For more than a decade here in Philadelphia, TROPHY BIKES has sold and serviced the world's best folder bikes: BROMPTONS. We ran into an unusual issue with a Brompton Superlight fork, damaged by overtightening, and a "cone expander" stem design which Brompton has since changed into a more conventional/reliable wedge style. YES, we had a replacement fork in stock at Trophy - but the stem was also slightly damaged and a new one would have to come from England. Would it be possible to get it repaired locally, at one of the best frame builders in the U.S.? Like everyone else, we'd read the wordy (and kind of whiny!) slams against Bilenky Cycle Works - long waits, disorganization, and other hallmarks of the "artiste" small shop. We did note that all these Yelp complaints were over a decade old, yet still highlighted up top because, frankly, YELP sucks and wants small bizes to pay them to launder their reps. We're in the bike world, too, and have endured our fair share of mega-entitled folks, eager to use web-reviews to carry out vendettas. SO ... we showed the damaged stem to Steve Bilenky. He estimated 6 weeks (which seemed all-too-optimistic when I saw the bikes in progress at his, er, full frame shop.) We said OK, because his labor quote was less costly than a new stem, AND it would keep the matching (British Racing Green) color (Brompton frame replacement parts are only in Black, generally), AND Brompton UK could not guarantee when stems would be restocked. 1) Bilenky Cycle Works completed the repair in two weeks. 2) Steve ignored our (non-expert) advice to just restore the stem, and instead upgraded it to the wedge design as currently used by Brompton. This eliminated the possibility of future damage to the new fork steerer tube. 3) When we examined the repaired stem, we could not detect the slightest trace of the original cracks. It was as new. 4) The stem / fork fit together perfectly and a decade-old Brompton Superlight is back on the road again for its delighted owner. Philadelphia has long been known as the WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD, and there are still some extraordinary artisans carrying on that handwork tradition. (Philly Typewriter, Liberty Bellows, Michie Violins, etc.) Bilenky is firmly within that tradition, and they are a tremendous asset to the cycling community. - mcget read more

I ran into the review for Bilenky Cycle Works and decided I needed to add another review myself. Some time back, I commissioned Stephen to build my wife and I our dream tandem. We talked on the phone, via email, shared concepts and we finally came to agreement on the details and I paid a down-payment for him to get started. I had very specific items I wanted to use for components and boxed them up and sent them away to BCW - including wheels built by Peter Jon White. A month or two later, I got a message from Stephen stating that they have used up my deposit funds and needed additional money to continue - I obliged he charged my credit card again. A month or two later, I again received a message from Stephen asking for more money as he once again has gone through the funds I had sent. This time I asked for status on the build - he said that they were still working and he had trouble with the plating, but he would catch up shortly and be back on track. He ended up charging my card again. A month or two later, I again received a message asking for more money. This time I had asked for pictures of the progress he has made - he couldn't provide any. Frustrated already, I demanded to see something he has done to make me feel comfortable with the build process. He then finally admitted that he had not made any progress on the build, but he needed money to keep his shop open. I am now furious with Stephen and decide to move on and get my money back as there was no telling how long it would be before I receive our tandem. I ask for my money back - he replies that he doesn't have it to give to me. OK - now I'm beside myself with anger. Not only do I not have our tandem after more than 6 months waiting, but he is telling me I cannot get my money back either. I then remembered that payment was always made by my credit card. I tell Stephen that I will file a claim with my CC company and get my money back that way. He asks that I do not do that, that I should just wait until he has more money to reimburse me. No way am I going to trust this guy any longer, and I also am way behind on my custom tandem build. I decide to file the claim anyhow and get my money back from them that way. I can only imagine what his issues are, but I wouldn't trust this guy considering my experience and lies from Stephen. Oh, in the end, I did get my parts back - I was surprised as I thought they were long gone. read more

Excellent experience at Bilinkys. A crack had developed in the top tube of my 1992 Pinerello. At Biliniky they replaced the top tube and had it repainted and redecaled. The price was fair and they did the work ahead of schedule. When done I had an essentially new 1992 Pinerello. Its a little hard to find and there is no neon sign. But its worth the effort. Excellent craftsmanship and work. I was fortunate that they were available. read more

2/23/2019 I was looking for a Surly Long Haul Trucker and Bilenky's was listed as a dealer in Pa. I have found that these bikes are somewhat hard to find and so I called Stephen and he was very helpful and responsive to my questions and email inquiries. I like to do business with people that I know or who are referred to me. Although I never met Stephen he impressed me with his website and personal manner so I gave him a deposit and in a few weeks I met the unique man at his unique shop. It just oozed blue collar industrial old world ambiance. It was in a word..cool. This is a hard working honest creative Artisan. He treated me very fairly and the man knows bicycles. He made a few tweeks on my new Surly and I am very happy with it and him. It was worth the trip!!! I will be back!! read more

Steve and team were first rate all the way. Communication was timely, bike (stock Surly Straggler) we exactly as we spec'd, ready when promised. Highly recommended, would absolutely do business with them again read more

I have had a good experience with Bilenky cycles. I have one of their really special custom viewpoint tandems and it is a fantastic piece of machinery. I had Bilenky make the frame in the US and supply some of the specialist cycle parts and send the whole lot to me in the UK where I had the tandem assembled. This attracted a lot less import duty than a complete bike. Some of the parts were bought over the internet to get the best deals I could. Since I got the viewpoint ten years ago I have needed to contact Bilenky a couple of times for information and help with getting unusual parts to maintain it and they have been excellent, even sending me a specific grease which they recommended and couldn't get locally. So, my cycle was a custom build and everything was done to a high standard. The only thing that wasn't great was that everything did take longer than estimated. read more

Two years ago (Fall 2009), I began a new bike project with Bilenky. The bike was a custom tandem, with all the extras to make it a true traveler's bicycle. I was promised to have the bike by summer 2010. Several phone calls and MANY e-mails later, I just took receipt of the frame and parts. Over these 2 years, Mr. Bilenky has been attentive to helping me with the details of the bike. But, his guesstimates on when he would deliver the product have been consistently off. But, frame building is an art, and I understand that good things take time. What troubles me is the lack of attention to detail. I'm doing the initial build now and am finding several parts missing, and at least one serious error in the frame build which will require a major part of the frame to be replaced. The conceptual design, brazing, and painting are all very good to excellent. But, there does not seem to be much in the way of process and quality control at BCW. I do not have extensive experience with frame builders. I have worked with Rivendell Bicycle Works on several occasions over the last 11 years, and they have been much better than BCW was on this project. I have also worked with Bike Friday, and found them to be more organized and clear about what to expect from them. The innovative frame design continues to make this project worthwhile, but the process has been more difficult than I anticipated when we began. read more

My wife and I just received custom Ti bike builds from Bilenky Cycle Works. I would highly recommend them. Steve and Tom were excellent during the design process, measuring us, listening to our wishes, and working through iterations. We picked up the bikes last week. They ride like dreams. Mine was a perfect fit and my wife's needed some minor tweaks. I would definitely return there to get additional bikes made if/when the time comes. The one thing I would change is I would communicate more. We hit some design snags in making my wife's bike (she is very short) that lengthened our build process that I could have expedited. read more

Totaly awesome shop! I Had my repair done a week before the estimate. Bike is working great and looks better then new, not to mention how cheep the whole process was. I am super glad i brought my bicycle here and will again in the future. And by the looks of the shop, i would trust them with anything.Thanks Bilenky crew you are the best! read more

Steve Bilenky and team fixed my 1997 Jamis Aurora steel-frame (Reynolds) touring bike, which had cracked and completely split both the seat tube and down tube at the bottom bracket. I stripped the bike's parts and shipped it to Philadelphia. They fillet braised the crack and realigned the frame, adding a little reinforcement to the BB at the same time. The braising was very beautifully done and the finished job looks sturdier and better-looking than the original. I will now get at least another 10 years out of my $800 ride thanks to them...for a fraction of the cost of a new bike. It took them 3 months to perform the repair but I understand Steve might have been having medical problems and might have been understaffed/overburdened/unavailable. Prepare to have patience if necessary, just in case. They were communicative when I asked for status updates. read more

Stephen did a beautiful job on my classic 1985 Trek 760 Series bike. I was in an accident with this bike and the top and bottom tubes were both bent downward from the collision. Stephen's shop replaced both tubes with original lightweight Reynolds steel tubing, re-painted and added the original decals. The bike looks as good as it likely did back then, and rides even better. The welding and craftsmanship was perfect. It took him about 8 weeks to complete the job and the price was very reasonable. No other shop nearby said they could do the work - he did and exceeded my expectations. Highly recommended! read more

Ok, so your in the market for some frame repair/restoration so you seek out your local framebuilders. Unfortunately, you live in DC. Which means basically your SOL. So I take recommendations,and dread doin what I hate doing (packin' stuff to ship). It's early Feb trudge my box with 2 packing slips (one on and one in) down to the post office and 40 bucks later its on its way to Philly. One month later, after not hearing from anyone, I call to see how my beloved restoration is going. On the other end of the phone is some kid who is asking me to describe my frame cuz he's never heard of me or my bike. After some wrangling and recollection of what my beauty looked like he informs me that its sitting on the rack and they had no idea where the frame and fork came from. Well by now I am slightly disappointed. Not only is my restoration a bastard but it's not looking good for spring assembly. He announces to me that "The Owner" will be in touch with me once he gets back from one of those fancy bike conventions he attends. So I spend the remainder of the month waiting and wonderin' if I made a wise choice. The shop rep was solid, the craftmanship-first rate from what the website shows right? No sense worryin' but I got all my paint and parts sittin here so I'm gonna make another call. Now I get the man himself! I took the time earlier to re-send my original packing slip via e-m,ail so all my bases are covered right? Shortly into the conversation, I came to the realization that my beloved restoration was not of particular priority. Was I being pushy? I was'nt sure if I was breaking some sort of elite framebuilders policy (you know "don't rush me ima arteeeeest). I'm now resigned to the fact my build will have to wait until summer at least, while I try to keep my composure about the fact my beloved restoration is still sitting where it was 2 months ago. Finally a ray of hope as I get a call from "The Man" himself. We go over all the good things we going to do to my vintage '60's track frame! I get off the phone feeling good and knowing my restoration is in great hands. So I wait for the craftsman to do his thing.....and wait....and.....Time to make a call. Have you ever called someone, and the minute they picked up the phone you knew you should'nt have called? Thats exactly how I felt! All the love and bonding we did had vanished. Time to rescue "my precious" to which "The Man" replies that it is totally up to me if I want to spend my Saturday afternoon driving 2 1/2hrs up the Big Road to pick her up. After all the Blaaa Blaaa Blaaa bout other projects, conventions and the like, we decided it was in our mutual intrest to part ways. But not before I ponie up $40 for brazing a small portion of seatube. I'm not hating on Bilenky Cycle Works. Just an average fixie rider on an average budget telling you if you have $2700 to sink into a custom frame, The Man may be your man. But if you just want some repair work done, you may want to look elswhere. read more

Unfortunately, I purchased a road bicycle from Bilenky. I had the same type of negative experience, with the same lousy excuses that the previous reviewer Richaard S. from San Jose, CA. went through. He strung me along and when I finally got the bike 16 months later, the workmanship was sloppy. I wouldn`t buy a tricycle off this guy. read more

FIrst, steve represented that my bike customizations would only take him 4-6 weeks; after 18 weeks. I received my bike, but not to my satisfaction. Second, I asked him to move my bridges, He cut this unacceptably narrow. My rear spacing changed from 130 mm (how it left my house) to 124mm. Because he cut that too narrow, he had to use other parts that were unacceptably smaller. When I finally received the bike, I had to pry the bike frame on my own to accept the original wheel. Third, he didn't return all of my bike piece such as my coupler wrench, seat bolt and brake quick release lever which when I called him, he had on the work bench. Lastly, his time estimates and workmanships estimate are very high. I mistakenly thought that I had asked Steve to detail my lugs in gold. He pointed out that I had specified silver. When I asked him to correct my mistake, he said it would take an additional 2 weeks and $100s. Frustrate because Steve already had had my bike for 18 weeks. I asked him to return it immediately which he did. Not being a professional I was able to outline the lugs myself in 15-20 minutes for under $10. Paint was beautiful, Fork was beautiful, but his customer service was terrible. I paid him in access of $2000 and am very disappointed. read more