I brought my e-bike to Empire last week after only servicing it myself since I bought it four years ago, and everything went wonderfully. It needed desperate attention with the brake pads, cables, chain, and cassette, and Rene serviced them all wonderfully! He charges an extremely fair price. Although though he warned me prior to checkout that the shop doesn't specialize in e-bike repairs, my e-bike is working at maximum speed again. I have nothing but gratitude for Rene, the shop and its employees for helping me get my bike back in working order. Thanks a million Empire Bike Shop! read more

Always very helpful to make sure they get it right. Very personable and don't try to sell you what you don't need

Sunday morning looking for a place to get my flat tire fixed after I ordered inner tubes from Amazon that didn't come with a Presta valve. My bike takes a Presta valve, and I found this bike shop to be just what I needed for a short notice and short duration repair. Rene was so quick with the inner tube replacement and liner installation, that I commented on his speed. He said that he's been doing this work for 35 years. He's really good. Reasonable prices as well. I also observed him helping a family pick a bike to buy for the daughter in the family. He was patient and helpful in choosing one that would appeal to her sense of style, and that would be practical for the purpose. The bikes in the shop appeared to be good quality for reasonable prices. I will be back. This place is a great find. read more

Not very happy with the customer service! The father and daughter are nice but the son or whoever was at the desk the second time I went there, was sooo rude!! This place isn't for newbies. I'm a newbie. I have about 5 old GT bikes that I wanted to bring back to life. I know nothing about parts or anything like that. That's why I went to them. Like I said, the gentleman and daughter were very welcoming and told me to bring them and we can star a tune up and then we'll go from there. The second time I went, the person at the front basically made me feel like an idiot in front of my son! I asked about GT parts and he rudely responded as if he was bothered by the question said, 'YOU DONT JUST BUY GT PARTS LIKE THAT! WE DONT JUST HAVE GT PARTS! THAT MAKES NO SENSE! ITS LIKE BUYING FORD PARTS AT A CHEVY DEALER!' But how am I suppose to know that? I came to them because I didn't know where to start but after that encounter, I sure as heck am not starting there! read more

Empire Bike Shop - Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Pasadena, California

I bought a bike last month and it kept leaking air. I was so frustrated and couldn't find a solution. Being a fan of Yelp, I started searching for bike repair shops and saw the amazing reviews. I called and told them the issue and Mario was kind enough to explain the likely problem that may be causing this as well as the price to fix it. It took him 20 minutes to get it fixed and with a new tube, I'm hoping this is a non issue for me going forward. I'm so happy with the fast and friendly service. They are reasonably priced and I would recommend calling so you have an idea how much labor and parts would cost for your bike issue. Parking is in the back. It's a small lot so be patient if it's full as people leave fast once their work is done. I would recommend this business wholeheartedly! I love supporting small businesses so if you need your bike repaired, don't look anywhere else, just come here! read more

Small shop but it suits our needs and everyone has been nothing but kind and helpful!

These guys are phenomenal. Brought in a 15 year old Trek hybrid for a full tuneup along with replacing a tire and they made the bike like new. read more

The owner was very friendly as he provided efficient service as a walk in. He restored my bicycle's tire and fixed a part. He was friendly with other clients too, not trying to upsell them by recommending cheaper options. read more

See all

Needed a few obscure parts, and the morning staff were beyond accommodating. Service and helpfulness win the day, so thanks to these guys for helping me resurrect an older bike. read more

Excellent bike shop - small and personal. Tuned up my bike - did a great job! Very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Amazing experience with a quick turn around. My full suspension MTB desperately needed a tune up and some other work for which I don't have the tools. They were able to take of my bike, identify issues, and resolve. The shop mentioned other things I will need in the near future and advised either I perform or take back to them. I will definitely be back! read more

Brought my single speed Wabi in for a summer tune up. Couldn't have been more pleased with the service. Super nice, efficient and my bike was back on its path the next day. read more

Great local shop.. honest and interested in bikes. Bled hydro brake lines. Fast service.

Having been here for years I wouldn't recommend this shop. They don't stay open in case of a biker emergency later than any other place. The prices are consistently rising. There are parts they sold may have fallen apart soon after, and I get bait and switch prices as well. read more

Can't tell you how blessed I was to discover this bike shop! Probably 30/40% cheaper than any other place in Pasadena but what was more priceless than anything was the owner. He never tried to up charge anything and was so very honest about what I needed. Can't go wrong here as I will be back forever! read more

Brought my 90s Canondale in for a tune-up. Service was fast and thorough and honestly priced. No attempt to upsell, but they did lay out my options of parts. Fair, knowledgeable and passionate bike people here. Mario was very helpful and gave me a bit of history on my particular bike. Wanted to buy my daughter a bike but they only had one kids model... she wasn't into it but it looked cute to me... just a little small for me to ride! I would definitely come back and/or recommend. read more

Excellent knowledgeable service!!! I bought a 16" haro shredder for my 4 year old son and it came assembled! The guys here are so nice and they know everything you need to know about bikes! Highly recommend!! read more

Empire Bike Shop - 16" Haro Shredder!! - Bikes Near Me - Pasadena, California

After reading the Yelp reviews, I decided to stop by and give Empire a chance. I received a new mountain bike seat for Christmas and thought I needed a new post. It turns out, I didn't need one after all and could take advantage of the existing one. The owner installed the new seat for me and charged me $5. I was appreciative of that. It's a smaller shop compared to others I have been too with limited parking in front but, the overall experience was positive. read more

Trued my rims quickly and even tightened up the axle. Didn't have the tires I wanted in stock but sourced them for me for when they do get them. read more

For my birthday, I decided to splurge and ask for a total fix-up on my busted Craigslist bike. My gears weren't really working, my tires had no treads, the cable on my gears would pop off the frame and scratch me, it was noisy and a crummy way to ride. Empire Bike shop redid the whole gear system, replaced my tires and back wheel, and cleaned the bike for under $300 and did a beautiful job! I can't tell you how much my ride improved and it meant so much that I can enjoy my bike rides during a time when getting outdoors is already a fraught endeavor. Thanks so much for your great work and quick service. You all are the best! read more

I came to buy a new seat for my hybrid bike They got one it sized up the pipe And fitted a new leather seat And made brake adjustments I was in and out in half hour Good service great work Very pleased with the place read more

I brought in an old junked up bike I literally found in a pile of broken furniture on the street. Mario fixed it up and cleaned it such that it looked like a brand new, amazing bike. He took the time to explain everything I needed to know about my new bike, was very patient and thorough. He never tried to up-sell me on anything, and the price for all the services and purchases was very reasonable. Definitely coming back here for any future cycling needs. read more

Unfortunately, my previous experience in 2018 left me with my bike out of use for a year. I had brought in my bike for a tune up and rim truing, which they did. The father told me, "We trued it the best we could". . Due to weather I was unable to ride it for two months after it left the shop and it sat in the garage unmoved. When I was able to finally test the bike, it still had some of the original problems. I brought the bike back to be corrected and father wanted to replace the crank/pedals and additional work. Upon completion of the work, this time before leaving, I took the bike out for a test ride around their block. The chain was still skipping gears. I brought the bike back into the shop and the father tried to convince me that the chain skipping and gear issue was normal. He told me he had tested it, and that the occurrence was normal. He refused to correct the issue. Due to the value of the bike, and the money I had already paid for the first tune up and follow-up repairs, my budget prevented me from spending more money to take it to a more qualified bike shop to actually fix it. I left my original Yelp review up, which was positive, until this followup review. I wasn't sure if what I had been told was accurate or not, so I waited until I knew for sure. I spent multiple times watching YouTube videos by Park Tools and trying to fix the issue during 2018 and the first two months of 2019. (I had never having worked on bikes myself, previously.) After twenty or more attempts, I finally figured out what the problem was and now the gears and chains no longer slip or skip and operate correctly. That means, either the father was not telling me the truth because he didn't want to do any more adjustments to the bike, or he simply didn't have the skill level to fix the issue. After teaching myself how to adjust the rear derailleur and front derailleur with no change, I adjusted the height of the front derailleur and that resolved the issue. The father, when he had replaced the crank/pedals hadn't compensated for the difference between the original and the new set. For the amount I spent between the repairs at this shop for the same issue, I could of taken it to the local Trek repair shop and had it done right in a single trip and not been without this bike for a year. Fortunately, I have three bikes. On the positive side, thanks to ParkTools on YouTube, and a year of trial and error, I now know how to true my rims and adjust the front and rear derailleurs on my bikes. But for future repairs that I do not have a year to learn how to do by watching YouTube videos, I will save up my money and pay the higher repair rates at a bike shop that is more experienced with precision bikes. That being said, I still like this shop for basic repairs like fixing flats, adding accessories, or if you need to pick up some parts. I do not know if the son Mario is more experienced working on bikes, than the father, but i've always had a pleasant experience interacting with Mario. That is who I would recommend you request to have work on your bike whenever possible if you go to this shop. Prices are good if the bikes issues are simple or if you do not depend on your bike for daily use or business use. I will also say, that if it turned out that I wasn't able to repair the bike better than the shop, despite the time it took me to be self-taught; I'd have left them a five star rating. But just like when I take my car to a repair shop, I expect those doing the repairs can do better than I can at home, plus I expect a product or service I deal with to stand behind the quality of their work. Empire Bikes, Ultimately didn't do that. read more

Friendly, professional and am really happy to find this bike shop, always recommend them to everyone.

Great place! Lovely people very reasonable and quick. My son's BMX bike always needs something, and this has become our go- to place.

Very impressive and knowledgeable. Brought in a bent and misaligned bike and didn't even know where to begin with trying to fix it. Turns out they fixed it like total experts and were very friendly, too. They're now my go-to bike place. read more

The guy in the store (guy with the hair not bald guy) has Major issues with customer service... he was giving me a hard time for literally no reason at all. It's like he didn't want me to be there? I truly didn't understand. I was completely nice and respectful - I drove here from Glendale and gave this store business only to be treated terribly. I still bought the item and politely left... but I'll never be back. Absolutely ridiculous attitude problems. read more

Had an awesome experience yesterday, ran over a tack and they replaced the tube in just 10 minutes flat for a great price, and even double checked just to make sure everything was in place with me when I went back in to pay after it was done (I have a folding bike so some parts have specific positions they have to be in otherwise it won't fold right). Great service, COVID 19 safety, and accepted my last minute walk in fix. This shop rocks. read more

Empire Bike Shop - Bikes Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great service and work. Bought 2 used bikes and these guys made them into like new condition. Great small family ran business

Quick service and super nice employees! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a bike new, used, or need any repairs or services.

So, I first took my 24 speed Schwinn Tourist Hybrid to Incycle for a tune up and heavy duty inner tubes. They told me they didn't have any heavy duty inner tubes and didn't even offer to order any. I told them the issues I was having, with the gears and the brakes. I opted to have them just replace the inner tube with a normal one. I picked it up because it was "ready" and nothing really was better. And of course I got a flat right away. Frustrated, I didn't know who to take it to that I could trust. This bike shop is very close to me and they are WONDERFUL!!!!! I told them about the concerns I was having with gears and brakes and instead of shining me on, they listened and took me seriously. They took the time and found out they needed to replace a spracket for my gears. They had the heavy duty inner tubes and balanced my tires. The brakes are great. This father and son duo (Renee, father, Mario, son) are a breath of fresh air. I even got a bell and ulock which they mounted for me without me even asking. WIN WIN Definitely coming back. read more

Empire Bike Shop - Bikes Near Me - Pasadena, California

We were looking for a bike shop to replace my grandson's tire. We got there a little late, about 10 min. After closing time. Well my husband went back the next day and got the tire. He was impressed by their service and great attitudes. We had previously been to 3 other places to look for his bike tire and no one had it in stock and their prices were at least $10 more. Great service and great prices. read more

Great guys with lots of experience. Took my bike there was was sitting in the garage for over 10 years. They cleaned it up, replaced worn out parts and got it tuned like it was brand spanking new. Had an issue with the bike today. The boys took me in right away and replaced the part for free. Classy guys running a classy bike shop. Definitely coming back for all my bike needs. read more

Needed a flat tire repaired - $30 and 45 mins later it was like new. They even took the time to oil the chain up!

Had a flat on my Recumbant and didn't know for sure if they would have a 20 inch tube with the right type of stem but they came through with flying colors. I'll be happy to return with future flats! Easy in and out. Nice staff. read more

I was actually sent here by the mechanic at performance bicycle since they didn't have the right size wheel I needed replaced. Empire was able to hook me up, and I liked that felt like a neighborhood shop. There were three or four other people getting bikes serviced while I was there, and they were all in and out super fast too. Rene and Mario are really nice and give honest recommendations and prices. I ended up paying $20 less than performance quoted! This will definitely be my new service shop in Pasadena. Yay bikes!!!! read more

Very friendly service and reasonable price. Didn't need to wait. Got my bike fixed right away. The only downside is that you have to park on a very busy street. read more

What a joy it is to do business with Mario at Empire Bile shop! He explains the work that needs to be done, does the work properly and on time and he changes fair prices. I have an old Canondale that he takes care of. He tunes it up and gets my back on the road with a broad smile. Thanks Empire! read more

As far as selection goes if you are buying a bike, there's not a wide selection, though there are a lot of fixer-uppers. I specifically brought my bike in for some repairs and a tune up. Within 5 minutes of walking in, I had a written estimate on the cost of the repairs and estimated time it would take to complete said work. We went over the specifics, pricing breakdowns and left with a plan to return in 2 days. Costs were in line with what I have projected - $20 for tire and tube, $40 for the tune up/labor and $25 replacement for a bent derailleur. The next morning the shop called. The repairs were complete and I could swing by to pick up the bike. Turns out they were able to bang out the damage to the derailleur and not have to order the replacement parts. I showed up and we went over the repairs, and the out the door cost was about 20% lower than quoted. The bike rides smooth, the brakes are in tip top shape, and it's prepared to handle a heavy amount of mileage and abuse. A definite recommend for bike repairs in the Pasadena area. read more

I reluctantly took my bike in for a much needed tune up. I expected to leave it and pay up to $100 (this, based on my past experiences with a shop in Hollywood). He wasted no time getting my bike up on a rack, adjusting and fixing things as I waited, and then he only charged me a fraction of what I was expecting. My faith in the small business owner has been renewed because of this experience. He has a customer for life... now if only he repaired cars. read more