The Famous Bike Brothers treat you like family in their shop. Dave and Marty became my friends in short order. Not so with the other shops in the area. I'm writing to give my perspective of the Shop, to address some of Caitlyn's comments, and to help newbies understand a few things. ( no disrespect intended C. D.)
Yes, the showroom is small. Yet some folks find that to be more cozy and intimate, regardless of the genre. Much like getting together in a small, country general store. Lots of good bike shops have that vibe, some good shops are huge. These guys stock a few popular, quality brands and cover a wide price range. It would be the manufacturer that labels the bikes small, medium, large - not the Bike Brothers. The Giant bike I bought from this store has a frame sized in inches. The Specialized bike I bought from (the shop around the corner) was measured in cm's. They roughly match, and both are considered a "large". Note that different builders may take their measurements from "here to there" from different locations. It's relative within the brand. Regardless, the first step is your stand over height.
That Giant was the first real bike I owned. The Brothers asked all the right questions a bike shop should ask, and helped me get the right size frame. Also it was the bike that met my wants, needs and riding style.
Contrast that to a shop in a nearby town that tried very hard to talk me into a drop bar cyclocross race bike (old inventory) that was so big I almost crashed it on the test ride! Not good. Those antics cost them the sale of the bike I was actually interested in. True story.
Once you have the right frame size, getting a better fit for you in the "cockpit' is a matter of making minor adjustments to the components and/or swapping out parts. That's certainly all a casual or low mileage intermediate rider needs. True, the Specialized BG Fit System is state of the art. If you're an elite cyclist, or aspiring to be one, you might consider it. Dave, Marty, and many other elite cyclists probably never even saw the BG system, and still ride custom fit bikes. So did all cyclists before that System even hit the shops! Not bad mouthin' it. Just sayin'. The Brothers even helped me fine tune the fit of 2 bikes I bought elsewhere. (I'm not brand loyal, no reflection on this shop). No state of the art system needed. There were no hard feelings about those bikes. These fellas are good people.
Bike Brothers performed some top notch adjustments and repairs on all my bikes. Their turnaround time was fast. They have an ample supply of quality components, accessories, and apparel for purchase in the store. Prices are competitive. Forget the goofy dollar sign ratings. We customers want value, these guys deliver. They always made time to answer MY newbie questions. I learned much about bikes and cycling from them. Value added.
BTW, don't be in awe of a shop JUST because of the large inventory. For you, the new to this bike buying thing, it's mostly eye candy/"bike porn". Nothing I've written here is to discredit other fine shops. There's a few in your area. A good shop will help you stay focused. There's really only 2, maybe 3 bikes - your PERSONAL selection - that meets your immediate need, and only 1 (per category-you'll ultimately "need" a couple more) that you'll take home that joyful day! :)) Happy riding, be safe.
The Famous Bike Brothers. Highly recommended. read more
