Bike lovers, do-it-yerselfers, people seeking good company and the flexibility to play around with some loose screws (literally or figuratively!), here is an excellent meeting place for us, one and all :)
Loosely translated into English as "living room workshop", the name speaks pretty fairly for the location and concept. It's run by Sven, a former suit-and-tie consultant, who decided to turn his beloved hobby into his new career. Fast forward all the hard work and dedication that inspiringly and inevitably goes into pulling one of these numbers off... et voila! Here you have Wohnzimmer Werkstatt, indeed part living room, part rentable work spaces for those who like to roll up their own sleeves and get goosey and giddy with the smell of grease, bolts, and nuts - both metal and human.
The basic concept: rent a well-equipped workspace to spruce up, fancy up, pretty up, or just repair your beloved bicycles. I kept well and busy with my super basic spring tune-up agenda (and was a guaranteed happy customer), but more telling is how more than satisfied my pickier beloved counterpart, a fellow DIY-enthusiast and biker with far greater ambitions for his two 2-wheelers left after our few hours there. Even he found all tool, equipment, and space needs more than solidly met. We were well won over by the place, by Sven, by the other overall atmosphere incl. other customers wafting in and out during our afternoon. Apropos hanging oot: there's a comfy, cozy, bright corner to just sit and relax on the roomy couch, read your own self-brought lit, or thumb through any and all of the many books and current magazines on bike repair, bike culture, all things two-wheeled. Light drinks are available as well, otherwise you have some really fantastic food offerings (including one of the best burger places!) just around the corner.
As of this posting, it costs 5 EUR for the first half hour, followed by 2,50 EUR for each successive 15 minutes. This includes basic tips and tricks from the staff and fellow tinkerers (always a friendly crowd in there!), use of various oils and greases, chain fluid, cleaning brushes and the like, use of any repair manuals lying about. The beauty of it all - Sven encourages each person to tinker, try, experiment, and most importantly to learn all about your own bicycle as you take care of it. It's such a great and wholesome concept. If that isn't super fair, I don't know what is.
Sven and team have some spare parts on hand for sale, but because their main business is not bike parts, it's best to have these items purchased beforehand and brought with. This means chains and tires, valves and brakes, cables for shifts and lights, etc. They may have some last-minute forgotten parts on hand, but it's best to come prepared with your own stock.
Side note #1: since opening, they have amassed a nice wee collection of used bikes for sale, all of which have undergone a good and thorough check and prep work. Unlike the hit-and-miss cracks that are up for sale at the weekly flea market, you know you'll get a ready-steady bike that won't leave you going in one direction while your back wheel suddenly decides to go in another. Wooo weeeee! (Not so fun, I tell you :-/)
Side note #2: this is a place for those who really do want to get their own hands a wee bit smudgy while doing their own work; not for those expecting full-service repair and maintenance work. But rookies and novices take note: this place is also most definitely for you! The staff is more than happy to share tips, gently suggest a better tool or technique than the one currently (and most unsuccessfully :) employed, and all with a convivial smile and in a supportive atmosphere.
Sundays and Mondays closed! You don't need to book a workspace in advance, which is great for last-minute and spontaneous visits, but if you know when you want to head in and know that it's going to be during the fairly busy Saturday afternoon stretch, it might be worth a quick call ahead of wheeling in. Otherwise, there's a nice sofa on which to hang out and wait :) read more
