Iron Cycles closes in Albany Park

I just noticed this weekend that the storefront on Montrose is for rent. From what I can gather online, it sounds like they got fed up with break-ins. I'm very sad as this was only about a block and a half away from me! I know they still have the store in Wicker Park, but I'm not going to haul down there. Anyone have any other info/suggestions for bike shops in this area?

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Permalink Reply by Kim on December 6, 2013 at 8:52am

According to their FB page, they said: "We've moved to 1375 N Milwaukee. We're hoping to avoid some of the trouble we faced in Albany Park with all of the break-ins and gang violence...."

I always got the impression that they were doing well there. We took our bikes there for tune-ups and repairs, and brought helmets from there. While, I appreciate the suggestions of other bike shops -- it is sad to lose a bike shop so close to my home. Definitely will be more work to get to a bike shop. 


Bob Kastigar said:

I thought Iron Cycles were very supportive.  I took my bike there several times for "minor" repair work - replacing cables, chains, etc.  They took it right away, and I either waited a few minutes or went and had coffee and came back.  It seemed to me they were busy, but I don't know how busy you need to be to make it as a bike shop. 

I wish they would have charged higher prices so they could have stayed there.

Permalink Reply by Donny on December 6, 2013 at 10:40am

Yeah, regarding that "bike shop" on the northwest corner of Bryn Mawr and Western: Back on Labor Day weekend, I was in a pinch for a derailleur cable so I stopped in hoping they would have what I needed.  The guy comes back with a brake cable!  When I told him I was looking for a DERAILLEUR cable, he replied to me saying, "it's the same thing..."  Immediately, I just turned around and walked out thinking I should've gone to Johnny Sprockets like I had originally planned!

Now, I don't know whether this place is under new ownership or not, but I do know I'll never be stepping foot in that shit-hole again! And considering that there are many "REAL" bike shops in the area that have the correct parts (as well as bike-techs who know the difference between brake and derailleur cables), this place is a book you CAN judge by it's cover...!


Eli said:

FYI, the bike shop at Bryn Mawr and Western (I'm not using the name since I don't know what they're calling it this month; it's had numerous name changes) is widely suspected of dealing in stolen bikes. See http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/bike-shop-near-andersonvil..., http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/andersonville-bikes-fitnes....

Permalink Reply by Jeff Judge on December 6, 2013 at 11:53am

That's too bad. I've never been to the shop but a friend bought a bike from there and was really stoked about their service.

Other shops in the area that are good:

  • On the Route (Lawrence/Western)
  • Turin (Damen/Leland)
  • Roscoe Village Bikes (Roscoe/Damen)

All of these shops have terrific folks working there. Get a Grip is great too but father west than I think you're looking.

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on December 6, 2013 at 1:36pm

Turin on Damen is a good local shop. You should also check out Green Machine Cycles on Montrose (couple of blocks east of the metra). The shop is just getting up and running but the owner is a great guy and knows his stuff.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on December 6, 2013 at 3:08pm


Jinx, by a couple of days...


Liz W. Durham said:

Turin on Damen is a good local shop. You should also check out Green Machine Cycles on Montrose (couple of blocks east of the metra). The shop is just getting up and running but the owner is a great guy and knows his stuff.

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on December 6, 2013 at 3:12pm

Ha! I saw Turin mentioned but missed in my scanning Green Machine Cycles. But Ezra at Green Machine deserves all sorts of shout outs so I won't apologize for he redundancy :)



Sarah D. 1-3.3 said:


Jinx, by a couple of days...


Liz W. Durham said:

Turin on Damen is a good local shop. You should also check out Green Machine Cycles on Montrose (couple of blocks east of the metra). The shop is just getting up and running but the owner is a great guy and knows his stuff.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on December 6, 2013 at 3:12pm

Agreed! 

Liz W. Durham said:

Ha! I saw Turin mentioned but missed in my scanning Green Machine Cycles. But Ezra at Green Machine deserves all sorts of shout outs so I won't apologize for he redundancy :)



Sarah D. 1-3.3 said:


Jinx, by a couple of days...


Liz W. Durham said:

Turin on Damen is a good local shop. You should also check out Green Machine Cycles on Montrose (couple of blocks east of the metra). The shop is just getting up and running but the owner is a great guy and knows his stuff.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on December 6, 2013 at 3:13pm

Hahahahaha. 

Cracking me up daily. You are on a roll. 

h' 1.0 said:

What does everyone think of Turin on Damen?

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on December 6, 2013 at 3:16pm

Jon Londres is a really stellar mechanic; they have an interesting selection of bikes. Can't say as I have been in simply as a customer...I usually just stop in to say hi and see if any new stuff is there.

h' 1.0 said:

What does everyone think of Turin on Damen?

Permalink Reply by Pedal To The People on December 10, 2013 at 7:02am

Kevin,

I'm unfamiliar with this shop.

Kevin C said:

"5600Bikes" is still registered to Robert Vaughters.

Adam, do you know of this "new" shop?



Pedal To The People said:

We will certainly be there for all your cycling needs!

Permalink Reply by Brandon Elliott on December 22, 2013 at 1:17pm

Hey everyone!  Thought I would chime in here, just found out about this thread tonight.

There was a bunch of stuff going on at the Montrose store, most of which doesn't need be aired out, but moving solely to Wicker Park came down primarily to a few things:

1. Our lease was up on Montrose.  It came to decided to extend the lease or move.

2. In our 4.5 years in Albany Park we suffered through 8 break-ins.  The least painful of which cost us a few thousand dollars, the most painful cost is much, much more.

3. The Wicker Park store was/is doing quite well with it's space and my focus lead me there.

4. I have taken over the reigns at Embrocation Cycling Journal.

Albany Park was an awesome neighborhood to be a part of.  I have spent more waking hours there than anywhere else in the last 5 years and leaving the neighborhood was a tough decision not taken lightly.

We're still here, albeit doing something a littler different.  Iron Cycles morphed from a tiny shop to one much larger, though not because that's exactly what I wanted.  The new Wicker Park store is the type of store that I love.  Smaller, more intimate, focusing on just  a few customers at a time.  We had become a shop much like all of the others: trying to move as many bikes and finish as many tune-ups as possible, which is fine for plenty of other bike shops.  But, I didn't set out to be just another bike shop.

I'm proud of what we did in Albany Park but at the same time very excited for our new chapter in Wicker Park.

We do have a bunch of the stock left from Albany Park, so if you're looking for anything (tires, tubes, chains, cassettes, etc etc) let us know.  I pass through Albany Park nearly every day on my commute and can arrange for delivery if needed.

Thank you all for your support, hopefully you can make it down to see us in Wicker Park, and of course follow along with our new web stuff as well.

As always, feel free to reach out to me directly (brandon at ironcycles dot com) or stop in to see us (1375 N Milwaukee)

Permalink Reply by Brandon Elliott on December 22, 2013 at 1:18pm

And as others have said, there are a few shops not too far away.  I strongly recommend Turin, and I've heard great things about Green Machine Cycles as well.

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