I read the reviews on page1 about bike shops but was wondering if anyone has personal experience with one of our local shops. I’m looking for a new bike and am a basic MOP’er wanting to improve. I’ll do the research, I just want to make sure I get fit correctly and get a decent deal.
Also, any recommendations on good training roads would be appreciated. I’m south of Denver in Castle Rock.
Thanks in advance,
Rick
I haven’t had much time to get around but from Castle Rock your best bet for a shop is probably Bike Source off University and C-470. For places to ride, C-470 may be a good bet since the paved trail next to the highway is pretty nice - good rollers and lots of distance available. Bike Source also has a triathlon club and a group ride on Sunday mornings.
I’m coming from Lakewood, so I’m more north and west of you, but if you want to go for a ride on a weekend sometime give me a holler.
Peace,
Josh
hey rick,
i live in the littleton area. i would recommend campus cycles, talk to bobby v. He is FIST certified and really knows his stuff (he worked for giant for 5 years) or talk to Ned. Bikesource is pretty good too. talk to jason upstairs in the tri-shop. be careful cause i went there a couple times and some highschool kids work there and didn’t know crap. but they have good selection. i’m getting my road and tri fits from campus cycles. they are super nice too.
i would stay off most of the bike trail by 470. (some places it has big bad cracks) real close is chatfield rez. good riding, and deer creek canyon (awesome climbing) and high-grade (fun long climb). some good rides near the 470 and wadsworth area. i know some guys who ride in castle rock and like it. drop me a line if you want to ride sometime.
luke
Josh you should email me too.
Bicycle Village (303) 750-1064 - Super Store, expensive, kind of cheesey in a suburban way, wonderful service and not too expensive, this is the gart people taking a crack at Bikes.
Big Ring Cycles (303) 216-2000 - chill, high end stuff, ok service, good fits, ask for Dennis, you can get it all here, this is my reccomendation, deal makers, roadie and tri stuff
Bike Source (303) 221-4840 - Chris in the tri shop is a good guy, super store, very expensive, kind of cheesey in a suburban way
Bike Werx (303) 399-2453 - just re-opened under new mgmt/owner
Colorado Cyclist Inc. (719) 591-4040 - so expensive, and cheesey in a Colorado Springs way, used to be cool, far from Denver, not worth the trip
Denver Spoke (303) 777-1720 - cool guys, excellent service, good prices, very Roadie
Excel Sports (303) 444-6737 - Boulder, expensive, if you can think of it they have it, but you will pay, good sales sometimes, pretty roadie too
Schwab Cycles (303) 238-0243 - nerdy, but low key and high end selection, these guys are edgy in that roadie kind of way
Turin Bicycles (303) 837-1857 - very expensive, thugs in the service dept, very expensive, lame selection
Wheatridge Cyclery (303) 420-5620 - possibly the worst in Denver but MASSIVE selection, very very expensive, expensive service. The ONLY reason to go here is to see the bike you want, check it out, then go somewhere else or online to buy it
Sampson Sports (303) 691-5650 - cool guy, a little weird, custom rigs, expensive, some people love it, some people hate it, high end parts too
agegrouper.
its weird you wrote expensive on just about every single one of the shops. there are so many shops here they are all about average, because they compete with eachother. the only one i would agree is overly expensive is wheatridge…holy crap. bikesource and bicycle village will be you big box kind of stores so usually they will have the best deals, unless the local shop can work you a deal. every time i’ve been in Big Ring they were HUGE dicks to me. i once bought an aerobar there and it didn’t have any bar plugs on the end, it had been a display model. the guy wouldn’t even give me 2 bar plugs, and i paid full price for the scratched up display model. that is lame service. i’ve also had two friend go in there and walk out because the dudes were total a-holes to them. screw big ring. i had a friend who bought a complete bike from sampson sports…seemed like a really good price to me…not expensive. he took his measurments, built his frame (alum.) and put full ultegra on it, and then did the final fit, all for $1300.00.
and bicycle village is NOT the garts people. it is SSV (specialty sports) like colorado ski and golf and boulder ski deals. they have owned bicycle village for a while. there are a few guys who know their stuff, but i would be careful there.
luke
Rick. I live in extreme SE Aurora (E470 and Quincy). I ride south often from my house to Castle Rock. (I did this SAT). I love riding down where you live. If you goe east there are great rides. I also really like Matcenbacher (sp) Rd. It goes from Parker into Castle Rock (or the reverse for you). The name of the road in Castle Rock is different–It is a 7 mile gradual hill). If you are looking for a training partner drop me an email.
As far as bike shops. I had great luck with Treads. Though not a tri shop they have been great to me otherwise. I also like Adventure Cycling on Parker and Quincy. I did get fit at Big Ring a couple of years ago and had great service.
Cheers
Jon B