Brooklyn’s Friendliest Bike Shops

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IMG_1339Yes, the too-cool-for-school bike shop where no one will talk to you unless you come in on a vintage Italian racing bike or a fixie you built out of bamboo and scraps from the metalworking studio you interned at is a cliche. But, judging from the number of people who say they hate bike shops when you ask for recommendations, it’s also a real thing. For anyone who has ever paid for the privilege of being thrown shade, here are seven bikes shops that are baditude-free, friendly and stoked to help you find a new ride or tune up your wheels.
 

Bike Slug: This small, subterranean shop is by far my favorite service spot in BK. Not only are its employees super friendly, they are also honest. Case in point: When my bike seat got stolen last summer, I went to Bike Slug to see about getting a replacement. I was looking for something consistent with my 1963 Philips Cruiser, which was proving to be a harder find than I first thought. Rather than trying to just sell me something they had in stock, the guys at Bike Slug gave me some website suggestions for where I could find affordable, classic saddles instead. They will even lend you a bag of bike tools for you to make mini fixes yourself instead of paying for service fees (though I recommend them for anything more than a minor adjustment). As a bonus, Bike Slug is right next door to the English pub Black Swan, so you can grab a pint or a bite while you wait for your bike repair. The shop also offers a pretty sweet delivery service when you buy a new bike on their website. They assemble it for you, mail you keys to a new lock and give you directions to a predetermined location where they’ve locked up your new wheels. Your bike comes ready to ride and the $39 delivery fee includes the lock. Bike Slug, 1050 Bedford Ave. (between Lafayette Ave. & Clifton Pl.), Bed-Stuy, 718-247-7347 –Jordan Galloway

Bikesmith: I recently committed to taking a few lengthy rides this summer so I decided to get a faster, lighter bike than the Electra Townie I’ve been riding around for five years. When I went into Bikesmith on Grand Ave. in Williamsburg, where I’ve been going for tune-ups for the past year or so, they walked me through three or four options in my price range, let me take the bikes out for a spin, and enthusiastically explained all sorts of beginner stuff like, how are you really supposed to work your gears when riding up a big hill? And, how do you lock up a bike so it’s hard to steal? (No one steals a Townie–I’ve kept it locked up in front of my building in two different neighborhoods with no problems. Once I left it in front of Roebling Tea Room for a month.) There was no hard sell, just lots of help. When I stopped in a few weeks later with a friend who needed a new helmet, they gave my new bike a onceover and made a few adjustments on the spot. This is also one of the few bike shops in Brooklyn at which I’ve been helped by a female bike mechanic. Bikesmith, three locations, 667 Grand St., Williamsburg, 347-689-9929; 560 Vanderbilt Ave., Prospect Heights, 347-295-2339; 149 Smith St., Boerum Hill, 347-689-3345  –Annaliese Griffin

Ride Brooklyn: Years ago I lived in Portland, Ore., a town known for its craft beer, twee aesthetic and heinous bike snobbery. I took my decidedly not-cool bike to a shop near my house for regular tune-ups and repairs because it was convenient and because it was a worker-owned co-op, which I respected. These trips invariably included sighs, eyerolls and admonishments to learn to fix my bike myself, and generally put me off bike shop culture. When I decided to buy a new bike in Brooklyn a few years ago, I assumed I’d encounter more of the same, so it was to my great surprise and pleasure that my experience at Ride Brooklyn was completely fun and eyeroll-free. Ride carries a fairly large selection of brands including Cannondale, Electra, Linus, Diamondback and Schwinn, and they’re just as at home helping you pick out a zippy road bike for serious distance, as an everyday cruiser for navigating your neighborhood with ease. They’re also a complete repair shop and sponsors of Brooklyn Bike Park. Ride Brooklyn, two locations, 468 Bergen St., Park Slope, 347-599-1340, and 50 N 7th St., Williamsburg, 718-387-2453 –AG

Bicycle Station: Keep this place in mind next time you’re cruising along the bike paths on Flushing Ave. and get a flat. It’s really the only bike store along the waterfront from Williamsburg to Dumbo that doesn’t require much re-routing to get to. Located close by the BQE, on the corner of Park Ave. and Adelphi, Bicycle Station is owned and operated by Mike Rodriguez who has 30-plus years of experience repairing bikes. It’s not very often that you go to a bike shop and deal directly with its owner, but every time I’ve taken my bike to Bicycle Station, Rodriguez has handled my repairs himself. He’s a native Brooklynite who used to race bikes, and he takes a lot of pride in his products and repairs–he’s also very knowledgeable about bikes in general. I always feel comfortable taking my bike into his shop. His prices are very reasonable for repairs and his turn-around time is short. Bicycle Station, 171 Park Ave. (at Adelphi St.), Wallabout 718-638-0300 –JG

Harvest Cyclery–Bushwick: Yes, you can score a sweet vintage bike on Craigslist, but will it come with free tune-ups for three months? And, to really be real, was it stolen? Harvest Cyclery specializes in vintage bikes, from racers to cruisers, and while that might sound like code for “bike douchery,” we have it on good authority that that is not the case here. “Everyone I’ve met who works there qualifies as a bike nerd without being a bike snob,” says Emilie Ruscoe, BB contributor. “AJ (Nichols)…the owner, has put a lot of thought into how he wants to run the shop to make sure that it’s really accessible and helpful. It’s a fairly small-scale operation right now, but I’m pretty sure these guys have staying power.” Harvest is also a great choice if you bought a vintage bike somewhere and now need parts or repairs that you can’t do yourself or have left your usual bike mechanic scratching her head. Looking at you, vintage Raleigh owners with rod brakes. Harvest Cyclery, 606 Bushwick Ave., Bushwick, 929-234-5444 –AG

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Red Lantern Bicycles: Whenever I ask any of my friends in Fort Greene for their favorite bike shop recommendation, the answer is always Red Lantern. I myself was always a Bespoke Bicycle type of girl, but sadly, my go-to spot in the neighborhood shuttered earlier this year. Having it on good authority that Red Lantern was an excellent alternative, I decided to check it out. This Myrtle Ave. spot is like the mullet of hipster hangouts–it’s all bike party in the back and coffee shop in the front. (They even make their own nut milks.) While I can definitely recommend both the lattes and the bike repairs at this place, I will say that it can take a while to get someone’s attention. Don’t take it as attitude though. The dudes (where are all our female fixers?) here are really nice, they just have a tendency to only focus on one customer at a time, which is not a bad thing. It just means you should plan to be patient and probably head somewhere else if you’re in a hurry. If you’re in the market for a new bike, Red Lantern has a pretty wide selection of styles and the shop recently became a dealer for Raleigh bikes, which are great options for commuters. They keep up with current bike trends and their inventory is reflective of that. These guys are serious bike enthusiasts–so much so that they even show the Tour de France in its entirety every summer. Red Lantern, 345 Myrtle Ave. (between Carlton Ave. & Adelphi St.), Fort Greene, 347-889-5338 –JG

Dog Day Cyclery: Another shop filled with bike nerds, not bike snobs. “Dog Day Cyclery is the best kind of bike shop–neighborhoody and friendly,” says Georgia Kral, a former neighbor. “Damian (Nesbit, the owner) is really knowledgable and will tell you and even show you what he’s doing to fix your bike. Knowledge is power and he likes to share it.” It’s also one of your best bets if you suddenly need bike help while riding on the Brooklyn Greenway along the waterfront, or get a flat on your way to Pok Pok. Dog Day Cyclery, 115 Van Brunt Street, Columbia Waterfront, 347-799-2739 –AG

There are more friendly bike shops in Brooklyn than just these spots–718 Cyclery and Greenpoint Bikes also top our list. Got another favorite? Tell us below.

18 Responses

  1. Jennifer -

    Bicycle Station is the best! I’ve gone to Mike for 15 years, and a million bike shops have sprouted up since then, but he remains the best repair guy around.

    Reply
  2. Jan Bell -

    Re-Cycle A Bicycle at 35 Pearl St in Dumbo has been my go to bicycle place for the last few years. Susan is usually the one i run into there, and she is first class bicycle mechanic and always cheerful and informative. There are a lot of good folks who are always helpful and friendly working on both sides of the counter since they have a big repair and fix it /re-cycle area. They live up to their name, offer free classes and are very affordable. Not a massive selection of bikes for sale, but a real community hub in so many vital ways for folks of all ages, especially local youth. Tonight they have a volunteer bike class called ‘Women of Color’. They are also non-profit.

    Reply
  3. Jason -

    Great list! However, the dudes at Dog Day are kinda dicks, overcharge and don’t know how to fix a bike. Also, Silk Road guys are super nice and really care.

    Reply
  4. Bud -

    Right on on Ride Brooklyn. I have a very nice bike, love bikes, but have no time for attitudes. In the end, it’s a bike. Mechs at Ride Brooklyn not only know what they’re doing, but the can get innovative as well. they have to be, with all of the unnatural things that NYC does to bikes. They are also more than likely to take your small job on the spot, if they’re not backed up, to get you in and out fast.

    Reply
  5. a -

    I second Recycle-A-Bicycle. Susan is the manager of the shop in Dumbo (there’s also a shop in the East Village). She is very easy to talk to, super knowledgable, and all around great. The Executive Director, Karen, is also great. Not too often you see women in senior positions at bike shops! As a non-profit, they use proceeds from the bike shop to do programming for youth (mostly). They also have a staff of stellar mechanics!

    Reply
  6. Doug -

    Try Rolling Orange in Cobble Hill. I have visited several times and found them to be affable and completely devoted to city bikes more suited to Amsterdam (comfortable upright bikes with fenders and wide tires). I’ve ridden a lot of bikes in my life and find that I’d much rather be on a Dutch type bike in a city rather than hunched over a bike with drop handlebars, trying to dodge potholes on narrow, high pressure tires. I didn’t see much of a workshop at Rolling Orange, probably because the bikes they sell are sturdy and low maintenance.

    They also rent out bikes in Cobble Hill and at the UWS hostel at 103rd & Amsterdam in case you want to try out an urban bike.

    Reply
    • Stella -

      Thanks Doug! We have a small, though full work station. Although the bikes are less maintenance, they still need some love now and then.

      Reply
  7. Ming -

    I’ve been to Dog Day, and I found Damian to be very friendly and honest – plus the work has held up. So, I’m happy to see them on your list.

    Reply
  8. Stella -

    I would like to add, although I’m biased of course, that Rolling Orange Bikes doesn’t suck (at all).

    Reply
  9. Stella -

    I would like to suggest, although I’m biased of course, that Rolling Orange Bikes in Cobble Hill, doesn’t suck (at all)

    Reply
  10. Jdf -

    Dog day cycle ray is NOT reputable. They come off as nice at first but do shoddy work and then charge again when you bring it back to fix the same thing you just paid them to fix. Use another bike shop in the neighborhood.

    Reply
  11. Jason -

    I think you forgot about one of the best bike shops in BK (my opnion at least) FULTON BIKES! The guys at the Clinton hill location are super friendly and down to earth. One of the few places I’ve seen where turnaround on a tuneup is the next day. They also have a great selection of new bikes. Check em out!

    Reply
  12. Dave James -

    I’ve been to several of the bike shops mentioned and would like to add that 718 Cyclery to the list. The staff are honest, helpful, do good work and available. They are open more hours than any other shop I’ve come across, something like 9am to 9pm.
    I’ve taken one of their free classes and learned a lot. A few weeks later, I went to race they sponsored, which was a blast. Definitely a positive, bike culture place. The salesman let me take two bikes for rides and offered to provide advice even if I bought a bike from somewhere else. If you are looking for a used bike or parts, recycle a bicycle is a another great choice.

    Reply

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