Reviews about Bike Shops

akalantzis says "Stay away from the Pony Shop" about The Pony Shop - Evanston, IL

akalantzis — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:25:55 GMT

I'm writing to warn people about the Pony Shop.

A salesman sold my wife an ill-fitting men's bike under the assurance that it would be properly fitted to her after she purchased it. It was the end of the season, and it was very obvious to me that the salesman was looking to unload any of last season's bikes.

So we bought the bike, my wife rode it a couple of times and as you can imagine, she was experiencing considerable discomfort. We brought back the bike to the same salesman who sold us a new bike seat and let us know he actually didn't know how to fit people. He told us to come back in a couple weeks so that Lou, the owner could help us.

I called Lou a couple weeks later to schedule a fitting - he was very uninterested to say the least. Lou's fitting consisted of a thirty second look at my wife on the bike and a free change of the handlebars to a heaver (ie cheaper) set. As you can imagine, that didn't work and when we called to let him know, he proceeded to diagnose...

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OldHippie says "Quality...But At A Price" about Big Shark Bicycle Company - St. Louis, MO

OldHippie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:02:31 GMT

This is where I bought my Raleigh Detour 3.0 Hybrid/Comfort bike. ($320.00) Are they known for low prices? Certainly not. They carry some of the most expensive bikes I've ever seen. One competition road bike had a 'carbon fiber' frame and was priced at $5,000. I could buy a good used car for that amount.

They are known for "Customer Service". Every bike comes with free adjustments for life. Most high-end bike shops give only one to three years of service. After a week to a month, most shift cables will stretch a bit. This requires an adjustment. It's FREE at Big Shark with the purchase of any bike. If your bike has been in the basement or garage over the winter, bring it back for a FREE Spring check-up. Want to add on something, as I did with the Wald Folding Grocery Baskets? They install it FREE...if you bought your bike through them. But, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, go to Amazon.com or like site and save. They offer a full line of bike repairs, and common...

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shamrockbear says "A decent bike store, they know their stuff" about Village Cycle - Chicago, IL

shamrockbear — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:51:40 GMT

Well I needed a bike for my wife and I went to an actual brick and mortor store. I asked there staff for suggestions and they were very knowledgeable and helpful. They pointed me in the right directions and the prices were fair. I feel like I didnt get rock bottom pricing but that's hard to do when you purcharse retail at a store. If you know what you want you can order online, but if you need a little guidance they can help. Yes, I can see what the last reviewer meant by saying that they have a little attitude, but I think they get tons of non-shoppers always asking questions. I personally had a decent experience and they seem helpful enough. They do take their time so if your buying it may take you an hour or more to buy. The one thing I have to say is that they offer a free tune-up within a year of purchase so if you use it, good deal. They do a solid job I actually would give them a 3 1/2 stars but it wont let me.......

lyonsjoe says "they are great" about Roswell Bicycles - Roswell, GA

lyonsjoe — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:40:11 GMT

they were greattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt...

S-Rad says "Affordable Bike + Helping Others = Working Bikes " about Working Bikes - Chicago, IL

S-Rad — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:15:53 GMT

Working Bikes is an organization that rehabs bicycles in Chicago and sells them to the public at an afforadable price. The money from bicycle sales is then used to fund shipments of bikes and parts to developing countries throughout the world.

This place is great if you want to find a cheap bike. I found a bike here two years ago and still ride it today - it was only $40! Sure it's not as fabulous as a brand new road bike from a shop, but it gets the job done. The best part is that you actually feel good about your purchase since it goes to a great cause. I recommend this place to all my friends, but make sure you get there early especially in the summer, lines form before the storefront even opens and bikes sell out fast!...

Troy says "Great local shop for the serious cyclist" about The Pony Shop - Evanston, IL

Troy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:49:51 GMT

The Pony Shop is different from most bike shops. Lou Kuhn, the owner, is there 6 days a week from open until close - he has pride in the shop and passion in delivering great service.

Many shops are run like club houses for people who just want to hang out around bikes. I remember taking my bike to another shop for a repair where I was promised it would be completed before the weekend so I could ride a century I was training for. When I went to pick it up on Friday, it had not been touched. The only thing the employee could think to say was "Bummer dude." The Pony Shop is the antithesis of this - in 8 years they have never been late.

The staff will take their time with you explaining the differences between the various bikes and not try to over sell you. Lou is an avid cyclist himself and very active in the local rides and racing scene.

Go to the Pony Shop, you will not be disappointed!

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Matt says "Great selection, with spotty service. So why do I go back?" about Village Cycle - Chicago, IL

Matt — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 02:25:49 GMT

I have a love/hate relationship with Village Cycle. I have purchased two of my bikes and two bikes for my kids there. I like their wide selection (10,000 bikes in stock!) and their location which is on my way home from work. I really want to like their staff because they are all young and seem to be passionate about the bikes. I have two problems with them. One problem is that they exude a bit of an attitude if you are not a "real" biker dude. That is just annoying to me.

My second issue is that their work has been spotty. A few years ago I took in my sons bike to have training wheels put on it because the first pair had broken. They did such a sloppy job and paid so little attention that the training wheels fell off as my son was riding the bike out of the store. They were sheepish about it, but ultimately offered nothing to make up for such a gross and careless mistake.

Then today, I dropped by because I had been hearing a very weird cracking every time I pedaled...

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Rainmaker says "The place to go, if you know your stuff, or if you don't" about Roswell Bicycles - Roswell, GA

Rainmaker — Fri, 25 May 2007 19:59:15 GMT

It is a rare pleasure to find a store with exceptionally knowledgeable staff, but Roswell Bicycles is one of those finds. If you are the person who would spend more on a bicycle than you would on a car, this is the place for you. If you are the person shopping for value while getting bikes for more than one family member at a time, this is still the place to shop. At different times I bought 4 bicycles here, one for my daughter, two for my son and one for myself. I have been pleased each time. I could probably find a bicycle for less at Walmart. The pricing benefits of massively mass production combined with massive worldwide distribution are significant. But, even if I want a low end bike, I may not be happy with the one I get at Walmart. Good customer service is valuable. I need the bicycle that matches my budget and my initended use and knowledgeable staff is how I avoid wasting money on a bike that sits in my garage unused.
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