Balance Bicycle Shop

Category:	Bicycle Store
Address:	904 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220, USA
Phone:	+1 804-918-1175
Site:	balance-bicycle.com
Rating:	4.6
Working:	11AM–7PM 11AM–7PM 11AM–7PM 11AM–7PM 11AM–7PM 11AM–4PM 11AM–4PM

Location

Photos 10

Reviews 9

Mike M

Greg at Balance did a great job managing my unfortunate cycling situation. I was out to do a century (the cap 2 cap) and 13 miles in, my right shifter broke. Of course, I had another big ride scheduled less than a week away on the following weekend and thought Id be out of luck. I took it to Greg on Saturday, he said hed get in touch with SRAM because he thought it would be warrantied even though the part was over 4 years old, and he could get me all set. He actually tried to talk me out of his more expensive services as far as detailed cleanings go, which I was impressed by (I insisted he do it anyway, and it was worth it). As promised, he called Monday and let me know he got in touch with SRAM and the part was covered, had it overnighted, and got my bike back to me Friday evening. The whole time, he was very communicative and kept me up to date on anything that was going on or he thought should be done with my bike (very legitimate items, mind you). Needless to say at this point, the bike performed flawlessly and I got another call the following week; somehow he scored me a new left side shifter from SRAM! He installed that for free and also rechecked all his previous tuning after my rigorous ride. Sorry for the long winded review, but this was my first LBS experience in Richmond and Im pleased to say Balance did a great job and I highly recommend them... my shop of choice from now on!

Portnoy Johnson

Too much, "Dont know". Dudes. Bad day, maybe. For the area the store is in, the cramped space is very understandable. Parking, not so easy. I dont go downtown any more with the Pay To Park boxes everywhere. It used to be fun zipping into the restaurants for lunch or after work for dinner. Im late getting back to work now at lunch & shopping is, well, miserable now. Growth ceases to impress or add quality, when it increases time burdens, increases stress load, increases road hazard, super heats the 5+ blocks in summer from asphalt/cement/brick, increases breathing problems & health concerns. Hmmm. I like Jamis cruisers, but rarely ride now. Its just that Richmond has put in weird islands in the middle of the roads. Cars swing toward the intersecting cross road to avoid them & Ive nearly gotten hit twice since September. Someone got paid for these counterproductive & dangerous obstacles. So, I dont venture about as I used to just 3 years ago. Id bike to Sam Millers on my Jamis. Cant now. Getting run down isnt relaxing, exhaust in my face the entire ride isnt fun & I swerved when a cat darted in front of my bike & hit the curb. Messed up the wheels. Bike hangs on the rack now. Back to driving my work vehicle into Chesterfield for shopping or lunch. Its pleasant, easy parking & worry free.

Ashton Bressler

I didnt like the way they seamed to handle business. The just tried a bate and switch and I dont waist my time with people like that. I called, got quoted for "about $20" to cut 72 spokes, which I made very clear. I get there and they tried to charge $30, saying they didnt realize how many it was over the phone. This is a standard number of spokes, and why would they have miss understood and needed to charge exactly 150% now. They didnt give me any price per spoke, they were just throwing numbers are me. It all felt pretty shitty. If they had been honest over the phone I easily would have paid $30 but I ordered them on ebay brand new cut to length for the same price with free expedient shipping. With so many other bike shoppes Ill just go somewhere more honest and nicer to deal with. Also some other bike people I know didnt seam impressed with them.

Becky Kaska

The staff at Balance Bicycle are exactly what I want in a mechanic. They are straight forward about pricing, expectations for repairs, timing etc. and are extremely knowledgable about what they do. I know very little about bikes but ride frequently. I initially came in with an idea of what I wanted, they let me know what was realistic, how much it would cost, and offered alternative solutions that were less costly and ended up working better for what I was looking for. Since then I have been back several times and they have helped me customize my bike, walking me through what would work but allowing me to make final decisions, ordering and installing the specific parts I would need. I absolutely love my bike now. Go to Balance if you want an honest and knowledgable mechanic for your custom bike work or repairs.

Roberto Peon

Short: Amazing service, expert quality, amazing prices. Highly recommend: Long: While cycling from Key West, FL to Maine as part of an epic tour, I came into the shop with a broken front wheel, the result of a poor lacing job at a previous bike shop after a rim replacement. They took care of it completely *that day*, including cutting new spokes to the correct length, tensioning/lacing it wonderfully (to my perfectionist standards), and all for an amazing price. I couldnt have been happier with the service they provided, the resulting quality., or the price they charged. I highly recommend these folks.

Mark Pounders

I dread walking into most bike shops, but this one is my exception.The biggest compliment that I can give Greg and all the guys at Balance is that they truly want to help and they are my bikes best friends. It will be evident when you walk in the door. There are no high pressure sales, no upselling and no hassle. They are easy to find, they want what you want, they listen, they are thorough, they make you fall in love with your bike again, they communicate effectively and their rates are very fair. Im just sorry I couldnt give 6 stars!

Mitchell McKenna

I will never use another local bike shop in Richmond after discovering Balance Bicycle Shop. The owner is very down to earth and willing to work with you; so long as you know exactly what youre looking for. If what you desire isnt actually in stock there is a more then likely chance he can order it to his store in a weeks time tops! I love bike/parts selection, and I love the mechanics. They do FANTASTIC maintenance and ride every bike before it leaves to ensure they are satisfied with their own work. Great place, great people.

Will Mihajlovits

Amazing bike shop, best in Richmond. I brought my mountain bike in for service and they noticed an issue with the rear triangle. My bike is not a brand they sell but they contacted the manufacturer, handled the warranty claim and had my bike back too me in a week. The pricing was more then fair and Dave and Greg went above and beyond in my opinion. I will continue to use them and sing their praises. Thank you guys for getting my Yeti straight.

Louis Ferro

Bought a Groupon for a standard tune up on a bike that was years overdue for service, and the guys here did great work on the bike--its like I got a brand new bike back. They made sure to outline all the parts it needed and how much that would cost every step of the way. They communicated very well and made sure to do nothing without my approval. Its great having my bike back and in pristine working order!