Yelpers - I come from the land of Atlantic City Proof - JOY-Zee, ahraight? Not that Jersey Shore, but this one https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/christopher-cook-gilmore/atlantic-city-proof/. Anyway - I am here on business and due to my travels had not been able to take my bike to my local Northfield, NJ Beacon sport bike shop for maintenance. Boy am I glad for this serendipity! And betcha you are too! You non-local in search of what I needed. I went in to get the minimum - tires inflated and brakes checked. Possibly going for the full tune up to a cool 50USD. I would be more than willing to pay this folks for what this gentleman did. I handed him my bike. It didn't occur to me to ask him how long he might be. I looked around the shop then wandered back eventually to the maintenance area. He and his colleague were like "does this sound right?" Move gears fiddle. Check again. Conversation, hushed. I'm like oh no! I decide... let me just walk away... He comes out we chat. He said small adjustments as he really found nothing that required any real fixing. I told him about some discomfort I had and asked if he'd help with any tips on my Raleigh Avenir foldable bike? He's like "to be honest, we had to YouTube the Shimano gear stuff to see if the small tweaks we did with one of the wires was correct. And I recommend that you take it to your other shop for that but it all looks fine. But I see you sitting on the bike and let's try something." He moves things around. Has me sit. He had me raise the pedal to three o'clock on one side. Asks me to hop off, more adjustments Repeat. The person's toes should barely touch when seated in a bike he tells me when sitting in the saddle. He marks off with a knife along the post where the seat height should be when I fold the bike down fully - which I avoid doing to not mess up the ergonomics once it's set. He assures me the bike will not rust since it's aluminum. Cause I have no poker face folks. And that's not the Gaga in me talkin' ok? Let's be clear! *laughs* I ask, "so what do I owe you?" His reply. Shrug. "nothing". I look him in the eye, are you sure like? Nods. Yep. I give him my hand in thanks. He did not charge me one red pink or purple cent nickel or dime. Readjusted my seat height. Fixed the tilt of the saddle and let me test it all in the store with three inch wedges?! He be da man, man! The reason I do not give five stars? There is one way in. It's via two glass non-automatic doors and here's little old girl me, walking out the bike and no one opens the door or props it open for me - this lady right here. So I have to maneuver/MacGyver it so I do not get slammed between the one door and my bike handle bars in the crotch... Once I finagled myself out of the store. I hopped right into the bike. Weeeeee!!!! Please if you are not a local and need bike maintenance go here. If you are a local you have a man who knows bikes but more importantly body mechanics and is honest. Check them out friends. And tell them the non-girly girl from out of town who came in, close to closing time, and hopped onto the foldable black bike in the store sent you there way. I'd be mighty obliged. Maybe they'll open the door for the next gal à la Southern gentleman that I find oh so attractive. *wink* right ladies? You know from which I speak. read more

I recently had the best experience at Performance Bicycle. I had been in a few times with my partner and he had excellent experiences, but this time I was alone and trying to get my bike repaired. This is a bike that has sat for several years, in good condition, but definitely needed to be looked at. I went into the store upon arrival and was greeted immediately by a kind gentleman, I think the same one who had previously helped my boyfriend. He graciously helped me bring the bike in from my car to the store and then worked on checking it out. After discovering my handlebars had likely been installed incorrectly, he set about turning them to their proper placement. He also filled the front tire which had gone completely flat and tightened my bolts and brakes. Before I knew it, he was generously helping me back outside with my bike and helping me load it into the car. When it was loaded, me still holding my wallet, I said "what do I owe you?" with a smile, hoping I could pay him for his time. He said not to worry about it and told me to have a great day as he headed back to the store. Kindness and great customer service are not found everywhere, and I will remember this experience and Performance Bicycle because of it. Thanks, PB. read more

This review is mostly concerning the bike shop services offered here. I brought a partially assembled bike (ordered from another shop) in to the store. After comparing prices at another few shops, Performance offered the best one: $85 to build the bike and make adjustments. The bike was well built and I rode it out of the shop. About six rides later, the chain on my bike broke. The shop that sold it to me said it was a fault with a link that had been added by the person who built it. I brought the bike back to Performance and they spent about 50 minutes trying to fix the existing chain before giving up and just grabbing a new one (for a single speed bike, it is $15 from them). It took another ten minutes and the bike was all good to go. The guys at the shop said they wouldn't charge for labor. They clearly had a good idea of what they were doing but the troubleshooting probably could have happened more quickly. The first guy who worked on it spent a long time before the other one got off a long phone call to help and resolved the problem much more quickly. Additionally, they seem to have a good selection of bike components and accessories with fair prices. I purchased a U-lock but decided to buy bike lights and other things from Amazon which had significantly better prices. Overall, the shop is fine but I was not overwhelmed by the service or skill of the folks in the shop. read more

You know what I like about this place? I have a sweet bike, a mid-level understanding of how to take care of it, but a true enthusiasm for cycling and the guys here have been chill not to judge me for it. I also appreciate how the bike techs in the back range from young to old dudes that seem to enjoy working with bikes and don't mind when you ask questions during the process. The past few times they've been cool to take care of my minor fixes while I waited and watched. The prices were decent for a blown tube change which came out to be something like $9 for service and $5 for the tube. I do wish they had a bit more of a merch selection regarding bike locks (what up Kryptonite, Abus, Masterlock street cuffs, etc.), helmets, and so forth, but understand that these days a lot of this stuff can be found online. It can also be a bit hectic in there during times when people are bringing bikes back and forth through the narrow aisles, so be patient. Aside from that? I've had enough good conversations about biking, trails, and suggestions, that I'd recommend this shop to others. This place is conveniently located off of 29 in Seminole Square which makes running errands and getting a bike fixed pretty easy. While I'm pro LBSs, I don't mind coming back to PB because of their helpful employees who care a great deal about their bikes. It doesn't hurt that if I need to wait awhile, I can also pick up some records at Plan 9 all in one fell swoop! read more

I dread going to this place. As a cyclist who relies almost exclusively on my bike for transportation, Performance Bicycle has a terrible location which is either dangerous (via 29) or circuitous to get to. Although not entirely their fault, it's a negative. As for what the employees and establishment have control over, Performance bike has almost no bright spots. Their repairs are solid, and one repairman (an elderly guy) is especially knowledgeable. Beyond that, the staff is woefully unresponsive. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have been in to pick up my bike for repairs and not been waited on even though there are employees present. When I ask for help, people are commonly 'off the clock' Very poor customer service. Overall, the repairs, clothes and accessories are overpriced. Salespeople, when you can lasso one, are snippy and condescending. In one surreal experience, I ordered a brand new bike based on the salesperson's consultation, only to learn that the frame wasn't even my size. Of course I only heard that when it had arrived weeks later. Repairs are astonishingly slow, they need more employees to work as mechanics. I can't wait three weeks for my bike to be ready. (Who can? Those with several bikes or retirees with cars?) I purchased an expensive insurance plan through Performance Bike as I'm not personally knowledgeable on repairs. Unfortunately that means that I have had to drudge myself over to the shop to reap the services I paid for. When my year is up, I will NEVER step foot in there again and vocally discourage anyone else from patronizing this store. read more

Given, Performance is a 'discount' bike shop, and the service at locations across the country is spotty at best, but the Charlottesville shop has the best customer service in town. Paul and Tom are class acts, and have obviously been around bike culture for a long time. This has become my go-to shop for miscellaneous parts, as every time I go in I end up having quality conversation with these guys. Additionally, it seems they will go out of their way to help source a part, squeeze you in for basic service (ex. install BB) or answer questions about products. I even eves drop on conversations with other customers, and have been impressed by their knowledge, even when it comes to bike fit. I heard no generic answers from these guys. I hate to say that Performance is one of the top shops in C'ville, but the guys at the other shops seem grumpy, or too self involved to really focus on good service. read more

I don't have much of a clue with bike maintenance. My wife and I hadn't used our bikes in about a year and we wanted to get them tuned up. We took them here because they were relatively close. The guys working that day seemed nice enough and were easy to talk to. If they had given me what I asked for, which was a complete tune up, it probably would have cost me a little over $100 a bike. Instead they took about fifteen minutes to change a tube, make a couple small adjustments, assure me that the bikes were in excellent condition and saved me about $170 that I would have been unwittingly willing to pay. I don't know if there are places that do better work, but these guys didn't screw me over and I will give them my business again. read more

What a great shop and helpful staff. Great selection of really nice bikes in all prices ranges. They were also very happy to help a Dad fix his son's bike even tho I didn't get it there and didn't spend $3K on it. Can't say the same for other local shops. Look here for your next family bike or one for yourself. You'll be glad you did. read more

My girlfriend and I came in to buy a couple of fairly low budget commuter bikes. Got some great help from the folks here and cannot recommend this place more. We've been to a few other shops in the area and while everywhere we went had decent enough service there just wasn't any options to fit our budget of about $300. At the same time it seems their staff went above and beyond to make sure we knew what we needed to know about our biking in our new area (we just moved here a few months ago) and made sure to get our new bikes in good shape for us to ride out of the store. Highly recommend and will come back for all of my future needs. read more

My first experience with Performance would have rated four or five stars. My second visit, to replace a tire would have as well until my son asked about his front forks sticking. I understand it is only a $279 bike, but it is for a ten year old boy. What lost them points is the mechanic telling my son "it is an entry level bike, if you want better forks (shocks) buy a better bike". What? I might look around the next time I buy one of my kids a new bike. read more

Everyone was helpful and knowledgeable here esp Evan and Matt (hopefully I got their names right lol). Anyway, I would recommend stopping by here! You will not feel intimidated at all! read more

Bought GT hybrid mountain bike three months ago. Great bike. Still loving it. Sales service will vary. Some of the sales team are not very knowledgeable as others. A good value for a comparably equipped bike. read more

I went to 6 different bike shops between DC and Charlottesville to shop for my new road bike. I had done my research but still had more to learn. I was by far the most impressed with how I was treated at Performance Bicycle and how knowledgeable the staff was, specifically Matt Taylor. I didn't end up buying at Performance because they don't sell Masi or Trek (what I ended up with), but I'll be going back for everything else! read more

This store offers great products highly skilled bike mechanics, and knowledgeable/personable sales staff. Performance bikes has helped me restore a vintage road bike, build a newer bike from the frame up and keep my mountain bike trail ready despite my recklessness. The staff has made my experience superior to my visits to LBSs. In fact as in tune as this group is with the local bike community it is hard to believe that they are not an LBS. read more

Fantastic service from Hunter and the crew!!! I have been cycling for years and after experience with many bike shops, this particular Performance Bike shop has been nothing short of excellent!! From nutrition to service to bikes, I highly recommend this shop!!! read more

This is hands down the best bike shop, and maybe the best store period, I have ever dealt with. Prices are extremely reasonable and they always seem to have what I need. But most important is the service, which is unfailingly world class. Just last week my son and I went in to get a new seat for his bike. The sales clerk very kindly suggested getting a new seat cover instead, saving us half the cost or more. He then installed the cover, put air in the tires, adjusted the seat and the handlebars, and checked out the gearing, giving us all the time we needed and then some. And the staff is invariably friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to chat with. We will need a new bike soon and my wife was thinking about buying it online, but I said absolutely no way. These guys have earned my loyalty big time. Highest recommendation! read more

I went last week to compare prices for hybrids and road bikes. I visited another store in Charlottesville, and as another customer who left their review, I noticed either on the phone or in the shop, the associates of other stores weren't as customer service oriented, which is understandable because most stores employ bikers with great knowledge, with less of an emphasis on customer service. When I went to performance they incorporated customer service along with knowledge of biking and bikes. I'm no expert, but I left the store with more knowledge and expertise about what I needed to hit the road with my specific needs. Mitch was more than happy to let me demo two different bikes. At another store I wasn't offered a test ride, and a competitors prices were much higher. Granted Performance Bikes, was running a sale, but even without their sale their in-house bikes were cheaper than the competitors. Their name brands were the same price or cheaper than the competitor. For the consumer a "chain" bike store is the way to go as long as they treat you like a customer and not another sale. With price competition, customer service, and overall knowledge of the associates, they blow away the competition. Another factor is the after purchase service. With only $30 a year, they offer tune-ups and a %10 in-store credit on any purchase, including the purchase of a bike. They offer a layaway program for instore purchases, and online purchasing of the same bikes for deals and sizes that better fit your specs. The best bike shop experience I've had. Hope it continues as I go in to get my bike I ordered on the net while in the store, and had shipped there for free. read more

I chose Performance after reading the reviews and I am so glad I did! Everyone was friendly, knowledgeable and even tho our bikes were not purchased there, they still made some adjustments that were needed. They go the extra mile and by doing so, I am now a customer for life!! read more

Great service! Staff was extremely friendly and very helpful. Honestly went in wanting them to talk me into a new bike but they convinced me that the bike I bought 10 years ago was still in good shape. Gave me a quick tune up and sent me on my way. Love shopping at stores that understand good customer service. Well done! read more

Excellent customer service. Had questions and their guys talked with us for over an hour about what we wanted and product questions. Looking forward to going back for my followup needs as I bike more. read more