Race Pace Bicycles

Category:	Bicycle Store
Address:	3258 Bethany Ln, Ellicott City, MD 21042, USA
Phone:	+1 410-461-7878
Site:	racepacebicycles.com
Rating:	4.5
Working:	10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–6PM 11AM–5PM

Location

Photos 28

Reviews 6

John Alam

Had a horrible experience. Dont take your kid with you because the salesmen know that you cant say what you like in front of them. I thought I needed a repair but before i said anything, the guy says, this bike is old you shouldnt spend money on it. It is a nice old Trek mountain bike. Old but in good shape. He discussed the issue with the rear wheel with the saleman but was very condescending to me in front of my son. Tried to sell me more but finally was ready to just sell me the wheel. Before we leave, i mentioned that the fork is out of alignment and would like them to fix it. At that point he lost his mind. He began to say that the bike is junk and that he would not touch it. He even refused to sell me the wheel because the bike is too dangerous to ride. A friend of his, slightly older, was next to us. Felt sorry and said, well you can ride it on the sidewalks. I asked, cant you fix it. He said no. His friend agreed. I was horrified but could not say anything because my son was with me. There are tools for this job. It is a steel fork. Steel is adjustable. I told them that we would come back the next day to look at a new bike. As i was leaving, the same young salesmen followed us to lock the doors and we able to see us get in the car. His last words were: "You can buy a bike with the price of one wheel on that car." I still cringe when i think of the experience of that day. The next day I took my sons bike to another place in old Ellicott City and without hesitation they fixed the fork. As I mentioned, there is a special tool for aligning forks. And as to the rear wheel, my diagnosis was completely wrong. It turns out one of the chain links was jammed. The Race Pace guys totally missed that. I can thank the Race Pace salesman for one thing, he taught my son not to trust salesmen.

Bill Elliott

I have been cycling for years and moved to the area recently. I switched from road bikes to MT bikes because of McKeldin and didnt understand the different pedal systems. They gave me a good description of the various systems and why they are certain ways, what is available on the market as far as shoes for each system (not just in their store) and how they can be adjusted. They were very knowledgeable and helpful. Ive patronized about 5 to 6 shops in my travels and have run into the attitudes that other posters have mentioned at all of those shops. Ironically even though I could tell that the guy helping me knew more than I did, he seemed more of the attitude of wanting to educate me than rub it in my face that he knew more. RacePace is the only shop that I havent run across the attitude that I must bow down to the staff because theyre more serious cyclists. Theyre pretty laid back. Maybe I was nice to them on the first visit, and so they have always been nice back. I dont know. The one time I had their shop do maintenance on my bike I had it back the next day and was happy with the results. And if I remember correctly, I could have picked it up that afternoon, but I just didnt have time that day. That was in the winter though. I cant help but noticing that the last complainer posted at a time when the weather was just getting nice, so they probably did have a huge backlog of bikes that had just been pulled out of winter storage and needed a tune up. Oh well. Theyve still got my business.

Greg Geslois

I brought my poor condition vintage Trek bike to Race Pace in Ellicott City to see what could be done with it. Justin C. gave me an honest assessment of what it needed and we agreed it wouldnt be worth repairing. He showed me some reasonably priced new Trek bikes and with the detailed information Justin provided, I felt comfortable buying a new one. Unlike buying a new car, there was absolutely no pressure on me to buy. Justin answered the many questions I had honestly and patiently. I asked him about a number of accessories and he did a great job of keeping the final cost around my budget. He adjusted the bike to fit my needs and comfort. I was able to test drive my new bike around their lot and they even supplied a loaner helmet that I liked so much, I bought one for myself! All in all, I had an excellent experience at Race Pace. I was super impressed with Justins knowledge of bikes and his exceptional customer service skills. Working with someone like Justin made all the difference in the world for a more inexperienced rider like myself. I will definitely be coming back to Race Pace in Ellicott City to buy my wifes bike. Thanks again Justin! Greg

A. Rohmann

So I went to McKeldin state park to try mountain biking for the first time and my rear hub disintegrated. I took it to race pace to get it fixed, and after learning that it would require a new rear derailleur and gear set (this was not just the mechanic trying to make an extra buck, my bike was in pretty poor shape,) I just decided to get a new bike altogether when I realized this would run me anywhere from 250 to 300 dollars for a low end set. The manager directed me towards an entry-level hardtail 29er, Which was perfect for me. I ended getting it for about $120 under MSRP and they threw in 2 free bottles and discounted bottle-holders. I would highly recommend this place for any novice, as well as the more serious rider. They had numerous models of TT, BMX, road, mountain, kids, and other bikes. They had a wide selection of parts and anything else anyone might need. Even things that people dont need, but look really cool, like a bottle opener made out of a bike chain. I really like this shop.

San Shyyum Sr

I was visiting from Colorado, had fork troubles with my bike unfortunatly, they couldnt get the part in fast enough so i rented one from them. They gave me a Xcaliber8 to use. Decent bike for a good price in my opinion. Rented it for a couple days. It had a nasty flat spot on rear tire that wasnt seen by either me or them, brought it back in shortly after, they didnt try to pin it on me and replaced it right there. I broke a shift lever they replaced it at cost, popped a tube... no charge. Returned it wet and dirty (my bad, in a rush) but still in good condition. They didnt charge me a dime after returning it. The shop in Ellicot City has a good bunch of honest guys, if im in the area again i will certainly rent from them again. Excellent service!

Maggie Jones

My employer bought a bike for his 11yo son at this Race Pace location yesterday. Last night, on his first ride, he broke the chain. I took it up there today and told them what happened. They fixed it and sent me on my way in less than 10 minutes. Very nice people. Unloaded the bike from the van and helped me load it back up. They gave me no trouble about the receipt and did it at no charge. Obviously, this is what I had hoped for, but it was a very nice experience. The location is big, with tons of bikes and merchandise. I recommend this location 100%. My dad is a triathlete living a little south in VA. Ive already told him to check it out when he visits. Ill definitely be shopping here for his Christmas gift.