First off I just wanna say I rarely leave reviews for businesses but I wanted to share my…read moreexperience with el Sobrante Cyclery. I'm from Omaha and was visiting the Bay Area with family and really wanted to go to a legitimate bike shop in CA. Admittedly, I was intimidated going because I've never been to CA and wasn't sure what to expect. Sometimes, in my experience, dudes can be rude and condescending to anyone who has basic or little knowledge about all that goes into BMX. However, that was not the case with el Sobrante. I went in and was immediately impressed with the handlebar selection, stems, sprockets, tires, bar grips and even hella compete bikes for sale. Plenty of great brands to choose from (my only suggestion would be to stock less GT, unless it sells it Cali which it probs does so ignore me). I ended up getting a set of Rant cranks and some Shadow Vultus SG bars. Both in chrome. Very stoked. Chatted with the First Gentleman that helped me for a bit and even got a YouTube channel to one of his buddies...then it was time to come back home to NE. Went to pack up my bars and realized they weren't gonna fit. No matter what. I went back in and they couldn't refund me bc I lost my receipt some how (however, the 2nd gentleman that helped me tried many, many ways to refund me and help me, we simply ran out of options) so I exchanged my cranks and bars for a set of Stevie's from Primo. Unfortunately they are 24mm spindle and I was provided a 22mm and didn't realize it until I was back home. I called them up expecting them to tell me "tough luck" bc I was back in NE and they could have easily said "eh, oh well" but instead I explained what happened and was told they'd need to talk to the boss and they'd call me back. So I waited 5 business days and after not hearing anything back, went ahead and just bought my own 24mm bracket from S&M...wish I woulda waited a little longer bc they did end up calling me back today 7/24 and are sending out a new 24mm bracket for free Although, the first time I bought the primo cranks, they should have came with 24mm primo BB, not sure why it didn't? Also, I had to pay for the incorrect 22mm BB they incorrectly gave me, so I've bought 2 Bottom Brackets and now have a "free" one coming. I spent $80 when I didn't need to in the end. I guess, the more I think of it, I intended this review to be mainly positive, as they did do what they said they'd do in the end and did try to help me the best we knew how. I guess I was just frustrated I couldn't use the cranks I over paid for when I got home and bought a bracket the same. day they called to tell me one was gonna be sent haha. But all in all I'd recommend for sure. Great dudes, really nice and easy to work with and I want to support them. It was a weird situation with my cranks and I'm happy it's all worked out. Life moves on! Thank you el Sobrante for being chill and having such a cool spot to check out! If you're into BMX and in the east bay this is the spot!

Went today due to my bike having a low air and needing a new lock due a missing key. They offered…read moreto air my tires for free and helped install and remove my old bike lock. The service here is best, would definitely recommend anyone looking to service to come here. They have tuned my bike before and always go the extra mile for customers. They offer the best prices compared to any other bike shops in the bay. I would strongly recommend this bike shop.

This is a fun way to pass an hour--rowing a boat in Aquatic Park. It's easier than expected to get…read morethe boat moving, harder than expected to keep it moving. The boats are maintained (and possibly built) by young people at Waterside Workshops and basic but sturdy. The hour rental ($40 total with life vests included) was plenty enough to row from one end of the lagoon to the other and back, with a quick snack break. We are not skilled rowers, and it was fine. I would check the schedule ahead of time, especially during the off season. We went late in the afternoon and were the only ones on the water. Because of our inexperience, I was glad that we weren't sharing the water with any water skiers or a crew team. Just egrets, pelicans, and cormorants.

We had a truly excellent experience at waterside yesterday. We went to get our 11yo a bike for…read moretheir birthday. Tobe helped us out and he was so patient, knowledgeable, and good with kids. We ended up getting a used Novara model called the Tractor, and our kid decided to call their bike "Tobe the Tractor." Thanks so much for all the work you all do for the community, the inclusive and welcoming environment, and for the wonderful experience in picking a new bike! We will be back for future bikes, service, and open workshops!

I had been buying bike accessories from Blue Heron, plus experienced their ability to get me a new…read moretire installed on the spot. This happened 13 years ago. I finally decided to try them for servicing my Ebike, a Riese & Muller Roadster. Their shop is much more conveniently located than my regular shop and I can ride there, rather than loading the bike on a rack and driving there. What I'd been missing with my old shop was knowing who people were and getting in-person feedback on whatever needed to be fixed. They had expanded and the service, while still good, was getting very distant, in terms of knowing who actually worked on my bike. Blue Heron reminds me of what my old shop was like. The shop is small, crowded with new bikes and bikes being serviced. The people I dealt with were friendly and went over what they'd do on a basic tune-up. They replaced what I figured they'd replace, chain, brake pads, adjusted the derailleur, etc. What I didn't expect were all the little things. They found some missing screws, replaced those. They also adjusted the fenders for alignment and got rid of the stray rattles that the bike has had since I purchased it. They trued up the rear wheel too, which is pretty standard, but it made a difference. I also noticed they cured the problem with the derailleur moving the chain down from the biggest gear in the cassette when I would back the bike out of the garage. It now stays put. The bike has never felt this solid before. It now rides the way I had hoped it would from the beginning. I'll have to stop by later this week to thank Jordan and his mechanics for a job well-done. A good review is one thing, but I believe that the personal service I received deserves a personal reply. Five stars!

My lunch got dropped when I fell off because the seat was higher than when I dropped it off …read more I went to get on and fell face forward I went in to tell them , got blown off and requested to see the manage. He simply debated about my seat being fine , said sorry I don't know what to tell you attitude . Going to the Doctor , getting it documented if it's more serious than i think . I can barely walk and still have to walk home .I could have died for their carelessness

My son wanted a bike as an 8th grade graduation gift. Totally in support of that AND find bike…read moreprices astronomical, especially for kids who are still growing. Bikes on Solano sells great quality bikes at reasonable prices, pre-loved but in good condition. My son was happy and while I was there also grabbed my older son a bike since he likes to ride. The staff were super helpful, and we were in and out in under thirty minutes. I'm thinking about buying a bike for myself as well to get back into riding.

Everything. Excellent work on repair of my bike. Owner and staff could not have been more…read morehelpful. Unfortunately they have moved a bit farther from my home. They are now at 2031 University in Berkeley. I we old personally go anywhere for their service. Sonja Farar

This place looks wild some sort of space ship bicycle repair place set in a parking garage where…read morethey will imprison your bike for a small fee as well don't get me wrong amazing stop for cyclists.

This place is my numero uno for my bike needs. Honestly they deserve 10 stars! Check it out:…read more **Easy to get to -- its on the south end of the Downtown Berkeley Bart Station concourse area **You can park your bike for free and its attended parking. Yes, you can park your bike for free the whole day and overnight. Should you leave it a second night they charge $3 a day, but considering that parking your bike at night anywhere in Berkeley overnight is synonymous with "missing bike/bike parts," $3 is a mild earthy cost **Some of the attendants are bike mechanics and are more than happy to do a diagnostic on your bike, install new stuff (like racks and headlight/tail lights, new tires, etc) **They let you pump your tires for free! **They sell: child helmets, bike racks, head and tail lights, bike horns, bike locks, and more! **They are a non-profit and they really are quite friendly, which is usually why I go to them first over anywhere else **They added an extra half-hour in the morning on Saturday 9-9:30 AM so you can get your bike. Nice. **They give you free bike wheel tubes for things like securing your backpack to your bike rack! They make bike commuting a little bit easier : )

I had a great experience with Stay True repairing my road bike's disc brakes. Stay True got my…read morerepair done in about a day (fast), did a good job, and didn't upsell me. I thought the service pricing was very affordable.

Nick and his team have solved 2 separate issues with the rear brake on my e-bike in the past 6…read moremonths, both of which took some detective work, and at minimal cost, for which I'm grateful. That they agreed to even look at my bike, when other bike shops in Berkeley would not because it was not a bike brand that they sold, made me more grateful. Kudos to Stay True! Keep up the good work.

I lost my key to my Radrover 6 plus. I called to get a replacement and the process was easy. You…read morejust need the # on the cylinder. Very inexpensive and came in quick. Works perfect! Thank you Berkeley Rad Power Bikes!

Went in to service my bike and they really went above and beyond Great service. Would highly…read morerecommend then

A very small but cute Lululemon store! It's clean, organized, and has a good selection. All the…read moreclothes are in great condition, and everything I tried on was clean and well cared for. The fitting rooms are tidy, and I had a great experience using them. It took a little while to get rung up, but overall it is a great location to shop.

Really convenient location with street parking and a parking lot a block away. I came here to get…read moremy leggings altered and it was a simple process. The staff is friendly too.