Bike Shopping

Glory be, it is a lovely feeling to have so many people inquiring about where to go for a bike purchase!

It is a great reminder that there is a lot of quality riding left to be done before it gets either too chilly or too snowy for you. Or maybe its time to find a deal on a fat frame for winter riding, check out http://bikewinter.org/ for some great info on this.

Now, you can always go to any of the quality retailers who sell brand new bikes and get a reliable ride for a pretty penny. Retailers like Rapid Transit, Oscar Waystn, or Kozy's will do right by you at least most of the time. I always recommend Rapid Transit because they are Critical Mass friendly and really saved my butt when my chain snapped mid-ride last night!

One thing is for sure, NEVER buy a bike from a big box wholesaler. They frequently sell sub-par bikes, and they generally are not put together by an experienced mechanic. Even though it seems simple, putting together a bike out of the box requires an eye for potential problems that I daresay few Wal-Mart employees have. Even if they do, they are often rushed and simple things like chain tension, shifter adjustment, and proper brake compression will become dangerous if not done properly.

For those who want to save cash and get something with a little more unique flavor, there are lots of great options in Chicagoland.

Craig's List
I know, its crazy, but I've seen some great rides come from craig's list postings around Chicagoland. Take 1 part middle aged guy w/ midlife crisis, 1 part suburbs being too trafficy and difficult for a lot of folks to ride around in everyday, and 1 part Lance Armstrong and road biking getting fashionable again. This makes for an abundance of well preserved rides. Patience is a virtue, just keep checking back and you never know what you might find.

Working Bikes Co-Op
Much has been written about the mythical finds people have run across at Working Bikes. Though most of the week they exist to fix up bikes for communities of need from right here in Chicago to Tanzania. On Wednesdays and Saturdays though, they try to sell as many bikes as possible to keep their workshop running. This means rides are priced to go, but don't expect a lot of personal service. Its best to know a bit about what you want, how to size it up yourself, and how to check for good break compression. If you want a fixer upper, though, you can run across some amazing old Reynolds aluminum frames from the 70's.

Ron's Nearly New
Ron is the man for restored vintage Schwinns, but he has lots of other reconditioned bikes for sale. Considering the great pricing, friendly service, and the fact that I've NEVER heard anything bad about them it might be the best damn bike shop in Chicago.

Kevin and Riley at 3036 N Lincoln
Call to set up an appointment to look though some neat old frames and enjoy friendly, personal service. They're busy guys though, and sometimes stock is low. They'll talk you through everything you want to know in the warm confines of the Heart of Gold loft venue. email bikearazzi@gmail.com for more info.

I know I'm forgetting someone! Let us know your latest bikeshop experience, good, bad, pretentious, ugly, cute, etc.