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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Mon-Fri 8 am - 8 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 6 pm
For some reason, bike shops are like guitar stores in that every mofo who works there has some garish chip on their shoulder. OK, we get that you…
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I'm definitely a fan of this place. The people genuinely want to help you and the prices are better than the rest of the places in the area. I brought in two bikes that I got second-hand through Craigslist which needed repairs and they walked me through everything I needed to know. They even told me what tools I needed to buy if I wanted to do it myself! Great people and solid prices!
I rarely write a negative review, but I was so freakin' frustrated by my experience that I'm going to lay it out there.
After I picked my bike up yesterday from another bike shop (which will get its just desserts in time), I noticed some seatpost slippage. I went to tighten it this morning when I got to work, and the collar bolt snapped. Ack. So at lunch I head up to Velo Sport on my new WigglySeat (TM) to get a replacement bolt. On the way there, my front tire flats. Grrr. So I finally make it there and ask the dude to find a replacement bolt, please, and change the front tire.
This little desiccated shaggy guy starts looking for bolts, fiddles around for a long time and finally finds what he thinks is right. All the while stammering and hemming and hawing and trying to explain what he's doing and why the other bolt lock was stripped etc. etc. Which is normally interesting enough but he is taking FOREVER to explain it and meanwhile he's dropping his tools and dropping the bolt and generally acting like a tweaker. I tell him (pleasantly) I just need a temporary fix so I can get home and take it to the shop that might have screwed it up. Then he gets all defensive on me. Argh. I tell him it's fine, just find something that can work and let's get 'er done.
FINALLY the bolt is in place and tightened, along with much hand-wringing by Dessicated Weasel Dude about the groove and a needle file and how this will slip again etc etc. I point to the tire and look at him expectantly. 'Ooohhhh, yeah," he says. "Right. Well, I don't want to try and do it while you wait..." I took pity. "OK, why don't I get some lunch and come back? in about a half hour?" I said. "OK?" He agreed.
I have my lunch and come back for my bike. "Oh," says Weasel Dude. "I didn't do it yet." By now I am starting to get a little steamed. "Well, can you do it now?" I ask. Still pleasantly. He thinks he can. I tell him I will look around the shop - I am usually happy looking around a bike shop. This bike shop has some interesting things: touring bikes, messenger type bikes, vintage bikes. But it also feels depressing. Maybe it's just me. And the other guy working there looks like he sleeps under an overpass. Ick.
20 minutes later Weasel Dude shows up at the counter with my wheel in one hand and a tire in the other. This is not good. Turns out he thinks my rim strips are too wide and that is causing the tire to not seat properly, making it hard to change the tire. Well, I could have told him that they are 1991 Wolber rims and don't mate well with modern tires, and that's why it's hard to change them, but I stupidly said, "OK, go ahead and put a narrower rim strip on."
20 more minutes go by. Finally Weasel Dude appears with my bike. I go to pay and then he decides he wants to have a conversation. Unbelievable. I answer him politely and make some motions with my credit card like "I want to pay you and leave. NOW." He rings me up and I'm about to be gone when he says, "Wait! I have to sign off on the work order." So I have to give him back the paperwork so he can painstakingly scrawl his name.
Two hours after leaving my office, I return, stunned. I had no idea it could take that long. (ok, 20 minutes was because of having the flat in the first place, but the rest was all WD's fault)
And, on my ride home, the seat post started to slip again. WD had warned me it would, but I didn't think it would be after just 15 minutes on the road.
Bottom line: maybe it's just Desiccated Weasel Dude, but I will NEVER go to this shop again. Ya lost me.
3 stars because how great this place will be for you really depends on the situation. I haven't bought a bike there so I can't speak to that, but repairs I can. Friendly, accessible, knowledgeable staff, great long hours (M-F 8-8, S-S 9-6) and pretty fast turnaround on repairs.
Worth 4-5 stars EXCEPT if they don't have the part you need. If they tell you they'll have to order the part, take your bike elsewhere. They took almost two weeks to get a not very unusual center chain ring.
You enter through the back door on California st, not a very professional first impression. I went to this shop because it was close to my house, and I wanted a quick fix to get back on the road again. I needed a new brake cable, the brake was rubbing on my rim, and frayed, and the noodle needed to be replaced. I also told them the gear changes were rough, it would sometimes shift past the largest gear and come off. I was told that instead of paying individually for each repair, I should pay $65 plus parts for a "tune-up". I was told it would be good as new when I returned. I had to leave it and pick up a couple days later. When I did pick it up, only what I mentioned had been done. Not a general tune up. Not $70 worth of work, and not ready to ride. Before I even left, I pointed out that the other brake hadn't been adjusted, it had to be squeezed all the way down to engage. Dude who rang me up didn't seem to know how to operate the register. I rode off to work and got a few blocks away to find the tire was still rubbing on the rim!.Supposedly it had been trued, but why was it still rubbing? I shifted through the gears and the chain came off on my way back to the shop! I brought it back at least 3 times that same day. I asked for a refund or discount since the work was sub-par and not done. I was told by the owner Peter that they had since fixed it(by me bringing it back), and if I had any problems they wouldn't charge me for the next few months. Well, I had more problems. He told me he could put the U-lock fixture on for free, very simple, but I took him up on it when I returned. The brake was still rubbing on the rim, and my seat shock was broken/stripped( I couldnt adjust the tension, so the seat sank way down once getting on it. One guy told me that the shock didn't really do anything-actually it did!). I think this happened when they put my bike in the stand higher up on the post and inadvertantly damaged it)? So after picking it up after the second round of fixes, they brought me the bike and I could barely roll it, the brake was still rubbing on the tire! You would think that the employee would notice something as blatent as that. I then had to wait for about an hour while they fixed it some more, or should I say, started to fix it. I had brought it back to repair the repairs and it still didn't run smooth. I will never go here again. Barely an apology, no attempt to satisfy the customer, and bad service. All in all, I took it back 5-8 times, and they tried to charge me for the second visit of repairs.I appreciate that they fixed their mistakes, but it would have appreciated the work done right the FIRST time. C'mon, get it together!!!!!
I like this place because their repairs are cheaper than other places (Missing Link). The downside is that it takes longer to get your bike back. Often you leave to need your bike for a few days for a simple repair. I once had to leave my bike for 3-4 days to get the bottom bracket adjusted which was a bummer that left me without a bike for a bit too long. The staff is knowlegable about bikes and bike repair and will generally give you advice. When I was looking for a new bike the shop owner seemed confused by my requirements - light weight, not too expensive, step through frame, not a road bike - and basically told me that the bike I was describing didn't exist and that I would have to pick one feature that I wanted over another. After a lot of searching at used and new bike shops I ended getting a Fuji Absolute 2.0 from Performance Bike which was onsale for under $600, 23.5 pounds which is light enough for me to carry into my house and onto BART without wanting to hurt myself like my old mountain bike did, and has a step through frame and straight handle bars (hybrid frame) so take that Velo Sports guy! At this point I'm probably more likely to go to Performance for repairs since I bought by bike there, but I would still go to Velo for something quick if I was in the neighborhood.
Fantastic people, fantastic service, fantastic bike shop. Not being too bike saavy, I was a little nervous about bringing a second-hand bike from Craigslist in for some repairs. No need -- the guys working here are super friendly, and will take the time to explain everything about what they are doing (as well as throw in a few fun anecdotes about the shop and their backgrounds). They definitely didn't look down on me and my sketchy used bike (in fact, if anything, they were strangely intrigued by my bright green Panda bike).
I came in for a new set of rear brakes, walked out with a u-lock and some bike lights for a price that would make all my friends in San Francisco jealous.
I've never been happier with a bike shop. Seriously, they have been sooooo awesome!
When I was preparing for a charity bike ride in Reno, I wanted to get a Dahon folding bicycle for me and my mom, and after calling around I decided to give Velo a shot. They were very informative over the phone about what bicycles would be ideal for me, and when I visited them they allowed me to test ride (a $450 bike) and put 2 bikes on hold until my mom could come to the shop and test ride her bike. I thought it was so cool that they let me put the bike on hold (and they had the best deal out of all the bike shops I called) that I decided to purchase the bikes for me and my mom from the shop.
They also allowed me to rent a bike for my brother for the ride at a great rate = ).
Every time I go to their shop they teach me something new about bikes. Apparently I prefer trigger-shifting, hybridized mountain bikes.
Oh yeah and if you get a bike from them they do routine maintenance on it for free. As far as my understanding is. And they have a lot of cool accessories and gadgets (like a wireless bike odometer, which I'm strongly considering buying = ) )
Phil, Richard, and Peter are very helpful and very informative. There are other people but I haven't been acquainted with them yet.
I'm a new to biking, and don't really know much about them but I brought in a bike my family got like 10+ years ago that hadn't been used much. Unfortunately they couldn't work on it because it was a model on their no-work list (I guess it breaks down a lot and sucks to work on, and since it was semi-broken after riding it not that much I could attest to it) but the guy was very helpful in telling me what I could do to make the brakes better and didn't try to scam me into buying new brakes.
Overall they seemed extremely knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. I'll definitely be returning there when I find myself a better bike.
I've been a customer here for years and years. It's not true that I've gotten all my bikes here; I once bought a mountain bike in a Pacific Bicycle store on College Avenue where Maison Nouvelle (err, sorry, Nouveau) has set up shop. Velo Sport's people know what they are talking about and do a great job on repairs when they're in the right mood. These people are not always nice to me, but they're always nice to my bike. When I come in with a problem, the guy who's looking at my bike typically asks apologetically whether I'd mind if he performed a few extra adjustments.... I never mind.
I once left a bike there for a tune-up. I got a phone call: your bike needs a new this and a new that. I authorized the repairs. I got another phone call. I authorized more repairs. Finally they sold me a new bike and charged me $0 for all the repairs that they had done on my old bike.
I was shocked, shocked this morning to see that they were gone from their location on MLK at Virginia. I was afraid for a moment that they had gone under. A quick check of the right dashboard widget revealed that they're now at 1615 University, which is at the corner of California Street. I went in to the new shop to check it out and learned that they've been open for 7 weeks or so. The new place looks pretty good, and it will look better. The entrance on University was blocked off when I came, but you can get in through the back: go around to the California Street side, and you'll see the entrance off a parking lot on California.
I fell in love with this bike shop today and it's the only one I'm going to for all of my future cycling needs.
The entrance to the store is through the back parking lot allowing one to conveniently enter the repair shop, discuss your bike needs with an employee, and then go into the retail showroom if buying. (This is a great way to have someone first examine your bike and determine if it has any problems before buying necessary parts/tools)
I got a Terry Liberator saddle to replace what my helpful salesperson/repair guy referred to as a "hemorrhoid" maker (original saddle from the 80s, hard as a rock with the potential to permanently numb my nether regions).
Most importantly : No attitude, great tips and genuinely nice workers
I took my long-dormant bike in to have them return it to service. A very nice guy helped me unload it from my car and did the work right then and there - no appointment, no waiting. He road it around to check it out, sold me the parts I needed and then showed me how to reassemble the wheel. All this cost less than 2 movie tickets and he even loaded back into my car. I love this place! Parking is easy behind the shop and they didn't make me feel like an idiot. I am thrilled to have an operating bike and a place I know will take care of it for me. Wonderful experience.
I left grumpy after what should have been a quick fitting took close to two hours. I want to like this bike shop, as it's close to where I live, but it just doesn't compare to Missing Link Coop or Hank & Frank's. They don't even seem to have much in stock by way of bikes and accessories - many of the items on the spindles were out of stock. The store was also a bit on the dark side.
When I first came in (midweek), one of the guys hurriedly asked me what I needed, and put me "on hold" for at least 15 minutes while he helped another customer. An older guy eventually helped me, but not before talking my ear off for over an hour, until I reminded him about my fitting. He was nice and all, but I couldn't help but think that he wasn't considerate of other people's time. The fitting ended up being off anyway, as a bike I'd seen elsewhere ended up fitting me even though he said that size was too big. Different bikes may be slightly off in sizing, so it's not his fault, but that's two hours of my life I can't get back.
Knowledgeable folks, who treat you well whether you have a janky urban beater or a high-end time trial bike.
Good selection, good prices. Plenty of road and mountain bike parts, but also stuff for fixed gear and folding bikes.
My favorite bike shop.
Good prices on some items, others not so much. Large selection of new and used parts and brands, which is one of the best reasons to come here. They also have great hours which allows me to stop by when I need to. Staff is friendly and talkative, definitely willing to help you out without that 'hipster'-tude. You might get a schpeal about bike safety and fit, they seem to be really into it. I would not buy everything for your bike from here but some of the parts are a good deal.
I had honestly hoped I would never have to visit this bikeshop, or any bikeshop in Berkeley for that matter. However, that decision was made for me when thieves jacked the front wheel of my bike and damaged the back wheel in a failed attempt to jack it too.
Despite the suggestions of some friends to jack another student's front wheel, I called around and found Velo Sport, which had an old front wheel they could let me have for $20. Their store was also accessible by taking the 51 bus from campus, making it a good choice for Berkeley students who can't bike or drive somewhere.
I got the wheel and installed it, they were friendly about letting me return it if it didn't work, but it did. However, I had some problems installing it myself as I lacked some nuts and washers, and the back wheel was dangerously misaligned, so I took it back for service.
Peter and his crew are knowledgeable and gave a good consultation on why I should replace the back wheel instead of having it repaired. So, I decided to drop $40 on a new back wheel and $10 on installation. They gave me an estimated turnaround time which I reluctantly accepted after checking out the higher prices and longer turnaround times of other bike shops.
However, they exceeded those expectations and had my bike ready to go days before their deadline. Roger, the mechanic, was very good about customer satisfaction, and let me give the bike a good testing and evaluation, and did further adjustments, before I finally rode out the door.
Hopefully my first bike shop visit in Berkeley will be my last one, but in the event I have to visit one again, I will be going to Velo Sport.
these guys are honest, humble, knowledge-able. i went to replace a bike seat and they took the time to find the right seat post.
i was in and out in no time and soaring down bancroft too fast screaming to potential hit n run victims LOOK BOTH WAYS
Service wasn't as good as I expected. I went in just to buy some tubes and a tire, and the head guy there just pointed me to where everything was and stayed in the back. After I got the tubes, he overcharged me for them. I did get my money back on this, though. Guy seemed nice/talkative enough, which is good enough for me. Won't be going back though, but these were the only guys open on Sunday.
When I need anything for my bike, I come here. They really have everything you could want. I've already purchased some lights, tires, u-lock, and several other gadgets for my cycle all for a great price. The owner is very friendly and let me use his shop to do a bit of work on bike while i was there, too. Great people, great bikes.
I'm so used to slick bike shops--this is really one of the nicest ones I've been to. They really sat down and took their time explaining things to me, giving me tips, and I had a nice feeling leaving this bike shop. I'll definitely come back here again for repairs as well as buying new bikes--in an age when everything's getting wal-martized, Velo Sports is really human. Also a friendly and down-to-earth contrast to other bike shop. No ques
They also have a good selection of folding bikes.
This is a great http://shop.its located really close to the Berkeley bike paths so I can ride straight here from my spot in El Cerrito. I also ride a Dahon and they are one of the few dealers/repair shops in the area that probably doesn't look down on what I ride. they seem to be well stocked on parts and the staff has been quite friendly every time I've been there. They also have a great selection of commuters and other folders like bike friday. my only complaint is the bikes are a bit pricy. I have not bought a bike their because of that but I will bring them over for repairs and any future upgrades.I like
these guys pay for good reviews. They have all the tools in the back and you can use em' if you're nice, but don't act like you're expecting it. Just get ready for a gang of stuck up greedy individuals with too much time on their hands, and no price tags on anything, so they will try to cheat you on everything they can because if seems like they're broke. Don't got here, or any bike shop in berkeley, this is the best one and that lets you know they all suck
Anthony went above and beyond to repair my bike and still kept it at the quoted price. May not be the cheapest but if you want it done right Velo is the place to go.
Probably my favorite bike store in Berkeley, and it's the only place I've found where the employees don't patronize you endlessly. A bit hard to find what you're looking for, but good prices, and everyone's really laid-back.
there are 2 really good, honest mechanics that work here. one of the others is an asshole. it is really easy to tell which is which immediately after walking through the door. the dudes that aren't assholes work towards the end of the week, and though they seem a little absent-minded they do a great job of working with you to get you what you need...not what THEY want to do, or what will yield the most money for the shop...something that sets them apart from other shops, and they aren't afraid to do something that will make your bike live again without replacing parts with shiny new ones when appropriate. the owner is alright, but grumpy as hell. if you need something done to make your bike rideable again, go here first. i have no idea what thier tune-ups are like...
Peter Rich's Velo Sports is a quirky store with friendly staff and a great mechanic. Robert the mechanic is awesome and is a treasure trove of how to fix this or that on your bike. I appreciate his care in his work and meticulous thought process in every aspect of his 'wrenching'. On the merchandising side, I'd wish the store offered better display of their products as you have to sometimes hunt for items at multiple locations. Still, I always learn a thing or two whenever I go there.
visited here twice. so far, I'm extremely satisfied with their service. friendly, honest, humble.. nice little bikeshop.
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Berkeley, CA
Berkeley, CA
