Bayou Bicycle

This is by far my favorite bike shop in the city. I really don’t understand the negative reviews for the service department. Some reviews say the mechanics are rude but I think they are just direct and to the point. I’ve had SO many problems with attitude from mechanics at other bike shops but never at Bayou Bicycles. In my experience, the mechanics are very professional and have always done a great job servicing my bike. I won’t bring my bike anywhere else!
I’ve never bought a bike there but when I’ve shopped for accessories, everyone is super nice and super helpful.
Last time I was there, I was really happy to see they’ve hired a woman.
Also, it’s conveniently located right on the Lafitte Greenway!

While they have had what I’ve needed, I’ve never been treated with respect. These guys want you in and out, when it comes to repairs.

Called yesterday and told the guy exactly what kind of bike I had that need a wheel repair. He said «no Problem» bring it in. Today I did and the sales desk was nice, but the service department treated me like I was I was a huge bother. Guys barely looked at my bike and said, we don’t repair them. You can’t repair a wheel and you are a bike shop? Pretty bad. Just rude and frankly a bit douchy. I will never send another one of my customers here after how rude these guys were. You should be a little nice to your customers. Should have said «sorry you came all this way, I will talk to the desk. Nope. Guy just looked at me like I was a huge BOTHER! Funny thing was, I had a great deal of money in my wallet and I was actually going to buy two new bikes. If you notice all the 1 star reviews are on the service department!

The Staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. Staff patiently and thoroughly answered all my questions and let me take several different bikes out for a test ride.

Very deceptive pricing for repairs. Called ahead and got a quote of $ 8 for a tube replacement and suddenly when the work was done and was being rung up it went up to $ 14. And was then told «the sign was as clear as day.» It isn’t. It’s deceptive as can be. I paid them their $ 14 but I hope this candid review costs them way more than the $ 6 they tricked out of me

The worst service department in the City. They overcharged for repairs. Of the several repairs undertaken, some were done poorly and others not at all. Sadly, I bought his and her Specialized bikes from this shop and you would think that would mean something. The repair not performed was billed and to add insult to injury, I was told the the seat post was not repairable and needed replaced. I tried to talk tom the owner (Charley) who immediately erupted into an angry caffeinated (?) rant about how they were experts. I took my bike to a shop on St Claude and was charged $ 10 to straighten out the sloppy repairs that Bayou charged $ 80. The seat post was fixed free of charge and the other repairs straightened up. Stay away, stay away.

This is the closest bike shop to me, and I remember when it opened many moons ago. I spend money there fixing my bike, and I would love to buy a very pricey bike from them, but… there is one guy who works there that makes me cringe, he scoffs at questions, after I spent $ 300 bucks there I asked him a simple question about greasing my chain — and he told me to youtube it… he also has raised his voice at me, and generally acts like a little *^#@ — the other guys are actually helpful, and provide good, thoughtful service — I always try to get other people to help me, but somehow «Napoleon» makes his way in between me, my bike, and the service I want. I wish management would talk to this guy, or fire his ass — one day he was so nasty to me even another worker took notice, and told me customers have complained about his attitude. As a local service provider myself — I don’t belittle people for not knowing what they come to me for, I am there to provide consumers with the knowledge and experience I have cultivated, especially if they are going to spend their $$$ (like an $ 800 bike that requires regular upkeep and maintenance) Also, maybe Bayou Bicycles should think about adding a woman to their staff, or maybe a little cultural diversity, that white male clubhouse vibe is definitely played out.

Good comprehensive bike shop that has everything you need for your bike, and can do full service. I just moved to the neighborhood from Carrollton, so I’m hoping to get in good with the guys here. So far, the staff has been very friendly and helpful. But I had a good connection over at GNO that really worked well for me, so we’ll see.

This place is the opposite of a good neighborhood bike shop. The staff is openly contemptuous of customers (not just me, seen them do this to others). They wanted to charge a friend of mine like $ 150 for a fitting on a bike she bought from THEIR STORE. They charged a dollar fifty for a lock washer. Don’t bother asking them a question that would help you do something yourself unless you want to be laughed at. A neighborhood bike shop should serve as a hub for local cycling community not a place to rip off yuppies who have so much money they can pay someone to pump up their tires.

Kinda love this place. Went in several months ago to look at bikes, get an education and get an idea of price ranges so I could save my $$.
Came back this morning to buy a bike, got some good advice and finally picked out what I wanted. They talked to me about service (it is free for first 6 months) and fit me for a helmet that I had independently researched. Threw in a bottle cage and bottle for free.
Dustin was super friendly and not pushy or condescending. Win

I love bike riding! I love it so much that I was completely bummed when the cheap, hard-​to-​use foot pedal air pump I had sitting in my garage broke while I was filling up my tires sucking all the air out.
So, I turned to Unilocal!I found this place, drove there, explained the situation and what I was looking for (an air pump that was easy to use but not break). The employee directed me to the right air pump. I bought it, he showed me how to use it, and I was on my way.
Needless to say, I have not had any trouble with that air pump. Totally worth the money! And if I ever have any more bike issues, this is where I’m going!

Seriously, the best bike shop in town. They are friendly, fixed my bike on time, they even CALLED me to tell me my bike was done on time, and gave me ahot sauce. I couldn’t ask for a better

In my opinion this bike shop has a lot to work on in their service department. I did everything reasonably possible to give this shop the best chance at acquiring the needed parts for a repair that I needed while on the road. I gave the shop a heads up of my estimated arrival and potential parts needs and I was told there should be no problem. I arrived at the bike shop the Monday 2 weeks be for Mardi gras. I was greeted coldly at best and rudely to my definition. I was wearing flip flops and it was a particularly cold day in in February. So I guess the sales staff felt it necessary to tell me «you are not from around here are you?» On to the service department that told me that my ideas were stupid. I later found out that his is likely because the service department is really not very experienced and what I was asking was likely beyond there comfort zone. The end result was a 300 dollar quote that ballooned just under 500 with the (in retrospect) extraneous tip I provided. This was partly due to the parts needing to be rush shipped because they were not ordered until wed! Picked up the bike on Saturday morning. I paid for brakes to be adjusted they were off, so bad that the quick release on the front could not engage to clamp down and the rear to the opposite extreme almost not being able to brake properly (easy fix) but not when I paid for it to be done. The brooks bar grips that the «tech» told me were stupid were cut with a slit that was obviously due to a careless error. My stem caps were swapped with some cheap back specialized ones. Oh yeah and the new rim that I had installed on my hub was installed without any binding agent like linseed oil so it ended up a bit bent but repairable 100 miles down the road. All in all I hate to bash a business but I thin it is worth noting when opportunities like this exist. The 2 stars is actually a reflection of on 5 star employee there that I place no blame on and appreciate his time. Think his name was Zach. This shop does not seem to be geared towards cycle touring and I think that may have been where I missed it.
Oh what the heck one employee can’t hold the whole place up… 1 star.

Great selection of bikes and accessories and handsome staff.

This place is amazing. Bought my first road bike here. Helpful staff, and even better selection of bikes/​accessories.

Fantastic customer service! Robert D. Is very thorough in sizing your bike to fit you. Zero pressure, knowledgable, and full of timely tips. I couldn’t have finished my first century ride without his help. Thank you Robert!

We bought 2 bikes from here and are always treated great when we return for anything. Super place with a huge selection and fast service dept.

Great selection of bikes, from old fashioned cruisers to road bikes, you’ll be able to find what u want here. Sales associated are very knowledgeable and extremely willing to help. I definitely know where I’ll be purchasing my next bike from.

Backstory:
For my birthday this year I decided that I wanted a bike. A «real» bike, not the $ 40 Wal-​Mart bike that I’d gotten 10 years before to ride the ¼ mile to and from my college campus and my apartment.
Some friends with «real» bikes had recently come to visit and we rode together and I ended up walking half of the way home because the seat of my cheap bike was beginning to cause extreme pain in my lady area.
Looking for a new bike, this was probably my number 1 requirement: I want a bike seat that understands the importance of treating something so sacred with the respect she deserves.
Of course, 99% of the bike sellers we encountered were men. The first place we went to (all of the stores were local NOLA places but I’m not naming names) had been recommended by a few friends. We went inside, I explained that I really knew nothing about bikes other than how to ride them and that I wanted a seat that wouldn’t make me feel like I’d just ridden a bull at a rodeo.
The guy seemed to lose interest in helping me once he found out I was a bike newbie. And he really didn’t seem interested in my special request but I’m going to cut him some slack on that one… it was fairly obvious he would have been more interested in protecting my husband’s precious cargo.
He did the minimum, letting me try bikes and things, but I felt like we kept having to drag information out of him. Instead of suggesting bikes similar to the ones I’d ridden and said I liked, I had to specifically ask him if they had anything like what I’d just tried but in a different brand. Then he’d say yes like of course they did, who would ask such a silly question? Oh you want to try it?
I finally just got fed up and we left. Onto Bayou Bicycle! The people there made us feel very welcome. I explained that I was a bike newbie and what kind of riding I thought I would be doing. They pointed me to some Hybrids and didn’t hesitate to start taking them out of the racks and adjusting the seat. They gave me pointers on my posture, showed me the different gears, and came outside to watch me while I rode.
I found a bike that I liked a lot… the seat seemed much more comfortable than similar bikes from other brands. That’s when I told him of my concern. He immediately started telling me all kinds of information on this brand of bike, how they take ergonomics seriously and have engineers working with doctors to get things right in that area, and that they recognize that women need a different design than men, unlike other companies.
I was stunned. I was overjoyed. I wanted to hug and kiss this Master of Bikes who seemed, finally, to understand this anatomical revelation. Instead, we bought a bike that has been used frequently for a couple of months now with no problems whatsoever.
Me and my nether regions salute you and Bayou Bicycles, sir.

Deep down in my soul, I want to be an elite bike snob. In reality, I’m a fat girl who doesn’t know enough about bikes to be a snob… but I do know that I lust after really elite bikes.
After a tragic (and all too brief) love affair between my front tire and a stretch of abandoned trolley tracks on Erato St, I was the proud owner of an unrideable bike. Even with a trued wheel, my confidence was shot. My sweet old roadie and I were no more. So the fat, scardy bike lover started a hunt for a replacement ride to get me back on the road.
I stalked bike websites, made lists, and visited shops to scope out my prospective investment. Each bike – no matter how wonderful on the internet – wasn’t working for me in-​person. I resigned myself to buying a bike that I just didn’t love, until a friend encouraged me to visit one last shop. Since I raved and drooled over Globe bikes, my friend thought it prudent to actually SEE some Globe bikes.
The Globe shop in town? Bayou Bikes.
As this review may have indicated already, I’m a pain in the ass. I’m annoying and opinionated and full of pointed questions. Salespeople really don’t love dealing with me because I need to know EVERYTHING. Oh, and I’m a total snob-​face. (Does this make me a hipster?)
Anyway. Bayou is a bit of a hike from my digs, and it’s not like I can hop in my car to visit. So I called. The salesdude seriously spent 30 minutes on the phone with me, answering the first round of my questions. Wow. He encouraged me to come by and actually ride a few bikes, because riding is believing. (It’s true. If you have a chance to ride bikes before you buy, please do.) It’s worth noting here that he didn’t brush me off on the phone with a flip «just come in and ride the bikes instead of asking me» tone. He actually answered my questions without trying to pull me into the shop.
My field-​trip out to Bayou Bikes was… unexpected. It’s a huge, warehouse-​style space that’s dark and cool inside, with rows of beautiful bikes waiting for a commuter to take them for a run. On the left is an accessory wall that blows every other shop in this city out of the water. The depth and breadth of both bike-​branded (Electra, for example) and independent merch (Knog, for one) is stunning. I was enchanted by all the possibilities. Oh, and in the right front corner? They have a basket closet. It’s an alcove devoted exclusively to baskets. You want basket options? Bayou Bikes has basket options.
In terms of stock, their bikes focus on Globe, Specialized, and Electra. There isn’t a lot of overlap between those three brands, which opens up Bayou’s stock a lot. They have roadies, cruisers, cargo bikes, high-​end beaters, and a vague category I call «city bikes.» Their target audience seems to be people who use their bikes for transportation, be it low-​and-​slow to bars or brisk rides to work.
The other, really outstanding part of being at Bayou was the empathy and general Not Douchy behavior from the sales staff. When I explained that I’m going through an annoying phase where I’m both a snob and scared of riding, my salesdude didn’t push me to try bikes I balked at. He suggested bikes that would be a great compromise for my needs. He had a general attitude of, «Everyone falls, and everyone shakes. It’s okay to need some help getting back on the road.» And he pointed out that most people who are in love with bikes own multiple bikes, without guilt. Truth. I now own two road-​worthy bikes, and I don’t need to apologize. Turns out that’s allowed. Who knew?
Bayou, like other bike shops, encourages customers to take a turn on their prospective bikes in the parking lot… or further. (On their website, they mention test rides on Bayou St. John. And they mean it!) I spun a few different bikes through the lot and up Toulouse St, getting a feel for the power and speed. The shaded faux porch in front of the shop makes adjustments pleasant, even in our sultry August heat.
The general sales experience was so low-​pressure, so pleasant. I could have walked away without purchasing anything, no hard feelings. I did buy that day because, yes, I did fall in love with a new bike. A quick cruise through the accessory wall meant a pile of little things to make the bike really mine (new grips, fenders, a bell, a flasher, mounted locks) as well as installation time. The bike was promised in a scant 24 hours later, with all of my bells and whistles attached.
Picking up the next day was seamless, perfect, wonderful. The ladywife and I supped at Parkway Bakery (a block away) and had a leisurely bike parade back to our part of the city.
I don’t love that my chosen bike shop is a heck of a hike from where I live, but I do adore my shop enough to make the hike.
Accessibility notes: Door opens in. Small curb in front of the shop. Interior is dim. Floor layout is open, although some customers with mobility devices may have problems. High counter. Unpredictable loud noises from mechanics area.