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The Bike Kitchen
Categories: Shopping Sporting Goods Bikes Local Services Community Service/Non-Profit Bikes, Community Service/Non-Profit [Edit]
650H Florida StSan Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 647-2453
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 6 pm - 9 pm
Sat 12 pm - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for The Bike Kitchen
Review Highlights
"The volunteer mechanics are pretty nice and helpful too."
(in 8 reviews)
"I love learning how to fix my own bike and from some pretty..."
(in 6 reviews)
"Enter with a bicycle in need of some love."
(in 12 reviews)
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63 reviews in English
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Review from Em S.
11/17/2011
Rolled by here. Great place. I need a few more times to get the hang of when's a good time to find a non-chaotic moment and some space to get things fixed. My condo space is too small to effect quick and dirty repairs. I'm lining this up for getting things fixed before or after work. Just a matter of time to figure out how that'll work.
I read some less than stellar reviews. Most people seem to be "getting" it that this is a work spot with volunteers. A few people are not getting it. They're hoping for "service" of the retail variety ... nope. Not Macy's. Not an upscale bike shop. It's work space. I expect a steep learning curve both for a new bike I've got with quirks I'm not used to as well as a steep learning curve for figuring out how Bike Kitchen will serve my needs. Should be fun.
I like lab work and kitchen work. So far I like Bike Kitchen. For those who claim this is only for people who know what they're doing, it's clearly for people who want to learn and can figure out how to relate to the volunteers and to the space. I'm a college science instructor ... which is practically like being a volunteer. Maybe a third of my students actually want to learn science and have patience and the time set aside to do so. I don't envy the volunteers here at bike kitchen. But I'm glad they're there.
This is close to where I work in the daytime, so I'll be coming by from time to time. -
Review from Jackson Q.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011 1 photo
It seems that no matter your needs and no matter your skill set (which- if you're part of 99% of the biking population- is probably zero) you can find the goods and knowledge to fix up your bike here at The Bike Kitchen.
I tagged along with a friend not expecting to do anything to my bike, and I watched him first fidget clumsily for 30 minutes while he tried to figure out how to do what he wanted to do all by himself. I could tell though that even though we didn't quite know what we were doing, there was an air of learning and I already felt like I was becoming more familiar with it.
I bowed out- decided I was gonna replace my pedals (only $3!), and by the time I came back- my buddy was being DP'd by two bike experts who were helping him fix up his bike to high heavens.
Like a boss bitch I just stood back and watched, but I sure did gather up a lot of new info- I feel like I could come back here and twerk my bike like a pro.
The whole idea of it is very cool too, a $5 usage fee gets you access to all their tools and knowledge, and there's other great rates too for members and "diggers".
Can you smell what The Bike Kitchen is cookin'? (Yes, and I can smell the lameness of that joke from a mile away). -
Review from Rachel C.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2011
So I've definitely heard from San Francisco locals that this is a great spot to get bike parts or to fix your bike yourself. But like a dumbass, I should have called asking if they did sell helmets before going to the bike kitchen. Despite my stupid mistake of traveling to the Mission for basically nothing, that had nothing to do with the way I was treated.
I go there expecting it's bike galore, assuming they have everything a bike rider needs... but oh well. My bad I didn't do enough research.
I enter the bike kitchen and said hi to the guy behind the counter and he basically did not acknowledge me, which was fine. It was crowded with people fixing up their bikes and from this site, so this is probably a good place for experienced city bike riders.
After finding out they sold no helmets, I kindly ask the same guy behind the counter if he could help me. No acknowledge, a smile, nothing. Then he goes around catering to other people....
At this point I was like, fine bitch don't acknowledge me. Just don't stand behind the counter and be surprised people actually do want help; even for the simplest request I've had. And you were sitting on your ass doing nothing.
The dude at the cash register was alright. He gave me plenty of information about where I can get a helmet. He was naming a list basically to me, but ultimately recommended to me one bike shop on Guerra(?) and 14th.
From a price point everything is really affordable and very convenient for people to fix their bikes. Otherwise, the whole environment stunk of ego and there were surprisingly not a lot of female bike riders.
My experience was uncomfortable and unwelcoming. Poor customer service. I'll just get parts here if I'm desperate. -
Review from Vanessa V.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2011
I gave them two stars, one because I guess it's a good idea for people who know about mechanics and have a space to do their own repairs and two because I am nice.
but that's it.
go only if you know how to repair your bike, they say they have people there to help you but they barely paid any attention to me, they were all your typical hipster-I am too good to be true "helpers" but I think it is because they are volunteers which is cool, thanks for the free "service" but maybe because they are not getting paid they are more picky about who and when to help somebody.
meh, waste of 2 hours of my time. -
Review from Sarah R.
Berkeley, CA
1/22/2011
Dear Bike Kitchen:
In theory, I'm so glad you're here, elevating bike consciousness. In practice, I really wanted to love you. But I got passive aggressive, non-informative service and will think twice about going back or supporting the organization.
I arrived at ten after 4 on a Saturday (they close at 5). As a former waitress, I'm pretty sensitive to the annoyance of patrons showing up near closing time, expecting the royal treatment and oblivious to the business hours. So first thing, I ask the volunteer I track down whether there is time to help me replace my rear (cantilever) brake pads. I'd never done it before and heard it could be a little tricky to align everything correctly.
She looked at the clock, said yes and said I have twenty minutes before clean-up. So I thought she meant it would be okay? There didn't seem to be any stands available, so she set me up in a corner by the bathroom. By the time I paid, she had already taken off the old pads. I tried asking a few questions about how she undid the cable release. She kind of mumbled a non-answer. She seemed incredibly annoyed. I asked why the pads weren't symmetric (with the bar in the middle of the pad) like the ones from before and if that made a difference in how I installed them. Again, no real answer that I could discern. Then she said, "I need to go start clean-up. You'll be fine."
Um, okay, although everything I'd read indicated the trickiest part was what was left to do: getting the pads aligned with the rim, setting up toe-in, symmetric clearance, etc. No mention of any of that. So I struggled to try to do it, with the bike leaned against my shoulder since I had no stand. It seemed once I adjusted something one way, things would move so I needed to adjust something else. I looked around to see if anyone would be able to give me some pointers. Then I realized the pads were marked L & R and we had put them on the wrong sides.
At this point, she had yelled at people several times to stop working and start clean up. Fine, I can work more comfortably at home without getting hit by the bathroom door every few minutes. So I left there with my brakes improperly installed and not really functional.
Granted, it was pretty busy, end of shift, and she seemed stressed about making sure everyone cleaned up on time. So maybe on a different day, my experience would have been better. But that's why I ASKED if there was time to get help. Please just say no if you're going to be pissy and unhelpful about it. Also, brakes are a SAFETY issue. If you're going to agree to help someone, there is some level of responsibility for making sure they are properly installed and aligned.
Boo, for my first experience at the Bike Kitchen. Hopefully it's not standard. -
Review from Brandon S.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2011
This place is awesome. I walked in with a broken crank bolt (not that I knew what it was called) and walked out with the problem solved in ten minutes costing seven dollars (two for the bolt and five for the day use).
I knew/know nothing about bike parts or tools but somehow everything fell into place. One of the volunteers laid out the process at a high level and let me to it. The stations were really well organized, at one point I jammed my crank on to the bottom bracket just to test out a replacement crank bolt and realized I couldn't pull it off so I looked over at the tools and of course there's a tool called a crank pull which made it easy as pie. Things like that just kept happening. Maybe I was just lucky.
The volunteers seemed really friendly. The tools were great. The parts seemed as well organized as you could expect given the rummaging that must go on. I was pleasantly surprised with how smoothly the place was running. -
Review from Eric S.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2010
What a wonderful organization!
Right in the heart of the Mission, Bike Kitchen provides a cheap, well-equipped and volunteer-staffed DIY bike repair shop. For 5 bucks you can use the tools (they have EVERY tool), rummage through and take any parts you need (read: build a whole bike!), and curbside the volunteers with questions unless they approach you first after seeing the stupid look on your face.
It's tough to find, even with google, but a great hidden treasure. -
Review from Anna W.
Oakland, CA
10/4/2008
I hesitate to write a negative review for the Bike Kitchen, even though I had a negative experience. I want to support this place. I want people to go there. There should be a volunteer-run community bike shop in every city.
However, if they're going to do it, they should do it right.
This would be a great place for someone who knows what they're doing to go and have access to lots of tools and used parts for cheap. However, for folks who don't know what they're doing and want to learn, you might have a rough time of it. Also, I think they should try and have a female volunteer on staff at all times because I felt some majorly sexist condescension coming from some (not all) of those dudes.
The volunteers need to work on their people skills. I dealt with three different volunteers, and nobody was willing to stick with me and follow through to the end. The first guy was great, but had to leave before the job was done, and left me in the hands of someone else who seemed annoyed to have to pick up where the other guy left off. He basically wandered off to work on his own bike and I was left flailing.
I understand that they are busy and have a lot to deal with, but a little grace and patience can go a long way. It can be a daunting task to take apart your bike and put it back together again for the first time, and any newbie would need a lot of guidance and reassurance to feel comfortable. I actually had to argue with the guy and say "if you're not able to walk me through this, perhaps you can point me towards someone who is, because I have no idea what I'm doing."
At one point, I felt like I was going to cry, frustrated with the state of my disassembled bike and the complete lack of attention or compassion I was getting from the people who "helped" me take it apart. By the time it was back together, I was eager to get out of there as quickly as possible, and now I feel like I need to take my bike to a regular bike shop for adjustments because there are rattles that weren't there before and I have no idea why.
I would have had just as much luck reading a book about bike repair and then going to the Bike Kitchen to use their tools. I don't want to have to deal with those guys again, even if I did learn something. -
Review from Teason M.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2011
A wonderful place, been here once and I was welcomed with friendly people. I'm from Davis so Biking is Essential! Awesome place.
-
Review from Ryan G.
San Francisco, CA
8/4/2008
Bike Kitchen is perfection. A volunteer co-operative that allows people of all skill level to come work on bikes and learn how to fix them. You have access to a shop's worth of all the bike tools and know how for the price of overpriced spokes from a local shop. And if you cannot afford one, volunteer and earn your way to a me membership. Which would prove as a quick and sure fire way to learn some bike tooling.
Dig Bike Kitchen because I have access to space and tools that I do not own. When I need to figure out the best way to remove a seized and stubborn BB or get my hands on a torque wrench. Off to the Bike Kitchen I go! -
Review from Chris B.
Cupertino, CA
10/21/2008
On Sunday, Oct 19th the San Francisco Bike Kitchen held an event titled "Tour De Cupcake". Loads of women, men and children came out to support this amazing cause and of course ... EAT CUPCAKES. $5-10 minimum donation.
At the beginning of the registration period we started to wait, no problem ... we chilled with a man who lived on a boat and talked shop about bikes, the East coast and how Berkeley is overrated.
After 35 minutes of waiting we were handed the directions of the Alley Cat race and set loose. The challenge was that because they were so UNDER ORGANIZED they had prepared for only 75 people to show when in all reality there was more like 4-500.
Glancing over the checkpoints we set off.
1. Library - done ... loooked up author of first cupcake book
2. Name of Pastry Chef on 4th and Bryant .. done
3. 17th and Wisconsin .... NO CUPCAKES ... blasphemous
4. Trader Joes ... angry workers yelled our trivia answer and told us to leave .. .cool but lame at the same time
5. Bow and Arrow art ... tired .... NO CUPCAKES ... grrrr
6. Fort Mason ... super dog tired ... dude waiting YELLS at us and says "NO CUPCAKES, give us your paper"
Okay, before this gets too boring, let me explain. The race was meant to allow for slower folks( read people without $2,000 bikes and speedo outfits) to compensate by eating cupcakes and getting 2 minutes off total time.
These guys wouldn't even deduct time for us, even after shamming us out of the cupcakes.
Needless to say we bailed and realized that Bike Kitchen needs the money to hire a true organizer.
I love their mission, I love their place, but TOUR DE NO MOTHER FUCKIN CUPCAKE .... pretty much sucked. -
Review from Benjamin G.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2010 3 Check-ins Here
When I moved to San Francisco, one of the first things I did was join the Bike Kitchen. It's a great community resource for anyone who wants to work on a bike, regardless of skill level or experience. The volunteer mechanics are happy to give you pointers on anything from changing a tube to overhauling a bottom bracket and truing wheels.
And even if you don't need help from a mechanic, it's great to be able to work in a fully stocked shop where you have access to just the right tool at your finger tips. All this for just 40 bucks a year (or 5 bucks for the day)! They also sell small parts and accessories like tubes and cables for very reasonable prices.
It can get crowded, but if you arrive early, you can usually stake out a repair stand without too much trouble. Also, try to avoid coming too close to closing time, because repairs always take longer than you think they will and the volunteers want to go home.
Get out and go to work on your two wheeler! -
Review from Ariel P.
Oakland, CA
11/11/2006
I have such mixed feelings about the bike kitchen.....
I am very happy that it exists! I wish there were more places that were run by volunteers and basically free to use.... $5 for using tools and their knowledge isn't a whole lot to ask! I always feel good about going there..... The concept is great!
But, today I went in to the new place to do some work. It's in a MUCH smaller location... I wish they'd have held out for a larger location... This was my first Saturday visit, but it was PACKED... It seemed like some people were really getting good help.... but they were piled on top of each other.
I got there and 2 volunteers were outside talking to each other... I stood there for a minute, neither of them moved so I could enter the shop or even looked at me to see if I would want some direction or help.
I know the drill. I went inside, signed in and gave the very nice girl at the counter (!) my 5 bucks. I went outside b/c there were a few stations set up out there. I asked those 2 for some help. The guy was nice. But I don't know that much about bikes... I know what needs to be done, but it's the minimum and only b/c I consistently have the same problems w/ the shifter tension. He showed me a few things... and helped get me started on truing my wheel, inside where I felt like I was stepping on people. I had to ask someone else for help too.
I've had better experiences there tho... very conditional! One guy showed me how to true my wheel before and he was REALLY helpful...
I've gone in w/ my bike and a Male friend who was also showing me some stuff and had the volunteer (also male) spoke to him like it was his bike and I was just some girl standing around.
I want to know more about my bike. Every time I go here I think I'll leave having learned something and that isn't always the case. I feel like if I knew people here then I'd be more comfortable learning more.... or asking for more help b/c a lot of folk seem like they're busy or don't want to give you their full attention for a few minutes to make sure you're getting things right.
I really give it 3 stars b/c although my experiences are kinda poor they are doing this thing that no one else is doing and it's a valuable service to the biking community. That rocks. -
Review from Elena C.
8/15/2009
~ My brother brought his bike to Valencia and Now Valley Cycleries and both told him that the frame was totaled. We took it to The Bike Kitchen and they showed him how to fix it himself. ~
This place has saved me so much money and made me so much of a more capable person at zero (well, you could even say "negative") monetary cost to me.
The mechanics who volunteer to help novice bike repair-ers like me out are all super helpful and most of them know when they're out of their league. BUT WAIT! They don't just leave it at "oh, I don't know how to fix that" (which is already a huge step up from "oh, that can't be fixed") to, "let me go ask _____." 99% of the time someone there can make your bike all better.
Oh, and did I mention that when your broke as f*uck (hello college tuition, goodbye savings account) they still won't turn you away? Everyone, really, everyone has a space to work here. -
Review from Melissa R.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2007
I love this place. I'm taking a bike maintenance class and the 2 instructors are super helpful and don't make me feel like an ass, which is how I usually feel when asking questions at a bike shop.
I started looking into learning how to fix my own bike because of 3 reasons:
1) i like to figure out how things work
2) the asshole at Freewheel on Valencia who told me my other bike wasn't worth their time to work on
3) because I don't want to be one of those kids that rides a fixie but doesn't know anything about it - I bought it so I could learn about it and the Bike Kitchen has been the perfect solution.
I understand the previous complaints about room and service but I don't think that they are fair, far from it actually. If you want more room and more hours and blahblahblah then donate more than your yealr $30 membership fee (which is nominal really for what you get in return) or your 5 bucks to use their tools. They assure the low cost strictly by offering classes, memberships, and so forth. If its that big of a deal then be proactive and do something about it - like donating parts and money.
All this and after just one class. Damn - the next 3 classes are gonna be interesting. -
Review from Ashleigh K.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2007
Went here for the first time tonight. !!! Immediately upon entering the door a very nice girl (Courtney you're rad!) asked me if I needed help, which I said yes to because I am bike-mechanically retarded. We basically had great giggly conversation while I learned a lot. Everyone else who worked there was uber friendly too; I would SO volunteer there if I knew more about bikes! If anyone wants to have a rockin' good time with bikes you should volunteer here, then it could potentially be open more often.
They also have all these buckets and pockets and drawers full of random ass parts so if you're missing a weird randomly sized part they'll probably have it so long as you're willing to dig a little for it. French parts too for all of you who suffer from their egotistical way of creating their own measurement system.
I am happy to report that my cute little ladies' style beach cruiser now has a totally awesome jerry rigged rear hand brake (instead of those annoying coaster brakes), and hell yeah it looks good too. Don't get me wrong, coaster brakes are cool too. If you live somewhere flat like Portland or Philly. Here, not so much. Oooooh she DID! Sorry to all of you fixed gear riders, I'm a wuss. -
Review from Benny M.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2010
As I write this, the words of Village People's YMCA go on in my head:
Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.
Other than fixing your bike, not sure how many other ways you can have a good time there but you can definitely fix your bike there for next to nothing.
The facilities are orderly, everyone is helpful and friendly, the parts are very abundant and the selection of tools are essentially a professional bike shop. I spent all day there yesterday fixing 2 bikes and it was fun learning new things and understanding more about bicycle repair. Highly recommended! -
Review from Tim M.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
She's crafty . . . and, she's just my type . . . .
Feeling crafty? I won't go so far as to say that this place is about self-empowerment, bur really--You can know nothing other than the fact that you want a bike, or that you want to FIX your bike and that you are willing to join the co-op (or pay a daily use fee), and that you want to turn the wrenches yourself. When you leave, you swing your leg over the frame and pedal your way home (or to the bar, or work, or wherever).
Evenings and weekends, this place has a bunch of floating volunteers that make the wheels go round (metaphorically), and one or two mechanics who typically have more bike repair knowledge stored in their brains than is legal in some states. There are lots of tools, plenty of chain lube, and the bearing grease is a-flowing accompanied by the clinking sounds of a truly industrious operation (Enough to make Bjork break into song, for sure).
Bike repair aside There is enough conviction in the ideal that riding bikes is better for you, better for the environment, and just simply better--that they will even help you build a bicycle from scratch--using the spare parts that have been donated to the cause. You pick the parts. You turn the wrenches. Someone (more likely, many people) assist you along the way.
The short of it is this:
- Bring your broken bike, and you can fix it.
- Brind your dreams of owning a bike, and you will build it.
- Reasonable fees--just enough to sustain the operation.
- Excellent volunteers
- Super-smart mechanics
- Tools, rules, and systems
- Good, not-so-clean fun--your hands might get greasy! -
Review from Lauren V.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2008
I went here for the first time on Friday to see my friends band EMPTY ROOMS play. The premise of the spot is interesting: bike workshop during the day,available for shows at the night .
The sound leaves a lot to be desired, I would suggest keeping towards the back if you want to hear vocals .
the people working the place seemed really cool.the crowd was not sloppy and out of control. I have very mean things I do want to say about the breed of people that frequent this place but I will try to keep positive and besides ive overused the words "hipster" and "scum" far too often in my writings...oh and "fixedgeardouches".
byob ...sounds like a plan to me. I am starting a band myself, it is called ARTISTE because I am one. Or maybe I'll call it YUM YUM PIE and it will be a bootsy collins inspired funk band. Maybe I will play here with that music and scared the fixed gears away...far far away -
Review from Tyler M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/19/2008
This place is the anti-douche of bike shops. Most places I feel like the employees look at me like an asshole if I don't have a custom fit Bianchi, and everything's too expensive.
Not at the Bike Kitchen-- they taught me how to true my wheels, change tires, fix my brakes, tape my handlebars and replace my shifter cables. The staff were super friendly, informative and generally rad. They have a selection of spare parts that they sell for cheap, and add a nice flair to your bike (check the seats and handlebars, for sho).
I say never go to a regular bike store for repairs ever again-- bike kitchen kills 'em.
Bonus: they occasionally throw sweet shows, including ones for Antelope and the Fucking Ocean. High fives. -
Review from Jesse H.
San Francisco, CA
2/28/2007
I love the idea of this place. People who like to work on bikes helping people who want to learn how, all the tools you could ever need and cheap used parts by the bucketful. It's the implementation that I have a problem with.
I went in last night for some help installing bar-end shifters, and I was sent away with only a front brake and disconnected drailleurs to get me home and to work this morning because they closed. Maybe if I hadn't had to wait for a stand, or wait for help at every turn because the mechanics are more interested in chatting and helping their friends clean their bikes, I could have gotten it done in time to ride it home.
I really only went there because I assumed there was something difficult about cutting housing and because they are supposed to have cheap housing. But they just snipped the housing with cable cutters leaving jagged edges that I fear I'll have to deal with later. Other people I've asked have told me that the ends need to be filed. Then they only had white housing, which looks tacky. Call me picky, but it does suck that I got all my cables cut off to find that they didn't have any black housing.
If I had known that they were just gonna clip the housings to roughly the same size as the old ones I would have just bought my own housing and done it myself. I thought they'd be a little more professional about it and at least try to eyeball a more correct length especially considering I was installing wider bars as well, which even I know will change the cable length some.
I guess the moral of the story here is "you get what you pay for". -
Review from Emilia D.
Jamaica Plain, MA
2/20/2007
I love the Bike kitchen. I love it so much that I developed a rare form of Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy. Looking back, there was nothing wrong with the wheel, handlebars, stem, or cogs of my treasured Miyata, but I fixed them anyways, fueled by a curiosity of how it all worked and the fact that I really like to geek out about bikes. There is no better place to geek out about bikes than a place where people work for free.
thank you bike kitchen volunteers, for teaching me how to maintain my vehicle, and helping make bicycles the cheapest (and most fun) way to get around the city. -
Review from Glenn J.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2010
I came into the bike shop after a friend recommended it when I wanted a new bike. It was fun at first getting started, but there are definitely some challenges to utilizing the place.
You wander in your first time and their are used parts scattered everywhere and you think to yourself "wow, I could totally make a bike out". This line of thinking is further promoted by all the people who are always in there working on their mostly-complete looking bikes. What you don't realize is that it is a *ton* of work to put together even a simple single-speed bike.
The people who work there are all friendly and helpful, but are always super busy and usually helping a single person through some complicated process. You can usually get their help for a minute, but they tend to have to run back to other people. Kind of frustrating.
The hardest part about the shop is that there are really specific parts you need, and you'll think you have the correct first half of a headset or crank or whatever, and then be totally unable to locate the necessary complementary parts. Finding parts is the hardest thing to do of the whole process. Now due to the fact that I never really got a lot of help from the workers, I ended up buying a 30 dollar headset because I didn't realize you could remove the cups from the frame which meant I didn't have to find the matching parts that went with the cups already on the frame. At least my headset is really shiny and my handle-bars rotate really well.
Another little detail about the place is that lots of people start bikes and don't finish them, so there are always tons of peoples' bikes on the walls. They have a tagging system where whenever you work on your bike, you can write the date down on the tag. If you haven't worked on your bike after two weeks (and a worker approves) your bike is now up for grabs to the first taker. The worker's are sympathetic to bikes that look mostly done, but that was definitely worrying when I was busy and couldn't make it in all the time.
Finally, the bike kitchen has somewhat limited hours despite the fact that it takes so much time to build a complete bike. I've been at this for months. If I had been more aggressive about getting help it definitely would have gone faster, but I would definitely predict others going down the same path I did.
Maybe when my bike is finished I'll move this up to 3-star, but its gonna be a challenge. -
Review from David C.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2007
So whenever I rode my bike and pedaled, somewhere near my crank arms and bottom bracket there was this really really annoying creaking. So a couple friends referred me to the Bike Kitchen for a DIY session with some bike experts instructing you and with all the tools and used parts to use all I wanted for a $5 single session or a $30/year membership which I went ahead and purchased. Another big bonus of being a member is that one could build their own bike from scratch from all the used parts they have at the shop.
It's a small danky shop but it has all the tools and parts one would need to fix their bike. So if you're like me, who likes to fix things on their own with some good instruction from experts, then definitely come to the Bike Kitchen if you have any issues. The experts will help you ranging from simple tune-up to major issues where you'll have to completely take your bike apart.
So Josh, who was very friendly and helpful by the way diagnosed that the problem with my bike was the lower bracket. Not that it needed to to be replaced but that it just needed a little jerry rigging. When I mean jerry rigging, I was to wrap some teflon tape on the threading of the lower bracket to alleviate the creaking. Josh, my instructor told me this was the 1st time this issue has come to the Kitchen so he was excited to see the results.
Unfortunately, with aluminum framed bikes, the creaking of the lower bracket is a frequent issue. So Josh showed me how to remove my pedals, crank arms, and finally the lower bracket. I cleaned everything thoroughly with a rag and taped the threadings of both brackets 1-2 times around. I put everything back together and checked for the creaking....bam! It was gone....and hopefully it stays that way. Thank you Bike Kitchen and thank you Josh. I'll be back. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
7/16/2009
I have to say that this is another great example of why you should live in San Francisco! The BK is a non-profit, community and volunteer run organization, devoted to teaching and providing space and tools to fix your bike. I've done their basics class (at their old old location) and I just went to their new space a few days ago.
The place was packed and humming. All the workstations were full and there were perhaps 20 people outside working on their bikes on portable stands or just on the ground. I've tried to stop by before but it was so crowded that I waited till this week and finally went even though it was still full up. There were plenty of volunteers floating around to help but many of the people working on their bikes gave me advice and pointed me to the right tools, etc... The people there that night were about 1/3 youth, 2/3 people in their 20's-30's. The vibe was focused, friendly, and respectful.
I noticed that most of the negative review comments had to do with people who needed more help than they felt they got. Before I went, I went to this site, http://bicycletutor.com , and reviewed a couple of instructional videos a few times on the repairs I wanted to do (remove rear gears and replace broken spokes). It was helpful because I now knew what special tools I needed (and what they were called) and what I need to do. -
Review from Jordan K.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2008
I could have paid someone else to fix my bike... but today I fixed it myself, with help from the all-volunteer staff at the Bike Kitchen. The experience was empowering; it made me feel productive, able, and talented. People were friendly, the atmosphere was like a party (er, a bike-fixing party), and it was a quick and painless experience.
If you're willing to get your hands dirty and learn something, go work on your bike at the Bike Kitchen. You won't regret it. -
Review from James B.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2009
This is a Non-Profit Organization that is completely volunteer run.
Very affordable: $5 for the day, or $40 for a year membership. You can also volunteer 6 hours to earn a membership. You get to use all their tools and have access to expert volunteer mechanics. You can buy their new/used parts for cheap.
Very Knowledgeable: Volunteer mechanics help you fix your bike. They deliver instruction how to do-it-yourself. If you want to save some money, learn about your bike, have the satisfaction knowing you completed your own repair project, and donate to a great community Non-Profit, this is the place for you!
Thanks Bike Kitchen, for all of those bike projects you continue to help me with! -
Review from Melissa M.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2011
Just took a basic fix-it class here and the teacher and assistant were really helpful, not too many in the people so you got a lot of one-on-one attention. It was worth the money as I now know how to fine tune my rear derailleur and now I don't have to pay $20 to a bike mechanic every time it gets bent when my bike falls over. I know the Bike Kitchen is run by volunteers, but it would be great if they were more organized as far as classes and schedules-- I came in last week to ask one of the volunteers about the follow-up class (internal maintenance) and he didn't know anything about it even after looking on their own website. Still a great community space and worth becoming a member if you use it regularly.
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Review from Toby S.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2008
So the bike kitchen rules.
Sure, it's a small space; It's funded by donations and run on a shoestring.
OK, some of the volunteers have 'character', but lets be honest here, they're volunteers and generally do a damn fine job of helping people.
For $5 per session or $30 for a year, it's a steal. I have most of the tools I need to put bike together, but don't want to buy all those really expensive things that you need for more advanced bike building - which they have in their extremely well stocked shop. I've used them to build a high-end bike and will be bringing in my chopper to get it up and running again. The place is perfect for any bike related activity, with generally kicking music to boot.
Oh, and in three sessions they gave me enough small, fiddly parts, caps, screws, etc to cover the cost of my membership twice over compared to buying them from a LBS. Top notch place. -
Review from Javier C.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2007
Ah, that's the kind of place that gives this city its character.
People there are friendly (sign up for a class with Brian if possible!), knowledgeable and down to earth.
Definitely recommended! -
Review from Reggie G.
Washington, DC
5/29/2009
This place is the reason I love this city. We went last night to fix up my bike - and it needed a lot of fixing. We went in and paid $5 for one-day use and got started. Everyone working there was so incredibly nice and helpful, especially Brian, who knows everything about everything and is a fantastic teacher. We learned how to patch a tube, replace a chain, true a wheel, replace spokes, install brake pads and get bicycle grease out of ours nails all in 90 minutes.
What's more, I called a few bike shops for an estimate of how much it would cost to do all this stuff and they quoted $75-100. Bike Kitchen charged me $5 for parts and I had a super fun time doing it!
This place truly is a gem! Thanks guys and see you soon! -
Review from Gopal R.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2008
I've only been here one time, and it was to see my friend's band play a show. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you could fix your bike up at this place too!
The acoustics in here are actually pretty good compared to some of the local rock clubs I've been to around town. You can run down the street to buy a tallcan of beer and bring it in with you.
Watch out though, the time I was here the cops busted in toting shotguns, looking to find someone who'd just done a crime down the alley somewhere. There's that kind of vibe going on around these parts, y'know. -
Review from Carol C.
San Francisco, CA
10/26/2008
Props to the Bike Kitchen for getting behind such a cool idea - the Tour de Cupcake. While it's true that they underpredicted the turnout (I feel for the reviewer below), I'm not so annoyed, as 1) this is the first time, and 2) word spreads fast on the Internet, so how can you get a reliable count of who's coming?
Agreed that the angry woman at Trader Joe's who shouted the WRONG answer to us was lame.
Was disappointing that most of the cupcakes weren't sponsored by real cupcakeries in the city. It would've been nice to place the checkpoints at real cupcakeries, even if we had to pay for some of them ourselves.
But the Sugar Beat Sweets cupcakes were fantastic and it was just such a fun event and a beautiful day to go riding all over the city. The energy was exciting. As a new transplant to the Bay Area, we biked to neighborhoods we hadn't been to before. I've never worked as hard for cupcakes as I did for the ones from Sugar Beat Sweets cupcakes at the top of the hill in Castro. *groan*
I spoke with some of the members of the Bike Kitchen to learn about what they do. They provide a very cool service. -
Review from Magnus B.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2007
My colleagues know me as "the guy who doesn't have any normal bikes", so no wonder that I don't get much love from regular bike shops. I walk in with my recumbent, folding bike or 70's 10 speed, and most mechanics turns their noses up and say it's too wierd, too old, they don't know anything about it, and they certainly aren't interested in learning or taking my money. So eventually I figured I'd have to learn to fix everything myself. That's ok, I enjoy tinkering and I have most of the tools I'd ever need.
But occasionally, I don't have the tool, or I don't know how to do something - that's when I head down to the Bike Kitchen. Fair enough - they don't always know the answers either, and sometimes it is really full and I have to wait, but overall the mechanics are knowledgeable and interested in helping out. Their stock of used parts is great (and very cheap!), without it I think I'd have trouble keeping my 70's Raleigh on the road. -
Review from June C.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2010
Wow!! What an awesome place! I had a fixed gear I needed to put together and I was considering buying a tool set. There are some things I just didn't know how to do. The volunteers there are awesome and pretty knowledgeable. Don't expect them to do anything for you though (that's cool with me). Just remember that they are not there to work on your bike, YOU ARE.
In anycase, my fixed gear bike is now all finished. I collected all the parts I needed and wanted to put on there and put them on myself.
Can't say enough good things about this place. I will definitely come back when it's time to work on my second project.
Thanks Bike Kitchen! -
Review from ambika s.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2008
How could anyone not give this place 5 stars? A place like this is what makes SF amazing. Nowhere else I've ever been gives such unpretentious access to bike resources as the bike kitchen.
The volunteers are very helpful and friendly as are the people that go there. They have every tool imaginable and the learning process is great. As a member you have access to all their donated parts as well (and man do they have a lot of parts).
This is the best bike place ever. -
Review from Evan A.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2008
First, I wish I could give 3.5 stars. Three is too few; four is too many.
The concept is awesome: learn to fix your bike. The volunteer mechanics are pretty nice and helpful too. I took a repair course there which is really awesome.
I have always ridden bicycles although not as much in the last 8 years since I started riding motorcycles. Trying to split the time a bit more evenly these days, however.
Fact is, I am a total zero when it comes to maintaining/repairing bicycles. That's why I was thrilled to finally become a member of the Bike kitchen. Should've done it five years ago when I first learned of the place.
The issues I have with the BK: Small space makes the situation pretty chaotic. No real working system: the volunteer mechanics kind of wander about offering their help but none stay with you long enough to get you past the initial step they helped you with. Sure, they will come back to you but only after you've been standing around with you head up your butt for several min. It isn't their fault. It's just the way the place is run.
Seems to me it should work more like a restaurant where the "servers" divide up between sections. That way you don't end up explaining your problem to three different people. A project that ought to take 15 min. to finish ends up going more like 30-45 with the current system.
Don't get me wrong; I really appreciate that the Bike Kitchen is there. I love learning how to fix my own bike and from some pretty cool people. All I'm saying is that the way it is run is really chaotic.
Anyway, I'll continue going back and love learning more about bike mechanics. -
Review from Brian S.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2008
What's not to like about this place? It's a community-based, volunteer run entity with so much promise. And, if you are a bike ridin' mofo like myself, and you get a jones to be a grease monkey for a couple of hours during the week, this is the spot. You really can do anything bike mechanic related here since they have all the tools and the staff there is relatively nice, certainly knowledgeable, and not, from what I noticed condescending. And, believe me it is rare for people that know the in's and out's of bike to be empathetic, not sure why, but hopefully as they begin to change locations the attitude does not change.
You can do basic maintenance, construct-a-ride, take class on bikes, or just go if you want to know more about the mechanics of bicycles before you get one - this place really should be your square one b4 you dive in, buy a membership, and take a class/learn the language so you are somewhat knowledgeable b4 you step in there on regular basis.
What have I done here? Trued my wheel, convert to fixed, back to free(I'm goin to give fixed a chance again soon), greased my barrings. Soon, I plan on building up a fixie, from parts from my current ride, and newer parts. There is just something about doing the work yourself. This place really is a diamond in the rough!!! -
Review from stephanie p.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2009
This place is the cats pajamas. I was rather reluctant to go here for various reasons, but when I entered the shop the person at the desk was ready and willing to explain to me how it all goes down.
The shop was busy so I just found somewhere to chill until a station opened up. One of the volunteers came up to me and started helping me out right away. I went in because I was having an issue with my chain, and came out having done a full tune-up on my bike...all by meself (with awesome guidance of course)! And for only 5 dolla! I am bound to go back.
I had a fantastic experience here. I am grateful for the people that volunteer their time to help other bike lovers. I enjoyed learning how to work on my bike and getting a little dirty. It is a great place from anything to adjusting a seat to building an entire bike.
Thank you Bike Kitchen...you're rad. -
Review from James d.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2008
If I had a garage, I would model it after the Bike Kitchen. But it would never be as good since I won't have all the crazy characters who hang out at the Bike Kitchen.
I will drop in to tune up my bicycle and to drool over the other awesome and soon-to-be-awesome bikes being worked on. In that regard, they are indispensable, since who has space for a wheel truing stand in their apartment?
I also started a project bike here. They will let you dig for parts in their parts room (for a small price) and you can hang half-finished projects on their ceiling so you don't need to drag a dysfunctional bike home every night.
Very relaxed and friendly environment, although it can get a little crowded on busy nights.
