Lakeview Bicycle

Still a huge fan of this place. My bike got stolen a few years back, and I no longer work down the street. I moved away clear across town and eventually bought a new bike and I still drove all the way out to Oakland to have it serviced by Charlie even though there are a lot of good bike shops in my area. He helped me modify the brakes and handlebars on my new bike and advised me on what was best. So grateful to have a shop like his around!

I brought my bike here for a tune-​up and to try to get advice about repeated rear flats. This took about a week, which is on the slow end for bike shops in my experience.
My bike, which I’ve had for 12 years, has a manufacturing defect in the frame — the mechanic at a shop I brought it to 9 years ago diagnosed the problem and installed serrated washers on either side of the rear axle to prevent the rear wheel from slipping and touching the rear triangle during a ride. The washers have prevented the wheel from slipping during the past 9 years from riding — in the 3 years before that, during every ride I would have to stop, undo the quick release, re-​seat the wheel, and re-​tighten the quick release, often multiple times.
The first time I rode my bike after picking it up, I noticed that the bike mechanic had removed the washers from my bike. I brought it back to the shop and asked them to put them back. The mechanic refused to put them back, saying that (somehow) the washers would damage the bike (which hadn’t happened yet in the 9 years for which they’d been deployed). He said he would fix something else which he claimed would address the frame defect. At that point, he said that the biggest sprocket in the front cassette was worn and needed to be replaced. I asked why the mechanic who did the tune-​up didn’t spot the problem. He was unable to provide an explanation, but said that they had an extra sprocket that they would give me for free. I said okay and hung around for half an hour while he installed the sprocket. After he finished, he said that the middle sprocket was also worn, and suggested keeping the bike for several more days so he could do that repair. I declined, and wondered why he didn’t notice that either before then.
It’s important to me that people doing a service for me be able to admit when they don’t know something. A mechanic who goes ahead and throws away part of my bike because he doesn’t understand why it’s there, rather than asking me, is someone I can’t trust. You shouldn’t either. To me that’s even worse than the carelessness they showed by not bothering to tell me about the worn cassette when I picked up the bike from the initial tune-​up.

I love my local bike shop. They’re Pleasant, reasonable, accommodating and fast. What more can you ask for really?

This is a really shady shop! The guy said that he would pump up my tire only if I either bought a pump (what would be the point then?) or paid for a full servicing.
The «full» service apparently doesn’t include everything, because when I came back to pick up my bike, the guy had fixed other things without asking me and intended to charge me extra. I couldn’t have him reverse what he’d done so I ended up paying extra.
The «full» service ended up being just a basic tune-​up where the guy pumped up my tires, greased my chain, and realigned my wheel and brakes. Then he charged me over $ 90 for this piddly work that probably took 5 minutes max!!!

I’ve come here to get fair prices on bike accessories (quality built-​to-​last bike pump, chain lube, bell), tube/​tire replacement (price including labor is better than other places I’ve gone to while in a flat situation elsewhere in Oakland), and a tune up, along with stopping in for quick consultations and adjustments when I’m not sure about what’s going on with my bike.
From my experience, there’s no one I trust more or who I feel more a more familial vibe with (especially cuz Rick reminds me of my dad with his laid-​back, friendly vibe and value of quality and still economic value).
Having lakeview bicycle as my neighborhood go-​to bike shop for the past several years, I find Charlie and Rick to be trustworthy, genuine, and un-​pretentious people, who provide great value and quick turnaround.
Love these guys and their great shop, and feel lucky it’s my go-​to place!!!

They were so awesome. I came in with a flat Stroller tire I’d tried to patch twice myself, and fixed it in under a half hour for $ 13. Pretty awesome. We’ll definitely check them out for our kid’s bikes.

Cool guy, quick service, and at a reasonable price.
I brought my bike in because it wasn’t braking as well as I’d like, which is pretty important when rolling down hills here in Oakland. At first I thought I needed new brake pads but Charlie took a look at it and believed it was the brake levers and cables that needed to be replaced. I dropped my bike off and Charlie took a look at it and helped me replace the brake levers for $ 51. Just took a day and now my brakes work great!

One of the best experiences I’ve had at a bike shop.
I walked in, asked about tires, told him the size I had now, and without even mentioning I was considering a size larger, he casually suggests that.
(let’s face it, I’m a little over 200lbs, it’s prob obvious I should be running a size larger)
The issue of clearance came up, I mentioned I had the bike in my truck two blocks away and without a hitch he offers to go look and walks back with me to see.
No pretension in the whole experience. Just pleasant and straight to the point in making me aware of options. I will keep coming back here.

Just moved to Oakland and pulled out my bike for the first time today. Couldn’t find gloves so stopped into this shop for a pair. Excellent service. Diverse staff. Forgot my sunglasses and they were still around when I went back. Friendly staff. I’ll go back!

Awesome! Charlies is SO nice and very reasonably priced. I always have to compel him to take more money than he charges. Seriously! Always repairs very well.

First off, I have to say they did a pretty good job. I took my bike in for a tune-​up, and the brakes are more responsive and stronger now, gear changing is a lot smoother, etc.
However, their customer service is quite bad for the most part. The main guy running the store is not that friendly, and he said he would call me when it was done in a week. A week passed and no response. I called them back and they said they would call me the next day when it was done. Next day, still no call.
Finally, after a week and a half, I just had to go in person to get it back.
Each of the elderly couple that was there were friendly. I don’t know if they were the owner’s parents or not, but not too bad there.
Overall, good job, but from my experience, pretty much no customer service.

Meh. Dude never acknowledged me, so I left. I came back because I needed an inner tube, defiantly caught an air of arrogance. Also their stuff is pricey. I would like to like this place, it’s the closest bike shop to me, but they seem to want a specific kind of customer and I’m not it. Go to archer bikes they’re hella down.

My introduction to Lakeview Bicycle came when my bike completely locked up halfway between MacArthur/​35^th and the Farmer’s Market on Grand. After walking my bike the rest of the way to meet a friend at the farmer’s market, I saw the shop and stopped in.
The mechanic quickly prioritized repairs by taking his active project off the bike stand and immediately working on my bike so I wouldn’t have to walk it almost 6 miles home and I was deeply grateful for the generosity. I was prepared to pay extra for the amazing service, but when I returned for the bike after an hour at the farmer’s market, the mechanic only charged me $ 20 for the repairs … $ 20 DOLLARS? That’s It? … Yup, just $ 20.
I’m now a fan and tell other riders this shop is definitely one of the best in the area!

Just walked in minutes ago to BUY a bike. Store was dead. No greeting from the guy behind the computer. As we asked for prices on two bikes he barely looked at us. We thanked him politely and left and headed to the other bike store on Grand where the people who work there are simply delightful. I have to agree with Al B’s assessment on his review. At the end of the day as my husband said the guy in the store gets what he deserves … A totally empty store.

A huge thank you to Charlie for taking my bike in last minute and tuning it up in time for my trip. Charlie went above and beyond with customer service, helping me attach my bike basket, and helping me get my bike in the trunk and secure it tied shut. I definitely recommend this bike shop for great service.
Thanks again.

So I moved to the neighborhood for about 2 and half years and this spot is awesome.
They have products that you could add on to your bike. We got new pedals, straps, etc.
They put there customers first.
Great staff

So I decided to descend a nice mountain while playing tourist in Mammoth. Long story short, I forgot how high up I was and didn’t adjust my tire pressure appropriately. At the end of my descent, when I slowed down, my wheels were hot from braking and POW, the front tire blew out — not just the tube, the TIRE. I kept it upright and was able to stop and curse at the bike in time for the other tire to blow as well. It was a real bummer as I had just replaced the rear tire 100 miles ago (Conti 4000s.)
Nothing to be done about it, however, as I was 350 miles from home and only had a couple of tubes and no tires and we were leaving town in the morning, bound for Oakland.
The next day rolled around and I was really hoping to get some riding done in the SF/​Oakland area (I had my eye on the Golden Gate bridge and the area to the north of it.) The wife had a fancy spice shop she wanted to visit and, luckily, I discovered Lakeview about a block away!
So I walked in with my poor humiliated steed, all flat-​tired and sad looking and waited while another customer worked out the details of having a shifter, cassette, cables, bar wrap and (I think) some other stuff replaced. Trouble was, he wanted to make sure he got the bike back in time to ride it to work on Monday. He was delighted when Charlie let him know it would probably be ready the very same (Saturday) afternoon.
I explained my story and was shown to a set of Schwable Durano tires (they don’t carry Conti, apparently) but Charlie assured me the Schwables would be fine and that while their rolling resistance was a hair higher than the Contis I have used in the past, their performance and puncture protection would be up to snuff. I let him know that I was a tourist and wouldn’t be able to wait over-​night, to which he replied that I could have it back in about 15 – 20 minutes. WOW.
True to his word, the tires were mounted (with the logos properly lined up with the air valves, I might add!) when I returned to the shop after enjoying a coffee and pastry with the wife a short distance away.
While checking out, I mentioned my ride plans/​hopes and he directed me to a great local climb (Conzelman Rd) which I promptly went out and enjoyed!
I hope to one day have a reason to re-​visit the shop if I ever find myself riding in Oakland!

This is a really good bike shop. They’ll help you out with small repairs and advice for free usually, and when they do need to do work on your bike the prices are mad reasonable. Retail stuff is reasonably priced too.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars is that because, in my opinion, Charlie’s kind of a jerk. He’s not mean, per se — just really tactless and brusque and not friendly at all. It’s weird that other reviewers have said he’s friendly because he’s been the opposite in my experience.
He’s a great bike mechanic and shop operator. This is my local shop and I’ll keep going there. I’d just enjoy going there more if he wasn’t such a dour dude. He makes me feel guilty about my bike and I feel unwelcome in the shop.
Whatever! Maybe he just doesn’t like me! And he’ll like you. Either way it’s a great bike shop for any of your bike needs. I don’t need my bike mechanic to be my friend.
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EDIT: Okay, so I know I just wrote this review — but I have to say, now, maybe I just went on off-​days every other time I’ve been in there, but today Charlie was super nice. He’s still rough and gruff, but he was smiley today. Maybe he read my review right before and knew I was coming? lol.
But seriously, whether he’s friendly or not, he’s a good guy. He noticed that my rack on the back wasn’t attached super securely, because the attachments that came with it weren’t adequate — so he fixed it and replaced the attachments, for free! That’s not the first time he’s done something for me for free. So I’m putting it up to five stars.

I went there with a tire burst, and they replaced the tube and tire — which the very next day without any rides, burst again. I was kind of furious at them in the beginning at the kind of work they did but I thought there had to be another reason for two simultaneous tire bursts.
I went there again and explained the situation and on closer observation they saw that the wheel was not aligned properly and that led the brakes to rub against the tire in the slightest way possible which cannot be noticed. I believe The guy at the bike station at downtown berkeley messed it up the last time I went there with a flat.
Full points to a lakeview bikes for being accommodating and figuring out the issue and solving it at no additional charge. Needless to say, they have all of my future business!

I got my first flat today.
It was inevitable – I ride in Oakland, after all, where the bike lanes are festively decorated with sparkling glass, the smashed butterscotch of signal lights, the red candy shards of brake lights, and the odd glittering bottle cap. This is all not to mention the general condition of the roads, with potholes that could take out a motorcycle, let alone a bicycle, and ruts that’ll trap even 700×28s.
Of all the places I could go to, I took the bus over to Lakeview Bicycle. I’d been in before for little things – a new seat, rear rack installation, cargo net, chain lube – and been happy with the service.
Not-​Charlie (I think it’s Not-​Charlie, I forgot to get his name, and feel a little bad about that now, but anyways, it’s not the guy with the curly hair I normally see over there) said he’d have it done in ten minutes. I poked my head over after he started getting into it, and he offered to show me how it was done. I took him up on it, I’m always glad to learn how to take care of my vehicles, and he was a fine teacher. He found the staple that had gone through my tread and tube, extracted it, and helped me install a new tube.
Even with hanging out after to chat, and Not-​Charlie tuning the brakes a little, I was out in less than twenty minutes, and for less than $ 15. I’d heard of other places charging more like $ 20 – 25 for a flat repair, and considering that Not-​Charlie took the time to show me how to do it myself in the future too… Well, I’m definitely going back here for future repairs and the like.
(If you’re curious about what they retail, there’s a limited but solid selection of panniers, bar tape, chain lube, underseat bags, tools, pumps, etc. Unless you’re looking for a very specific product with very specific dimensions, you should be able to get what you need here. Prices are fair, I think they do the standard retail markup, rather than the we-​are-​a-​serious-​bike-​shop markup.)