Wild Rose Mountain Sports

Super helpful for renting skate skiing equipment. Nice crew.

I’ve been a loyal & fan of WR for a very long time but I won’t be going back. I love all the techs and the work they do, like Flo.
I had WR convert a bike to Stans and had a problem with air loss in one tire. So I took the bike in to have them help me. I was greeted by the manager/​owner with the rudest in your face comment of «what do ya want done?» I think he thought I was trying to get a free tire. Anyway I came away feeling like crap as I’ve spent over $ 2k in WR over the past couple of years… no more. If you can get past mr personality & deal direct with the great techs, it’s a 5 star shop, if you deal with him, it’s a one star. Good bye WR.

Best bike and ski shop. They always do great work and have given me amazing deals on things from mountain bikes to backcountry set ups. You guys rock.

What a fantastic bike shop, but — you already knew that right?
The Avenues are so incredibly special as it is, and here is the perfect ski and bike shop right there in the center of it all. Ski rentals for the winter, bike repair in the summer and generally all around good things and people.
I used to live around the corner and have always felt the Avenues were very unique, and I value the time I lived there for sure.
PS — I read through all the other comments after I wrote mine and I think that the writers have good points, I agree with them on a few things. I always did my own repairs and never did more than get odds and ends from the store and so, never had to put them to the test. Maybe I do my own repairs because I don’t trust anyone to do as good a job as I can do (for free). Feedback can be hard to hear but maybe the owner can learn from these comments, and become a more excellent shop as a result.

Great neighborhood bike and ski shop. They are clearly aficionados of why they do (bikers bike, Nordic nordic, etc.) so you kind of have to get them to focus on what you want.
Once you’ve communicated what your looking for I found them awesome. Very helpful and informative.
They are not trained retail sales professionals. And I say hoorah for that. But you will have to work a little more as a shopper than at other shops. They are worth the trip.
I was there for ski tuning accessories: stones, wax, p-​tex, etc. They had what I needed. The larger commercial ski shops like See N Ski didn’t have what I needed.
They also educated me about ski touring gear and I just might add their recommendation to my quiver.
If your a Diva they probably aren’t your shop. Otherwise, pay them a visit.

The Wild Rose is THE store to go for bike accessories, maintenance, and repair– along with cross country ski gear. All the staff is friendly and helpful. I was fortunate enough to be able to ‘learn to fish’ in the shop. I have learned a lot about my bike from them. They will offer you as much guidance and you need and never try to up sell you.
They also have a decent selection of cross country ski gear (which you will not find anywhere else in the valley).
If you live in the avenues, and even if you don’t, I highly recommend visiting the store.

Rented a mountain bike while on a business trip, good quality bike and included a helmet. Fair deal, fine service, easy.

I probably won’t shop there again due to a really aggravating encounter with an obtuse and rude employee. On 2÷20÷14, I had The Wild Rose replace the tubular tires on a 1980’s vintage racing bike I own. They understandably don’t carry sew-​ups, so they had to make a special order. I was riding again a week later.
After riding the bike to work (3 miles/​trip; once a week on average) for the following six months and storing it indoors at all times, the new tire sidewalls were delaminating and the tires were slipping around the rim, creating a bulge in the tire in front of the valve stem.
This was obviously not normal wear and tear, so I went back to the Rose to have them fix it on 8÷26÷14. After I explained the problem to the Wild Rose’s wank du jour (WDJ hereon; I didn’t get his name), he decided that I did NOT, in fact, buy my tires at the Rose or have them installed at the Rose, and that they’re more than 6 months old (i.e. that I was lying). The WDJ assured me several times that my tires were heavily worn are really only good for about 100 miles (~30 commutes to work) before they just fall apart, as a totally normal event in the life of a Conti Giro tire (this is laughably false). I should mention that the tire manufacturer recommends the Giro model for «high mileage training» (from their website).
Realizing the WDJ could not be convinced to help me, I left the shop and contacted the manufacturer myself. The manufacturer acknowledged the very obvious defect from the pictures I sent and promptly sent new tires at no cost to me. While this was in the works, I also contacted the Rose’s owner, Tim Metos, told him about the wank on his payroll, and that I was having problems with the tires his shop installed. Tim acknowledged that the Rose had, in fact, installed the tires six months prior, and agreed to mount the replacements for free.
I don’t appreciate being called a liar, or treated like an idiot. When people make honest mistakes, they should be given a second chance. However, this was not a mistake, it was arrogance and indifference on the part of a Rose employee. In the end, I was treated fairly, but it took me contacting the owner to be treated so, and that’s a problem.

DISINTERESTED SALES STAFF
Although I found the staff pleasant when renting a mountain bike, on two separate occasions they were especially unhelpful regarding sales. For example, I told the salesperson I was interested in buying a bike, but he didn’t know the difference between two Jamis bikes on the floor and made only a cursory effort to find out the answer. I have had much better experiences at other shops and decided I can’t justify investing a few thousand dollars here.

I was a little shocked to see what bad reviews people gave this place. My experience yesterday was entirely positive.
I brought my bike in on a whim to see if they could evaluate my chain. My bike had been making a barely perceptible click lately and I figured the chain was shot. It was.
The guy in the back, Flo, came out to take a look at my bike and even told me that my reasoning was solid. Then he took the bike he was working on out of the stand and slapped my bike right up there. On the ride home my bike skipped in the gear that I use all the time, so I rode back up K St. for a new cassette.
When he took the old cassette off he noticed that it was a 9 speed cassette someone had «modified» for my 8 speed bike. He had me rolling again in about 10 minutes.
I don’t know about the sales folk or the prices on ski gear, but I know that Flo seemed knowledgeable and eager to help and if I break down in the area I’d go see Flo before subjecting myself to the Wasatch Touring idiots a block or two down the road.
Thanks for your help Flo. You just proved that good people make all the difference.

I came in to drop off my son’s mtn bike that needed (what I thought) was a simple break adjustment. The task was to reverse the front/​back brakes as they had been installed incorrectly when new. Here is what happened:
Attempted to sell me a full tune-​up service even though the bike was brand new.
The job took close to a week to complete.
They called to say the bike was ready for pick-​up.
Showed up and the bike was not ready, guy kept making adjustments
I said «I’ll be back and pick up later», guy said «yes, probably good idea
No apologies or regrets
Finally picked up bike, brought it home and brake handles were adj. way low
I had to manually re-​adjust them to the right angle
Thought since it was a local shop it would be good to give them business. First and last time. The [young] staff there is unprofessional and incompetent.

Paid almost $ 100 for 2 bike tune ups and they can’t even do a basic wipe down on the bike. Never again. They nickel & dime you and you feel like you are putting them out by getting some work done on your bike. Tim, the owner, is probably a good guy and wouldn’t appreciate how his employees treat the customer. I have had one too many similar experiences with this place. Right after I left the shop in disappointment I went down to Nordstroms and picked up a suit. I have been going to Nordstroms for over 25 years and never once have I had a poor experience. It would be great if more businesses adopted their philosophy on customer service.

Alright let’s face it. This shop has gotten bi-​polar reviews. However my experience has always been rock solid. The shop employees are cool and helpful and if you go in frequently they are good about getting to know you. The shop owner Tim is a great guy… super nice and helpful and has lots of experience with bikes. I much prefer smaller shops to the larger ones in the valley, mostly on the basis that they feel more welcoming and less arrogant.
I bring my road and commuter here for mechanical work & parts. And it is a good pit stop if you are in the area in the middle of a ride for some nutrition. They even carry some good coffee (by the pound) if you are in the market for something different. The mechanics are knowledgeable and will get your whip running like a charm. If you are in the area and/​or need a good home base shop, these guys are top rate. Scope them out.

Wild Rose to me serves as THE shop to go to if you’re actually looking for expertise on your sport. I honestly shop more often at REI than Wild Rose, but mostly because of evening hours and proximity to my home. In most cases, I know what I want so I’m in and out without asking assistance. However, when I actually need someone that is experienced and knowledgeable on products or service, I go to Wild Rose. I can’t tell you how many time I have received «help» at REI, and quickly established I knew many times more about the product I was buying than the staff did. I’m not knocking REI because I have gone to them in a pinch in other cities as well — but you don’t get the same level of knowledge that you would at Wild Rose.
It is true that the staff won’t swarm you when you walk in, however I never take it as rude. This past week I had a great example. I had an older pair of Madshus skate skis that had never been mounted, but I needed a non-​NIS NNN binding to put on it. My wife took it to REI and they told her she needed a new ski with NIS. Hog wash. I took it to Wild Rose. Yes there were three techs working, I walked over and with a smile and a chin nod, one came over to help. I handed the staff member my boot and ski with a 20 second explanation, done. No attitude, no delay, no problem — just a couple questions and the due date. Voila!
Long story short, Wild Rose has ski and bike expertise that exceeds all other stores I have tried, and thus has remained my top choice for many many years.

wouldn’t recommend this place. After standing there for what seemed like an eternity and making eye contact with the three non occupied shop employees, one asked me what I needed help with. They had to dig around in the basement to find the ski wax that I called earlier about and told them I would be in for. I look at the price tag and its fifty bucks. As a previous ski tech I have never bought my own wax so I don’t really know the prices but I do know that I was not expecting to spend fifty dollars. I then asked them what they use in the shop and he told me the same stuff and some other technical jargon babel that non of us really care to hear. The next question was «can you cut it in half for me», thinking they could use the rest in the upcoming season. «No, sorry». You’re not sorry. I am the customer and I am trying to talk them into a sale. How ridiculous does this get? I don’t know how they can afford to pay so many employees judging by their terrible customer service reviews. Maybe they do have a loyal customer base so they can afford to turn people away or maybe its just a lounge for these guys and they’re not getting paid, either way its hurting their business and I wont be returning or recommending.

The Rose keeps my bikes on the road running fast and smooth. There’s not another shop I trust with my singlespeed.
If you’re a dedicated commuter, these guys will help keep you pedaling instead of waiting for your bike. I always appreciate that the staff does their best to keep my repairs simple and as inexpensive as possible.
Awesome local shop, give them a try and you’ll see.

The staff at Wild Rose are generally awful. After a couple of bad experiences (limited selection, deliberately unhelpful and incredibly lazy staff), I swore the place off. A few months ago, I needed a couple of inner tubes and thought I’d give them one more chance. When I walk in, they have 4 staff present, one of whom is talking bikes with the only other customer. As I walk up to the counter, ready to make a quick and easy purchase, the 3 employees waiting there, seeing me walking up for help, all go to the back to look at a piece of equipment. The third one to leave the counter makes clear, panicked eye contact with me before scampering to the back. The fourth guy doesn’t say a word to me as I walk out, never to return. What is wrong with these people?
Go to Cyclesmith, Wasatch Touring, Bingham, REI, or Contender. Each has its strengths, and each is far better than WIld Rose. I’ve heard that Wild Rose has new owners. Maybe they can whip the place into shape.

Biggest group of worthless employees I have ever encountered. Five people sitting around doing nothing, while Steve Miller Band was blasting. Made me want to go Genghis Khan from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure on their store. You are so cool because you work in a bike/​ski shop in the Avenues. How is this place still open? I would rather shop at the bike section at Wal-​Mart than step foot in this garbage heep again.

Wild rose doesn’t have the greatest selection of gear, since it’s a small local shop, but what they do have is reasonably priced and good quality.
I’ve also ha my bike there to have work done, and have been impressed with the quality of work and service they put into my ride despite the fact that I did not buy it there.
I detected no trace of the snobbery that other reviewers have mentioned, and after trying several other bike shops in the downtown SLC area, Wild Rose along with Guthrie bicycle on 2100 south are the only two places in town I’ll trust with my stuff.

Unless you happen to be ‘bros’ with the guys in this shop, you’re treated like a second class citizen.
Next, they only tune certain types of skis on certain days of the week. WTF? I’m serious about this. Call ‘em and ask ‘em which days of the week they tune alpine skis… They’ll tell you Tuesdays and Thursdays. WTF?
Finally, a little less ego would go a long way with this shop.