I love this spot. Came for the first time to work on my bike at Women and Trans night, a workshop where you work independently, but with the know-how and assistance when you need it from the staff. As a brand new biker, I love that they're encouraging, non-judgmental, and happy to teach you what you need to know. When I needed a new wheel and help installing a bike rack, they helped me take it apart, put it back together with a new wheel, and altogether with the wheel, tube, parts, and two hours of help, I paid $23. They accept donations for helping you work on your bike - so be generous. They're all there out of the goodness of their hearts and the love of biking, it's so worth the extra couple bucks. I also bought a Schwinn bike from them used for $100 which I love to death. It comes with a 60 day warranty where if there are any issues, they'll take care of it for you. Go! read more

I went in for a tune-up because my bike was making funny noises. They told me I only needed a safety check, which was $30 cheaper. I drove my bike home and had the best ride since I first purchased my bike! Great service! Highly recommend and will return. read more

I like this place mostly for the open shop nights. I think it's a great way to learn about bikes and do a good amount of the repairs on your own but in a controlled environment. My issue is with their "suggested donation." It's $10/hour which is completely reasonable, but chill on the suggesting! When I come here I want to feel like I'm part of a community and that my donation is appreciated but when you remind me 3 times about how I need to pay $10/hour I start to feel like I'm being judged and not good at all about the $10-$20 I give. This makes it difficult to want to give my money again or suggest this to friends who would also donate. read more

Great service and great people. Every time I need a tool, accessory or anything at all, West Town Bikes is the place I go. On top of great service and prices, they have a stand with every tool you could need outside that is self service. Any questions? They can help. Any needs? They can help. Check them out just to say hi and you will not regret it. read more

LOVE this place!!! I had my bike stolen this winter and have been on the hunt for a nice used bike and I found it! After going to a few bike shops in the neighborhood and being laughed at for not wanting to spend over $300, I came here, told them what I was looking for and they showed me the perfect bike, it was a used frame with lots of really nice upgrades- fancy new brakes,(forgive my lack of bike terms) a fancy crank, single speed conversion and a plethora of other great upgrades. They also said the woman who donated it was super cool and the bike had some awesome juu juu- I absolutely LOVE it!! I also love the fact that I was able to support a great cause as they are a non-profit and all about bike education and community building. Another great thing was in 30 days they said to bring it in for a check-up to make sure everything is working well on the bike and then in 90 days to bring it in for a free tune-up, how awesome!! read more

West Town Bikes - my awesome new bike!! - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Now, keep in mind I have only been there once after hearing about them for freaking ever and being a hardcore SmartBikes fan. That changed recently (see my review for them. Oof.), so I thought I would give West Town a try. They. Were. Amazing. Super nice and welcoming. Invited me into the back to see HOW they were fixing a recurring problem on my cycle. And they didn't even charge me (I think because I looked to freaking pathetic at that moment. ha.) They have open shop nights Sundays and Tuesdays where you can learn to handle all the little shit on your bike yourself. The staff is amazing. Made me feel right at home. Explained things in laymen's terms. Showed me what was going on. And cheered me up on what had otherwise been "one of those days". I'll be back there. And I'll probably bring them beer. read more

Great place. Took our bikes for a tune up. Brought my bike in and they took a look at it, checked the gears and whatnot. I was ready to pay $65 for a tune up, but they said it didn't need any service, just some air for the tires. I really appreciated their honesty. Only hitch came when they finished working on my wife's bike, but never called her to say that it was ready to be picked up. read more

"you're riding brakeless. that's illegal, and we don't service brakeless bikes". me: what? i've had my bike serviced here before. lots of times. guy goes to the back to ask someone. skinny asian dude looks at me while the first guy points at me. first guy returns. "we don't service brakeless bikes". me: pfft. lame. read more

I came in with my bike on open night and needed to make a few adjustments to the brake and gear cables. The two guys who helped me out were very friendly, un-pretentious, and taught me the basics of how to make the adjustments while standing back and letting me perform them. Will definitely be back. read more

One girl changed my tube changed in minutes for cheap. Good conversation and even dinner recommendations too. I think I might take a class. Best shop I've been to. read more

I took their 8 week cycle maintenance/repair course, taught by Mia Moore, and was totally blown away by her comprehensive knowledge of every kind of repair on every kind of bike the 8 of us in the class brought. From putting a headset in a sixties Schwinn, to adjusting the derailleurs on a brand new Colnago road bike, she knew it all. And imparted her acumen with great patience and humor. And the social commitment to the community is a HUGE reason to use this non-profit for your repairs/used bike purchases. They've been mentioned in my will. What more do you need to know? read more

What an amazing bike shop the community is very tightknit and they have a lot of outreach programs for adults, teens and children. They give people the opportunity to learn how to build bikes and work on bikes during their free classes and open shop. CU is connected (retail) Miley and Alex are really friendly. highly recommend it. read more

I absolutely love West Town Bikes and Ciclo Urbano. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and every time I go in they get my bike back in great shape get quickly. But what I love most about them is that they are a youth employment organization and nonprofit, so you know every dollar you spend there is going to support their vital work in the community. I can't recommend them highly enough. read more

The people here are really nice, and fixed my tire right away. I got a new tube and tire for a great price. If you do have to wait, go to Nelly's (no relation to me!!) across the street, they are another great Humboldt Park restaurant I recently tried out. read more

One of the best bike shops in town. They'll fix your bike or show you how to fix it your self, whichever you prefer.

This is one seriously cool place. I came to get some minor things adjusted on my bike, and I stumbled on the donation based fix it yourself workshop going on. The teachers were incredibly nice, patient, and I had an unexpected fun adventure that afternoon learning about bike repair, and bonding with my bike. It would make a great place for a date! The best thing about this place is that they teach young people how to repair bikes as a vocation and the donations support their efforts. One more totally amazing thing about the West Town/Humboldt neighborhood. Go bond with your bike! read more

Wish I could give them 5 Stars. I love the mechanics, both male and female. But what's up with the bearded manager (owner?). Either he's lecturing all the time about the CORRECT way to do EVERYTHING or yelling about what YOU are doing WRONG. read more

Went here for Ladies' Night to get a rack installed. It was raining and I was the only student for most of the night. They were so great about teaching me. Especially since none of the hardware fit my bike and there was a lot of tinkering. This probably should've taken less than an hour, but instead took the whole night. Remember to donate! I don't think my instructor saw me deposit money into the can, so I hope she doesn't think I'm bogus. Make sure they see you do it! I also got a quick lesson on flat repair (it was almost closing time), which is nice, because I always feel like an idiot bringing in a simple repair like that. read more

By far one of the greatest bike shops I have ever been to. It's also one of the greatest businesses I have had the privilege of giving my money to. They really care about their customers and would rather you go away happy then broke. I came in for some fenders that I thought where getting to old. They looked them over cleaned them up a little and told me that they could sell me some new ones but that mine where still good and maybe for the sake of the environment and money to ride them for a bit longer... WOW! That is business ethics at it's finest! I thought it was a lost art form, but I found it at West Town Bikes! read more

The guys here are quick, efficient and experts of their craft! They were able to fix my back tire, give a few pointers and have me on my way in twenty minutes! Prices are great, work is done properly and staff is friendly, what more could you ask for? read more

Great bike shop, I know nothing about my bike sad to say, so every year I get a tune-up. So as per usual I took it in but this year I decided to try a new place, we were able to have our bikes checked out for free and were told that a tune up wasn't necessary, saving us $75.00 pwr bike. They guys inflated the tires on the spot for free and we were good to go! Will definitely be back here! read more

I attended a really fun and informative open house here, with the focus that evening on cargo bikes, bikes designed to haul big stuff. There were dozens of different types of bikes parked on the street out front, any of which you could ride. Most were brought in by owners, some provided by cargo/Dutch bike dealers. Nice pot-luck style buffet inside the shop, a good place to meet the city's cyclo-rati. Seemed like a real community center with lots of little kids and families around. A Chicago gem. read more

West Town Bikes is amazing. The people who work here have helped me so much with fixing up my beloved bike -- the best part is that i leave the shop so empowered. there is such an emphasis on teaching/learning, which is so great. I mostly come during the open shop nights,, spend a few hours cleaning and working on the bike. there has always been so many helpful people at the shop, again its seriously great. and at the end of the night,, you drop $10 bucks in the bucket and all people are super satisfied :) read more

I just learned of this resource and am hooked. Great non-profit org offering OPEN SHOP TIME and donation-based, low-cost workshops on bike knowledge and bike repair. I ride it all day, I better get to know it better! Everything from how to fix a flat to how to tune and re-assemble your ride....Visit their webiste for a calendar of classes, including workshops for women and transgendered folks, and to register with the proper instructor. www.westtownbikes.org read more

Got a refurbished Motobecane in Nov & they were really helpful in the spring when I started riding and needed adjustments and information. They brought me back to the workstation and taught me how to do the work so I could do it in the future, answered all my questions, and were really patient and helpful. My bike was stolen today and I didn't have the info for it--but they had the serial number and bike specs for me to file my reports and get the word out. The ladies & gents who work here are all great, I'm so glad they're in the neighborhood. read more

I bought my bike that I love so much there two years ago and have proceeded to take my bike in there any time I have questions or it needs work. Everyone I've encountered is extremely friendly and helpful and is happy to educate me as I have very minimal experience taking care of a bike. I heart West Town Bikes. read more

I like supporting cooperatives, especially ones committed to doing good work in their community. This originally drew me to West Town Bikes, as did their open shop, which I hoped would allow me to work on my bike, learn something about mechanics, and get advice. Unfortunately, what I got at the open shop were attitudes ranging from smug to hostile and a lot of pressure to up my 'donation.' Alex, the founder, knows a ton about bikes. However, if you're not a bike expert yourself or if his smug personality leads him to decide he doesn't like you, he'll treat you like an idiot and make you feel stupid whenever you have a question. His assistant was even more negative, openly pressuring me to give to tack another $35 onto the $10/hour 'suggested donation' for coming to the open shop just because Alex gave me a hand. Altogether, the environment was so negative that I nearly pulled my bike off the rack mid-operation. This is the second time I've come to open shop and the second time I've been treated like crap, and I won't be coming back. Between the condescension that makes it impossible to learn and the pressure to pay up, it's better to just pay someone to do the work. read more

I got a new-to-me bike from West Town Bikes recently. Max, one of the staff members, helped me figure out what to get. I know virtually nothing about bikes and he was super helpful. No negative attitudes. Just a reliable bike at a very good price. read more

I've never been treated worse in a bike shop than I have at West Town Bikes. No, I've never been treated worse in a store of any kind than I have at West Town Bikes. No, that's not right, I've never been treated worse in any business transaction than I just have been at West Town Bikes. I own a brakeless track bike. Yeah, I know, it's unsafe and I could hurt somebody and it might be Illegal*. I've ridden my brakeless bike for 13 years and rode it fro my job it for close to 6. Through harsh winters, beautiful summers and hurricanes (both Sandy and Irene), I rode my brakeless track bike to make money. Today, I broke a spoke on my way home, It was a bummer, I wanted it replaced and I was hoping I could support an awesome youth program at Ciclo Urbano. I brought my bike into the shop when two younger guys made sure they could do the repair and complimented me on my bike (other than today, I've had nothing but stellar service). They took my bike and then said they weren't supposed to work on bikes without brakes. I asked if I could get my wheel repaired if I just left the wheel. They said sure, I took my wheel off and handed it to them. They took my name and phone number and I got ready to leave. As they were taking my wheel back a guy around 30 years old comes out screaming (literally, his voice was louder than an inside voice) at me that brakeless bikes are unsafe and I'm putting myself and everyone that rides a bike in Chicago in danger. I said that I'd never heard that before and that I was shocked because I was trying to give him money to do a job and it was just the wheel. He yelled that he could see my bike right there and he saw that it had no brakes. I got ready to leave, put my wheel back on my bike and said that I wasn't trying to be an asshole, but that he was being a dick to me for no reason. He continued to scream at me about making the world unsafe and how I'm putting cyclists everywhere in danger. At that point I lost my cool. I started screaming back at him about how he was an asshole, spit in the corner and left. I admit that I acted poorly, but I've never been treated so poorly for literally no reason. I've worked bike shops before and I know how people bring in some hoopty, dangerous bikes in and they'll have no problem working on those bikes and I've even heard of shops refusing to work on track bikes before, but I've never seen that policy explained to customers in such a rude, hostile manner before. I was glad to spend money there all winter when they were the only shop within walking distance, but I'll never set foot in there again and I wish that shop the worst luck possible. *The ordinance in Chicago states: "(b) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake that will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement. 9-52-080." Note that the type of brake isn't specified and is left open to interpretation. read more

I took the women's and trans bike maintenance class, and I can't say enough good things about my experience. I know relatively little about my bike, and when I brought it in it was in pretty bad shape. Mia and Liam are great teachers and super knowledgeable. If you ride your bike even semi-regularly, this class is more than worth the investment - West Town also offers open shop night (the first and third Wednesdays are women and trans only) so you can apply and practice what you've learned. This is really the best deal in bike maintenance. And if you take the class now, you'll be a pro by the time spring rolls around. Seriously, sign up NOW. read more

I want to put a plug in for West Town's bike maintenance class. I took a class just this week on basic bicycle maintenance. I'm a total novice who was afraid to even remove a quick release tire. Turns out I was the only one who showed for the class so I got a three hour private lesson. Mike was a great teacher who reassured me that I knew more than I thought. He imparted a lot of knowledge without being condescending or making me feel like I didn't "belong" in the biking club. I really enjoyed the class and I feel 100% more confident about my bike. read more

I had been putting off buying a bike for a while, mostly because I didn't know that much about them, but also partially because I didn't want to spend an arm and leg getting one. I checked online to see what size bike would be appropriate for someone my height (I am 6'4") and then I searched Craigslist to find a bike for me. I set a budget of $250 to spend for the used bike and I soon found one for $200 that should've been appropriate. It just needed a tune up and to have it's front wheel "trued" according to the owner. I paid the money and brought the bike to West Town where they let me know the repairs needed would essentially be another $110. I felt like the bike was a bit small so I decided to return it instead of pay for the repairs. I mentioned my concerns to the guy at the shop and he confirmed. He suggested that I buy a new bike and he gave me a few options that were around the same amount as what I would've paid for the older bike. I got a brand new bike that was big enough for me and every time I have had even a minor issue the people at West Town have been more than willing to help me. They fixed my brakes for me when they went out the first week; more importantly they showed me how to fix them myself if it happened in the future. When my handlebars were loosened by another shop, the same guy that sold me the bike a few weeks prior tightened them back up. I did end up spending a little more money than what I had planned on, but the customer support has been more than I could have ever hoped for. I highly encourage anyone to use their services. read more

i took several classes with these guys (bike tune up and maintenance class) and i am so damn smart about bikes now. a -- everyone is super fun; b -- they know their shit; c -- classes are affordable and conveniently timed; d -- there's a bike shop right there so you can buy stuff as you fix stuff. i have come to know several people affilitated with west town and they are the nicest people around. they are activists as well helping youth feel empowered. shop here and buy stuff to keep them going! read more

What a wonderful resource for the cycling community here in Chicago. Kudos to Alex and his crew for running such a community-oriented bike shop. I've gone to West Town on a couple of occasions for the 'open shop' (Tues evenings and Sat afternoons) and would heartily recommend it to anyone that rides a bike. The staffers are very helpful and the atmosphere is laid-back and welcoming. Got a flat or a problem with your gears? Bring your bike to West Town and take a shot at repairing your bike on your own! The volunteers and other folks tinkering around will be more than happy to help you out. read more

Great spot! Friendly employees that drop what they're doing when you walk in. Very reasonably priced and have the parts you need on hand. Oh, and they know their $hit. read more

I went here a few days ago with the intention of purchasing a bike. I walked in and was not greeted. I waited a full 5 minutes near the back area to find someone to ask if I could buy a bike today and pick it up later in the week. Like another reviewer I couldn't tell who was actually working, who was a customer and who was just a friend hanging out. I walked around the shop and the bikes outside looking for 20 minutes and someone still did not ask if I needed help. Left without anything. Hated the vibe. In general I wish it was a bit clearer about whether a bike store is mainly a place to bring your bike to be serviced, or equal parts a place to buy a bike and service. read more

I feel like I'm just going to be echoing what everyone else seems to be saying, but West Town is fantastic. After having heard about the place from several people whose opinions I trust on all-things-cycle, I signed up to take the basic maintenance class. Well worth the suggested $10 donation. Heck, probably worth the $10 donation plus going back with a case of pretty good beer. The instructors were great - informative, patient, helpful, funny - and the class gave me a good handle on the things I need to be learning as a novice cyclist. I feel much more confident on the road after the class, and will definitely be back over at West Town for other classes and tinkering. read more

Bought a great new bike from them, couldn't have been nicer. Bike was damaged BY US, and they went way out of their way to supply original parts (swapped from a new bike off the floor!). Unbelievably nice folks. I will try to never buy bike anywhere else. read more

This place is fantastic! Jeremy fixed my tire in no time flat! I will return to this neighborhood gem.