Working Bikes

The extra star is for when I brought my wife’s bike in for repairs and all went well. The young, Latino male who helped was great and friendly. So, when I needed my bike repaired, I had to deal with a 40 year old baby with the attitude problem of an angsty teen. This guy was so condescending and unhelpful it made my head spin. I wanted to take my bike to a non-​profit place because I usually hate capitalists. I felt good about giving my money to a «friendly» place. This guy should not be allowed to work with the public and he is an eyesore for Working Bikes. I’ll never give another damn penny to Working Bikes. Thanks jerk! I really want to say some truly nasty stuff about that guy since he was such a jerk. What is it with most bike shop people and their attitude problems? Get help or grow up!

Had a great experience. Despite what I’ve read online, everyone we encountered there was extremely friendly and helpful. I bought a used hybrid for $ 180, and my fiancée got one too. They threw in some little odds and ends and attached her cargo rack for her.

This was my 2^nd attempt at getting a bike after my first attempt at Performance Bikes failed miserably. I found a beautiful vintage Centurion Pro Tour 15 with Octavio’s help. I can’t give enough props to him, a volunteer, for spending so much time with me getting the bike ready. But unfortunately, the bike was too big. I didn’t realize this, since it was my first road bike, and the hour ride to work was torturous, with my arms bearing the brunt of all my weight. I took the bike back and this time the volunteers were less helpful. I stood around the shop for about 10 minutes before someone helped me.
Paul, the manager, tried to find me another bike in the same price range, but unfortunately, most of the vintage bikes were too long in the top tube, and did not fit me. He actually refunded me for the bike, which is against their general policy, which I really appreciated. But the feeling I got was that I wasn’t the right type of customer for them, because my body ratio meant I needed to look elsewhere for other types of bike geometry. Paul was gracious enough to mention BFF Bikes in Logan Square. I headed over after, and found my bike there. It rides beautifully, and only cost $ 100 more than the vintage at Working Bikes. So ladies I’d recommend checking out BFF, since their bikes may be a better fit for your body.

I don’t have a great knowledge of bikes and when I went in with a question about my bent wheel and a replacement, I was basically ignored in favor of someone buying a bike. I spent some time looking for a replacement wheel in the used section before I left to return with my broken wheel to have better ease of picking out the right one (only had number size for the wheel which was apparently not enough. Again, not a lot of knowledge in my part that went unassisted)
Returned with my bent wheel and tire for a more exact fit. A volunteer was very helpful in looking through the used section but we unfortunately came up empty handed. Then a guy that looked like a mechanic (?.. really I guess it could have been anybody) told me I could buy a wheel that was a different size and it would be ok. I was pretty hesitant, but he seemed certain that this would be ok. It wasn’t. I am definitely dumb when it comes to bikes but this place basically ignored me and then took advantage of me, as far as I feel coming away from it.
If you know what you’re doing and don’t need any help this place is probably great: affordable stuff and a lot of it. However, don’t come here if you need assistance.

This was my first time going into a bike shop to have a repair done. Let me say, the employees and volunteers are Amazing. Everyone is So nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. I will return here in the future, and refer family, friends, and complete strangers. Thanks so much. I can finally ride my bike again, after 3 years.

This shop is a HUGE get for the Pilsen/​Little Village community! My tire exploded and I took it in. I was immediately helped by a nice fella and he changed my tire within 10 minutes, even though the shop was fairly bustling that day. And, it only cost $ 10. Amazing! I also bought a pair of drops and a quill stem together for $ 10, too (used). Plus, this place is a non-​profit and does a lot of great things in terms of helping people get transportation they need. I’ll definitely be back.

The screw on my bike seat broke and I had to ride home five miles with no seat! Luckily, I wasn’t impaled on the way home and didn’t lose control when it broke like the LAST time my seat broke a year ago. I swear, I’m not that overweight that my seat should break twice in about 1 ½ years!
Anyway, last time I lost the bracket and had to spend about $ 20 to by a new seat pole thingy with a bracket from a local bike store. This time, I went to Working Bikes, searched through some screws that were laying around and was out of there for $ 2 and one of the people there helped me install it! They have many parts available to help you fix your bike at a low cost in addition to also selling bikes that have been fixed up by their mechanics or volunteers.

I really want to like this place. I really support their mission. But I invested over $ 400 in two bikes that both broke down on the very first day I had them.
The first bike I bought had tires that were totally out of alignment, and literally stopped riding on about the second or third mile of my first ever ride on it. The second bike was making an awful crunching noise when I pushed the pedals, but I still don’t know what was wrong with it because when I brought it in, the guys that worked there couldn’t figure out the problem. Not super reassuring from people that are supposed to be bike experts.
Besides the shoddy bike quality, the customer service is pretty bad, especially from Paul, the manager. Everyone was just kind of hanging around talking, and took a really long time to even start looking at my bike. Paul looked extremely annoyed when I came in with the second broken bike. Brian is really great though, super friendly and does whatever he can to help.
They «fixed» the bike with out of alignment tires, and exchanged the other one but am having problems with the new bikes too. I’m dreading bringing my bikes back in to be looked at again. If you are looking for a reliable and friendly place to get a new bike, I’d look elsewhere.

These guys are what you call awesome. Walked into very busy bike store. Noticed this not restaurant so I just grabbed nearest employee who was fixing up a bike to ask him about parts I needed. He stopped working on bike and fully assisted me. Showed a drawer full of used parts that I needed and then told me there is free community area where I could repair it myself for free. Area had free bolts, nuts, screws,…amazing. Went to go pay $ 5 at the cashier for parts he quote me for. Cashier looks at me he like just give me $ 2. If I ran a business I would shape it after theirs. Broken bike to working for $ 2!!!

Working Bikes may not be your Kozy’s with shiny new bikes and clean tile floors but the guys working here truly love bikes and provide the best and cheapest bike services I’ve had in Chicago. I got my refurbished bike from them nearly two years ago and it has been a great ride. Recently, I went to get my bike fixed and they replaced my axle and bearing (over an hour of work) and I was not only entertained by the antics of The Dutch and Corwin for that hour, but it was also ridiculously cheap! These guys are the best!

Bought my wife an 88 Schwinn world sport here. It was completely overhauled but all original parts. Gorgeous. She loves it and laughs at the slow divy riders pedaling like crazy in the wrong gear with their saddles too low. If you want to get into biking, come here and buy a nice steel road bike, for $ 200 and give to a great cause at the same time. Steel is real.

I really wanted to like this place… To me the bikes were in bad shape and they wanted way too much for them. I was never greeted or asked if I needed help… I’m not even sure who worked there … Odd

Excellent… the friendliness, service, prices, and the cause

Seems like a cool place. Got great bikes for both kids. They were knowledgeable and there was no pressure to but some overly priced road warrior for a 9 year old.
They use volunteers and have a workshop in the back.

Here’s the thing:
This review is split into two sections. One for the actual shop. One for the other stuff.
Shop n stuff:
The dudes here helped me out a LOT. Like a ton. They let me stay when it was raining, try out some bikes inside, and then ended up helping me get some new parts on my old bike, instead. I felt totally trusting of these guys with my bike and felt they went above and beyond to help me. They helped me a lot and obviously, this store is a great thing.
Stuff that brought this review down:
Ahg, I really hate this part. Because it wasn’t malicious, and they seemed like generally nice guys. But shit. I was there for probably a little over an hour, and heard at least 3 gay jokes, a joke making fun of retarded people, and a few jokes objectifying women. It’s so awkward to be a woman in a store asking for help and having the person in front of you commenting on your body. I don’t know if they’ve considered this, but it’s kind of time to.
The thing is, I don’t think I’ll come back here even though it’s awesome. And that sucks.

Love this place! Good experiences every time!!! Their cause is amazing if you have ever looked at their website! I brought a few bikes in that needed to be looked at that I let my exchange students use when in town and they were so helpful! They checked them out, greased them up tightened here and there and put some air. Really things that I could’ve done but wouldn’t even know how to. Since there was no «real labor» in their eyes, and no parts I was just asked to give a donation to the jar which I gladly did!!! They will get all my bike donations going forward!!! Love supporting establishments that give back !!!

Great place to purchase a nice quality used bike. Service was a bit subpar. Went in at open and they seemed very scattered when I needed service on the $ 150 bike I just purchased.
I paid to have front and back fenders installed on my bike I had just then purchased. They charged me too much for labor and the screws came off and inevitably the fenders Just over a month later. The brake line also tore half way through about 3 months after riding and the screw came unscrewed. Went 4 months with no front brakes and half hazard back brakes so I usually just used my feet to stop. I had to take it to another shop to have a tune up after 9 months. which was expected I suppose.
Great bike — but not sure if I trust the maintenance services with the volunteer based labor.

I volunteered here for a few months regularly because I love working on bikes and being involved in community bike shops and helping people. Working Bikes is a great project that needs some front end adjustment.
Eventually I stopped coming in because I didn’t like the atmosphere of the shop. Saying a simple «hello» to some of the mechanics at the store is met with a level of rudeness that I rarely experience elsewhere in the world. It’s terribly unfortunate that the bad attitudes from the employees can ruin what could be a great resource for many folks.
Personally, I know of several people who have related to me stories of rude treatment there, including an english speaking friend whose native tongue is portuguese. When she asked the employee to slow down because he was speaking too quickly for her to understand, he replied by asking her what language she speaks, and when answered, told her that no one there spoke Portuguese, and turned his back on her. All he needed to do was have a little patience and repeat what he said slower.
As a volunteer I was witness to sexist remarks, and although I don’t believe it was intentional, rather from innocent ignorance, they make the space unfriendly at times to women who wish to be treated like an ungendered person.
They sold my friend an out of true rear wheel with a bent axle from a department store mountain bike for $ 25 — probably ¹⁄₃^rd of what the bike it came from would have been valued at.
Overall, Working Bikes is a great great project and is run very effectively. There are some great bikes for sale at reasonable prices, and for the most part you can’t beat the deals on used parts anywhere else in Chicago (assuming you get the right employee in the right mood). I just wish that the employees could lose the attitude and treat people with more respect. I hope that these things are addressed in the future and Working Bikes could be an even greater resource to it’s community.

Just helped Lee, Omar, Arron, Jim and a whole bunch of others pack a container for shipping to El Salvador. Great experience. I have volunteered here before with my son but have never attended one of there «Shipping Parties». I would definitely do it again. Also a great place to pick up a bike!
I would have «Checked In» but waited until I got home.

I was here to pick up two local bike donations last week, and we received fantastic service and fantastic bikes (bikes, helmets and locks for just $ 20 each!). The service was fantastic and the people working there went over the bikes just as carefully as if we were paying full price for them. Really, really awesome people here.

Went a couple of months ago and meant to leave a review. I brought in my 1982 Schwinn Deluxe Varsity and needed a new set of tires and tubes. It was my first time in, and the people were nice and helpful and very fast. I definitely plan to go back when I can. Not many good used parts around but I’m sure it just depends what they get in, so that’s no fault of theirs. Great experience!

This is the first bike I have bought in years. I wanted something simple and inexpensive to ride to work, and heard about this place through a friend.
I got a vintage, well working, road bike for $ 140. A helmet for $ 15.
They had a good selection of bikes but not for my height (5’2), but I still liked the one they had for me. They were really helpful, too.
I went right when they opened and there were already people in line (about six people), but I didnt feel rushed to make a decision, probably because no one else was my height so they werent really looking at the bikes I scoped out.
If you want a bike and are on a budget, I would suggest this place.

Awesome Place.
Even though most of the people working there are volunteers, they still care about your experience and try to help you out as much as possible. There are plenty of bicycles to choose from. Most of them do look a bit banged up but they go through each bike and make sure they all ride well. As mentioned a million times, they do have the 30 day repair/​exchange policy which is great. They sell accessories and do repairs on a bike you bring in as well.
After reading the reviews I was expecting to get my dream (used) bike for $ 150 but upon arrival I realized that the bikes were a tad more expensive. I got a nice single speed Raleigh for $ 275. There were cheaper ones but they didn’t fit me or they weren’t the style bike I was looking for. From glancing around the price point for reasonable bikes were from about $ 100 — $ 500. (There were a sprinkle of bicycles that were over $ 1000.) THEY DO ACCEPT DEBIT/​CREDIT! I got spooked after reading reviews and brought a wad of cash and saw the person in front of me swipe a card. haha
Overall I’m happy with my purchase and experience at working bikes. I definitely see myself frequenting for services or parts.