Automatic excellence. Two gurus recommended them for a shifter rebuild. I followed the directions, sent the shifters, and a week later, received two rebuilt, excellent shifters, with the old parts. No contact was needed, and I am fully pleased. Simply "automatic." read more

Isn't word of mouth great? Well... it CAN be. Here's what I heard about Branford: "Oh my god... BIKE SNOBS! Do NOT SHOP HERE." But what I actually experienced first hand was a far cry from that. This is an AWESOME store! Definitely worth checking out. I walked into Branford the other day and noticed that this is a small yet serious bike shop. In the 500 or so sq ft that this store is crammed into, you'll find only the best of the best parts. It's clear within 5 seconds that the shop owners take great pride in bicycles and road bike culture. I guess with such limited space they don't want to waste it on bikes that they're not excited about selling. Unlike other stores in town, you will NOT find a fixed gear bike here. (Which makes perfect sense since we are in Seattle!) You will only find top quality parts, rebuilt vintage bikes, accessories and stacks of catalogs from which you can request to have parts ordered. My boyfriend recently made an insanely good purchase on a vintage Italian racing bike. Never used and sold for hundreds of what it could have been sold for, he's shopping around the city (and the internet) to find parts to custom-build it. When we went into this supposedly "snobby" shop again today, Doug, greeted us with open arms. We were a total of three customers (some guy was there while we were, but we weren't together) and we were taking up every inch of that store. Doug chatted us all up about the store's mission, the types of bikes they build, the bikes he owns, what he can order for us, what he suggests when it comes to the best parts, and more. It was so much fun talking that we didn't leave until 4:45 and they'd been closed for nearly an hour! You won't only find great bikes and parts here, you'll find great customer service and great advice. At no point did I find this store to be snobby at all. I think when you know your craft and your calling, it's best to focus on it and not try to take on too many things at once. While I'm sure they can fix your Huffy or your Schwinn, they're passionate about racing and I'd venture to guess that their best work is the work they're most excited about. OH! And Doug knows we live nearby so he entrusted us with an awesome DVD about racing. How cool is that? He loaned me a movie to watch. Had I known about Branford before, I wouldn't have spent so much time at Velo and Recycled Cycles. YUCK. read more

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Even though Branford is known for their expertise on new and classic road racing frames/parts and the official Campagnolo repair shop in the PNW, I don't know how/why anyone could/would deem their crew as being snobbish. They were nothing but relaxed, understanding, VERY patient and very educational explaining everything in great detail on how each component worked, what was going on and either ideas on how to tweak it, fix it or replace it. Here's the thing, I currently own 9 bikes (down from 14). - 1954 H.C. Higgins, 3 spd - 1963 Raleigh, 3spd - 1979 Derby (touring) - 1983 Basso "GAP" - 1987 Sparta "Cambridge" 5 spd (Dutch) - 1989 Guerciotti "Sport" - 2006 Kona "Caldera" - 2013 Gazelle "Populair" 7 spd (Dutch) Though half of them are in various states of repair, there's no way I'd take most of them to Branford anymore than I'd take my old German car to Ferrari of Seattle. Firstly, someone's not likely to bring Branford a 1954 Sturmey-Archer hub for disassembly and repair. And secondly, they wouldn't carry parts for vintage mass-produced bikes (or older French bikes which are notoriously difficult to find parts for); because it would take weeks, if not months to locate any semblance of the parts necessary for fixing, being solely restricted to eBay and/or club forums. It's just not practical - or logical. In my case, Branford went above and beyond what I'd expected, really. Pat built up one of my old Italian frames along with some of my own new and old stock Campagnolo componentry. Some of which didn't quite fit or that had been damaged. He went ahead and ordered some of the Campy NOS parts that I'd needed and was very patient throughout the course of the build. Pat did an absolute fantastic job. A true professional. read more

Unbelievably unprofessional customer service. I've built bikes since I was a kid and came in looking for a compatible freehub body for my new build. Your mechanic was so incredibly dismissive and rude I just left. Took Metier 2 minutes to help me. read more

The minute I walked in here I felt uncomfortable. Their other customer--wearing full-on bike kit and toting a beautiful racing bike-- made some snarky comment towards my 1969 Peugot and walked out. The owner and his helper seemed upset with me for making him leave. Why is it so hard to find a bike shop that doesn't treat you like some kind of rookie? No, I am not always wearing cycling gear. I use my bike to get around and go for long rides on weekends. Yet the bike shop on Bainbridge is the only place I've been met with some freaking manners. Maybe because they're used to legit tourists. In any case I've just moved and haven't ridden my bike since a nasty accident I had on Westlake, on my way to work. So yes, my bike was just sloshed around in a van, and has seen better days. The 2 dudes called it a "time bomb" and said they didn't have the tire diameter I needed, and just kind of shrugged. No offer to order it, no "sorry you got in an accident, what happened?" Nothing. Oh, and just so you know, "Doug," or whomever, I've been on multiple 500+ mile tours and currently own 3 vintage bikes. It's unwise to judge a book by its cover. I was lucky in Fremont, with Recycled Cycles around the corner, but now it looks like I won't have a neighborhood shop, because I most certainly will not be spending any money here. read more

I brought my aged bike in for some repairs on a Saturday morning, and I was very happy to have my bike back in working condition by the end of the day. Mariel (sp?) did great work. Not only did she find and fix the problem, but she replaced some other worn parts too. I did not expect to get my bike back the same day. It's a beautiful weekend to ride, so I was very happy to have my bike back and ready to ride. I will return to Branford Bike the next time my bike needs Campy-specific work done on it. read more

Thanks to Doug and his expertise, I own the best road bike in Seattle. 6 months ago I found a gorgeous frame online and searched around Seattle to find a shop to help me with a custom build. Having passed Branford's a number of times and not seeing it, I was so relieved to have found this store on Yelp. This teeny shop has such a big heart and I wouldn't trust another store if you're looking for real experts and racing enthusiasts. Whether you want a new bike or you have a custom build project for a frame that's 25 years old, they have the know-how and the equipment to do it right. In fact, when I first came in here I wasn't as well educated on bike parts as I am now. Doug took the time to chat with me about various options and avenues for this bike and the process of buying the parts and building the bike took a half a year. All of that time was worth it and you can see it in their work. In fact, I was so thrilled to pick my bike up when it was finished that Doug didn't even take the first test ride! Even if you're just after advice or you're hunting for parts, give these guys a call. The attention to detail is insane and you'll only get this kind of service from people who really love cycling. read more

I have an Italian classic road bike with modern Campagnolo components. I went through a few bike shops before getting too frustrated with second rate quality service. Branford was listed on the Campy dealer list, so I tried them out. It is a small shop, both figuratively and physically, but they seem to be able to handle their stuff just fine. Lots of carbon bikes in there, but I don't hold that against them. Its all high-end stuff. Its not a bike shop for BMX, MTB or fixed gear riders. And very little in the way of clothing or accessories. But if you are looking for a new high end carbon bike, or really good maintenance/repair services, this is a good choice. They close early but have stayed open late to accommodate my schedule before. read more

The level of service I experienced wa s excellent. One of the few if not only shop to rebuild vintage campagnolo shifters. Strongly recommend. read more

My Campagnolo shifters were not shifting right anymore so I took them over to this shop. I dropped them off on a Saturday and got them back early the next week! The owner called me before he repaired them to let me know what was needed and how much it was going to be. The communication through the whole process was great. When I went to pick up the shifters I was greeted by the owner and he showed me all the little parts he had replaced. He was VERY knowledgeable on campy parts repair and even told me he had people from Alaska sending him shifters that needed work. The shifters are like new now and it cost me less than half of what new ones go for! When you walk into this tiny shop, you are instantly surrounded by gorgeous bikes and parts which is kinda surprising because it is so unassuming on the outside. It is definitely an easy place to miss from the outside as it looks very plain with only some window markings indicating its a bike shop. I would highly recommend this place for any campy parts repair or if you just want to drool over some very sweet bikes and shiny campy parts. :) read more

I like their product mix, and that they are big a Campy shop, but I had a less than satisfactory experience with them. They dramatically overcharged me for tweeking the drivetrain on two bikes. There were large charges for time they spent in trial-and-error mode on things that a) they should have known being "Campagnolo Professionals" and b) would not have required nearly as much futzing around if they had done what I asked them to try in the first place. I should have done it myself for all the time they spent Futzing around with my bikes, and I will in the future. read more

I'm in the market for a decent road bike after signing up for STP, so I made the rounds to some bike shops. Knowing Branford had extremely pricey bikes I thought I'd stop in just to peek. I didn't expect to be the only one there on a Saturday but the place is tiny. After explaining to Jerry I'm looking for my first road bike and I might not be in the market for something so high-end he still spent plenty of time answering all my newbie questions without any snobbery or condescension. I got the best knowledge & service of all the bike shops I visited from someone who knew everything about ALL their bikes. I still got some great options for something that would suit me if I'm in the market for something high-end, and Branford will get my business! read more

I was on my first ride with a nice 29er and I've got a flat tire in the neighborhood. I didn't have a repair kit with me, so I walked to Brandford Bike, that was the closest bike shop. They did not have the right tube (clearly their selection is focused on road bikes), but that didn't stop them from repairing it with a patch, have a great friendly chat in the meanwhile, give me some advice and get me back on the road, without asking for a cent. If that is not exceptional customer service, I don't know what it is. They clearly love their bikes and are passionate about what they do! read more

There are ONLY two shops in Seattle I take my bike to and Branford is one of them. Doug is SUPERIOR and one of the few people I trust to work on my steed. If you want Campy expertise along with great passion for the history, future and tradition of the brand, combined with a pure love for the sport, these are your guys. The shop's a little small but once you step inside it's like a candy store for big kids. Go say hey! read more

I had no idea that Seattle had a Campagnolo Pro Shop, but when it came time to overhaul my Record 10sp shift levers this week, I was pleased to find a shop that had all the parts (tiny springs, bushings, etc) in stock. In addition, Rodd was at the shop taking care of some small tasks on Monday (the shop is closed Monday), but he nonetheless agreed to see me and sell me the parts I needed to get back on the road ASAP. I am no slouch as a bike mechanic and do all my own building and maintenance, even building my own wheels, but this was my first shifter overhaul. Rodd was happy to offer helpful advice, and he was patient yet prompt when I emailed back and forth a few times with questions. It's been years since I've paid for any work, but next time I pamper my bike with a professional's touch, I know who will the the job. read more

I understand that there are cyclists who don't differentiate one shop from another, people who think that all shops should service all bikes but that's just not the case. Like clothes, cars, etc. there are specialty shops and larger, fuller-service retailers. Branford is a specialty shop focused toward cyclists who own and wish to own bikes from a specific sector of all that's available, and their products and services are tailored as such. I can't say enough about the service I've received from Branford. I understand how they could come across as 'snobs' but, really, they're just direct. If you need a DiaCompe u-brake for your 1992 Nishiki they're going to advise you to go elsewhere and they won't waste any time doing so. However, if you need to have the sickest road bike on the west coast, or just want to talk about future options they won't hesitate to spend significant time sharing their expetise and truly professional opinions whether you buy anything or not. read more