View Full Version : Moving to DC - good shops for....


Chase15.5
04-19-2005, 05:42 PM
Looking for a good bike shop near Vienna, Va with good atmosphere that "likes" road, mtb, and fixed bikes. Looking for a place to hang out when I'm not working, has good mechanics, service etc. as well as a riding club etc. No snobby shops. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

MB1 - great photos of your rides around DC - they've given me hope that DC is not all traffic etc and has motivated me to commute to work. Looking forward to it.

cneber
04-19-2005, 06:22 PM
Chase;
I have purchased three bikes from Spokes ect. (http://spokesetc.com) over the last few years. I can recommend them from my personal experience in the Alexandria store, but I cannot speak to the Vienna Shop. Great service department.

moosryan
04-19-2005, 06:51 PM
spokes is good my mom got her's there. i got mine at city bikes chevy chase and that's also an awsome place. if you want chain, theres a bunch of performances

darbo
04-19-2005, 07:32 PM
Revolution in G'town is legendary (i think MB1 works there), and their shop honcho Pinky is the man. They stock everything, i could spend hours staring at their display case of track hubs.

The Performance in Vienna is, relative to the Wal-Marty vibe at other locations, kinda cool (i think i just threw up in my mouth a little typing that). The folks working there the few times i've dropped in have seemed pretty cool and always willing to chat bike stuff. I've also heard good things about Spokes in Vienna, but i can't vouch personally. Ditto for a place out in Ashburn (west of Vienna) called Pedal Shop that i think is big into FG/SS

KWL
04-20-2005, 09:49 AM
No snobby shops.
Both Spokes and Revolution are great shops......well run businesses that are expanding, friendly to customers, stocked well, etc. Spokes is in the location you asked for, just off the W&OD trail in Vienna. I can't believe that Jim Strang at Spokes still knows my name even though the last new bike I bought from him is a 1993 Bridgestone RB-1.

Revolution is my shop of choice right now as I ride by it every day. When you start commuting into town it may become your favorite as well.

DC is a great cycling town.

Chase15.5
04-21-2005, 02:45 PM
All - thanks for the input. I will definately check them all out. I really like going to different shops to check out the vibe etc.

Dctrofspin
04-28-2005, 12:43 PM
Looking for a good bike shop near Vienna, Va with good atmosphere that "likes" road, mtb, and fixed bikes. Looking for a place to hang out when I'm not working, has good mechanics, service etc. as well as a riding club etc. No snobby shops. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

MB1 - great photos of your rides around DC - they've given me hope that DC is not all traffic etc and has motivated me to commute to work. Looking forward to it.

If you are looking for a shop for service, I regret to say that Spokes Etc. has lost my business. I purchased a Seven Axiom Ti from the folks there...who are as nice as can be. But after two horrible trips through their service dept...including a master pin that failed in my Dura Ace 7800 chain today (turns out it was installed/sheered from the wrong side per Shimano recommendations), I'm done. In addition to the pin issue, the rebuild on my Seven was sloppy at best. Rear der had tension off and skipped, the bar shifted down on the first bump I hit due to poor torque, there was tape glue residue on the handle bar tape where someone must have reapplied tape carelessly. I'm bummed...they're nice people, but two bad trips is enough for me. Revolution is a good shop...the one next door to them...the Bicycle Pro Shop did a primo build on my Nag C50 as well.

RobbDC
05-04-2005, 08:42 AM
DC is actually one of the best cities to ride a bike in. You can find group rides on every day of the week and probably close to where you will be, there are races and charity type rides every weekend, and lots and lots of commuter trails from to DC from both VA and MD. In addition, the DC government is actually putting bike lanes in high commuter areas in the city.

At anyrate, all those bike shops are good, but the best IMHO is Bicycle Pro Shop in Georgetown. Everybody that works there is a career person and they have the absolute best mechanics in the area, hands down.