These places are great if you're a rich bike snob.

I bought my bike for three-hundred-bucks at sport-chek. I have picked up some better parts here and there and haven't spent a lot of dough. I maintain it myself and encourage everyone to learn how to do the same.

Good to know ... but just worth noting - Sportcheck does tune-ups and assembly and frankly, the guys I have dealt with there are pretty good.

My tune-ups were also free and unlimited for the first year I owned my bike.

Haha ... a fellow griper ... what a pleasure!

I'm not trying to be a spokesman for Sportchek or anything ... just passing on my experiences.

I would rather deal with the mom and pop shops myself ... but find that most of the time they are out of my price-range.

Yeah, the first time I took mine to sportchek in Scarberia they fucked up my bottom-bracket. So, I took it in right away to the eaton centre location and they fixed it right up and I haven't had any problems since.

So, I guess it really does depend on who happens to be working at the time.

Cervelo is a Canadian company too - a Toronto one at that! They're in Liberty Village...

I went to Urbane Cyclist last week and stood in the store for half an hour while I was ignored by the staff. To make matters worse, three seperate pairs of women/girls walked in and were immediately helped by the staff. I guess next time I will have to strap on a pair of fake breasts if I want to get helped there.

There's also a place in Kensington Market, up some random alley (there's a sign on a non-alley road). Very very nice guy who repairs bikes, and also sells used bikes. Unfortunately I have no idea if the place has a name, or where it is. I found it by accident. Perhaps someone else can provide some enlightenment.

megan, i think he goes by Mike the Bike. he was super nice to me and completely honest about the used bike i purchased from him (which i loooved, until it got stolen.) his store is on Augusta, south of Bikes on Wheels. mind you, i think he only has a few people working for him so the service all depends on when you see him.

I've heard that George and George's is gone now. He supplied the bikes used in the film Monkey Warfare I believe.

Anyone looking for a really cheap way to fix there bike (or get a used one) should check out Bike Pirates on Bathurst South of College.

Are there any bike stores in North York? The only ones I know of are the bike sections in Sportchek and Canadian Tire...

On yonge street btw:P cervelos =drool for car drivers its woud be comparable to a bugatti veyron in cycle version.

For the nearly exhaustive list of Toronto bike shops, check out the Free Toronto cycling map. You can pick it up... um, in a bike shop... okay, that's not very good if you're looking for a bike shop to start with. :-) It is also online at: http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/map/map.htm , but in a rather inconvenient format (cumbersome PDF files that take forever to load). Black dots with numbers beside them are bike shops.

I've heard of a notorious *gor, someone or other. what's the deal with that?

Thanks very much I love these lists and maybe someone here can help me.

My husband bought me the most amazing bike two years ago. I am now one of those people whose bike is much better than their ability to handle it. I need a place to take it that won't make me feel stupid for not knowing all the parts etc. I need a tune up (it's been in storage) and some lessons on how to care for the thing.

Can you guys recommend any good bike shops in the Durham region (i.e. Ajax, Pickering)?

igor definitely "reopened" but you'll only find him at night with PILES of bicycles on the sidewalk. he's a nuisance and i doubt he's dealing legally.

handfed: see that's exactly what I'm afraid of - some place that'll take advantage because I am clearly new at all of this.

Tatiana: thanks for the advice.

Thanks a lot for this article, and the feedback from all the readers!!

I was going through this thread this afternoon, and after seeing poncho's post with MTB's website (Thank you, btw!) I went to the site, and saw a bike I liked, and immediately emailed him to hold it, I dropped by after work (it's so great they close at 8 pm!), gave in a deposit first because they wanted to tune up my bike and fix the brakes before they sold it to me. I love that, I love the genuine service they have to customers, newbies like me, and how they spend time on making the bike function at its best before they sell it.

Anyway, I've been to urbane cyclist too and I have to agree with Danielle... it's not that I emailed them and they never answered, but I went in person and the vibe they gave off there was just... if you're not in the "in" - as hardcore cyclists, or commuters or something, you're not really worth helping. I didn't get any, "is there something I can help you with?", nothing like that at all. But I don't mean to bash them, perhaps they cater to a certain kind of cyclist, and I'm just not one of them. I'm sure they're a great store though, but just not for me.

I think finding a bike takes a lot of research. I learned a lot from researching about buying a bike, different kinds, my framesize, men vs. women bikes, anyway... Thank you so much for this article. It came at the right time :)

For everyone who refers to SportChek, Canadian Tire and Walmart as bike shops thanks for the laugh. Hold on a second while I catch my breath.

At best SC, CT, and W offer reasonably priced sports equipment. If you're budget allows you to spend a couple hundred dollars on a bike then these shops are perfect for you. You'll get a great bike that will take you from point A to B. But, then if your bike breaks down I wouldn't expect that you could take your bike to the bike shops listed above for repair. The replacement parts might function the same but the quality and the fitting would be different.

Let me put it into another perspective. If I bought a Honda I wouldn't take it to Mercedes for repairs. And, if I did I would probably get funny looks or a raised eye brow. Sure they might be able to do basic repairs like an oil change or rotate the tires but the prices would be astronomical from what I'd be used to at Honda dealership. And here's another example that address the issue of customer service, this time I'll use makeup as an example. Let's say you're used to buying makeup from Shoppers. You walk in, tell them what you need, bang you're at the cash register and on your way. Next time you decide to visit a M.A.C. store. You walk in and it's busy, you have to wait for an artist. When the artist is free they spend the time with you selecting the products to match your skin tone, etc. They also give you advice on application and so on. As you can see the service and expertise is different in both examples.

So for the same reasons that you would have difficulty, frustration and what appears to be attitude by taking your $200 bike to a bike shop is the same reason why I wouldn't take a $2000 bike to SportChek etc.

As for the difficulty in finding the right bike for you especially if it's your first one can seem overwhelming. I've been there, too. In simplest terms buy a bike that's within your budget, comfortable to ride and in a colour that you like and you'll be happy.

Here it is in more detail. First, know your budget. That will tell you where you'll be shopping. Next figure out your need (transportation to work, after work fitness, weekend warrior, etc.) then your preferred riding style (road, mountain, beach cruiser, etc.). Then visit your local bike shops to see what they have that fits your criteria. Don't worry to much about the components because they will be just about the same with all the bikes within certain price ranges. Bike sizing is pretty standard (almost like S, M, L, XL) and you'll know which one is just right for you. Pick a couple of bikes and sit on them to test your comfort, even go for a ride around the block. And, once you've picked a bike make sure you get it fitted to you. Make it your bike.

Wow, there is a shop on Lawrence just east of Pharmacy and I have been going to CyclePath on Danforth for 12 years, but this other shop D'Ornella's is across the street and the service there is absolutely terrible.

Moved into my new place decided to check them out, needed air for my bike.
They were straight up rude about it. Decided to go back about a month later needed a valve adapter for my tubes and they once again, were rude.
This week I popped a flat on my way to work. CyclePath was the closest walk as I'd left my repair kit at home. When I got there I realised I'd left my wallet/id on my kitchen counter. No Problem! The staff at CyclePath were generous and sent me on my way with a smile!

I will NEVER go to D'Ornella's again. I don't care if I have to travel to CyclePath on the Danforth to get what I need, for the service alone, not to mention great prices, I'll make the trek! Those very rude people at D'Ornella's need to take lessons from the staff at CyclePath, Seriously!

I work in the retail sector and NEVER would I treat people with such discourteous behaviour, regardless of their needs.

I know Urbane is supposed to be a great store, but they scratched my new bike when trying to put on a basket which never fit properly because the guy had no idea what he was doing, they lost my friend's wheels and were late fixing them and I find them to be incredibly rude. Cycle therapy is great now that a mechanic owns the store.

It's not on the list, but I've had good experiences at CyclePath on Queen W. I marveled at two of the employees arguing over the merits of a unique key locking system for quick release parts. One thought I should buy it, even though it was expensive, because he favoured the convenience of being able to leave my bike intact when I parked it. The other thought it was just as easy to remove the seat and lock the wheel and save some dough. It's not a conversation you would hear in many shops, given that the bottom line tends to be to up-sell. The manager, Brad, was present the entire time and was doing his own thing so clearly this was normal dialogue.

One of the other things that has impressed me is that every time I go there, it's because I have some kind of emergency or another. One of the guys has always dropped whatever he's doing to help me out on the spot. I like that kind of service.

jy

I have a 1989 Trek 400 in mint condition I would like to sell - can anyone recommend a store's website that allows you to post classifieds? Thanks.

Cyclemotive is a new player on the scene. I have no idea why they are on the list in this blog. I just had my bike there and they did a crap job. Will not go back there.

I was starting my first triathlon and decided to check aorund to look at some bikes. I came across that shop d'ornellas. They were the worst guys ever. They never took me seriously because I was a student and made me feel that because I was poorer than the general clientele I did not matter. I spent $500 there but it was not enough to win their respect. I will never go there again. They were even rude to my girlfriend whe she tried to rent a wetsuit. I will never spent a penny there from now on even I live just close by.

Someone was asking about bike shops in North York -

On Avenue, north of Lawrence there's a place called Spokes and Sports. Same location/owner for 24 years, and a generally family- and commuter-oriented atmosphere. Very relaxed, very helpful, mid-range bikes (new only, no used stuff).

For the sake of full disclosure, I do work there, but I think we're a pretty nice place to buy a bike if you don't want to go all the way downtown.

Add me to the list of people who won't go back to Urbane Cyclist. I was buying a part from one guy when another employee asked him a question. He walked off and gave her a 5 minute lesson while I waited. When he walked back to hand me the part we had been discussing I handed it back to him and left. I'll shop elewhere. Cycle Solutions and Cyclepath Danforth are both great.

Im sure everyone has heard by now what has happened with Igors shop on Queen. It was mentioned a few times above but no one really know what was happening with his shop. He has been arrested recently and the police have seized over 2500 stolen bikes from various storage garages. Screw that dick hole.

Jeff, the choices were made not by me, but by blogTO readers. Apparently, among our readers there are more bike commuters than there are "high end mountain or road riders" (funny, I always thought "high-end" typically meant "expensive and fancy" and was applied to equipment, not people... ;-) )

Cyclemania on Danforth is _great_, but their frame measurements on their bikes can be hinky. Cycle Therapy is, hands-down, the best and best-priced-for-the-work place to get stuff done on your bike in the city. They're knowledgeable, friendly, and accessible. But for my money, I'd take the bike pirates any day. If you want your repairs done right, it's best to do 'em yourself, or at least learn how the machine works so that you can call a bad mechanic on their bad job. Otherwise it's all "You didn't tell me I'd be needing a new chain!" and etc.

Hey... Thanks for this awesome review of bike shops! I used it to find Cycle Path. I actually tried CycleMania first but their hours are not what are on their website.... Loved the Cycle Path guys! No pressure, GREAT service... and 2 years of free tuneups with any new bike. Awesome!

The storebrand bike frames at Cyclemania are imported direct from the factory (from Slovakia, I think), and are built at the store, which lets you pick whatever features you want on your bke without any extra cost. Not for racers, mind you, but great if you need a reliable/strong commuter bike for 400-500 dollar range.

What about buying a bike from the Toronto police ebay auction site? I notice no one's mentioned that as an option.

Can anyone tell me why the bikes on the above mentioned stores are higher than the average hmmm lets say sportscheck?
is it because of the materials used?
or other reasons?
(newb on the bike scene)

thanks Tatiana! appreciate you taking the time to give me a heads up. Ive been thinking about getting a bike for awhile but the prices has been keeping me at bay from purchasing one. but i will go in to the store and check them out now.
any other helpful tips is appreciated!

I checked out Sweet Pete's and they had some great deals heading into the Fall bike show. Was specifically looking at the Giant OCR C3 that they had. The sales guy was nice and fairly helpful when you could get him to come over. Took the bike for a test ride on twice. Both times he was no where to be found when I came back. None of the other staff would help (especially guy at front counter).

After being ignored twice in two visits I decided to take my business a couple stores down to broadway cycle (Dufferin). The staff there were busy getting ready for the show but dropped everything every time I walked in the door.

It's mid November, and I have been looking for a good way to store my bikes. I found a garage outfitting store in North Toronto and they have a several great ideas for my storage problem. One of them is the Slingger, http://www.1stchoicegarage.com/slingger_electric_hoist.html
If you need a way to get your bike out of the way for the winter, you have to check this out.

Jonathan

I checked out Cyclemotive over on Bthurst St, definitely one of the nicer shops in the Toronto area. Great staff and awesome selection.

I am pretty new to purchasing new bikes.
I need an oppinion on the new bike (CCM by Canadian tire)is is a good bike.

Alice, you can get a $1000 bike for those rides, or just a little more. All of my choices are steel, which is my strong preference.
http://ucycle.com/products/bikes/commuters/masi-randonneur
http://ucycle.com/node/159
http://ucycle.com/products/bikes/commuters/jamis-satellite
http://www.sweetpetesbikeshop.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=124&category_id=15&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Thanks James. Funny enough, I went to Bikes on Wheels on a rainy Tuesday at 4pm.

The bikes you recommend there - and a steel bike at that - would they be any good to transition from daily riding to road races and triathlons?

IGOR. Whenever I had a bike stolen in the past (hasn't happened for years, touch wood), the police would shrug and say, "You can probably buy it back from Igor. Otherwise, not much we can do."

Holy crap, I just typoed typo. #fail

I took my bike to Urbane Cyclist last week to get a new back wheel (it was bent in a minor accident). The mechanic recommends I also get new brake pads and a tune-up (it’s a brand new bike that I had already adjusted and fine tuned after having bought it about a month ago). I decide to get the brake pads changed anyway (just in case), but declined the tune-up. When I go back to pick it up, the repair report attached to my bike says “***Did safety check anyway***” (highlighted in pink!). So I’m appreciative, pay the $144, and leave. I walk my bike home because I had not brought my helmet with me, and I am a fanatic about wearing helmets. Then on the weekend, I take my bike for a ride, get on it, go down the hill that is right outside my building, AND tada – my back brakes aren’t working. Tell me someone – what constitutes a safety check? Something about brakes and safety go hand-in-hand in my opinion. Not only did they mess up the back brakes which worked fine before, but also let me walk out the store with messed up brakes. You would think the first thing you do is spin the back wheel and check the brake. I am taking it back today and hoping not to explode on them. How can you suck so badly at something you probably do for a living?

Checked out Cyclemotive on Bathurst to get my mtb bike tuned. Definitely a recommendation here for for service and selection. The staff there are real helpful and laid back, unlike many of the other T.O shops. I even have my eye on a Scott road bike in there after wondering around. Sweet shop!

They can be found at www.cyclemotive.com

@sm your experience at Urbane Cyclist does not surprise me.

I would NEVER recommend Urbane Cyclist. Every experience I have had there has been bad....I went to get a tune-up and they did as little as possible in order to turn around the bike quickly so that they wouldn't have to store it. When I got it back, the valve on the tire they replaced was damaged. So, I had to go back and have the tire and valve looked at and repaired. They changed the inner tube and the next day I got a flat - hard to believe this is a coincidence given that I have had the bike for 5 years and have NEVER had a flat. Poor work, poor service, poor attitude. DON'T GO THERE.

As of this season Bikes on Wheels isn't selling used bikes. There are several shops in Kensington that offer good used stuff at more than reasonable prices. Shannen at Red Arrow Bikes (on Kensington Ave, between Exile and C-pub) is always more than helpful with any repairs. Don't be off put by the back alley location and the massive pile of bikes out back, he's a truly stand up guy and a great mechanic

Yeah, the costumer service at D'Ornella is fucking lousy. Unless your a rich hardcore cyclist with a 3000$ bike, they won't give you the time of day. I went there once a few years back to ask about getting my back wheel repair and the guy there was a straight-up asshole. I was given the snob treatment and no help at all.

By the way, if anyone knows where the mechanics from Cycle Therapy ended up, I would love to find them. They were top notch.

If you're going to be heading up north (or live there) the staff at SILENT SPORTS are ridiculously helpful and knowledgable. The store is giant and full of everything human powered.

Yonge and Steeles

http://www.silentsports.com/store/

Is there a difference in the bike you get by spending $400 at Sportcheck (their mid-upper range) or $400 at one of the above mentioned specialty shops (their lower range)?

Thank you for the prompt and informed response!

So I dropped into Sweet Pete's today for a repair. My bike needed a new star nut inside the headset which isn't a big job but I think taking it to Urbane or Bikes On Wheels (two of my regular shops) woulda been an overnight thing. Sweet Pete's turned it around in the time it took me to go eat a hot dog and come back. Total cost for parts and service was under $15, including tax. Everyone there was super nice--no attitude whatsoever. I will definitely return.

Bikes depreciate way more than cars, generally. As soon as you ride it out of the store good luck selling it for more than half of what you paid... But if you find a bike you like and that fits properly there isn't really any reason to be selling the bike anyways. In my experience, once a person finds a bike they like they keep it for a very long time. Finding a good used bike is more often than not an exercise in frustration, just like with buying a used car your often buying other people problems and more often than not a used bike will have a worn out drivetrain which can be a couple hundred bucks to get it all replaced. And very often as well you make a compromise on fit when buying a used bike as size selection on a particular type or quality of used bike is limited to whatever is in the store. Buying privately can yield good results but you need to be educated as to what is a good bike and what isn't.. You need to know what your looking for. But to actually answer your question.. I'm fairly sure that most used bikes go the route of private sales, but it can be a risky proposition.
Also something to remember when buying a bike, your buying a frame and buying into the way a frame rides, feels and fits. The rest of the components are generally unimportant unless you really value some particular part like a really good fork but don't care about drivetrain, brakes, etc. as much.. but bikes at similar price points feature about the same value of the parts on it just often with a different distribution of high end and lower end parts. i.e. A Kona may have cheaper wheels but has some nicer Race Face cranks than say a Trek which has some nice Bontrager wheels with a cheaper Shimano or Icon crank.
Full Disclosure, I work at Sport Swap.

Where can I buy a cheap entry road bike like trek 1000 or giant ocr? The cheapest price I can find is over $700.

Thats how much an entry level road bike costs. You should budget between 700 and 1200 for a decent entry level road bike.

Hi, I'm looking into purchasing a bike that I can use to get to work everyday instead of driving. I'm looking for something with a full chain guard or chainless, full mud guards and a coat guard. However, the only bikes I can find like these are those European city bikes that cost over $1000 a piece. Does anyone know of a place in Toronto that sells bikes like these for under $500? Something I can use to ride through rain, slush, snow and salt?

Thanks

Is there a time of year that one is more likely to get a deal on a new bike? For example, when next year's models come out? Or just before winter when bike sales probably slow?

I build and maintain my own bikes. On occasion, I also build and/or maintain bikes for others (family, friends). At any given time I have at least 4 built bikes and 1 partially built bike in my possession. My bikes range in price and purpose from a converted singlespeed winter/beater bike that would fetch no more than $100 on Craigslist to a fully customized carbon road bike that altogether would retail well over $4000. I get my parts from many sources, and have dealt with almost every single one of the stores listed on this list, in addition to many others that weren't mentioned.

All of this is to say... I believe I have an unusually intimate perspective with regards to bike stores. In that spirit, I'd like to share the following observations. No promises here, just observations from an experienced bike lover and amateur mechanic.

La Bicicletta was left off the list. This is my favourite high end road/cross store for a number of reasons: excellent selection, very well trained staff. For anyone who's been stung by Wheels of Bloor's complete disregard for customer service, treat yourself to La Bicicletta. They're at least as good as Racer Sportif in terms of selection and price, but they get the nod for friendliness and customer service over all other high end roadie stores in Toronto. Frankly, I don't know how Wheels of Bloor could have possibly made this list. The prevailing attitude I've experienced there made me feel like I was an inconvenience.

MEC is like the Ikea for cycling parts. Don't expect a lot of knowledgeable service or high quality stuff. But it's great for cheap commidities and the occasional deal on decent gear.

I have given Urbane chance after chance to demonstrate to my satisfaction that they've earned such a great reputation. I am still looking for any significant reason to give them my vote. Your mileage may vary. They DO seem to be the only shop in town that has a good selection of more esoteric bikes: recumbents, folding, tandems. I'm not really in that market, but I'll bet my first recumbent will come from them someday.

Similarly, I feel that Duke's to some degree became a victim of their own success, at least prior to the fire. They DID have very good stock and they DID have fairly good service, and they DID have somewhat competitive pricing. However, I never once felt like my business was truly appreciated. No matter if I spent $10 or $1000, it seemed like the general attitude was "meh... we get lots of other business. Take it or leave it". Things may have changed, although I doubt it; they still have the same people running the shop.

Cyclemotive, just around the corner from the old Duke's, was a real gem, and a stark contrast to the level of customer service I'd been accustomed to. Cyclemotive is very attractive to a cyclophile like me: very good selection, competitive prices, a depth of knowledge, and above all excellent mannerisms. There's a certain earnestness in all the staff - from the owner to the part time clerk - to listen and understand the customer. Despite what other posters suggested, Cyclomotive proper is relatively new, however the same family had been operating The Cycle Shoppe on Queen for many years. Cycle Shoppe is intended for the more casual rider whereas Cyclemotive is oriented towards performance riders. Same people running the shops. I do most of my business with Cyclemotive because of a solid relationship that was created over positive experience after positive experience. I also wonder about another poster's experience with their mechanic... from my experience they're definitely among the better shops in town. I ask them to do things that I'd rather not do myself (cut steerer, bleed brake lines, mount new headset cups, rebuild an internal 3 speed hub), and get great advice on more difficult tasks (wheel building, tapping a frame). Their work is as good as mine, if not better. The confidence that inspires is well worth the money.

CycleSolutions is also very good on the service side of things. Staff are really friendly... you could just drop by to chat instead of shop and they seem just as happy to see you. They also routinely have the best prices around. I go mainly to the Beaches location (higher end stuff), and have joined in a few group rides. The beaches crew are a laid back bunch. There are many deals to be had at the Parliament location too. A lot of my MTB stuff comes from them.

Curbside really helped me with my pet project to rebuild a classic '71 Raleigh Superbe. They had both older parts and more obscure parts in stock, and also gave solid advice on how to service this stuff. If you like classy rollers and city cruisers, this is the place for you. Prices aren't so hot, but the selection can't be beat for this bike segment.

long-ass post. Hope it was helpful in some way.

Hey Sebastian. I checked out the new Dukes just to see how they were doing. Still seems pretty much like business as usual. Not bad, but really, not great.They still have their "Best of Now Magazine 2001" clipping up on the wall. Seriously... living in the past.

I have a single speed mtb for winter bashing. I haven't gone all out with fixed becuase I've grown too dependent on back pedalling to negotiate over/through piles of snow. Still, I have window shopped for fixie parts and gear. It's just a matter of time before I get or build my first fixed gear. For now, I'm just looking at what's out there and making plans on my first fixie.

To that degree, I'd suggest you look at Cyclemotive. Last I checked they had parts/frames from IRO, Masi, Fuji, Phil Woods, Formula, CInelli, KHS, and a few others, in addition to the more common catalogues. They had a Bianchi Pista that caught my eye, pimped up with a white chain and other niceness. If it isn't in stock at the moment, Aasif will order it in within a week. They don't do Specialized, btw... some kind of rift between Aasif and the Specialized rep. Even though I have a Specizlied Epic M4, it's never been an issue for me, asides from the ribbing I get every time I bring it into the store.

You could also take a look at Urbane and La Carrera. They both have a pretty decent stock of single and fixed gear stuff. Like I said before, I find Urbane to be good, but not as good as their reputation. I hope someone proves me wrong, truly. I have no comment on their mech skills/quality of work, since I've never had the need to get anything done by them. La Carrera seems to specialize in road/single/fixed. Nadir, the owner is really straightforward and seems totally trustworthy.

Finally, I still should mention La Bicicletta. They are beyond most people's budgets, but it's worth going there just to check out the bikes. Easily the best bike porn in the city. Everything is carefully selected, and the staff can tell you everything you might want to know about the gear. You might spot something within your budget.

@Jove

That was just about the most informative and helpful post I could ask for. Thank you!

Jon

Hi there!

Does anyone know of a place where I can buy a bike for $100-$150? I'd prefer not to go to stores like Canadian Tire though. I need a bike that won't give me a lot of trouble.

Thank you.

Not sure about Urbane being at the top. Others experiences of standing in the shop appears to be the case for both trying to deal with them over email and/or the phone. Emails have gone unanswered and transfers to the "parts" department left in limbo. I was trying to get some stuff ordered in for my visit to Toronto next week but have given up on this shop. Tried the next surly dealer I could find from their dealer list Curb side Bikes and had my order sorted in 5 mins. Guess some shops are just to busy to take on new business.

Hey guys, I am a newcomer to Toronto and I feel having a bike here is definitely indispensable despite excellent public transportation. However, Im looking for a "transitionary" bike till I settle down and am in a better position to afford something more durable and for the longer term.

Id greatly appreciate it if anyone could recommend top three bike stores I should visit to buy a used bike. I am flexible if its a mountain bike or a road bike. So shops that actively help a customer to get the best fit etc for the bike and suggest alternatives.

Thanks in advance. (I live in High Park)

Hey Jonathon,

What did he overcharge you (in a quote) for by 25 dollars?

I wouldn't mind seeing how he quoted you....

S

Can someone explain why you would want a fixed gear bike?
I like the idea, but it can't be very practical for commuting to work in the city, right?

Bryan: Before you begin to understand why, you need to understand that there are people that ride bikes for fun and not transportation. There are people that ride mountain bikes, there are people that snowboard, there are people that drive standard transmission cars - and there are people that ride fixed gear bicycles. They happen to use them for commuting, but most of the time they ride their bikes for fun. It's about turning city riding into a fun activity as opposed to a mundane commute. Riding on a fixed gear bike is about finding lines in traffic, finding the right paths, and it's a whole different feeling. Ontop of that it saves you money on maintenance and parts, and almost all of the bike's repairs can be done at home with minimal tools.

Would you ask someone why they would drive a standard transmission car? It saves you on gas, but is surely not meant for "city commuting." I bet you understand the pleasure of driving standard, though, right?

That about sums it up.
After doing some research and going on some test rides, I've come to the concusion that riding at fixi is all, "Look at me, look at me"
Unless you're in the veladrome......the benefits are far outweighed by the huge drawback of having only one gear.

Also I LOL at "going on some test rides"

You probably need training wheels for a regular bicycle.

Just read this, on Sheldon Brown's website if you would like to open your mind.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

PS – The first tour de France was won on a Fixed Gear.

I'm looking to buy a vintage sytle cruiser bike. Multiple speed, new or used around $250-$300.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

I wholeheartedly back Sweet Pete's.

I recently bought a bicycle (unfortunately not from Sweet Pete's; I found exactly what I was looking for at Urbane) and when I was shopping around I went to many of these stores.

At SP's I received by far the best service, most importantly from several different people on several different days (other stores were less consistent). The staff I spoke to were extremely knowledgeable and were genuinely interested in helping me find the best bike for me (they really helped me understand bike sizing, ideal bike geometry for different purposes, benefits of different materials, etc.). I never felt pressured in the least and they answered all my naive questions without a hint of snobbishness.

Also, when I wanted to try a bike that wasn't built yet, it only took them an hour and half to call me back with the bike ready to go. I know service times depend on demand and how many mechanics are working, but it was impressive nonetheless.

That being said, many of these other stores are great. Bikes on Wheels has some very friendly and very helpful staff, though the mechanics (or at least one of them) can be surly, especially if you ask them questions about how to fix things on your bike (for obvious reasons).

Urbane is also good, but I found the quality of service to be somewhat variable (some staff seem more interested that others). But on the whole, still a great store, and it had one of the better parts selections out of the stores I went to (and bike selection).

Anyway, I didn't know about the survey, but I definitely would have voted for Sweet Pete's.

Happy cycling!

Highly recommend hellovelo.ca in the East end. Great service, and a great club for those so inclined.

Hello everybody and I just wanted to thank all of you for your contribution on this topic. I am a newbie at all this so please bear with me.

Reading through all these super helpful posts, I found Sweet Pete's as the best store around. What I wonder is (please do not laugh I am not rich or anything like that), do they at Sweet Pete's have some new mountain bikes priced around $200-$300 CAD? I worked hard to earn this money so I can buy this bicycle as birthday present to my older brother, and I really don't have more money to spend on this. Few people told me (in kind of rude way) that I should be looking at SportMart or SportCheck only because even Canadian Tire is super expensive store for people like me. "People like me" part I couldn't understand. I am not cheap, really... I just earned this amount of money and who knows when will be the next time I get some good season job again and my brother's birthday is closing fast (week to go).

Thank you all again, and please sorry if I insulted anyone in any way.

For bike repairs, I'd recommend Cyclestork in the beaches. Just a guy working from his backyard, but he definitely knows his stuff. I've used them twice, first time he picked it up and delivered it. Second time I went to the shop. Both times I had my bike back the same day.

I have had a number of really bad experiences in Bikes on wheels. One of the times I went in because I had a flat tire and they were going to charge be $25 just to fix the inner tube. The guy who was running that area was extremely rude and was not paying attention to me. A younger guy at the store fixed it for me and charged me $20. I would never give them anymore of my service. I have since gotten the same thing done at The bike joint and they were very pleasant and it only cost $12.

I previously lived on the east side of downtown for 4-5 years, and always had great service and tune-ups from Cycle Solutions on Parliament. This year I moved to the west side and ended up going to CycleMotive for a tune-up instead, but I will never go back.

First of all, I went in to ask about a standard tune-up, which is in the $45 range, so I thought, sure I'll go here. When I dropped off my bike, however, the guy basically insisted I had to replace the gear shifters, the handlebar grips, etc. etc. So my $45 tune-up ended up costing around $170. Fine, I thought, if I need this stuff to make my bike run smoother, I'll suck it up and pay.

When I picked up my bike, however, I noticed that while I had a new gearshifter, the bike was still dirty and dusty and grimy, like they hadn't touch a thing besides the gears. Any time I had a tune-up at Cycle Solutions it was always clean and new-like when I got it back, but not at Cycle Motive. Since I was spending 4 times the amount of a basic tune-up, I expected a little more from Cycle Motive, but what I got was a lot LESS.

My brakes were actually WORSE when I got my bike back from Cycle Motive. The previous year's tune from Cycle Solutions had given me rock-solid braking performance, where I could stop almost on a dime. But on getting my bike back from Cycle Motive, I now have to RIDE the brakes until they gradually come close to stopping, even on only a slight downhill. I went back to Cycle Motive to see if someone would tighten my brakes. The head dude goes "Sure" and sends me off with some lackey, who proceeds to do NOTHING to my brakes, and basically tells ME how to tighten them up and then says it's probably my own fault because I've been riding the brakes. I tried to explain that the brakes actually worked better BEFORE, and I've never had to ride the brakes before coming to your shop, but he was probably too stoned to listen to me, and he continued to do NOTHING to tighten the brakes except wipe down my tire rims with a cloth.

This is not the kind of service I expect after basically spending 170 bucks on a "tune-up". The brand new gearshifters I bought 3 months ago are already slipping. My guess is if I had just taken my bike back to Cycle Solutions in the first place, they would've somehow tuned up my old gears without forcing me to replace them, and I would've left with a clean bike with working brakes for the regular 45 buck tune-up price. Instead, I'm pissed off at Cycle Motive for "up-selling" me for no reason, then giving me a half-assed tune up after I spent 170 bucks, and then get some shitty, slacker Queen Street attitude when I went go in there to get it fixed. I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.

I will ride across town to go back to Cycle Solutions to get them to remedy the half-assed job that Cycle Motive did.

I previously lived on the east side of downtown for 4-5 years, and always had great service and tune-ups from Cycle Solutions on Parliament. This year I moved to the west side and ended up going to CycleMotive for a tune-up instead, but I will never go back.

First of all, I went in to ask about a standard tune-up, which is in the $45 range, so I thought, sure I'll go here. When I dropped off my bike, however, the guy basically insisted I had to replace the gear shifters, the handlebar grips, etc. etc. So my $45 tune-up ended up costing around $170. Fine, I thought, if I need this stuff to make my bike run smoother, I'll suck it up and pay.

When I picked up my bike, however, I noticed that while I had a new gearshifter, the bike was still dirty and dusty and grimy, like they hadn't touch a thing besides the gears. Any time I had a tune-up at Cycle Solutions it was always clean and new-like when I got it back, but not at Cycle Motive. Since I was spending 4 times the amount of a basic tune-up, I expected a little more from Cycle Motive, but what I got was a lot LESS.

My brakes were actually WORSE when I got my bike back from Cycle Motive. The previous year's tune from Cycle Solutions had given me rock-solid braking performance, where I could stop almost on a dime. But on getting my bike back from Cycle Motive, I now have to RIDE the brakes until they gradually come close to stopping, even on only a slight downhill. I went back to Cycle Motive to see if someone would tighten my brakes. The head dude goes "Sure" and sends me off with some lackey, who proceeds to do NOTHING to my brakes, and basically tells ME how to tighten them up and then says it's probably my own fault because I've been riding the brakes. I tried to explain that the brakes actually worked better BEFORE, and I've never had to ride the brakes before coming to your shop, but he was probably too stoned to listen to me, and he continued to do NOTHING to tighten the brakes except wipe down my tire rims with a cloth.

This is not the kind of service I expect after basically spending 170 bucks on a "tune-up". The brand new gearshifters I bought 3 months ago are already slipping. My guess is if I had just taken my bike back to Cycle Solutions in the first place, they would've somehow tuned up my old gears without forcing me to replace them, and I would've left with a clean bike with working brakes for the regular 45 buck tune-up price. Instead, I'm pissed off at Cycle Motive for "up-selling" me for no reason, then giving me a half-assed tune up after I spent 170 bucks, and then get some shitty, slacker Queen Street attitude when I went go in there to get it fixed. I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.

I will ride across town to go back to Cycle Solutions to get them to remedy the half-assed job that Cycle Motive did.

Some observations from my bike buying experience: Sweet Petes lived up to the general praise it receives from this site. My girlfriend bought an Opus Cervin from them a few days ago (they are having an incredible sale on them $450+GST). I went to bikes on wheels to ride a fuji absolute (but they didn't have any) and ended up buying a Norco VFR 2 for $509+GST (they are having some good sales now as well). I decided to buy in the fall for the increased odds of getting a good deal. Do not go into any shop if you don't know the first thing about bikes. It is very easy to reasearch online what type of bike is good for your riding, and you can also get an idea of prices from many websites. Thank you for all the posts, they really helped.

Went to Dave fix my bike on Christie to get my wheel trued - was not impressed with the whole experience. First thing; sign on the door said gone to dentist back at 2 pm. I was there at 1:55 pm so I did some shopping, came back at twenty passed, no sign of life so I went for a walk and forty minutes later still not there. Great. Why do these people write these things and not stick to their word? I went back the following day. He said it would be 18 dollars “come back between three and six”. Considering it was a little after two, I was a bit surprised but okay. Went back at 5:30 wheel is not done, “Can you wait twenty minutes or come back tomorrow”.
“I live twenty minutes walk from the shop I’ll wait thanks” He tinkers around for ten minutes, hands me the wheel that’s the best I can do. (Maybe because it was almost closing time ) Still has a slight wobble but okay. Get home realize some spokes are loose – have no tension at all. This wheel will not last in this sate of repair.
Take the wheel back the next day. He says the wheel is old (it is about 10 to 15 years old), corroded and that some spokes are at the end of there travel he can’t do any better with the materials that he is given.
Ask him what could be done and he says that he could rebuild the wheel - this would cost 55 dollars. So to true this wheel that had a slight wobble would be 75 dollars or there abouts ( + taxes etc). No thanks that is preposterous.
I was not happy with this, in my book 10 or 15 years is not old. I restore prewar cars so a car that is 10 years old is not old. Metallurgy is also so good these days that an alloy of this age would show no perceptible sign of aging. Look at it in another way. Would you consider a 15 year old human old?
As to corroded, the spokes are stainless steel, the nipples are nickel / brass and the rim is anodized aluminum. With the exception of the aluminum which is anodized to stop oxidation these metals will not corrode at least not in my life time. If some spokes have come to the end of there travel it would indicate to me that the opposite side has extra and that the wheel is not sitting central in relation to the lengths of the spokes.
It annoys me that these people pass themselves of as mechanics, open shops, and lay it on thick .
I will not be going back to this shop and I would not recommend it to my worst enemy

Not sure why I'm hearing negative reviews on Cyclemotive. The shop and service is beyond most shops here in T.O. Trust me, I've shopped at every store in the city. There guys are pros and have been in the game for a very long time. They even have a location on Queen West called The Cycle Shoppe. Don't follow bad reviews here people....Cyclemotive is definitely worth visiting.

Just a quick note about my experience at Cycle Shoppe - I know almost nothing about bikes so I decided to go to a shop rather than just buy a used bike off craigslist. The guys at cycle shoppe were very nice and helped me to pick out a used mountain bike. They said they would 'clean it up and give it a tune-up' and I could pick it up that evening. When I went back, the bike was still full of mud. I took it anyway, being so tired of taking the streetcar, but it quickly became clear that the front suspension was completely immovable. I took it back and was told 'that's what you get with a used bike' but they eventually did agree to pay for half of a replacement fork (though not for half the installation). I appreciate that they were under no obligation to do that, but I thought the least I could expect from a used bike was that all the bits worked properly. I ended up with a bike that wasn't a very good deal all in all.

All I'm really saying is beware if you're a bit clueless, take someone along who knows what to look for. And 'we'll make sure everything's working' might not mean what you would hope.

Actually, freeriding, I'm not sure why my original comment posted 4 times, but I didn't intentionally post it 4 times. Maybe there was a problem with the website that day. Blogto.com is free to remove the multiple comments if they wish, and I wish they would.

I'm not from another shop, I don't work for any cycling shops. I'm just a customer/cyclist. And I have to disagree with your statement that Cyclemotive have the best service in the city. My experience, as you no doubt read 4 times, was completely opposite.

bikefx:

Please, spare me your religious holier-than-thou proverbs. It's a BLOG about bike stores, for god's sake. So yeah, what was I thinking writing about my experience at a bike shop!? God forbid.

Yes, I did try to rectify the problem. I paid a lot of money for something that was not done very well, IMO. I went back a second time, explained the problem, and received really lacking service the second time. I'm not about to go back there a third time.

You seriously think a customer should have to go back three times and take "witnesses" just to get the service that they (over)paid for the first time around? That's quite a hassle you're expecting their customers to go through. I'd prefer just to go elsewhere.
And guess what, bikeFX? Customers are people too! And if a business treats them badly, they're going to tell people about it.

Here's what else has power besides the tongue: Taking your money elsewhere, never buying anything from that shop again, and letting other people know that you had a bad experience at that shop so they can be forewarned. It's the power of the dollar and the power of the internet. I'm sure Cyclemotive is aware it exists.

By the way, I did write this in hopes that maybe somebody at Cyclemotive would see it and improve their customer service. But it won't be on my dime.

Contrary to the response that suggested I must work for a rival shop (which I don't), these responses from BikeFX and freeriding seem like they either work at Cyclemotive or have relatives that do. If you support them, good for you, that's great. If you don't like what I wrote about my experience, that's too bad. Call it "bashing" or "uncool" or whatever, but it WAS my experience, and I chose to share it with people by writing about it. It's called freedom of speech.

Cyclepath @ Yonge/Churchill in North York is a great store for service. This guy knows his stuff.

I think you have to go into a store a few times to really get a sense of what they're about. You may just hit them on a bad day, otherwise. There can also be a huge variation within one store depending on who you deal with. I've got to say that I've never had a bad experience at Curbside. All the staff there have always been friendly, helpful, and apparently sincerely happy to see me. I just wish they carried more of the stuff I'm looking for. But good for them for serving a niche. I've also had great sales and service experiences at Sweet Pete's and Cycle Solutions. Never had a problem with either of them. Hoopdriver (on College), the new boutique kid on the block, is owned and staffed by a quiet but really nice guy named Martin Neale who has patiently taken time from his work on bikes to explain things to me without being condescending. I always try to buy something from him, no matter how small, each time I go in. Interestingly, the place where I get the most attitude is Urbane. There's a guy in parts there who either has a personal dislike of me or just shouldn't be in a service business at all. But, I guess, that's why he's in parts and not on the sales floor. I also guess he knows his stuff because he wouldn't win any personality contests. The guy who runs Cyclemania on Danforth is also a bit cranky -- but he's funny, eccentric-cranky and has come up with inventive solutions when fixing my old Raleigh 3 speed. Personally, I think we're pretty lucky to have so many great bike shops in Toronto. I just wish we had better Canadian online parts e-tailers like they do in the U.S.

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Very nice Blog, I will tell my friends about it.

Thanks

If you want your bike worked on with no hassle, no hidden fee's, no shop time, just repairs and overhauls, visit Dan's Mountain Bike Repair. We have the lowest prices for repairs, replacement parts if part is not fixable, we are appointment based so when you bring your bike, its gets worked on. visit the web site given and see for yourself.

If anyone knows a bike store that takes in people who wants to race and trains them, please email me. Im not a rookie cyclist but am very interested in racing and commited to who gives me their precious time. please let me know. thank you.

Be careful of cycle solutions on parliament. Front of house staff very nice -
I took my hybrid bike in to change the pedals and waited for them to do this while they took my bike to the workshop in the back.

I paid them and cycled away but after about 1 km on Gerrard
my pedals started to lock up. I pulled over and noticed that
my rear gear change cable had been deliberately
somehow looped over the rear dérailleur -
the rear cogs had chewed through the plastic covering of the cable and was exposing the steel wire underneath. I jumped on the subway to sweet Petes who fixed it free of charge and said that
whoever tampered with it is a nasty piece of work.

So beware of cycle solutions

Hey all,

after much research for a nice city bike I finally found one that looks good that might be decent at the cottage and seems to be a good price. Norco VFR disc 4 ... found it at:
http://www.cycle-solutions.com/

Any opinions?

ok the link seems to big to paste :-) Please use the search butoon, type " vfr 4 " .

Is this bike a good value? Should I buy it?

Urbane "fixed" my bike by removing my back rain guard, claiming it was the cause of the chronic squeaking noise no one could seem to pinpoint at two different bike shops. Well, it wasn't the back rain guard and in retrospect, what a stupid diagnosis. They couldn't figure out what caused the problem, so instead of just admitting it, they charged me $20 by pretending to fix it and leaving me with the problem of dragging around my rain guard and having to have it reattached. Thanks Urbane!

I have a limited budget but don't want to buy a bike from Canadian Tire. Which of these bike stores have bikes within $300. Also, if you could recommend a specific bike within this price range, that would be great.

Any suggestions for kids bikes - ages 10 - 12?

Has anyone been to Mojo Cycle's @ 1652 Queen St. West(east of Roncesvalles Ave)? I would rank them in the top 3 for service and turn around time. They fix your bike on the spot and get you on the road right away, or you can expect to pick it up the next day if it's in for a tune up. I recently had my old rusty 60's Raleigh cruiser tuned up, and it looks like a new bike now.
Guess what ! He's open until midnight, 7 days a week :)

Look for the gigantic tractor tire on the sidewalk in front of the shop. It has an air compressor inside for free air.

Has anyone been to Mojo Cycle's @ 1652 Queen St. West(east of Roncesvalles Ave)? I would rank them in the top 3 for service and turn around time. They fix your bike on the spot and get you on the road right away, or you can expect to pick it up the next day if it's in for a tune up. I recently had my old rusty 60's Raleigh cruiser tuned up, and it looks like a new bike now.
Guess what ! He's open until midnight, 7 days a week :)

Look for the gigantic tractor tire on the sidewalk in front of the shop. It has an air compressor inside for free air.

Hi everyone, maybe someone can help me out for a location of a used bike. Recently single and not allot of money right now, I am lookin for summer transportion, 4 better health, away from TTC (at least during the summer months) and seeing Toronto again on 2 wheels. I work pretty far from home, about 3 hours walking distance (yes, done 4 times this year). Looking for a mountain bike (half decent please). I need to know if there's any bike shops in T.O. that sell good used bikes.

I'd have to agree with an earlier poster's thoughts about Cyclemotive. I had a tune-up there recently and it wasn't completed properly. They upsold unnecessary parts rather than spending the time to actually find out what was wrong. The staff were rude when asked to make the situation right.

After a trip to the community bicycle network, i've realized what a good bike shop is actually like.

I am never returning to Cyclemotive and if you're looking for work on your bike or to purchase, i'd go elsewhere.

I have a great bike for sale or trade.
Its a men;s bike for taller men. I'm a 5'10" female :)
Let me know!

I am looking for a shop that sells the Surly Long Haul Trucker. Any thoughts? If anyone has one to sell I am in the market right now. I am 5'9" with a 32" inseam in case you are wondering if your bike might fit me. Thanks. Great site.

Hi Brian,its listed on CL.
Its a great bike. So have a look at the link below and let me know. Thanks for your interest and take care.

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/1747275039.html

I am looking for training wheels for 18'' bike. Any suggestions where can I buy them? Please not a Canadian Tire...

Niagara Cycle Works has training wheels. They are about $20 dollars and non-Canadian Tire.
http://www.thefind.com/sports/info-heavy-duty-training-wheels#price=$1-$18000&page=1&store=212903

You forgot about the sweet store on Bathurst and Barton.
Batemans Bicycle Company
Great deals, service and bikes

cavern cycles r.i.p, great mechanic, good prices,quick turnaround time last i heard he was working at a bike place on parliament,

i question if the reviewer really has dealt with some of the above mentioned places, i've dealt with 2 of them, 'bikes on wheels', good mechanic, WAY OVERPRICED!!$60 for a tuneup?, and the turnaround time is way too long,Danforth Cyclepath- average priced, terrible tune up, waste of money,

I highly recommend L&J cycles davenport and ossington, good mechanic, good prices, quick turnaround time

Hi
Does anyone know where I can get a good tune up- Yng Eg area for a vintage bike? ( without crazy $$$)
Thanks

Liberty Cyclist in Liberty Village. 171 East Liberty st. Unit 125.

I don't know how to ride a bike. I want to get one in the $100-150 range for practice.

Does anyone know a brand I can get?
Or which stores carry used/new bikes in that price range?

There are bike snobs (mine is lighter than yours) and then there are the sensible people who look at value for money. C'mon paying anything more than $300~350 for a bike is just ludicrous. For the best deals, Sport Chek is ok but also consider Canadian Tire.

hello everyone

i ride a bike almost everyday i go from Mississauga to beaches, its a nice ride, but i just wonder do anyone here bike in groups? i'm usually a solo rider, but wondering if anyone rides in groups.

thank you

Someone mentioned a while ago that most of the bike shops deal in performance bikes (mountain, racing, etc..) and don't have a good selection of high quality comfort bikes. I don't know if readers are familiar with 'beach cruisers' but they have big tires, a wide comfortable seat and generally have either 1 or 3-speed. They're built for comfort and nice to look at :)

There's a new shop that just opened up on the harbourfront, specializing in these cruising bikes, they're mainly a rental shop for the Harbourfront and the Island, but they sell them as well. Very nice bikes, I just rented a couple for me and my girlfriend last weekend, thinking about buying one as well, was looking around online to see if any other shops carry them, haven't seen any so far. If anyone else is interested, they have more info at,

http://www.h2ibikes.com

The unfortunate reality is bikes are expensive, but the more you spend the better you get, for 300 you are not going to get a great bike, chances are it wont be carbon either. And god forbid a pro rider win on the bike, it will be even more expensive the next year..... But either way the actual best bike shop in toronto was snubbed, la bicicletta up at dufferin and castlefield is by far the best.