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Al's Cycle Solutions
Categories: Active Life Bike Rentals Shopping Sporting Goods Bikes Local Services Bike Repair/Maintenance Bike Rentals, Bikes, Bike Repair/Maintenance [Edit]
693 10th Ave(between 47th St & 48th St)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
(212) 247-3300
- Nearest Transit:
-
50 St (A, C, E)
42 St - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)
50 St (1, 2)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 8 pm
Sun 10 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
24 reviews for Al's Cycle Solutions
Review Highlights
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"The staff was very helpful in finding the right accessories." In 3 reviews -
"...from there as well - a helmet, a baskets, and a bell so far..." In 3 reviews -
"...a great place to get your wheels fixed or find new ones..." In 2 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Christine R.
Manhattan, NY
4/24/2012
Al is awesome - what can I say? He patiently helped me choose the right accessories, giving me honest advice. I never felt rushed or pushed to buy the most expensive item like at other cattle shops (ahem, Sids). He even helped me
Install my accessories for free and gave me a 10% discount.
And... he's one of the few bike shops open past 6. Huge plus for us worker bees.
Thanks again Al! I'll certainly be back to visit you, Lance and the fancy French staff (he speaks fluent French). Ooh la la :) -
Review from David P.
3/13/2012 1 photo
It figures that I ended up buying my bike at a shop that's nowhere near my office and *really* nowhere near my apartment. So, actually going on a tip from a guy at a different shop, I ended up at Al's. And, it was well worth the long walk from my office near Grand Central to 10th Ave and 48th St.
You might have to step over the shop's dog - a cute black lab - on the way in. The dog has a menacing bark, but he's just a big teddy bear. He just doesn't like it when Al talks to the customers. The little fella wants attention. Let him sniff your hand and he'll bond with you instantly. That works with the dog, too. (I kid, I kid.)
Al's has a really nice selection for a small store. There were at least three brands of hybrids (Jamis, Bianci, and Cannondale) in my price range. Al walked me down the line of bikes, patiently explaining the pros and cons of each. I took each one for a spin and pretty much made up my mind on the Cannondale. But, I needed a night to sleep on it.
There was no pressure! Al was cool and said he'd hold the bike until I made a decision. I was back the next day, credit card in hand. And, since it was a 2011 model, I got a break on the price. All in all, a really nice experience!
Even the 60+ block ride home wasn't that bad. After all, I was riding my new Cannondale! -
Review from hello m.
Brooklyn, NY
1/10/2012
Two strikes out.
1st strike: Bought a front rechargable light (Blackburn flea), kept on not staying on. Exchanged many times with packaging varying each time, some with the instruction pamphlet, some without, busted taped up, etc. Got attitude from them the last time I exchanged the light. Apparently the reason the light(s) did not work was that they were still in testing mode. Didn't know that, and neither did they until the 3rd time, so fine. But my light only worked properly for a short time despite now being aware of taking it out of testing mode. Not going to keep up the issue. Maybe it's Blackburn, maybe it's this store...
2nd strike: Brought in my bike for a simple tube change. I kept getting flats and told them this. The guy who would be working on it said he was going on a break first so could I come back. Fine. Go on your break first. I'm not sure how they managed to scratch my frame and my bell. Besides that, I rode home (6 miles) and the ride was not great, my gears felt off, it felt all wrong, did not feel like a safe ride. Locked up my bike to go eat, came back, tire was flat again. Awesome...
Too bad because I really want to support the local stores, especially over amazon, or other cheaper online shopping options. Luckily, I finally found a bike store in my neighborhood that is fantastic. -
Review from Kevin A.
New York, NY
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome staff, awesome service, awesome experience. I'm a repeat customer at Al's Cycle Solutions. I bought my road bike there and I've bought many accessories there as well. Al offers life-time tuneups on bike purchases, and I've definitely taken advantage. Al's Cycle Solutions is a bright spot in the neighborhood and the staff is personable and knowledgeable. I have no complaints and I highly recommend this business.
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Review from Richard D.
New York, NY
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm going to have to agree with Mog that doing business here was an excellent experience.
Long story short, I had someone run over my locked bike when it was chained to a street sign and it taco'ed my front wheel and my carbon fork developed some surface cracking/splitting in the fiber. It looks okay if you're not looking closely, but I not taking any chances over a couple hundred bucks.
I ended up buying the parts I needed online (seriously it was a steal) in an effort to DIY and I soon remembered how I've tried to install one in the past and that the amount of money and time I'd spent to acquire tools and would probably cost the same as supporting a local business. Plus, I don't have the room to store tools I would only use once. Ask me how many times I've used my crank puller or bottom bracket removal tool.
After the LBS right next door to me has let me down so many times, I had to search for another one and I found Al's on Yelp. They were the closest to me and I could have walked the 10 blocks home if it turned out they would need to keep my bike to repair it.
I walked in yesterday at about 3:30 and it took maybe 5 min before someone came out of the back to greet me. I felt like this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, but I was very surprised about the whole ordeal. I asked the sales guy (Gio) if they were able to install my carbon fork with carbon steerer and he said no problem.
I had to ask again to confirm if they had the tools. I'm not sure since this store looks even smaller than the other shop that said they couldn't work on my bike. He looks at me like, "Why wouldn't we be able to do that? We're a bike shop." Then he asks me when do I want it done by, and of course I said ASAP. He says "how about we install it right now?"
My bike was wheeled to the back and Gio hands off my bike to their mechanic to work on immediately. They said I could come back tomorrow, but I insisted on just hanging out and checking out their store while I wait.
After about 30 min and $35 bucks, I had a my new fork and replaced brake cable on my bike and I was on my way.
Many times I don't bother going to the small local shops to buy parts is because they usually don't carry enough stuff I want/need. Carrying inventory is expensive and can kill a business. Al's is a big exception. I was really impressed with how much stuff they have here. Floor to ceiling bikes, bike parts, bike accessories all ready for you to purchase. I saw one of FDNY's finest walk in here and asking for a cog for his fixed gear bike because his rear wheel was stolen. Gio goes to the back and he brings out 2 different (black and silver) ones to choose from! Incredible. I've been to a few shops that say, "sorry, we don't have it. We can order it for you and you can get it in a few days". I'm glad they have the philosophy of "we can't sell it if we don't have it!" -
Review from Ying W.
Manhattan, NY
2/25/2012
Great Bikes, great people, and adorable dog:)
I got a very reasonably priced cannodale, really love it. Al is so wonderful and patient to show us different bikes, and never rush us to commit. Will definitely recommend to any bike shoppers. -
Review from Lauren M.
Manhattan, NY
2/20/2012
I am so happy I found this place... or should I say they found me! I live in the neighborhood and new to riding a bike with clip in shoes. As I was attempting to ride down to the river, I couldnt remember how to use the pedals and I kept falling down. Luckily, Shawn (the mechanic at Al's) saw me struggling and came over and retaught me how to use clip ins. He told me to go down to Al's and practice on the bike trainer as long as I needed. Of course I ruined my bike chain from falling so they also gave me a free tune up and let me stay on the trainer for about an hour. After I felt more confident they practiced with me outside until I felt completely comfortable.
They were so nice and I will definitely make this my new bike store in the future! :) -
Review from Bjorn F.
Manhattan, NY
9/5/2011
I'm sure Al's is a great place to buy a bike but it's apparent that bike rentals are not a priority at this store. We went there to rent bikes for a day and the guys were nice enough but the service was very slow as they stopped several times while servicing me to talk about bikes with other people who entered the shop. Like I say, the staff is friendly but unfocused and often confused. The seats were fitted for our respective sizes but we didn't receive any help or tips about using the bikes, or an opportunity to adjust the seats correctly (all of us felt very awkward on our bikes once we started riding but had no way to fix it). It was just sort of "here are the bikes, goodbye". A tad uncomfortable for new bikers in the city.
But as I say, these are good guys and the price is good ($30 a day), they just need to be a bit more focused and considerate to be a serious bike rental. -
Review from Jacob M.
New York, NY
5/17/2011
I recently visited Al's for a new bike to use for commuting to work from Queens to midtown. After explaining to the staff exactly what I would be using the bike for, they made a couple recommendations and gave me the pros and cons of each. When they asked me for my budget, I told them I was looking to spend between $600 and $800. After going over three different models from three different manufacturers, I took a Cannondale Quick 4 for a test drive. I loved the bike.
The staff was very helpful in finding the right accessories. I picked out a lock, special pins to lock my wheels, a rack, helmet and lights. Everyone was very honest about what I needed and what I didn't. They had lots of opportunities to up-sell me but instead gave me a frank analysis (i.e. the $40 helmet protects my head just as well as the $150 helmet, the latter is just a lot lighter and since I'm only riding four miles each way not worth the extra money).
I came back the next day and everything was installed perfectly and ready to go. I would recommend this shop to anyone looking for a bike, whether a less expensive "comfort" bike to a $3,000 road bike, Al's has it all.
One tip - If you participate in Team in Training, Al's gives you a 10% discount on bikes and 15% discount on accessories. After talking to the owners, they are very passionate about helping to raise money for good causes, which gives you yet one more reason to shop here! -
Review from Anna G.
New York, NY
6/5/2011
I love Al's shop, and his dog Lance =) I got my Dahon Eco from Al's last spring, and with a discount. I also got free tuning for a couple of years - since I am not into bikes, I'm happy to get that - and 10% discount for future purchases.
All guys at Al's are attentive and helpful. Since I don't know much about bikes, they give me recommendations and answer all of my questions. I got accessories from there as well - a helmet, a baskets, and a bell so far - all at a good price =) I'm looking forward to biking to work again this summer & stopping by at Al's to see his dog. -
Review from Paolo M.
10/28/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Gawd, what a breath of fresh air this bike store is compared to the other places I've been to in NYC. Knowlegeable and no pressure attitude here! I came in to inquire about renting bikes from my friends and I to go take a tour of the perimeter of Manhattan island. Prices are reasonable, and they had a decent selection of road bikes including a Scattante and a Cannondale in my size.
Al was great. Laid-back and easy to talk to, like the kind of neighbor you can go to get advice. So, don't be afraid to ask Al your questions. He's knowledgeable and won't try to BS you. For my century ride with the NYCC I decided to investigate the possibility of purchasing a bike vs. renting one. Al's team was awesome - allowing me to try out a number of models, explaining the pros and cons of each. Without any pressure from them, and a lot number-crunching on my end, I ended buying a new Cannondale CAD10, compact gears with 105 components. Al gave me a sweet deal, and fitted me properly for the bike. I absolutely love my new racing bike. So much so, I might have to ship it back to California sooner than later; Al can do that too! For those of you needing a good, community-oriented, dog-friendly cycle shop near Hell's Kitchen, the Theatre District, or Columbus Circle, Al's Cycle Solutions is it.Comment from MARCI G. of Al's Cycle Solutions 11/28/2011
Thank you Paolo. We are so happy that you enjoyed your… More » -
Review from Matt E.
10/3/2011
Al's is now my go to place in Manhattan to get things worked on. Other shops I've dealt with nickel and dime you to death, try to up sell you on work done that you don't truly need, or are just so busy that the simplest procedure needs to be dropped off and picked up at a much later time. None of these are the case with Al's. The place is small and packed with bikes and gear but at the same time it's a clean and modern shop. I found some of the merchandise to be marked up quite a bit but not everything, so do your research. They're not overly friendly or helpful here but they aren't condescending or mean either, just a balanced hands off approach. I loved their sweet old black lab that just sprawls out in the store, I don't understand how anyone could have a problem with this. If you're looking for a well stocked, independent bike shop in the city, you really can't go wrong with Al's.
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Review from Rita K.
Long Island City, NY
3/9/2011
My brake pads were gone, I need a new pair asap. Since Al's cycle is the closest to my work, I decided to give it a shot. A staff named Mike greeted and opened the door for me. Nice and welcoming.
He brought me and my bike to the back because he's not clear what kind of brake pads I need. I met up with Ruben, the technician. I didn't have any tools to install my pad so I asked him whether I can borrow it for a quick 5 minutes, he said he couldn't and can do the work for 5 bucks. But I'm a cheapskate and I don't want to waste 5 bucks for doing something that simple.
After I gave my best performance to look like a lost puppy, he gave me a triangle allen wrench for FREE! Yay. -
Review from Guy S.
New York, NY
10/12/2010
I brought my 2003 Biomega Copenhagen shaft-drive bike in to be repaired at Al's back in May. It is a prototype, made in Denmark. The mechanic insisted that he could fix it, since he used to be a motorcycle mechanic. I was excited, since I am not mechanic, and had no place to work on it, anyway. The owner of the store was a little apprehensive, but they took it in. It turns out, it needed new bearings, since they had deteriorated over the past few years.
I got some support from the manufacturer to get new grease put in, and showed the mechanic how to do it. They charged me 50 bucks, and a few weeks later, I came to pick it up, and even gave him an extra $20 for the trouble.
The bike made it about 15 feet and went 'crunch' and siezed. The bearings were totally mangled. I gave it back to the shop, and got on the phone with the manufacturer in Denmark. Anyway, after ordering 57 Euro in parts, going back to the mechanic 5 times to pick it up, and showing him how to repair it another 4 different times, he never got it done. Finally, on Sept 28th, I went to the shop to get my bike back.
The bike was in parts, most of them in a torn plastic bag from a deli. Many parts were missing. The mechanic said he lost some. The owner insisted that I pay him $300 in labor charges. I took the bike myself, and did not pay him.
When I got it home, I fixed it in 45 minutes. I am still collecting all the parts he lost in the 5 months he couldn't fix it. -
Review from Ariel O.
New York, NY
6/2/2009
Found Al's cycle solutions on SE's website. I was looking for an SE Lager in white and they had one in stock in my size.
When I walked in I felt very comfortable right away with a laid back cool atmosphere with absolutely no pressure to buy. They let me take the bikes out for a spin with no hassle.
I shopped around for the best price and these guys had the lowest price and great selection of bikes in stock. The guys that work there know their bikes and tuned up the bike and double checked everything.
I would definitely go back here and recommend to everyone! -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Suffern, NY
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent prices, but I did not find them to be very helpful. I felt like they thought I was wasting their time by asking questions. The dog was awesome though.
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Review from Vanessa V.
New York, NY
1/25/2010
Last year, I needed to get my beater-city-bike (named Tin Man) spruced up (i.e. get the brakes and gears working correctly) and ready for the summer season.
I visited the established bike stores in the area which A). gave me outrageous estimates (I paid $100 for my bike and the estimates were nearly double that), and B). Looked at me condescending because I wasn't riding the sexiest new Specialized road bike. Dejected, I left and realized I may never get Tin Man corrected.
On my ride home, I find Al's Cycle Solutions just a block away from my apartment (it was their grand-opening week). I stop in and ask 'em what they can do for me.
First thing they ask me is what do I want to have done and how much do I want to spend. I broke it all down for them. Al thoroughly assessed my bike, then broke it down for me, gave me a reasonable estimate and assured me that my ride would be much more enjoyable after he's done. I said make it happen.
The next day, excitedly, I walk over to Al's to pick up Tin Man. He brought her out (yes, Tin Man's a she; it's complicated) and she looked great. Al explained to me all of the repairs he made and why, which was informative and helpful in understanding why she wasn't riding at her best previously.
But how did she ride *now*? I took her for a spin and she was smooth, responsive and lovely -- it was like a new bike.
It was then Tin Man 2.0 was born.
Since then, I've taken other bikes to Al's to have fixed and he and his crew have always done a great, honest job at a reasonable price. It's a great place to get your wheels fixed or find new ones -- a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. -
Review from KF K.
New York, NY
7/11/2011
Where to begin...
Let's start with the gigantic black dog blocking the entrance to the shop--entirely blocking it-- making just getting in the front door an annoying and complicated experience.
Next, the shop itself is so cluttered with accessories and crammed full of bikes its hard to see what they have or move around (with or without the dog).
Then, the fact that they have a tendency to ignore women shoppers. Not to the TOGA bike shop level, but they are fairly dismissive, and not very helpful. If you are a woman and you want service, expect to have to ask for help---more than once-- even when standing at the counter with someone standing behind it. Seriously.
Lastly, their gear is over-priced and not of great quality. Everything is full retail price, plus a little more tacked on--perhaps for the privilege of shopping in Manhattan..who knows. I'll pay full price plus a little when service is above standard, or products are really cool and hard to find, but this is perfectly average bike shop in not-so-posh Hell's Kitchen and they charge more than the posh downtown bike shops.
Also, repairs are meh! I had a tune-up and my brake disks are lopsided. I should probably go back and point it out, but I really hate going there. I don't even want their free air. -
Review from Don D.
Manhattan, NY
8/29/2011
RUDE! I can't believe a bike shop with so much competition just a block or two away thinks it's a good idea to ignore customers while surfing the net, charge more for rentals than shops closer to central park AND demand hundreds of dollars for deposits to rent. Seriously, there are at least 4 or 5 other bikes shops less than a five minute walk from this place on 9th avenue, don't bother with this one.
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Review from Jenn S.
West New York, NJ
9/13/2010
All I needed was a small part for my bike. Al's didn't have it, but he asked me to wait while one of his workers went to the hardware store to get it. It didn't take long and I got exactly what I needed.
This is not the first bike shop I've gone too, but it will probably be the only one from now on. -
Review from Mog C.
6/2/2010
I'm doing my first triathlon. In a month. And I've been training on stationary bikes. To say the least, I needed to get a bike the day before yesterday already. I'd done plenty of research but it seemed to come down to the following two points: 1) have a budget and 2) make sure the bike fits you. And no amount of online research will give you an idea of how a bike will fit you. So I went on a bike treasure hunt.
After spending an entire day visiting 8 different bike shops, I narrowed it down to two: Al's and Sid's.
Sid's (on West 19th) had the largest selection I'd seen anywhere and the guys there spent time actually measuring me to try to get the right fit right off the bat. Al's had the cheapest bike from the selection and had outfitted the Team In Training with Jamis bikes so came highly recommended indeed. My strategy was go into Al's and check out how the Jamis bikes (which no other shop seemed to carry) for feel/fit and then go back to Sid's where I'd already put a deposit down on a bike (to hold it) and compare the two bikes.
Instead, here's what happened:
As I walked into Al's and they went to get the 44cm Jamis Ventura Sport bike they built earlier that day, Al (who I hadn't seen the day before when I'd gone in) took one look at me and said "No, she's a 48". And when I got onto the 44cm, the other guys in the shop concurred that while the 44cm fit, I was too upright on it as my torso was long on that frame. This actually felt comfortable to me but I could understand that in a race situation, one wants to be as bent over (aero dynamic) as possible. And so they had me hop onto the Jamis Satellite Sports Femme 48cm frame for fit. After adjusting the seat a bit, the general consensus was that this was the correct fit for me. It felt slightly weird for me (a newbie) to have to be on my tip toes in order to stand on the ground. My torso was more stretched out onto the bike and I was closer to bent over. While this position was not as comfortable (as it demands using core muscles for balance), I knew intuitively that it meant less wind resistance and obviously faster time.
Once I decided on a bike (chose one that they had in stock), we started the sizing process which took another 2 hours as they thoroughly measured lengths of my lower leg and certain angles of my legs while resting/pedaling. We tried on shoes, helmet and gloves and they put on the bike the final touches from a water bottle holder to a small computer so I could keep track of my speed and cadence.
Buying a bike from Al's is an amazing experience. The amount of attention paid to every detail and the friendly service was just ice cream on top of the cake. They don't just "adjust" the seat to the correct height. They adjust it forward or backward (I didn't even know that was possible) until my hips actually didn't wobble anymore. Al didn't just sell me clipless shoes for the bike. He had me turn around in a circle twice to figure out what my natural feet stance is like so as to know how to place the cleats on the bottom of my clipless shoes. Al didn't just sell me a bike. He showed me several comparable bikes (below my price range which no other shop did) and let me decide myself which one I felt more comfortable buying.
My first visit to Al's was a short 20 min visit and consisted mainly of them saying they'd build a bike for me to come back the next day to test. I then went back the following afternoon and was in the shop with all the guys from 1pm till about 5pm. So I sorta feel like I know the guys and I felt totally comfortable buying from these guys and as a female buyer with limited bike knowledge, I think that says a lot. If you're looking for a nice bike, check out what these guys can do for you. The thorough fitting itself is well worth buying a bike at Al's. And the fact that this was also the cheapest alternative from all the bikes I saw makes me want to become an Al's Cycle Solution groupie. Seriously.Listed in: My treasure hunt for a bike
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Review from m z.
Brooklyn, NY
10/17/2011
Not the biggest bike shop, but a great selection of bikes and, of course, Al. Al won't try to sell you what you don't need, but is helpful in guiding you to what you want. He also does fittings and will surely get you on a bike that fits you and your riding style. He set up two bikes for me after my fitting and let me ride em both. Said I would probably like the ride of the smaller bike frame better, and sure enough after some trying and trial and error, his advice was spot on. If you buy a bike there, the fitting is gratis. I fully recommend Al's shop for anyone looking for a new bike.
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Review from J S.
New York, NY
6/9/2009
Highly recommended! Al really knows his stuff, and it's clear he has no interest in over-selling just to make a quick buck. They repaired my bike quickly and for a very reasonable price.
Woof to Lance. -
Review from Aaron K.
New York, NY
7/19/2009
I went to almost every bike shop in the city before I discovered this gem. Great shop, great selection, very friendly and accommodating staff.
