Owning any good piece of machinery is part pride and part responsibility. A good bicycle is a great investment. It needs to be maintained well, for it to serve you well. And since we know just how hard it is, how about getting in the experts for it? But do remember that most of these stores will not service a Hercules or Atlas cycle – mostly because, the service costs won’t be feasible, at a significant fraction of the bicycle’s cost, possibly. Also, replacement parts are standard, won’t work for these bikes, and their original parts are not stocked at these stores. For those who have any other bikes, these Bike Doctors will transform your rusty steed into a trusty one in a jiffy!
Bicycle Needs Some TLC? Here's Where You Should Go To Fix It
Crankmeister Bicycle Works
Not to gloat, but these guys are gifted bike mechs; not being content with that, they’re also trained at the United Bicycle Institute, in Portland, Oregon {that’s the bicycling equivalent of a Harvard medical degree!}. So, you know your bicycle is in safe and caring hands. They’re known for custom bike builds, and their wheel building skills.
Where: 124/2, MM Road, Frazer Town
When: Tuesday-Friday, 11am-7pm and Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm
Price: INR 250 upwards
Contact: +91 8861544666
Follow them on Facebook here.
BOTS/ Specialized
The bike brand Specialized opened their first “Concept store” in the country at this outlet. Walk in for a wide range of all products Specialized and a technically competent crew. An additional bonus being the “BOTS Expert Series” talks being organised once in a while wherein a wide-range of experts from across the sport speak about their knowledge.
Find your nearest service centre here.
Price: INR 250 upwards
Find out more about them here. Follow them on Facebook here.
Wheelsports
These guys have a quiet, earthy vibe about them. Don’t be taken in by the stoic personality of the bike mechanic there, he is a national champion and knows his way around the bike quite competently.
Where: No.181, 2nd Main Road, 3rd Cross, Chamrajpet, 2nd Main Rd, Kamalanagar, Chamrajpet
Price: INR 1oo upwards
Contact: 080 22412044
Timings: noon-7pm
Decathlon
Cadence 90
They give recommendations to riders to get their bike serviced in periodicity relative to usage. Being a store operated by riders, they’re going to be conscientious about fixing bikes.
Where: 264, 36th B Cross Road, 7th Block, Jayanagar
When: Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-7.30pm
Price: INR 200 upwards
Contact: 080 2665 3990
Follow them on Facebook here.
Check out their website here.
Cycling Boutique
Another outfit operated by riders, this is also a team of people who therefore know the value of a bike fix done just so, and take care of bike service.
Where: No 68/3, 1st Floor, “Brindavan”, 4th B Cross, Michael Palya, 80 Feet Road, Landmark: Opposite George Thangaiah Complex
Price: INR 250 upwards
Contact: +91 8277276424
Follow them on Facebook here.
Check out their website here.
#LBBTip
Don’t: Ask if they can teach you to do this, yourself, right now. They make it look easy but it comes from years of practice. Most bike shops will organizse a “Bike maintenance 101” workshop periodically. Sign up and go for one of those: you learn what you came to learn, but at a scheduled time intended for the task.
Do: Ask about and take part in the various activities and events a bike store organises ranging from night rides and races to talks and maintenance workshops. Play nice. A lot of time for a bike mech is spent on their feet, mucking about in grease and in a B2C business, throw in irregular lunch hours. If they look grumpy, they’re most likely just hungry. Feed them a banana.
