Looking for a new bike and don't care much about what you get besides price? This is that store. Want good customer service/specialization/helpful knowledge where you feel comfortable with a purchase, go somewhere else. I was planning on brining all my tune ups and spending thousands on a road/Tri bike here, not to include parts and accessories, but I'd much rather go somewhere where I know I'll be taken care of and feel good about my purchases. Tried supporting local businesses but when the local business doesn't offer much beyond tune ups and replacing an inner tube, what's the point. Also, why does it seem like everyone there is a high school kid. Good on them for working but it explains the lack of customer service, or training. read more

I always have a great experience going to this place and leave learning something new aswell. Great value too.

I have heard that this place is lacking in the customer service department from several people but decided to go anyways. I was trying to buy a first bike for my four year old. I walked in and was literally the only customer in the shop. There were 5 or 6 employees working on bikes near the middle of the store. No one said welcome or hi or acknowledged me whatsoever. I didn't think much of it and just started looking at the different kids bikes available. Ten or twelve minutes later, no one had said anything. So, I walked to the area where all the employees were and stood there staring at them. Five minutes of no one even looking up at me and I was done. I walked out and took my business elsewhere. I understand that the employees were actively working but I wasn't even acknowledged in the twenty minutes I spent in the store. I am not sure if the staff is overworked or undertrained or just doesn't care but this is not how you run a business. They lost the $200+ from the sale and my future sales. read more

I thought this location would be pricey but it was not. I took a flat tire for replacement and new tube also and I brought the new tire with for exchange. I did not know these people that work here would be so cool and good. They swapped out the tire and replaced the tube. They did a great job while we waited for my tire to be finished. They did all the work in 15 minutes or less and perfect job done. I will keep going here for future work and upkeep also. Great job and happy customer what more can you ask for. read more

I brought two bikes in for basic tune ups and I'm happy with the work that was done - both bikes seem to be nice and clean and operating well. It was more expensive than I've paid for similar tune ups in the past, but not bank-breaking. The work was completed in a timely fashion too. However, I was very disappointed that on both of my trips into the shop, none of the employees were wearing masks or made efforts to put one on when I entered. I get that wearing a mask all the time in the workplace sucks (I hate wearing them too!) but the pandemic is still raging, the state mask mandate is still in place, and the employees have no possible way of knowing if the people they're interacting with are immunocompromised or have vulnerable family members at home. I really hope the business will consider encouraging their employees to keep masks with them and make sure they at least wear the masks when customers come into the shop - for their safety and the safety of everyone else. I plan to look elsewhere for future service, as I don't feel good about the judgement of people who seem to have little concern for public health guidelines. read more

Just took my first bike ride after a repair and tune up at the wheel thing. There were several things wrong with the bike, but after the wonderful service they have it, it worked flawlessly! Thank you, Wheel Thing! read more

**WARNING** Visited this place to get "Professional Assistance " I was told they'd do a basic fitting assistance via bike training stand. The young man the day before was super cool responsive and said yeah bring it in tomorrow we will take care of you. I came back the next day and the staff was very rude and not willing to assist anything more than raising my seat. This is plain lazy sloppy and on top of that, the attitude was very crass. I will never shop at the wheel thing. I will make sure I tell everyone know, post this on every social media outlet I have. There are many professional bike shops in the area I would suggest you shop at other places. read more

Love this shop! Every time I need any type of repair (simple or complex), they handle it all quickly and for a fair price. Staff is friendly and helpful- even offered to put the bike in my car or on the rack. They really take the time to understand the problem and offer expert advice. We have bought 3 bikes at this store but have brought in our other bikes for tune-ups or repairs. I highly recommend The Wheel Thing! read more

Fast, friendly, economical repair on my basic Schwinn cruiser in the midst of COVID. (Then I went and broke my wrist so now I can't ride it! ‍) read more

Kevin and his staff have serviced a couple of my bikes. Most recently they transferred the components from my road bike to a new frame I had purchased. This was a complete rebuild with new cables, bar tape, and set up of the Dura Ace front and rear derailleurs along with rim brakes. The work was done flawlessly and looks incredible. Kevin road tested the bike prior to pick up to insure all was in order. Their work is very reasonably priced and fast. Having dealt with a number of bike shops in the western suburbs before finding The Wheel Thing, I can safely say they are the best from my perspective. read more

Really bad experience recently, my son took his bike in to get some new tubes and his brakes done and was quoted $20 less then what they charged him. Less then a month later one of his tubes popped after going over a small bump. I called to see if they offered any type of Warrenty the guy said the way it "sounded" that it was the his fault because of low tire pressure without even looking at it, he also said that we should be filling up our tires weekly which is unheard of. read more

I was looking for some gumwall tires, but I ended up buying tires, brake pad, cables and housings. The people there are very knowledgeable and helpful. Definitely recommend. read more

I was referred to this shop by a friend that is an avid cyclist and found this shops service to be top notch. I will avoid big box sporting goods stores at all costs after visiting The Wheel Thing. The people here are knowledgeable, friendly, and complete bike repairs in an expeditious timeframe. I've been so happy with the service here, I will definitely be buying my next bike here, out of appreciation for this local small business. read more

I stopped at Wheel Thing at 11:30 a.m. today 6/21/22... I had two bikes with flats on the rear tires (pain in the biscuit to change) and a question about the inflation of the wheels on a third bike. As I wheeled the first bike in, I explained that I had a meeting at 2:00 p.m., so I'd be back around 4 to pick them up... and then I was informed that it would only take 10 minutes to change out the tube... by the time I brought the second bike in from my truck, the first bike was done.... and by the time I brought the third bike in... the second bike was done... all told... it took less than 25 minutes and I had 3 broken down bikes repaired... and I was on my way... this place is awesome! Thank you Wheel Thing! Although, now I have no excuse not to exercise. read more

Brought my granddaughters bike there for a minor repair and they fixed it immediately. Store was busy and the price was very reasonable. When it comes time for her to get a bigger bike we will be coming back for sure. A great place with very helpful staff! read more

Top notch local spot to get your bike fixed. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and they do good work. They put a new tri bike together for me and absolutely crushed. Will continue to go back for all my biking needs. read more

Let me begin by saying that I HATE giving negative reviews to locally owned shops. But, after the ordeal I've been through with The Wheel Thing this summer, I felt compelled to speak up. This is a long tale, so bare with me as I go through the entire experience. It all started in April of this year. I purchased a frame and groupset from an online bike shop. I brought it in to The Wheel Thing to finish the build after I didn't have much luck building the bike myself (I'm a novice mechanic). I received a call a few days after saying that they were weary about building the bike because the brake mount holes were too small to mount the brakes. The owner stated they could drill out the holes, but were unsure if it would affect the structural integrity of the frame. After hearing this warning, I decided to scrap the entire project, and return the frame to the online store where I purchased it. I spoke with the online bike store, and told them about the issues with the brake mount holes. They had their mechanic check it. The brakes installed without any issues. Sigh, okay, moving on. I purchased a different used frame on eBay (I kept the same groupset) and brought it in to The Wheel Thing to build it out (I didn't attempt to build this bike myself). It was a Specialized frame. Upon showing the frame to the owner (The Wheel Thing is a Specialized dealer), after I told him I purchased it on eBay, his response was "well, whoever sold you that frame is in violation of their Specialized dealer agreement". Okay, just build the fricking thing. After a few days in the shop, I got a call from the owner. He stated the bottom bracket bearings were so worn, that they needed to be replaced. I spoke again with the online bike shop I bought it from. He reiterated there was less than 1,000 miles on the frame (most bottom brackets last 10,000 miles or more, and the frame was 1 year old, so I was a bit confused). Okay, go ahead and replace the bottom bracket, I told them. They told me it would be a week or so because they had to order the part directly from specialized. Okay. Two weeks later I received a call my bike was ready. hooray!!! The bike looked great. They did a great job on the bar tape, the brakes and the brake routing. I thought all was well. Until I started riding the bike. Almost immediately during my first ride (4 miles in), the front derailleur began throwing the chain onto the crank arm when shifting from the small chain ring into the big one. I almost fell off my bike the first time it happened. At this point, I had lost my faith in the Wheel thing, so I took my bike to a different bike shop to have the problem looked at. The mechanic at the new shop said it seemed to be an issue with the front derailleur adjustment. A Sram tech (the manufacturer of my derailleurs) happened to visit their shop while my bike was there, so I had a professional adjustment by a Sram employee. Sweet! On my first ride after the first adjustment, guess what? The exact same issue started happening again. At this point, I reached out to Sram customer service to explain my issue. They stated it could be an issue with incorrectly sized limit screws. So, they sent new limit screws to the different bike shop to install. I figured all was well at this point. On my first ride after the swapped out limit screws, guess what? The exact same issue continued to happen. When I shifted my front derailleur from the small chainring into the large one, the chain overshot the big ring and went onto the crank arm. Back into the different bike shop! At this point, I was pretty livid with Sram, and was blaming their equipment. Sram sent out a brand new front derailleur to install. They apologized profusely, and hoped this would fix the problem. The mechanic at the different bike shop installed the new derailleur, and I hoped this was the end of this terrible debacle. On my first ride after the install of the new front derailleur, guess what? The exact same issue continued to happen. At this point, I was ready to scrap my entire group set, and install something different. I reached out to Sram again. I was quite frustrated. Sram customer service called the different bike shop, and told them to tell me they would do "whatever it takes" to fix this problem. Awesome news. I took my bike back in to the different bike shop, and waited. I received a call several days later. The owner of the bike shop told me a Sram rep actually came to the shop, picked up my bike, and took it to Sram's headquarters in downtown Chicago! One of their on staff road technicians was going to take the bike apart, and figure out what was causing the problem. The Sram tech figured it out. The mechanic at The Wheel Thing neglected to install a wave washer/preload adjuster on the crank spindle when the initial install took place. 5 months of pain because the Wheel Thing mechanic's mistakes Ughhhh I can't recommend this shop. read more

We were here for a hockey tournament for our son and just had an hour to ride. Wheel Thing went above and beyond for us, and we observed him be extra nice and respectful to other customers. We had a great ride. Thank you! read more

Just bought a gorgeous Specialized Sirrus hybrid. Alex Kelly provided excellent service and helped me select the perfect bicycle. He even helped install the bike rack!!! Go to the Wheel Thing and ask for Alex! read more

The Wheel Thing - Just bought a gorgeous Specialized Sirrus hybrid. Alex Kelly provided excellent service and helped me select the perfect bicycle!! - Bikes Near Me - La Grange Park, Illinois

This was a great spot to rent bikes!! Nice environment and very reasonable price for 24 hours!

I've been in here about 4 times. My first two trips were fine. The third one was pretty irritating and I thought I was done with them. I gave them one more chance today, with good results and will likely give them another couple of tries, and with a little luck, another star or two. One of my first visits was to get a bike computer. I was also interested in looking at some bikes soon, and the guy who was there (who I think was the owner) was very helpful. Sadly, when I went back to test ride a bike he was not there. They had an Orbea that had a great price on it and I wanted to try it out. The guys who were there took my bike and handed me the Orbea. It was clear that the seat was several inches too tall, but I had to ask them to adjust it. They really weren't all that helpful, and as it turned out it wasn't the bike for me, but they didn't offer to show me anything else or find another bike in my size either. I was looking to buy a fairly expensive bike, but after that I didn't feel the need to go back. Out of sheer frustration with a cleat problem on my shoe, I headed over there today. The guys that were there helped me out and fixed the problem, and I purchased a new bike bag as well. I hope in the future my visits will be positive as well. read more

Probably the worst bike shop I've ever dealt with. When buying my bike back in March, I kind of narrowed it down to two models of Specialized they had in stock. First, they couldn't answer questions worth a spit. In fact, the father and son actually had to argue with each other about which bike had better components - shouldn't the bike shop owners know this like the backs of their hands? Then it came time for my 30 day tune up. I called in advance on a Thursday to make sure they were available. Bear in mind, a 30 day tune up is a 30-60 minute affair. Simple matter of tightening the brake and shifter cables. I was told they had time. I drove out to La Grange (I live in the city) and dropped off my bike to be told they'd have it ready in six days. Six days. For 30 minutes worth of work. So, after complaining thoroughly I convinced them to do it by Sunday. I went in on Sunday to get my bike only to determine they'd done NOTHING to it. The brakes were still tight. The front wheel was untrue. They didn't even put air in the tires. These people are clueless, rude, and dishonest. They don't care about you unless you're buying the $4,000 bike in the window. Stay away and go to more reliable bike shops like Kozy's in the city. read more

Kinda pricey on the merchandise but service is affordable and excellent. The technician went out of his way to help me add some accessories to my new bicycle, and adjust it to my height and comfort. I plan to make this a regular spot to take my bicylces for service and maintenance..if I don't feel like driving out to Dick's Sporting Goods. The staff is friendly, honest and eager to help you. They can be pretty busy and appearing short of staff but patience will pay off. read more

I can't say enough great things about Bruce and Wheel Thing! I recently stopped in (after some thorough online research) to buy a new road bike, my first bike in 18 years; last and current is a Trek 8700, upgraded with XTR components. SPD's and shock. They were very busy, so I ended up waiting about 20 mins, which I didn't mind as it gave me time to browse the wide range of bikes, equipment and accessories. When Bruce finished up he came over to ask if he could help me and I explained what I was looking for. Cut to a week later, my new bike (Specialized Roubaix) had arrived and was ready for fitting. Bruce had asked me to come in early as we'd be spending an hour or two to get the fitting right. Two and a half hours later I'd been on/off the bike multiple times, through various measures and adjustments, and had been taken through all the in's and outs of the SRAM components/Speedplay pedals. To top it off Bruce told be about cable stretch and what to watch for, for my first (free!) tuneup. Two of which would be included in the first year. Other customers stopped in, who were clearly regulars and talked about the Friday night ride which Bruce had already invited me to. I'm ready to ride in no small part and big thanks to Bruce and Wheel Thing. read more

Terrible shop and ownership. We're a cycling brand and shipped them an order which they never paid for. We've called them and called them and called them and the owner "is not in" every time we call... and his floor staff covers for him even though he's certainly there. We've emailed him every time we call him. Not one of my calls or emails has been returned. The owner Bruce assumes he can steal I guess. Maybe this does not address the consumer experience, but I believe that the way one does anything is the way one does everything. Consumers beware. read more

This store does not honor prices advertised on its website. The owner blamed some third party service and claimed it was not his mistake. Buyer beware. read more

I have never dealt with the previous owners, and by the looks of these posts I'm glad I didn't. Over the last several months I have had Kevin (new owner) work on my Specialized MTB Bike. I have been happy with the repairs and the upfront pricing he provided me. The bike was even turned around faster than he initially quoted. Last week I bought my first road bike from Kevin. I'm glad that I bought my bike from him. He provided excellent advice and explained every detail of the bike to me. Most important, I'm glad that there is someone in town who I trust to bring my bike to. I believe in supporting local business, which is all the more easier when you like the person/company you are buying from. Keep up the good work! read more

Wonderful place. Kevin is was a great help. I ordered a bike online. They built it for me and helped surprise my son for his birthday. They went above and beyond. Great customer service and competitive prices. Thanks guys! You're awesome! Shop local !!! read more

Props to this place for having exactly what I was looking for (shorts in my size) AND a change room to try stuff out.

I just want to thank the guys at the wheel thing they put my new m520 pedals on my specialized tarmac and also put the cleats on my shoes as well great job Ryan and Alan thank you. I'll be back to shop more. read more

Let me preface my review by saying that I did not purchase my bicycle here but have been back numerous times for service and accessories and they have exceeded my expectations while charging next to nothing.... read more

Just bought a new bike for my daughter. This shop is awesome. Great selection and very very helpful friendly staff!!! Will be coming here for all our biking needs!! read more

Performance Bike quoted me over $100.00 for a tune-up. Called Wheelthing. They quoted me $60.00. Took the bike in. They did an outstanding tune-up for the quoted price. Bike rides like new. Then I took my girlfriend's bike in for the $60.00 tune-up. They looked it over and said it doesn't need a complete tune-up - only some minor adjustments, and only $45.00. Great shop. I'll be back to Wheelthing. read more

They broke the shifter for my front derailleur and tried to charge me to replace it. After I refused, they begrudgingly agreed to replace it at their cost. However, the one they broke was a near top of the line (Shimano Deore) shifter, and the replacement was bottom of the line. When I explained that this did not seem right, they told me I had the "option" of paying for the more expensive replacement. The owner's attitude during this discussion was extremely smug and frustrating as well. He kept saying he was "unclear" as to why this did not seem fair. Sad to say, he eventually wore me down. Last but not least, despite the $69 tune up they advertise, my final cost was $116. I feel so ripped off! You'll see that I don't post reviews too often, but I had to say something about this. Please learn from my experience and just stay clear of this place. Updates based on the owner's reply below: 1. I worked in a bike shop in MI for 2 years. Breaking the customers equipment was not "routine"...no matter what age their bikes were. If we did break something, we'd take care of replacing it at our cost without giving the customer a hard time. You can be sure that the Wheel Thing will attempt to make their negligence your problem. 2. If you are a glutton for punishment, take you bike in for a tune up. You'll note the advertised price is $69 in store. I doubt that is the price you will actually pay. Somehow, my tune up wound up costing me almost twice the advertised price. 3. I did request a discount, but given that I'd previously purchased three bikes from the Wheel Thing, I felt....and still feel, they should not have tried to take advantage of the situation....especially since they are the ones that broke the shifter, not me. 4. None of Kevin's comments explain why he felt the need to be so obtuse and smug while we were talking. There is a lack of professionalism and courtesy there that I don't understand, but feel free to deal with them at your own risk. 5. He said that he couldn't put a high quality shifter on because my front derailleur has three rings. a.) There are high end shifters available that work with three ring derailleurs, he just didn't want to pay for one. b.) Why not offer to install a used one that was the exact equivalent of the original (I bought one for $6.95 on ebay and installed it myself). 6. If you have to write a novella after the fact like the one Kevin contributed below to explain his actions, there's a good chance your actions were just indefensible. read more

I don't think the bruce guy from the other posts is still there. I think the new owner is Kevin, who was very helpful when I bought my bike last week. He took the time to explain the different components of bikes and was patient while I tried different bikes, switching back and forth to get the best fit. There is a great selection of accessories for the bikes (racks, bags, etc) and Kevin helped put all that stuff together on the bike. I tried 4 other bike shops prior to coming here and while they all sell different brands of bikes the customer service here exceeded the other stores. I bought a great commuter bike for work here and I am happy with the bike and the process of buying it. read more

So glad we have Yelp now. In 1984 (this will help me let it go!) owner Bruce backed his van over my bicycle and broke my glasses at a riding event. He paid for the bike repair and completely ignored me and refused to pay for the glasses. I see some others have said that they are thieves at the Wheel Thing. Seems like a small thing - but I was really young and did not have the money to spare. I guess it hasn't changed. read more

Starting to really like how they handle their customers. Every time I've brought my bike in, they've helped me - free of charge. The group rides on Friday add to the experience. read more

Jay did my bike tune-up. Friendly, fast service. I will return.

I brought two of my bikes into the Wheel Thing for a tune up, which included truing both the front and rear wheels. (I have three bikes.) I got my first bike (Orbea) back and a rear spoke broke on my first ride out in Lawndale on my way to work. It was obvious to me that they tightened the spokes too much for I did not hit anything. Anyone who commutes into Chicago knows that the 26th Street to Odgen route is fairly smooth. Not having much of an option I road my bike to work. I called the Wheel Thing and asked if I could take my bike to Kozy to replace the spoke if the Wheel Thing would just deduct the cost of the spoke from the work I was having done on my second bike. Kozy is only three blocks from where I work and was going to charge $22 (compared to the Wheel Thing which charges $25) and this would allow me to get home. Unfortunately, they said no and so I road my bike to the Wheel Thing to have them fix it, which they did but gave me a lecture on how I should not have ridden the bike home for I did more damage to the rim (thanks for pointing out the obvious, but then they did not fix it correctly the first time). A second spoke on the Orbea broke after riding the bike less than 100 miles after they trued the wheel. I picked up my second bike (Specialized) and this time two spokes snapped on my front wheel at the same time again after riding it less than 100 miles. I called and spoke with Kevin and explained the situation and my disappointment. He could not explain why my spokes snapped on three occasions shortly after I picked my bike up from his store. He stood by his shop and the mechanics that did the work. He was hesitate to say the I was just unlucky. I have never had two spokes break at one time riding on a smooth road in the thousands of miles I ride in a year. The Orbea's rim was not even two years old. Luck had nothing to do with the fact that four spokes broke shortly after I pick my bikes up from his store. Kevin did offer to fix the front rim on my specialized, but the front rim was completely totaled and beyond repair. Kevin knows that one needs to start looking into a new rim after two spokes break on a bike. I would have much more appreciated a discount on a new rim. I am very disappointed in the quality of their work, but I am more disappointed in their attitude. I ride between 2,000 and 3,000 a year, but I cannot true a wheel and I need to rely on others. However, I will not be relying on the Wheel Thing for anything ever again. read more

Well established local shop with reasonable prices, knowledgeable, friendly & helpful staff, professional service and even free weekly group road rides. There seem to always be bikes and clothing on sale and their trade-in and 3-year service programs rock! read more