NYCBikes

Avoid this shop at all costs!
I personally went in to fix a flat and potentially buy a kryptonite lock as I work just down the street and couldn’t pass up on the convenience.
The owner of the shop was clearly annoyed with having a customer and wouldn’t even make eye contact with me as he pointed to spot to leave my bike for the repair. I’m sorry but where I come from talking to someone out the side of your neck is a GIGANTIC sign of disrespect!
Strike one
I come back an hour later picked up the bike and then pulled a kryptonite Evolution u-​lock Mini w/​4 ft cable and proceeded to check out. He wanted to charge me 95 bucks for the lock! This thing goes for 60 on Amazon and free shipping. I questioned the price and he cops an attitude and tells me to go buy it there then.
Strike two
My coworker goes there to fix a flat a week later. When he goes to pick it up, the back tire was flipped to the fixed gear without warning. My coworker is almost thrown off the bike as he doesn’t ride fixed. Ok, maybe it was a simple mistake. No. When he brings the bike back to flip the tire and wheel, the owner starts to yell at him saying he only had a front brake and won’t let the bike leave without it fixed or another brake. My coworker disagrees and says he paid to fix a flat, not a life lesson. The shop owner then throws my coworkers money at him, literally throws cash and change at him and bans him from the shop.
Done.

I don’t have a history of negative Unilocal reviews, but I had such a negative experience at NYCBikes I just had to warn everyone else.
My bike happened to break down near the store. Basically I couldn’t pedal the bike. Something with the gear cable? I don’t know. If I knew, I wouldn’t have to drop it off. But I don’t, so I dropped the bike off for repair. So far so good.
I returned a few days later when they told me the bike was done and the person working (owner?) had locked himself out of the store. I was a little annoyed since it was a minor errand to get there and now I’d have to return another day but, you know, happens. About 10 minutes later he got in and retrieved my bike.
He explained that it was basically a cleaning job, it was a big cleaning job, and it cost $ 45. Fine, whatever. I paid and left. The only problem was the bicycle still didn’t work. Not like the ride was a little bumpy, the pedals weren’t turning the wheels at all. I immediately turned back around, pretty annoyed. The owner said he hadn’t fixed this particular problem. I explained that the pedals making the wheel go is the primary feature of the bike I was looking to have fixed. He got furious, accused me of copping an attitude, and kicked me out of the store. To his credit, he refunded my money without me having to ask. He explained that if he takes a car to a mechanic and the mechanic works on it for an hour without fixing it, he would still have to pay the mechanic. I didn’t know how it was relevant to my situation.
Between being locked out of the store and the bike not being fixed, I was in a grumpy mood and probably did have an attitude. I wasn’t yelling or anything though, and I think given the circumstances SOME attitude is warranted. Maybe they were right to banish me from the store without actually fixing my bike? I don’t think so, but even if they were bottom line is these guys had my bike for 3 days and failed to diagnose the problem or fix it. I think there’s a lot of jerky bike store people, but at least most of them know how to actually fix your bike.

I’ve never left a bad Unilocal review before, but this dude really deserves one. I’d stopped in here once before, a few months ago, looking for a bike pump. He was kind of dismissive and said he didn’t carry any, which I thought was odd being that it was a bike shop, but I shrugged it off and got one in another part of town the next day.
Today I went in looking for a helmet. First off, he barely acknowledged that I was there, which didn’t matter at first since I was busy browsing the one helmet model he carries. When I saw that the only ones without a visor were size XXXL, I tried to get his attention to help me out for a second. He ignored me and kept working on the bike he was busy with. When I walked over to him in the back of the shop, I asked about the sizes and models he had, to which his response was «look, whatever’s on the rack.» He then went back to his bike.
Look, I get it, it’s NYC and I can appreciate a certain amount of surliness in a shopkeeper who is trying to get his job done and deliver good merchandise to patrons. This shop sucks though — the dude is a jerk and the only silver lining is that I found this out through little merchandise inquiries rather than giving this guy my bike to repair.

The owner is NOT a fellow bicyclist!
I was in the process of moving out of my apartment to begin a long bicycle tour when my fully loaded bike suddenly started acting weird. I found that the rear rack bolt had come out and it was perilously close to the disc brake. This place was the closest «bike shop» so I went in.
I have been to many bike shops all over the country and have always been treated well and felt a certain camaraderie and desire to help (like when someone picked me up on a deserted highway on her lunch break and took me to a different shop because she didn’t have the part I needed). Absolutely NOT at this place.
The first guy I spoke with told me it would be no problem and he’d go look for the bolt. At this point I had taken off all of the gear and set it in a corner so that they could actually see the bolt hole. Then the owner came and asked me what I wanted and flatly told me they don’t have the right bolt, without looking at the bike. I then asked if I could leave the stuff there while I checked out the half dozen other bike shops within a couple blocks, because obviously I cannot be riding around with all that gear without a functioning rack. Nope, «I’m not a storage unit» was his response. I couldn’t believe it. I explained how putting all that weight on there would break my frame and after telling me again how he wasn’t a storage unit, he told me in a snotty manner, «fine, you can leave it there if you feel completely offended about it.»
Forget that. I wouldn’t leave a brick of salt in the care of someone like that. I threw my crap out on the sidewalk and had my wife watch it while I went around the corner to Different Spokes where the friendly guy scoured his spare bolts to find one that fit mine. He told me he gets a lot of customers who complain about this guy. No surprise when the owner considers your value to be only so great as how much you can empty your wallet.
Why give this guy your money when there are so many other shops where they consider you a fellow cyclist, or at least a fellow human.

It makes me sad to see some of these other reviews, because I really couldn’t have nicer things to say about Will and everyone at NYC Bikes.
I came here after Sandy flooded out my car and my bicycle. I needed a ride to get back and forth between the Rockaways during the crazy gas crisis that followed the storm. I rented a bike from Will, and ended up keeping it a bit longer than I had anticipated and running up a $ 200 rental bill. I was bummed, since I was out a considerable sum and still didn’t own a bike. My mistake, I thought… but then I found out you can apply your rental credits toward the purchase of a brand new custom bike from the shop. Oh, and you can rent a bike free while they build your bike. So awesome!
I picked out all the parts I liked, with recommendations from the shop guys, and that came out to around $ 450 or so. Definitely more than I would normally pay for a bike, but it rode well — unlike any bike I’d had before — and came with a full year of free repairs and service. That year alone was worth the extra expense, because I really managed to put my bike through the ringer with long rides and less-​than-​stellar care. Will and Tank always were able to fix it, no cost. Even when I decided I no longer liked the color of one part, a totally cosmetic fix — they did it, free.
After my year of service expired, I still find myself bringing the bike back here because they have always taken it in and fixed it like new, fast. Two or three times they’ve given me a discount on repairs, just because they know me and its one of their bikes, I guess — which I really truly appreciate. There was *one* time that they tuned it up and my chain ended up breaking shortly after, but when I told them I had just been there, they fixed it free, no questions asked.
Really like these guys! They’ve been in the neighborhood a long time, and I hope they stick around.

I went there for a flat at 10:45, was the only customer, the guy told me to leave the bike and come back at 11:30. I told him I was kind of in a hurry but he said he only opens at 11:00 anyway…
So I came back at 11:30 and he was just starting to work on my bike. I tried to explain to him that I thought something was wrong with my tire (I had a flat 2 days before) and that I noticed «a bump» but he pretty much ignored me and told me it was just a flat.
When he was about to put the wheel back, I asked him if I could take a look at it and I showed him the bump, he was like «oh you were right, you need a new tire, it’s gonna be another 15mn».
Then he took care of an other customer flat… Really? I was already waiting for an hour at this point, can’t you just finish the job? Anyway I waited without complaining.
He installed a bigger tire because he didn’t have the proper size. I paid 38 $ and when I’m about to leave I notice that the break is touching the wheel, he quickly fixed it and I left.
2 blocks away I realized that something is really weird with the bike. It’s slow, make weird noise when I pedal forward, and it’s also weird when I pedal backward with the free wheel…
I realized that the chain was super tight and that THE TIRE WAS TOUCHING THE FRAME, and I mean, not just a bit…
I went back to the store only to find a note on the door «Be back soon…», well, I wont, ever!

Traits of a self-​righteous owner: Unkind, testy, hyper and constantly repeating «We’re open 7 days a week, and I missed Easter dinner to stay open!»
Steps to Piss Off the Owner
1. Bring in your bike Monday at 6:55 pm when they close at 7 pm. They only do same day repairs.
2. Bring in your bike on Tuesday at 6:35pm after rushing home from work.
3. Inside the store, there’s a sign that says «We will hold your bike for $ 10/​night»
4. The owner says, «Oh, you can’t bring in the bike after 6:30 and expect me to make this repair!»
5. I say, «But I dragged my bike (with a taco-​ed wheel) 5 blocks over here.»
6. «I told you yesterday it was same day repairs.»
7. «You didn’t tell me that I had to bring it in by a certain time.»
8. «You’ll have to bring it back tomorrow.»
9. «But I literally dragged my bike 5 blocks over here. I can’t come tomorrow. I have a race this weekend.»

Rudely turned away from renting a bike here due to a group reservation after told on the phone a day or two earlier that they don’t take reservations but it would be ok to come in that day.
On top of their miscommunication. I didn’t receive an apology, just a swift nudge out the door.
Absolute disrespect in my face.
Avoid this place.

If you don’t read the whole post, i will summarize:
Don’t waste your time going here. You are better off taking your bike somewhere else!
I moved into this area a while ago, and all the times i’ve taken my bike to this place, something wrong happens.
The first time i took it in to fix a flat. They charged me for the labor and for the pieces. At the end of the day i had another flat. I decided to change it my self. I took out what they had put it and it was installed completely wrong.
I came back to fix something else about 2 weeks later, told the owner about the incident but he pretended nothing happened and did not even think about giving me a discount.
The 3^rd time, i went in to fix an annoying noise that i had in my pedal. They were certain it was the bottom bracket. They switched out the piece, charged me for the labor and the noise still continued. I thought about going back and complaining but it just gets to a point where it’s not worth my time.
The last fact is that they say you can pick your bike up in an hour, you go to the shop, and they ask for another hour. There is no consideration for other people’s time because these guys live in their own world.

So I had planned on buying a new bike this weekend even before all of the unfortunate transit side-​effects of Sandy, which means that buying a bike in Williamsburg has gotten a little more difficult all of a sudden.
Either way, I needed a new bike and went to 5 different shops before I stumbled into this place (I wasn’t sure about the reviews, so it wasn’t my first pick). The owner, Will, was there and he was amazingly helpful. Not only did he answer all of my questions happily and knowledgeably, but he fixed other people’s bikes while helping me out so that no one had to wait incredibly long (not my experience at most of the other places).
He had these brand new custom bikes that were a little more expensive than I was hoping to pay, but after test-​riding a bunch of mediocre $ 300 bikes beforehand, he let me test-​ride … and I loved it. I loved it so much. I went to another place after and didn’t even bother looking too closely because I knew that the bike was for me. For $ 350, I got a brand new custom bike.
He even tweaked it so that it fit better to my size and took the straps off the pedals (but let me keep them in case I changed my mind). The whole time he was helpful and friendly. The bike is a 1 speed, but he extended the upgrade deal for 2 weeks in case I decided I wanted to upgrade to 3 speeds (normally $ 110, but only $ 60 with the upgrade). He even added a kickstand on the spot when I showed concern for the lack of one.
All-​in-​all, I am very excited about my purchase. The only thing I regret is that I had to leave my old bike chained outside, so I have to ride it home once more. I can’t wait to ride the wind on my new wheels ;)

This was my first trip to the shop and my experience was excellent.
The purpose of my visit was to check the NYC Bike models, which I purchased after test rides of the two models I was considering. The bike handled well, looked great, and fit all of my requirements which included: budget, light weight, ease of operation, low maintenance, and durability (solid/​smart construction).
Will, the owner/​salesperson I worked with, was honest, knowledgeable, not pushy, and fun to engage with. He explained how he designed the bikes, the features of the bikes I was considering, his manufacturing process, and his honest feelings regarding bike safety and rider responsibility– all very laudable and positive, while remaining quite disciplined… without losing sight of the fact that riding a bicycle in NYC is a thrill in addition to convenient.
Will did not try to up-​sell me. Will did not Mikel me feel bad when I said I was not interested in certain items. Will did make me feel like my patronage was important to him, and I felt all of my needs were served in abundance and in a friendly and professional manner.
At the end of the experience, after I paid for my super awesome new bike, I felt comfortable enough to have a friendly chat with Will. One of the topics of conversation was some of the negative Unilocal reviews he received, which to my dismay almost kept me from coming in here and having an unusually solid experience. We spoke frankly, and I’m happy to say I’ve gotta side with the business owner this time.
Sorry guys, but the negative reviews did not end up being helpful. Which is a good thing, no?
If you want a super awesome bike sold by a professional, come here.

Racist and rude!!! Went in to buy handlebars, 2 locks, pedals, about $ 300 plus worth. First I had to wait 5 minutes while the bald guy finished sermonizing to another appalled customer about how «the blacks» have ruined mass transit in NYC and Atlanta. Then he threw a bunch of attitude at my simple questions capped off with a snotty warning that my dog, who was sitting politely at least 7 feet from the nearest bike, was likely to knock several bikes over imminently. I wished him good luck with his racist and rude attitude and left. Awful person and he acted like he was the owner.

I need to do a major update of my previous review.
I’ll start by re-​iterating that their bikes are top notch, and I’d hands down recommend them to anyone. I get compliments on the style, frame, components etc from both cyclists and other mechanics regularly, and it’s run like a charm for the past year and a half even when putting 75 miles/​week on it during my commute.
The owner Will is still a great guy, and always willing to help out, especially when it’s one of his own bikes.
The reason I’ve downgraded to two stars is the quality of the other mechanics there, one in particular, who I won’t name/​describe here.
I brought my bike in twice, the first time was to have my brakes’ position adjusted, I had a rear rack installed at another shop and they hadn’t been behaving well since. I had caught them near the end of their shift and was the last customer out. The mechanic left before I could even pay the cashier, and when I left the shop the brakes were worse off than when I had come in. One of the mechanics that was still there (very kind and helpful) offered to adjust the rack, which turns out had been interfering with the brakes, for free.
What irked me here was that the initial mechanic had left without even letting me know he couldn’t fix the problem and simply handed the bike back.
The second time I came in was to have the pads on my front and rear brakes replaced. Simple, quick, I picked it up and rode off. The next day on my way home I was coming down fifth avenue approaching 34^th street, when I applied the brakes — the rear brakes gave out completely.
The front stayed in by some miracle, when I pulled over to look at them — every one of them had been installed backwards, the rear without set screws, causing them to fly out when I applied them at speed.
When I went in on the weekend after fixing them myself I explained what happened to the owner he offered a heartfelt apology, and gave me a new set of brakes (which I opted to put in myself).
So to recap — Fantastic bikes to sell, but unless you personally trust the mechanic fixing your bike, I’d be wary.

Was
Treated
Fine and the
Selection of
Parts is good for space. Long wait for repairs.

I’ve had a lot of experience with these guys (almost all of which was entirely negative). I am writing this review because a recent experience is the straw that has broken the camel’s back.
I got a flat last week. I was in a rush on my way to work and dropped off the bike for a flat fix. $ 17 for a tube replacement — which is absurdly overpriced.
On my way home, I got another flat. Note: these are puncture-​resistant tires, Maxxis Re-​fuses. My guess was that whoever worked on my bike never bothered to check the tread or walls of the tire for whatever caused the flat. When I got home, I found a huge chunk of glass embedded in the tread. I decided not to write a negative review, because in fairness I could have picked it up again on the way home, instead of it never having been removed by the shop guys (unlikely as I think this is).
When I got home to patch the tube, I discovered that the tube they shoved in there was a 700c x 35. My tires are 700×23. They also threw on a long-​valve tube for aero rims when I’m running semi-​aeros.
I was a bike mechanic for 2.5 years and was president of a bike co-​operative. I always suspected these guys of really poor quality mechanics. I KNEW they were overpriced. After being overcharged for a flat fix, discovering that they almost certainly did not check the tire for debris, and determining that they used the wrong-​sized tube for my tire, I felt compelled to write this negative review. Glad to see other folks on Unilocal share my opinion.
Avoid.

Butchers. And not even good butcher. Actually let me add, butchers, with attitude.
We took my wife’s brand new Dutch classic bicycle, beautiful shiny new bike, to fit a front brake. They said they could do it. They said they had the part.
Result: front mud guard (metal, same colour of the bike), smashed and dented, with the paint flaking off by the break caliperes. The calipers clearly do not fit.
They said sorry, they said safety first. I was really upset. Can you imagine going to get your tyre changed and finding your car with a big dent. Sorry would just not do.
I told them that if they did not have the right break not to do the work. Their reply. «I wish I would not have done the work».
Result: I paid $ 40 to have my wife’s new bike dented and scratched. What a deal!
(and I really really hate giving a 1 star)

«No we don’t take bike reservations, no… we just don’t. I understand it’s 3 weeks before the 5-​boro ride, and… just come the day before. Oh, we might be out of bikes then. Sorry.»
Is there another bike shop in the neighborhood you might suggest I asked? «No, I can’t think of any shops».
Very crisp and unhelpful. Odd attitude for Brooklyn.

Wow Just spoke with one of the guys there, zero manners, it seems like they are doing you a favor, and they have no clue about bikes/biking…Since I pay these kind of «favors» I opted to bring my business somewhere else.
Avoid this shop.

Really quick.
I had to ride my roommate’s bike to run a couple errands yesterday. A tire popped and I needed it patched. I took it to these guys and they said that because the bike didn’t have a front brake on it, they wouldn’t do anything to help me. Funnily enough, my sexy female roommate regularly goes in and has work done on the exact same bike. Long and the short, they didn’t help. Ain’t going back.

I just came back from them. Some Douchey McDoucherson (yeah, he was Irish) stole my bike seat and post (had to walk home to the Burg from Union Square. funfun.)
I walked in and just told him what I needed, he took the bike in the back, less than five minutes later he was done, put the bike seat on, adjusted it, and only charged me for the bike seat, which was reasonably priced (I’ve done the research).
I’ll admit he seemed a little smug when I asked ignorant first time city bike riding questions, but he didn’t seem any worse than most Williamsburg customer service reps.
I’ll definitely go back, but hopefully I won’t need to!