Jeff and his crew at Revolution are really amazing. I could tell right away when we entered the shop that this was a solid spot--a family, commuters, and no one batted an eye my Lycra-clad teen racer. Jeff and the mechanic working that day took care of my kiddo's tire blow-out and provided solid advice on keeping it together so that he could race again the next day at a cyclocross series. They have a great selection of gear that I pursued while we were there and Jeff pointed me in the direction of a quality tire gauge to help get a more precise tire pressure. Super grateful! Definitely will be back. read more

I don' leave many Yelp reviews and I hesitate at leaving bad ones. Especially because I found the guys at Revolution to be friendly and believe each truly wants to provide good service. The problem is there is no coordination between them which I have come to believe is due to poor management. In July I sent my Trico bike case to the shop and later, Chris confirmed by phone it was there. But when I ended 10 days of Wisconsin bikepacking there, I was unsettled for a few minutes as they couldn't locate my case. I could tell they started doubting they ever had it. Fortunately I could quote Chris's name and he happened to be present. He found the case. So no biggie. But a potential red flag? Let's move on. I left my bike to be packed up and sent home in the Trico case...along with a new spare tire, lent to me by a friend for the trip. The last thing I remember is the tire on my handle bars in front of the check-out desk and being reassured there was no need to tie it to the bike. When I received the bike, it arrived in a CARDBOARD BOX, not my Trico case. And...the tire was missing. And...a part of the front axle was missing. (which I didn't realize until after riding a week or so when my mechanic freaked out bc the fork was compressed a little) I want to be clear, there was no shipping damage to the bike; cardboard boxes are fine, but i spent $300 on a hard case and I wanted it back. I also wanted my friend's new tire back. I called Jeff, the manager, immediately after unpacking my bike. Within 24 hours, he was able to find the missing Trico case but not the tire. I could tell he doubted I had left the tire, but I sent him a picture of the tire on the bike. He offered me a used tire as replacement which I refused bc we're talking my friend's tire here. Jeff refused to send me an equal replacement. I received my case (empty), but I'm out $65 for a replacement tire I bought for my friend. Bringing up the missing axle piece would have been futile a week into this mess, so it didnt come up. MORAL: If your equipment is being handled by more than one person at Revolution Cycles, monitor that equipment. Get names. Take pictures. Ask for receipts. Keep watch. Or you may find yourself writing way too long reviews. read more

Great service and experience working with Jeff and the staff. Didn't catch the name of the tech who worked on my Giant, but he did a terrific full tune. My 15 year old commuter feels like a new bike again. Highly recommend. read more

This is one of my favorite bike shops in Madison. Upon entering the store, you'll most likely be greeted by the shop cat, Mu, a super friendly black ball of fluff. The store is vibrant and provides full service needs for any commuter. We stopped in to pick up some spokes for a new wheel. They didn't have the spokes in stock, but ordered them that day and called two days later when the spokes came in. The staff working was once again friendly and ensured we had what we needed to build the wheel. We will be back! read more

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I can't say enough about how excellent my experience was with Revolution Cycles. I worked with Adam, all the way from NYC, where I live, to have a customized Surly Ogre built for me. In spite of many parts sourcing challenges due to COVID-19, he was able to build me a gorgeous bike, suited exactly to my (very specific) preferences and how I ride, and it was ready the day he said it would be. I have been riding the bike for a month now in and around Madison, and I'm so happy with everything, and am ready to take it home. The shop provided a thorough check of all the parts after I'd been riding it for a couple of weeks, and made some small modifications I had asked for. Adam is a very professional, kind, and fun guy to work with, and he really went above and beyond to make sure I was getting the bike I wanted and needed. He didn't let me spend unnecessary money on things that weren't important, but he made sure that everything we put on this bike was the best for me and my riding style. I have ridden a Surly Big Dummy with my kid on the back for years, and it was time for me to get a bike that was just for me. We replicated the things about the Big Dummy which I love, and tricked out the Ogre with some great NYC commuting features, including a dynamo hub which drives some powerful Luxos lights, as well as a Shimano Alfine 11 internal hub gearing system. I could really go on and on, but I'll leave it at this. Adam provided excellent technical service in a fun, professional manner, and I couldn't have hoped for a better experience, or for a better bike. I hope everyone's experiences at Revolution are as good as mine. read more

I will never deal with these people again. In a town like Madison, where are so many decent bike shops, why would I? I went because I got a flat. Trip #1. My boyfriend drops off my bike on a Monday. They say they can't have it ready until the NEXT Thursday (11 days). The also say they're going to lube the brake lines. Trip #2. My boyfriend comes by to pick up the bike, as stated, a week and a half later. They haven't even touched it yet. They say, "Did we call you? We'll call you." They had never told him to wait until they called. He says that they seem to have totally forgotten about the bike. A few hours later, they call. Trip #3. He gets the bike. My flat is fixed. $43 dollars. I get on the bike to ride it to work. The front brake is rubbing. There were no problems with the brakes when we gave the bike to them. Trip #4. I have to go back to have them adjust the brakes. The guy running the show takes about 20 seconds. Hands it back to me. "There you go." He says. By the time I get home, the brake is rubbing again, now worse than before. I call and say, "Can you tell me how to adjust this? I cannot come to the bike store for a 5th time." He says, "Well, there must be something seriously wrong with your brakes if we adjusted them and they're still rubbing." There was nothing wrong with my brakes before I handed the bike over to them. At this point, I am so angry I can barely see straight. Trip #5. I take the bike in. They take it aside, work on it for 2 minutes, and viola! the brakes work. There's nothing wrong with them. They were just incorrectly adjusted twice. I'm sorry to have to give a bad review to my local bike shop, but our experience was that they were disorganized and took three times to get something right. read more

The customer service is top notch! The biggest thing that sticks out with me is they give you true timelines on when work will be done. Whether it's to fix a quick flat or a full tune up, they never take longer than they say. The quality of the work is also wonderful. Stopped in once to have a few screws/nuts tightened that took them just a few minutes and they didn't charge for it. These are the reasons that they have such a successful business!!!!!! read more

I was really surprised to see the poor reviews on yelp for Revolution! They have always been friendly and helpful when I have a need for my bike. However, those reviews seem to be from older dates (most of them..), so perhaps there's a management change and please give revolution a chance!! The bike shop is a middle-sized shop, so they might not have as much variety of products as other huge bike shops. The nice thing is, they are willing to go out of the way to order something for you, even if you just wanted one piece of something. Also, it is a great place to stop by for last minute maintenance, quick fixes. They usually have a long wait for huge project fix ups, but if you just need a quick check or putting on a saddle, something fast, they will do it on the spot and you won't run into the long wait time. I trust them to do a good job for my bike. Jacob, who I regularly see in the bike shop, was very detailed in explaining my options when I wanted to add gears to my single speed bike. He even suggested maybe building a custom bike might be something I should consider since my Sanwa is not exactly meant for touring.. A week and a half later (I was out of town), my bike was ready. It fits well, the gears are surprisingly smooth for a no gear gal like me. Everything was great! And they were so friendly and told me I should come back for a check up on the bike a week or two later! read more

Possibly the friendliest and most honest bike shop in Madison. They sell new bikes but if your bike is fixable they will fix it for you rather than talk you into a sale. They do have a limited selection of brands but the ones they carry are all quality brands such as Surly, Bianchi and Soma. They've been around for close to 10 years but still seem like the underdogs in Madison and I support the underdog especially when they are as knowledgeable and helpful as these guys. read more

Revolution Cycles - Bikes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

SO AWESOME. I worked mostly with Jeff, but everyone I dealt with was friendly and knowledgeable and professional. I had a bike that needed to be packed for shipping and sent to New Orleans. It arrived beautifully with each piece wrapped and packaged with great care, parts labelled thoroughly so it was a breeze to get the bike back together again. All of this at a ridiculously reasonable price. Two thumbs up! These gents are the tops! read more

I stopped in early on a Thursday afternoon to get a flat tire fixed (just needed a new tube). I was ignored for the first 10-15 minutes, as was another customer who asked me if I knew how to get any service at the shop. A repair tech finally came up to me, I told them what was wrong. Apparently, they were too busy tuning up bikes to change the tube (a 5 minute job, tops), and not one employee could spare the time to do this. They told me that it would have to wait until after the weekend. No matter HOW busy a shop is, I cannot possibly imagine having to wait any more than a day to get a tube replaced, let alone four days. I inquired about this and was treated in a rude manner, no apologies about the initial lack of service or the long repair times. I ended up walking my bike 2 miles to Machinery Row, where I had a fantastic (albeit more expensive) experience. Compared to the rest of the bike shops I have been to in Madison, this one is by far the worst. read more

I've had decent experiences with Revolution in the past, and depending on who is working, you can get decent service. That said, I recently visited Revolution to get some new tires for my commuter bike, and I won't be going back. First of all, upon entering the store, I was completely ignored for a solid minute as the guy behind the counter (Jeff) wrote up something on a sales pad. There was not even a, "I'll be right with you." Next, he took me downstairs, pointed at the tires and left me there, even though I was actually looking for help picking them out. Upon getting back upstairs with what seemed like a good set, he then criticized my choice in tires after ringing them up. Thanks. Upon talking with my spouse about this experience, it sounds like a number of her friends have had similar experiences. Maybe we're just not cool enough to shop here? read more

Great service, friendly, helpful and a fair price. They don't push expensive parts, and really try to get your current parts working. They genuinely want their customers to enjoy riding their newly tuned bikes. I have had multiple tuneups done over the years. I just had 3 done. My winter bike and 2 for spring. Winter bike is great, gave me some extra advise for winter riding that I didn't know about. Looking forward to the family getting on the others this spring. Wishing all service experiences could be this good. read more

We have our bikes tuned up every spring from the friendly folks at Revolution Cycles, and have always been pleased with the service, quality, and value. Being able to walk there from our home is a plus, too. A few years back, they even gave my wife a milk crate when we were having trouble finding one for her. Long story short, they're good people. read more

Revolutionary? Not quite. I was called 2 days after the two week wait they already gave me and told me it'd cost another $100 to complete the higher end tune up I was talked into, which already cost $40 more than the standard tune up. They said they would notify me and not do anything if there would be more than a $20 difference. They didn't. This town has a lot of great bike shops I tried this one because it had a convenient location for me. What a mistake that was. Go to budget or machinery row. read more

Pretty horrible service, took my wife's bike (which is rarely used and was is pretty good condition) they some how convinced her to change brake shoes and lines and even the chain. Once I got the bike back there was knocking sound when the chain was stressed, they failed to recognize the problem and just oiled it and told me that it just takes adjustment time. Well in the last month we realized the shoe was brushing against the tire and because it was not installed properly . Had to replace the tire. Wanted to support the neighborhood bike shop, but it was horrible experience. Stay away. read more

I've only been to Revolution Cycles a few times, but what I primarily observed is their customer service---be prepared to wait for it. There, the motto is "we won't be rushed". Expect to wait behind someone who's chatting with the help for ten minutes about something non-bicycle related before it's finally your turn. Once I got a call from them telling me my bicycle was ready, which I thought was odd because I only dropped off a wheel to be trued. Lo and behold, when I got there someone brought out an entire bicycle. Hey, RC, people have last names! After going back to get my wheel, the guy then did a quick-and-dirty 5-minute wheel true before he gave my crooked wheel back. Why'd I bother going there to drop it off? I prefer bike service with people who don't waste my time and have their act together, and this place isn't it. read more

Good way to lose a customer: offer to help and then act like a misogynistic asshole. I've come here before to get inner tubes no problem. But the guy who decided it was a good idea to mansplain to me that they need my wheel diameter (which I've needed before) ruined this place for me. Never returning. read more

I don't like this place at all. I think it's very pretentious, but the cool staff have the attitude that they're not pretentious. How pretentious is that! It is true that they explain things to you. Mansplaining. But they also make sure to tell you how there's no pressure to buy, they're inclusive, etc., in many words. It comes across as creepy, intrusive/nosy, and presumptuous. They push Surly and Velocity and fat biking and other hipster stuff or fashionable bike parts. Of course they'll work on your old bike too because they're so cool and open-minded (Oh, thank you Revolution Cycles!). As usual with bike shops, you need a special bike for touring, a special bike for the winter, special classes for women only, a special bike for commuting, special gear, a special hat, and other special skill-sharing meetings. And I think you need to drink too. The goal is "community", not independence, and to become something. In this case, a cyclist. I'm not sure what they are revolting against and what their revolution will bring, but it's ultimately very institutional to me. read more

On two separate visits I felt the owner was condescending to me and made me feel bad. I am a long time biker and will not spend money at this establishment. It may be a good place for other bikers but not for me. The owner told me I was wasting his time when I asked him a question. DS-Madison read more

Don't bother with these jokers. I called them about a custom paint job and they told me to email. I emailed and they didn't answer. Four days later I emailed again referring to my previous email and phone call and, again, no answer. Two days later I emailed again, and I finally received a reply from a Billy, asking me to call the shop again. No apology, explanation, or salutation. These guys cannot be taken seriously. read more

Friendly people, good service. We had two bikes serviced there in the fall with the intent to use them as winter bikes. Once the snow flew we realized that my bike was skipping a gear and my wife's had a brake issue. We rode down, and received the same friendly service we received the first time in. They remembered our bikes and solved our bike repair issues on the spot. Great business to support. read more

Several weeks after doing some long-distance business with Revolution, Amber emailed me to remind me that I had some money due back. I had forgotten all about it. (It was over $600.) She went out of her way to help. Their honesty and integrity made my day way more than the surprise $600 bonus did. These are good people. read more

Always friendly and professional. This is my first yelp review, only because I was shocked to see a bad review for this place and had to voice my experiences. Ive had a couple builds done here and lots of little stuff throughout the past few years and everytime I was treated with respect and offered many options of service, even if it costs them money. They'll even show you how to fix your bike on your own and they encourage it and are always budget friendly. I've sent many friends there and everyone of them has had a great experience. Great people, great shop and locally owned. read more

I had a great experience here. The employees are knowledgeable, passionate about biking, and provide excellent service. Jeff went above and beyond to help me find the right item for my bike. read more

Recently purchased a Surly Midnight Special from the guys. Lots of fun on this cushy road bike. I see a good selection of fat bikes, winter isn't far away. read more

These guys are just awesome. I recently got back into biking after a good ten year absence. I did most the work on putting together a new bike but I needed a few things. I checked out other stores first that were closer including Machinery Row. All of them gave me extremely high quotes and Machinery Row out right told me I needed parts that I didn't. The people at Revolution Cycles jumped right in to help me when I walked in the door. They even threw my bike up to take a quick look and did safety checks. They told me exactly what I needed to know even though I said I would do the work myself. The store is stocked full with parts and always has something good on the stereo. This place is my my cycle shop for life. Thanks! read more

These guys are great. I moved to town and had no idea where to have my bike serviced. I took a chance because they were close by and boy am I glad I did. They were friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. This is my bike shop. read more

I wanted to swap out the straight handlebars on my hybrid bike for backswept bars. They guys here were very knowledgeable and helpful. They spent a lot of time with me to review several different style handlebars, and helped me find a set that are very comfortable and that accommodate all of the stuff I had on my bike. They also helped me pick out a newer set of front and back lights (and did not just push me toward the most expensive options, either). The work was done on time and for less than I had expected to pay. Super friendly, and no Gearhead attitude. I highly recommend them, and definitely plan on returning to this shop if my bike needs anything in the future. read more

These guys are so awesome, best bike shop in town, totally unpretentious. I walked in 5 minutes after close with a flat tire, and even though they were closing they still took the time to help me out. I came away happy and grateful. read more

I've been to a lot of bike shops around Madison, and Revolution is my favorite. They're approachable and in support of finding you the safest cheap way to stay riding. They also stand by their tune-ups for the whole season. None of the "hey we're actually going to charge you another $50 because we didn't tighten your brakes to your liking." I had my touring bike built through them last year, and all along the way they had resources and words of encouragement. The staff is amazing too. My only regret is that I always have work when their maintenance classes are. read more

Dude made unsolicited changes to my setup and now bike doesn't feel like my bike. It was that way for a reason. Half-hour fix, but still...

Ongoing problems with a new bike build at Revolution Cycles. I am an avid biker and bike commuter of 10+ years. I went to have a year round commuter bike built. During the build process they were friendly, appeared deeply knowledgeable about the process, great to work with, and appeared sincere that they would make the bike work right and be there in ironing out and post-build issues. The bike fits me very well but has been plagued with three non-stop problems since initial delivery. These have been: 1) Sloppy shifter that began progressively failing since 8 weeks since delivery. 2) Failing internally geared rear hub (skips, misses gears, and makes grinding noises every 1-3 miles) 3) Incessantly squealing brakes. I have had my bike back in their shop 5 times since purchasing it. Each time repairs have been minimized (e.g. I don't think your shifter is bad, we'll just swap the cable...) while the underlying components have continued to fail. Each time the work completion date has been missed with work often taking 2-3 times longer than planned. On the upside many of their staff have been pleasant and nice to talk with, on the downside I have a bike with wildly annoying brakes and largely non-operative drivetrain (broken shifter and rear hub). In hindsight it was clear that they were both inadequately experienced with integrating the components that they suggested nor do they have the business acumen to meet repair deadlines, communicate adequately with customers, or complete resolution of build issues. read more

Went in today for a quick brake adjustment and to fix a ripped tube and despite being VERY busy I was in and out in under 45 minutes. I've been going to this bike shop for 5 years and I only had one bad experience (with someone who appears to be no longer employed by the shop). Everyone who works here is incredibly helpful and they will never push you to buy any services or products that they don't think you need or that they don't think are good quality. They are super woman friendly, despite being staffed by mostly men, and offer their space on some nights for a women's bike mechanics class (that I've heard of and seen, but never gone to). They built my 3-speed bike from scratch when I first moved here, gave me an excellent price for it, and have helped me to keep it well-maintained. I have had only minor problems with the bike and I put it through a lot of hell. I recommend this shop not just for repairs, but especially for anyone looking to get a well-priced custom bike. read more

I have to agree with the other reviewers, the service is super friendly and helpful. I went in looking for the Planet Bike Blaze 1W light set and not only were about $13 less then Machinery Row Bicycles ($62.50 vs $75) they took and additional 15% off because I bought 2 sets, bring the cost to about $55 each. Well worth the trip. read more

I have a love/fear relationship with local bike shops, because my experiences in NYC ranged from friendly to pretentious. Since I just moved to Madison, I wanted to check out Revolution but was a little nervous. I brought my bike in for a minor brake problem that I had tried to fix. The mechanic was extremely nice and took the time to educate me on how to deal with similar issues in the future. It took less than 5 minutes with no charge. Another staff member helped me pick out a rack by providing info with no sales pressure. It was a great experience, and I am so relieved to have a local bike shop I can just love now! read more

The folks at Revolution Cycle are fair, honest, and good at their jobs. They have on multiple occasions talked me out of buying products I didn't need/wouldn't suit my purposes. Who does that? Who willingly gives up money for the well being of their customer? Fair and honest folks, that's who. All of the work I've ever had done on my bikes there has been top notch. The one time that I got a bike back and the work wasn't what I expected I brought it up to them and they fixed the problem with humility, free of charge. As they are so good at their jobs they are also popular and might may take just a minute to get your bike done but when you get it back it will be done well. Real people serving other real people with the same passions. Doesn't get better than that. read more

Always professional. Always honest. Always educational. Always affordable. Always efficient. Always a delight to refer the outstanding team of revolution cycles to my friends and neighbors in Madison. read more

Does being mansplained to make you want to slap the living snot out of someone? Then don't deal with Jeff, who didn't even bother to briefly inspect my bike for brake and shifting issues before telling me *exactly* what he thought the problem was, when it was clear to me that my front tire would not budge due to mechanical issues. It was even more infuriating when he told me that he wouldn't even bother looking at the derailleur as well, because it is winter, and oh my god the salt might ruin the work. This is the equivalent of a car mechanic refusing to check your timing chain when your engine is chronically stalling out. Not only that, I endured all of this just to get my bike fixed, and now my brake is squishy, and chain is covered in rust because the lube I had on it was stripped, and the replacement was too thin to even last a couple weeks of winter biking. I have dealt with some dubious bike shops before, but this one takes the cake for me. I'd rather schlep my bike to the local monopoly or an out of state chain store than to be treated like that, presumably because I'm a bike commuter attached to a pair of boobs. I've given Revolution Cycles 3 tries, one for repair, and two for retail parts, and the customer service does not warrant me returning ever again. read more

This is, hands down, the best bike shop in town! It is, indeed, women friendly as another reviewer commented, and you never feel like the staff are trying to sell you something or get you to upgrade your purchase in order to increase their commission. Rather, the staff listen to you, your needs, and they problem solve in language that people who are not super-knowledgeable about bikes can understand--all without breaking the bank! I've been going to revolution cycles for two years for general problems (flat tires, squeaky breaks), additions to sweeten my ride (racks, kick stand, etc), and most recently to buy a bike. They always look for economical options, such as a used kick stand instead of a new one, and in my experience, they welcome return visits if something isn't quite right. I had a finicky break pad that kept rubbing on one of my wheels. I thought the problem was fixed after I brought it in, but a few days later it started to rub again. I brought the bike in again and they gladly made a few more adjustments until I was riding without that pesky rubbing sound. It was a minor thing, but their concern to get it right really meant a lot to me. Most importantly, each time I visit the shop I always feel like I learn something about my bike (in a way that doesn't feel teacher-y or bike-snobby) so that I can keep it rolling down the road smoothly for years to come. read more