Ordinary Bike Shop

Reviews 5

A

A Private User

I ended up in Ordinary Bike Shop (OBS) this evening only because the other nearby shops were already closed. Im really glad they stay open til 7:00 PM during the week, because otherwise Id have never discovered this gem. The first cool thing about OBS is the walk-up service bay on the East side of the building. I might just be an awkward person in general, but its *always* awkward walking my bike through doors. You hold the door open with your butt, while you try to steer your baby through with one hand and then quickly jump inside before the door hits your back wheel that you just spent half an hour truing. (Dont look at me like you havent done this!) Or you can just use the front door if youre into that type of thing. Once inside, I was immediately helped by one of the employees, who introduced herself as CJ. I fumbled through an explanation of the high pitched squeaking my Specialized Roubaix makes as I pedal. Within thirty seconds of my explanation, CJ suggested that it might be my derailleur pulleys. Fortunately, a little lube (they use Triflow, I believe) to the tension pulley was all I needed. Youre probably thinking hmm, that sounds like pretty standard service to me. Sure, but heres the nice part - instead of just fixing it and sending me on my way, CJ explained the likely cause of the problem, and then followed that up with a detailed explanation of how to disassemble the pulley and apply an appropriate lubricant if the problem were to return. How often do you go into a shop, only to be treated like a clueless idiot by some arrogant, know-it-all worker? (Or worse, some worker who clearly doesnt know much at all). For me, the answer is one too many times. Ive been to several other LBSs between Tucson and Flagstaff, but none have matched the quality and casual vibe of OBS. Ill definitely be back for my future needs. As a quick disclaimer - Id like to note that I only interfaced with a single employee, and I didnt spend any time looking around the rest of the store. Hopefully you have the same pleasant experience I did if you choose to visit.

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ZA

Zap Jones

I had good experiences at OBS with most of the staff. I appreciated the level of honest, no-bull sales and service. The OBS Service Department had never steered me wrong, selling me items or service I did not need. They always told me the straight dope on what was going on with my bike. Most of the sales staff were fairly knowledgeable, real-life cyclists, and low-pressure sales representatives. Almost everyone there in my opinion was a true bicycle ambassador. After reading the previous review (which was very poorly written), I am of the opinion that the wrong staff member was targeted as being "rude". I never had a problem with Jim. I was always dealt with in a respectful manner by him. He is a competent mechanic. He always told me what was going on in a truthful manner. It has also been my experience that many people cant handle the truth, and some people will take out their lifes frustrations on the first person that tells them that which they dont want to hear. That being said, I am no longer a customer at OBS, and it has nothing to do with Jim, or any other employee. All the employees I have dealt with have been very professional. The reason I no longer go to OBS is my issue with the owner, Dave (the father, not the son). Dave is not professional at all. He doesnt ride bikes, nor does he know anything about them. I have been a targeted victim of and have witnessed his ruthless up-selling of crap that people didnt need. I have been told things about bikes that I later found out were dead wrong. I have heard him spout off about various bicycle-related topics where it was clear that he either had no idea what he was talking about, and/or he was blowing smoke up a customers butt to make a sale. In summary, this used to be my favorite bike shop. The previous owner had a passion for bikes. It seems to me as though the current owner only has a passion for the money to be made from them.

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A

A Private User

I brought my bike in to have new tires put on and they put on tires too big for my bike. Not a big deal... but when I brought my bike back in they told me there was no way they could have made that mistake and I must have had that done somewhere else. When they checked their system and saw that it had been them to put the tires on they replaced the tires for free but still charged me for labor. They also asked who installed my bike rack because it had apparently been installed poorly. After checking their records again they saw it had been them who installed it in the first place (to be fair Im using a vintage racing bike as a commuter bike so putting the rack on was probably a difficult job). I left and came back twice because it took much longer to change the tires than they thought it would (understandable... it was a busy Saturday). When they finished the mechanic that had been working on my bike brought me back to show me I had a hop in one of my wheels which he tried blaming the incorrect fit of the wheels on. I pointed out that both tires had been rubbing, not just the one with the hop, and that it wasnt me but another mechanic at the shop who had diagnosed the wheels as too big. He was incredibly rude throughout the entire interaction and when I mentioned that he was being short with me he told me he had hurt his finger pretty badly while working on my bike and was therefore in a bad mood.... Okay? All in all, an awful experience and I will not be going back.

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RI

Riki Newell

I had purchased a Fuji Forza series hybrid bicycle 11 years ago at Ordinary bike shop. During the first two weeks of having the bicycle, spokes began to tweak and Brake from one of the rims, causing grief. I brought the bicycle back and showed the technicians what was happening. They asked me if I can leave the bicycle there for the day. When I returned, all of the spokes had been replaced on the entire bicycle... How do I know this you may ask? Because the first time of the spokes being replaced were replaced with the silver spokes. The original spokes on the bicycle were black to match the color of the rims. The technician therefore noticed after I pointed out that the spokes were not correct. The technician asked if I would be willing to bring the bicycle back at my convenience. I did bring the bicycle back, and the technician was happy to replace all of the spokes with the original style black spokes. I was elated to have that much care and service. I still ride the same bicycle today! Thank you, Ordinary bike shop! Sincerely, Riki

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A

A Private User

I have taken my bike into three different shops with lackluster to poor results. I visited the shop to get a feel for both the merchandise and the staff. I found the staff to be very engaging so I thought Id give them a try the next time something was needed. My husband took my bike in for me to get a tune up and thorough cleaning. I have a Marin road bike with Campagnolo components. They immediately put the bike up on the rack and began to do an evaluation and provided a verbal estimate. He found the staff to be very competent--I was encouraged. We picked up the bike and it looked great - such a nice cleaning job. Most important was the tune up--every single gear worked like a dream. Just back from a 70 mile ride, and it was like having a brand new bike. From now on, Ordinary is the only place I will trust with my bike.

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