally sold there.  Not that I would try as I'd rather pay someone to sleep with my wife than have someone else work on one of my bikes. 

Permalink Reply by David P. on April 10, 2013 at 8:26am

Youngmancycle,

I'm responding to your which-of-the-three-is-best question here, since it seems more appropriate.

As others have pointed out, Working Bikes is not a conventional bike shop, and you cannot go there and test-ride or buy or order a new 'road bike' or any other kind of new bike. If you want to buy an inexpensive used-refurbished bike, or if you want to acquire old parts to put something together yourself, that's the place to go.

Between the other two, perhaps you'd find Smart Bike Parts somewhat more conducive to roadie-ness, though I do not know what you really mean by "road bike." Smart Bike Parts does not have a big showroom, but they seem to sell a lot of roadie stuff on their web site (I suspect they do more business online than in the store, perhaps?) I don't go in there much, but they are cool people. Last time I stopped in there, on the way home from work, I was offered beer and cookies. Boulevard is my LBS and is an all-around outstanding shop.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on April 10, 2013 at 9:31am

Working Bikes has a full service bike repair shop which is open to anyone, regardless of where she originally obtained the bike. Their rates are good and the mechanics that work on bike repairs are top notch. The service started... uh, I forget, last year sometime?

And no, occasionally a new bike will find its way into the shop, but Working Bikes does not stock new bikes. As James notes, the inventory is totally dependent on what gets donated.

James BlackHeron said:

I don't even think Working Bikes carries new bikes.  Their whole shop revolves around donated bikes and rehabilitating some to send off to Africa as donations to the needy.  Their motto is "Giving old bikes new homes."   They fund this charitable operation by selling some used bikes (those not suited to application in Africa or wherever) and stripped parts locally here to raise money to support their main mission.    

They sort the bikes they get in, rebuild some, strip others,  sell some bikes & parts locally,  and ship out certain ones suited for where they are going as a charity.  You should really read their website.  They are not really a "bike shop" in the traditional sense and more of a coop that rebuilds donated and abandoned bikes for re-gifting abroad to the needy 3rd-world.  

I'm not even sure if they even take in bikes for repair unless they were originally sold there.  Not that I would try as I'd rather pay someone to sleep with my wife than have someone else work on one of my bikes. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 10:07am

I'm not super-impressed by the quality, or at least consistency, of the shop work that sometimes comes out of the WB.  While I wasn't aware they did walk-in repairs on any bike I've seen a bunch of their bikes come through my own hobby shop and I shake my head at some of them.  While the bikes are "road worthy" some of the repairs and adjustments aren't exactly the way I would do it.  But then I'm somewhat picky and a bit of a retrogrouch perfectionist.

Just the other day I had someone email me asking if I had any Sturmey-Archer hub oiler plugs on hand as one of his friends/acquaintances had recently purchased a 3-speed  with a Sturmey Archer hub from Working Bikes.   While the bike rode fine the oiler was missing and the "fix" on it as sold from WB was the hole where the missing oiler should go simply being taped over with black electrical tape!   o.0

Not the way I would do it, but I guess it works.  The oilers are only a $2 part...  A lot (most?) of the guys (and gals) working at Working Bikes are volunteers and I'm sure they get pretty busy turning the bikes around for resale as well as the ones being shipped out overseas.  The prices are super-awesome-great on their used stuff but they don't put a ton of work into putting these bikes back into "showroom condition"  before they put them on the sales floor.  So a lot of minor things don't get fixed perfectly or sometimes get overlooked.  I don't want to talk down Working Bikes as they are a great service to the community, the world at large, and the best place for bargain-priced good used bikes and bike parts in town.  They just wouldn't be my first choice for walk-in bike repairs if I needed them, or was asked to refer a shop for bike repairs.  I would suggest that any used bike purchased there not have the first regular tune-up skipped.  It might need it sooner than, for instance, a used bike purchased at a regular shop like Boulevard.   The few used bikes there I have looked-over in their showroom were SOLID, but priced accordingly. 

Permalink Reply by Kara on April 10, 2013 at 12:52pm

+1 for Comrade. My partner and I have gone there for a bunch of work and they are stand up guys. Very honest and will only do what is necessary on your bike and will not try to rip you off (in my experience, at least).

Permalink Reply by JMinHP on April 10, 2013 at 1:38pm

I had a very bad experience there when my wife was looking at bikes.  She was just getting in to road biking/triathlons and was interested in an entry level road bike that she would feel comfortable with (e.g., interrupter levers were a must if I had any hope of getting her to ride in the city).  The staff was more concerned with pushing high priced bikes at her with, for her, uncomfortable riding positions, rather than listening to what she was interested in and what would be a better fit.

Rich S said:

What specifically about Village Cycle is shady? 

I bought a bike from them a year ago and the sales person was not pushy at all. Answered my questions and didn't once try to steer me in a different direction. I knew what bike I wanted before I walked in the shop so maybe that helped. I haven't gone there for service of any kind however so can't speak on that. 

JM 6.5 said:

A vehement THIRD! I knew (and know) enough to not get taken but their shady staff, and I feel bad for those less knowledgeable.  Stay far far away.

Scott Chillson said:

I second that.

dan brown 4.4 miles said:

also to avoid : Village Cycle Center on Wells in Olde Towne.

gimmicks and some unscrupulous practices (no spell checker here)

DB

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 4:08pm

To be fair, tri bikes are all about uncomfortable riding positions for maximum areo and legs into the pedals.  More vertical seat tubes pushing saddles further forward, longer top tube to make up for that and a slammed drop bar way down low and tri bars way out front on that.   If you even mentioned  triathlon to a bike salesmen he'd be naturally steering her towards a real tri bike rather than a road bike.   He probably wasn't used to hearing the words "Entry Level Tri Bike"  meaning anything less that 105 or better and radical geometry.   Most bike salesmen either start to salivate or maybe throw up a little in their mouths when they hear the word tri...


JM 6.5 said:

I had a very bad experience there when my wife was looking at bikes.  She was just getting in to road biking/triathlons and was interested in an entry level road bike that she would feel comfortable with (e.g., interrupter levers were a must if I had any hope of getting her to ride in the city).  The staff was more concerned with pushing high priced bikes at her with, for her, uncomfortable riding positions, rather than listening to what she was interested in and what would be a better fit.


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