I've passed this charming little (probably the smallest in the world) bike shop on many occasions over the years and would stop and check out the bikes from time to time but it wasn't until I noticed this beautiful vintage specialized mountain bike displayed for all of Foothill Boulevard to gaze upon that I really experienced what Dale and their bike shop had to offer. Dale was friendly, and pretty mellow, we chatted a bit about their unique bike shop and they mentioned to me how they donate kids bikes to the little ones that need it and will check out and possibly buy used bikes so I brought him over my 2006 Raleigh road bike and he offered an amount that was fair and I picked up that specialized mountain bike I was so charmed by. All the bikes he has on display are ready to be purchased and he makes sure that all components are in working order. Couldn't be happier with the experience, I think some reviews on here that are negative are people who expect a bubbly and overly excited customer "service" experience and are putting those unreal expectations onto a business owner they know nothing about so my advice is- if you want to check out some used bikes at solid prices or get your bike tuned up by a knowledgeable bike mechanic then check out The Velo. read more

The Velo - Bike Repair/Maintenance Near Me - Claremont, California

My 4 yr old was not able to ride his bike after I took it apart and couldn't get it back together Dale offered to fix it for free right away so my little boy can enjoy a day in the park Much appreciated to your kindness Raj read more

Great spot for students to come grab a bike or get a tune up. I've swung by this place numerous times to check out Dale's inventory or just if I have some questions, and I feel I've always got his honest opinion. From what I've gathered, this is a great spot to grab a nicely tuned, used bike at a respectable price. Though I haven't bought a bike from here, he's the man I come to for a tune up or a quick fix. TIP: Dale is an honest guy and passionate about biking. Don't be shy to ask him about popular online bike vendors or other local bike shops. Be specific about your needs and your price range, he won't steer you wrong. read more

Wanted to support the small local biz, but this was a disappointment. Nothing but unmet promises and lots of excuses, for a solid month. "It rained." "I couldn't get the parts." "I'm swamped." "I don't have any help." "Yours is the very next one I'll work on." Owner knows bikes and has a chill initial vibe, but gets defensive and surly when it comes to accountability. Take your business elsewhere; there are a lot of bike shops around. read more

Bought a bike from Dale last week. I told him what I needed the bike for (commuter), style I was looking for (road), and my price range. He showed me around his selection of bikes, mostly older and most needing some level of work. We tried a few for fit and settled on one. I had hoped that it would be ready by the end of the day, but he said it would take more than that due to the amount of work he'd need to do to it first. Totally worth it! The bike is almost as old as me but feels brand new. Sure I waited a little longer than if I'd gone to a big box store, and paid about as much as a new bike would cost, but there is a reason bikes like this are still around. Dale did a great job and I never felt mistreated or like I was being scammed. He threw in a new lock, some safety lights, and a lifetime warranty. read more

Very Nice, i like the attitude & the way the owner attended us.. Thank you so much God bless!!

There are a few ways you can buy a bicycle... from a store, from craigslist or some dude on the street, and then there's the Velo. I bought a mountain bike from here... looked good but it was actually very old. The shop owner never really disclosed too much information... he just kept going on and on about how nice the bike looks and rides. He may have sprayed some magical dust over my head because before I knew it, I paid him $800 for the bike. After I got home and the magic dust wore off, I promptly looked up the bike on internet... lo and behold the bike is freakin' 6 years old! Okay, if I KNEW the bike was 6 years old and paid the money, I wouldn't feel bad because it's actually very well kept... but I was made to think that the bike is 2 years old... what the #@!(*&# Of course, the owner can't be found afterwards... closing the shop at random times and blowing me off on the phone. When I did talk to him on the phone, he's like, well... I gave the money to another person already and I can't help you. Just because you're buying a bike from a "storefront," that doesn't mean squat... Buying from the Velo is just like buying from craigslist... be careful and be weary. I would just drive down the street to Coates and buy a legitimate bike where they know their business... Not to mention that this place is totally unreliable. The owner closes the shop on bad weather (reasonable) but also on good weather and anytime he feels like it... If I buy another bike from this place, I would be certified stupid... or have magic dust all over my face. read more

I've come here for a few tune-ups for my bike. HIGHLY recommended for students looking for reasonably-priced, fast, and reliable service on bicycles. They are a small family run independent bike shop that do stellar work. You won't find a better value anywhere else in the area! Not snobby like the rest of Claremont. They are flexible with their service and will go out of the way to help you out! read more

I bought a bike from Velo 3 weeks ago. I first stopped by about 2 months ago and asked the owner, Dale, if he had a bike that would be appropriate for a dad and baby as I was looking for a Father's day present. Even though I was itching to get a bike before Father's day, he said that he honestly didn't have the perfect bike in the store at that time, but that he would be on the lookout. A few weeks later he called to say that he had the bike for me. He took extra time to install our baby seat and I have to say, I'm so happy with my purchase. In fact, I'm using the bike just as much as my husband. Our toddler takes long morning rides up hills with his daddy and happily cruises around town to park, store, grandparents houses, etc.. with me. The bike is sturdy, reliable and rides really nicely. The seat moves easily so two humans with very different bodies can ride it (I'm 5'6", he's 6'2" and our baby is 1 1/2 year old). Just the other day, a stranger at the park said, 'wow, that's a good bike, where'd ya get it?' I highly recommend Velo. My experience: honest owner, good bike, fair price. ps. before buying the bike, I went to a bike store in Upland and downtown Claremont to make comparisons. I really appreciated the laid-back atmosphere at Velo. Dale was friendly, relaxed and offered a cold drink as I waited. read more

I love The Velo! Great deals on awesome bikes. The owner makes sure you're taken care of and that you know all the specifics of the bikes on display. I send most of my friends at the Claremont Colleges here :) read more

The Velo - Bike Repair/Maintenance Near Me - Claremont, California

Super experience here over several years. The small business owner Dale has put together four bikes for our family. My husband and I have both worked with him, and he has always been friendly, easy to work with, punctual and knowledgeable for what we need. Before trying Velo, we had taken a small kid's bike to a larger operation in town to get fixed. They charged us and never fixed the problem. I feel like if Dale couldn't fix it, or if it was going to cost more than the bike was worth, he would tell you. He gave us some registration cards for our bikes so that we could identify them if they were stolen. To top that off, he's very thoughtful about social distancing and masking during covid. Our experience with this shop has been a win all the way around. read more

Love this shop. I've bought all of my kids bikes here. The owner is such a nice down to earth guy. Highly recommend.

Thank you for being a great , affordable and honest bike shop. I highly recommend this place. I recently got a bike tune up and I feel like I have a new bike again! read more

Cool, independent bike shop specializing in used bikes and service. Went in to look for a bike for a friend and left with one for friend and one for me. Fair prices, knowledgeable and friendly staff (father and son). Bike purchases include a U-lock and lifetime service. If you like to support local independent businesses and appreciate old fashioned customer service I highly recommend The Velo. read more

Unsure what the bad reviews are all about. Perhaps spoiled Claremont college hipsters? My experience: great, down to earth owner, fixed my back tire and even noticed / adjusted the spokes which had been damaged for free. $20 total. Never had to pay that less for a bike repair. read more

Total flake, B. S.-er n strings you along. The OWNER (Dale) Was supposed to pick up my bike that night for a 2-3 hr repair over the weekend n I didn't hear from him for 4 days. Set up a second time to pick it up n he flakes on that one too. read more

The owner of this bike shop is rude and unhelpful. I offered him a trade, which he accepted, and have waited almost two months with no bicycle. Each interaction has yielded only excuses and equivocation. I have decided to take my business elsewhere and recommend others do so as well. read more

Please be nice to poor college kids with crappy bike. We also need your help and support. This is a very cute bike shop and the owners (the son and the father) are very helpful people on bikes. However, if you are a college kid with a not-so-great bike and just want some professional advice, you might not receive the best attitude, and end up feeling a little bit rached with a bike on a different level that they would want to work on... I'm a student from the 5Cs and I got a cheap bike passed down from upperclassman. I'm not even an amateur biker, and I own this bike solely for getting to class and meeting friends easier. I came here because I'm totally ignorant on bikes and would like some professional advice besides students that do basic fixing at the Green Bike Program on campus. Yes...I know this is a crappy bike that probably doesn't worth fixing in a professional shop because I got it only for $11, and the original price of this bike is probably just about $100. But I don't feel a $250 bike, which is the cheapest bikes from the shop, is necessary for my needs. I had a problem on my break that takes a easy fix. They did it for me, and the father looked at my bike and said "I'm not trying to be rude here, but this is a pile of junk". He left me alone there and went to mind his own business. I was proud that I've saved a couple hundred bucks for my family, but now I feel ashamed for my cheap bike. Maybe the snob was not intentional, but probably a less harsh judgment on my choice will be nice? I'm just one of the college kids who are trying their best to save some money outside the expensive tuition. read more

Excellent experience!! Earlier I went to another local bike shop not to mention names (town and foothill) and they said I needed a whole new crank assembly. I had a crank arm fall off my beach cruiser and had know idea it would cost me 159 dollars. After dealing with the stoners at the store not to be mentioned I went with my girlfriend to Visit the smallest bike shop in the world. Not only did he fix my bike in 5 minutes (didn't even get his name), but he didn't want any money for fixing my bike with a simple nut and tools. His request was to tell a friend. I hope to tell a hundred and plan on visiting again soon. Thank you! Karma!!! read more

I live around the corner from The Velo-- less than a five minute walk. I drive past it several times a day, and unlike the previous reviewer, I KNOW for a fact that it is open all the time. The owner, Dale, is honest and helpful, regardless of whether you're a local adult, a neighborhood kid, or a college student looking for a ride. We have both purchased from and sold bikes to Dale, and will continue to do so in the future. It's rare to find a business these days who aims to build a following based on integrity and customer service and satisfaction. We're lucky to have The Velo in our town. read more

Honest, fair, and knowledgeable. Would definitely bring my bike back to Dale for repair. I appreciated getting in and out same day!

Super nice owner, Dale, runs a super nice used bike shop. It's small and local. Great customer service and nice bikes. This is a perfect place to get a bike in a college town like Claremont. read more

Best service, best people, best location in Claremont! Dale let me test ride one of his bikes to a local bike shop to get it checked out! NO OTHER PLACE would even consider this. Get your high quality, inexpensive tune-ups here too!!! read more

I haven't even gotten my bike yet, but here's how honest Dale is: He called me the day after I purchased a road bike to tell me that he discovered that the frame was cracked. He promised that he'd find something of equal or greater value and give me that instead, that's honest! read more

Bought a used Univega mountain bike years ago from this shop. Still happy and remember this honest and helpful place. The owner was forthright about other options for my budget, such as yard sales, but I found it worth it to pay the premium that he charges as a dealer to get the expertise and selection. I'm glad I did, because I did not have the time to go to enough yard sales to get the right bike. This place fills an important niche between new bike shops and yard sales, and is a better place to buy a bike than a big box store. A twenty or thirty year-old bike of a good make in good condition will be a better bike than most new bikes they sell at Target or Walmart. read more

Thanks for all the repair work. Great job. I appreciate your help in rebuilding the vintage bike I picked up from you. Also, I appreciate your help in selling a bike I no longer needed. You have a great laugh and are always helpful. Brian Adams read more

My first yelp review couldn't go to a more deserving business! After my car got stolen, me, a broke college student, stopped by the shop to check out some bikes. After explaining my situation, what I was looking for, how I had to get to my internship etc. etc., the owner cut me a screaming deal on a bike just to help me out. Truly a random act of kindness that I'm beyond thankful for. Highly, highly recommend this shop! read more

Crashed out on my bike over the weekend and thought it would be a good time to get my bike tuned and detailed. Dale and Sam were a pleasure to work with and the bike looks and feels awesome! Being super affordable is definitely a bonus. Highly recommended! read more

Owner was very rude. He interrupted our conversation to talk to a local customer. He is just a bike mechanic not a brain surgeon. I love to support Claremont business, but his comments were just over the top and I was very unimpressed in his knowledge of bikes. Even his helper was embarrassed by his attitude. read more

I met the owner of the Velo through a friend way back and I've since stopped by a dozen or so times. Bought two bikes and had several tune ups at the Velo and only exceptional service. One of Claremont's best kept not so secret secrets. Better than fair prices on bikes and fast thorough service. read more

Dale is great to talk to, knows his bikes, and will support those who buy his bikes with service. His "world's smallest" shop with a wide inventory of classic and unusual bikes to look at is always interesting to see. read more