Comments on: Love for the LBS Guys

By: Steven

Steven — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:36:42 +0000

If you live near Richmond, VA check out Carytown Bike Shop. I (and my buddies) have gone to the larger / sell a ton of bikes just a short trip from my home and each time it’s hit or miss whether good service is offered. So I went to C.B.S. after a tire blowout that sounded like a gun going off beneath me (ripped tire) after going to beforementioned shop without success. The bunch of young guys at Carytown provide great service and good conversation. Keith is quick to provide insight and point me to products that aren’t necessary the most expensive they carry. You can’t beat honest and sincere advice. It’s nice to be respected as a customer.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:55:51 +0000

Phat Moose Cycles in Ottawa, Canada – Dave and Kent are the owners and while the shop is pretty gritty, they build the best wheels in town. Two examples – Kent lent me his personal DH bike for a friend to ride when he was visiting from BC. Another time, Kent pulled the FOX 36 fork off his personal bike so I could demo it for two weeks.

By: adam

adam — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:28:29 +0000

alas no longer my LBS (now live about 3000 miles away), but Stevie at Specialised Cycles in Connaught Road, Norwich, UK is everything you could want from an LBS guy. Mostly grumpy, but usually entertainingly so, and the most dependable, expert and good value bike shop around. I try to stop by for some abuse (erm, advice )every time i’m in the country.

By: Jules

Jules — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:05:08 +0000

I know it’s a little late but I’d be remiss if I didn’t post my fav LBS’ in North Texas. Of course my favorite is my boyfriend. He’s very knowledgeable about all things bike related and helped me get my start in cycling. His knowledge comes from years of tinkering with his own bikes and racing but he also works part-time for The Bicycle Path in Denton, TX. Gary, the owner, and the rest of the crew are awesome and very knowledgeable. Plano Cycling & Fitness is another awesome shop I frequent. I just went there for a fit and now my ride is much more comfortable. They are also one of the sponsors of my racing team, PACC.

By: Erik

Erik — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:46:59 +0000

Glenn, Brian and all the people at Campus Cyclery in Cincinnati!

Always there for me in a pinch. Always willing to help. Great to ride with. Good people.

By: John

John — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:34:47 +0000

Racer is the best. I live an hour north of Racer’s shop and often take my bike to him; passing multiple shops along the way.

I’m a nobody with a mid-level bike that I will keep for the next 10 years but he still treats me like I just bought a high-end bike off of him and might buy another in two years. That’s rare.

By: Kathleen@ForgingAhead

Kathleen@ForgingAhead — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:57:12 +0000

What a great story!

I live in San Francisco (home of a thousand bike shops) but drive to Pt. Reyes to have Mike Varley of Black Mountain Cycles work on my bike. I think he and Racer might be related :-)

By: MU

MU — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:52:06 +0000

Josef from http://flyingpigeon-la.com is the man in Los Angeles. He opened up his shop next door to the non-profit bike collective he also founded. And he still spends hours helping people figure out how to rig a unique ride, track down an obscure Dutch part, or lobby their local city councilman to put in a bike lane. One of biking’s best friends.

By: Davidq

Davidq — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:44:53 +0000

Had one in SoCal and now one in Iowa. Time to start searching Indianapolis/Southern IN (moving again).

Open Road Bicycle Shop in Pasadena. you will either love it or hate it. Steve is an incredible mechanic who simply amazes me. He designs new parts (created Side-Mount-Pedals) and has a new stem and wheel design coming out. If you want a meticulously organized shop, this is not for you. A little chaos goes a long way in his shop. He knows where everything is. Spend 10 minutes and you will get a good handle on where everything is. No URL for his shop that I know of.

In Iowa, Kyle’s Bikes is my local favorite. May not always recall my name (heck, “I” struggle with that) but my face they know. Blew a wheel on a stretching ride, and no one in town had a spoke. Kyle found a way to get me to my race that day. This shop is organized and meticulous. The service is incredible.

Glad to see the one Indy recommendation.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:44:36 +0000

I love Racer’s, he is awesome. Last year for 24 hours of Moab I crashed and was having problems with my bike. Even though Racer was racing he told me to bring my bike over and he fixed it! I could tell many more great stories about Racer’s.