Back Bay Bicycles Review

I was at Back Bay Bicycle last night to pick up a folding bike that had a complete tune-up and have a flat repaired on a rear wheel. They always treat me with respect, professionalism, and offer good advice. BBB is fair, honest, and will truly listen when you ask a question.

I've come in on 2 separate occasions for different issues with my bike and was able to get help with a popped wheel as well as a pedal that came out of the crank due to threading. Quick fix from some very polite people. 5/5 will recommend

a shop I probably won t go again.
Funny story:
I received my bike with an incorrectly positioned/ adjusted front derailleur which was rubbing the chain pretty hard. Brought it back for tuneup but still rubbing the chain. they did it very fast, which I appreciate.

But eventually I had to adjust it myself watching youtube videos. And I fixed it in 20mins. lol

I am sure they know how to get it done correctly. Just wondering if they can give a little bit more attention and care to customers who aren t buying a super fancy 4000 something dollar bike.

5/5

Helped me out with getting a replacement piece for my Cannondale helmet. Really appreciate it!

1/5

Tune up on 9/2018: tune ups are $70, but they added a $20 new chain and $10 labor for putting on that chain. It would be nice to know ahead of time if the cost is going to be 30% more than anticipated.

In addition, when I first got my bike I spun the front wheel to test the alignment and it was heavily rubbing against the brakes, which I feel like is something I shouldn't have to point out after I pay for a tune up.

Had such an unpleasant experience I would actually choose amazon over this LBS - as much as it pains we to say it. Prices were high, service was arrogant, and when I asked for basic information about the local cycling community I was rebuffed.

Very helpful staff and gave me great recommendation on getting new tires for my road bike, which came with weak stock tires that blew out after a couple of days. They put together my bike which came in a box from amazon and I will always take it here for any repair or maintenance needs.

3.5 years after purchasing my bike, it's holding up well and gets good tune up service. Glad these folks are still in business.

The professional service you get from these guys is UNBEATABLE... so helpful, so down to earth, and so reasonably priced. This has been my bike shop for the last 3 years now, but I recently ordered a tandem bike for my mother (she never learned how to ride a bike before, but she loves the idea of biking around the city, so I am taking her) and she was so impressed by the service, support + advice she got from the team, I realized it's not just me: this people are awesome! The location is hard to find because is embedded in this brownstone 'classic New England' type of building (uncommon for a bike shop) but once you find it, you know you and your bike are in great hands.

I wanted to buy a bike box (for transporting bikes on airlines) but unfortunately they had sold out and I needed it that day. However the girl in the shop rang around at least eight other bike shops in Boston until she was able to find one for me, She gave me the address and directions and couldn't have more helpful.
Thank you for this fantastic service!

Tom , Rick , and Abdulio were extremely helpful - providing tips to a novice bicycler and allowing me to take a couple bikes out for a test ride. 11/10 would recommend!

This store is closing down, and I'm hardly surprised. I spend a lot on bikes and have been to many local bike shops in my time. First time here and service was a joke. Went during their closing down "sale" (bikes were 5% off retail) to browse, asked the asian guy about getting some brake pads. They aren't on display so he brings some over and lets me know it's $10 before starting to walk to the cashier. I say let me take another look, as in, I was still browsing the store for other things to purchase and wanted to double check brake compatibility. Without a word, he just snatches it right out of my hand and walks away. Service is seemingly normal right up until you have the gall to even appear to hesitate with a purchase.

Good riddance, bike shops that can't even offer basic courtesy shouldn't exist. Shame these bozos will likely blame everything and everyone but themselves. There are plenty of good local bike shops around.

Theses guys are great! They do great work, they re very knowledgeable, and they have a great no bull attitude. I took a (very) broken bike in, and I left with a fixed bike same day. That s review enough as is. Their stock of accessories and bikes is solid, and pricing is reasonable. And they re good conversation to boot. I will continue using this shop as my go to bike shop.

These guys are great. I've stopped by for service for my bike a few times and have always found they are knowledgeable and go above and beyond my expectations. The prices feel very fair as well.

The staff are pretentious and will try their best to get you to pay for unnecessary repairs. Everything is overpriced, a 2 minute fix will cost 20$ labor.

Buyer beware: Don't get the tune-up groupon here. Big rip off

The short version is the mechanics were rude, tried to sell me unnecessary replacements and generally were unhelpful. I've been to a lot of bike shops where they will give you advice and help you SAVE money. Sometimes even talking me out of having them do work on the bike because I can do it myself. BBB is not one of these places. They actually made my brakes worse then before I brought it in.

I am really disappointed , maybe I just got unlucky but I won't be going back to find out. There are lots of friendly Local Bike Shops in Boston so I recommend you avoid this place.

The long version

I brought the bike in and started explaining to the mechanic what the issues were. Loose cone in the front, front breaks squeaked, and a few items I didn't want to replace because the bike is a commuter and not worth putting a lot of money into.

He interrupted me to tell me my chain needed to be replaced. I had replaced my chain about 6 months ago and wasn't having any gear slippage so I told him, I think I'll hold off as I haven't had any problems (again, its a cheap commuter bike). He gave me a little attitude and told me I could pick it up Tuesday next week. I was sorta annoyed he but whatever, maybe he was having a bad day.

On Tuesday I called to double check the bike would be ready and I got more attitude (maybe the same guy?) "We will call you when its done, thats how it works".

They quickly called me back to let me know that they couldn't fix the breaks with an adjustment, they were worn down and needed to be replaced. $30 for parts and labor. I opted to pass, I can replace my own break pads for cheaper and was skeptical as I had less than 500 miles ridden on the last pads.

When I got my bike back t the breaks had been tightened. The rear breaks now didn't work at all and the front ones were squeaking even worse. I brought the bike to another LBS that I trusted and they confirmed what I suspected, the pads weren't worn down, they still looked good. I just needed to adjust the break cables.

I bought my bike here a year ago and have been using this store since! Everyone is really helpful and all service is fast turnaround.

These guys rock. Three Nicks and a Zack in the back fixing and tuning up bikes like an assembly line. Just absolutely crushing it. Customer service was flawless and the service was top notch. Back rim replaced and complete check of the tire rotation and breaking in 20 minutes. Great experience starting from greeting Craig at the front door to the end.
Appreciate it guys.
Cheers

Though it appears that the issue was caused when the bike stand was installed, no answer (voice mail full), at the Natick location, the Backbay location was very helpful. This is where I well get future work done.
This location is also fanatical about Covid-19 protocols (not a complaint, a compliment). The service manager Richard has the right attitude. I will return here.

Friendly and helpful staff. Got what I needed at good value

Got a quick tube change on a rainy day. Cost $20 for the new tube and the change. Took about 10 minutes total. They've also got a good assortment of bikes, accessories, and apparel.

The attitude of the staff was very irritating for me. I went there to get my bike fixed. The person who dealt with me had a contemptuous attitude towards me. First made a remark on not understanding my English. At the checkout he told me the final amount, so I asked how much each item was priced. He slammed his hand on the table as he was fed up then put the price tags of the items in front of me. I looked surprised and said I hope it's ok for me to ask. Lastly he asked where I was from, which is obviously not his business. Overall, I couldn't make sense of his humiliating approach, looking down on me because I'm a foreigner. I will not go there again.

My pedal dropped off the bike while I was pedaling because of improper assembly, made by myself. I left the bike at BBB and they not only fixed it, but tuned brakes and gears as well. All of this in an afternoon for 20 bucks. As I was short on money the mechanical made suggestions to help me save some money. I am really satisfied with their work. Thanks!

This little bike shop that's nestled in a downstairs area is great. I've brought my bike here several times for a quick tune up, for help with the tricky chain fell off, and to pick up some accessories.

The staff is helpful (they've even put the chain back on for free before), the shop has everything you might want--lights, locks, helmets, bikes, pedals, gears, gear guys, baskets, clothes, seats... all that stuff.

The only annoying thing is carrying your bike down to the storefront! :)

Just brought in my folding bike for its tune-up. Bought it here 7 years ago. The service is wonderful. I love that they tune up bikes purchased there for life of bike. And staff is knowledgeable and super friendly. Highly recommend.

My overall recommendation: Unless you live within a 5 min walk from the place, look elsewhere.

I bought my bike there in 2005. Very happy with the product and life-time tune-ups. However, I would like to caution people on the following: I recently left my bike for repair to only find out the parts that went into the bike were grossly over-priced.

I overhauled the rear disc brake, replacing the disc brake pad and spring. The list price of this product online (Amazon) is $16.06 and was discounted to $9.83 plus free shipping. The shop charged me $25 for the same part! This is almost $9 more than the LIST price you find online. Moreover, they charged $25 labor, which I think is o.k. under the assumption this task took them 1 hour to complete.

I think the owner is being penny-wise, pound-foolish in overcharging their customers. I would suggest that he or she be more transparent with his customers letting them know the real costs and markups of the parts they install on the bikes. This way, customers can choose to support a local business instead of buying from some other place online.

The staff is nice, and typically knowledgeable about bikes. Sometimes staffers can be condescending and seem bored to help customers. I feel like a dunce for buying there.

Always receive expert diagnosis and repair. They realize that bicyclists love to bike and their aim is to get you back on the bike as soon as possible.

These guys are great. Very friendly mechanics and sales people, very knowledgeable, and get the job done.

Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. I m new to cycling and they answered all my questions and did an excellent job helping me get setup. Thank you to Mike for all your help!

Papa wheelies is great. They are good buncha guys and gals that love bikes and offer good, affordable service. They re always happy to teach and I prefer supporting my local store vs shopping on Amazon. The service is worth it

Really awesome bike shop. Runs like a machine and fixed my problem without charging me. This is the place to go.

A very unique place. Hard to believe you can find this in Boston.

Got my dahon through these guys. Very smooth process with test riding, answering noob questions and ordering the model i wanted. I shopped around quite a bit but these guys were very easy to talk to and didnt try to pitch me on any bs like a few other places. Getting treated like a person goes a long way.

Knight in shining armor!
My chain just ripped in Boston and I didn't know anything about bikes; I'm just a rider. haha
So I searched the next available bike shop and I went to Back Bay Bicycles with my broken bike.
I had to wait about 20 minutes (and it was absolutely no problem for me!) and then they fixed my chain immediately at the shop. I had to pay $15. I gave them also a good tip for the fast work.

Great time, great job, great shop!

I popped into BBB The dudes there were super friendly hey now carry a couple different brands of fixies, with bikes ranging from affordable to high-end. They cater to all different types of cycling too, including downhill MTB and BMX

Great bike shop and rentals. Friendly service. Reasonable prices. Family of four rented bikes two different times and would go back again. I like the 21 speed bikes. Try them out!

Excellent service and very understanding employees. Will become my regular go-to repair shop.

Been coming here for a while. Followed the owner, Rick out of EMS for his superb technical acumen and finesse. Tim is my main contact now and is always helpful a pleasure to talk with and Everytime I leave I am more educated than when I walked in. Highly recommend these guys for service and sales.

It was my first visit to them. Very polite, bike was fixed fast and cost cheaper than it was told in first.Like them.

These guys care about their customers and want to help you get out and bike. I highly recommend taking your bike here. It's a friendly atmosphere, and they'll help you out any way they can. I read a couple reviews that said they sell you unnecessary parts and I disagree completely. My experience was that they understand I was on a budget and they helped me get what I could afford to get my bike out so I can ride. Definitely I would recommend going here to a friend.

This place is the best!! Came in with a buddy a few das before the MS Bike Challenge to have his drive train fixed. Back Bay fixed on the spot while all other shops were two weeks out. I went again to have my drive train fixed, and again Back Bay fixed on the spot!! Great mechanics, great customer service, great LBS!!! Highly recommend!

They were so awesome and helpful and I found the perfect bike.

I am incredibly impressed by this small business. I had brought my Specialized Diverged in for a new crankset. Was promised that it would be done by Wednesday of the following week. Over that weekend the store was looted. They called me up Monday to say it would take a few days to have the shop fixed. They had it done by that Friday which is incredible for all the damages they incurred. Please support this small business.

i would recommend this shop to anyone. i was left stranded and they really helped me out, replaced the cassette and chain in 10 mins. v fair price

Quick and great quality!!!! Asked to fix a flat wheel and adjust the front brake but they did both front and back and riding now compared to before it's not only solid brakes but for some reason the bike felt so much smoother! Thank you guys!!!

The reason I am leaving a slightly negative review is because my expectations from a bike store are a little high. These people will ask you for money for every little request you make!

I made a ~$100 purchase from them, and on the way out I requested them to spray a couple of drops of lube in a squeaky spot on the bike. "That'll be $5 extra!" was the response. I don't like bike stores that are so business-minded.

Other than that, it looked like a really good bike shop.

Easily the best bike shop in the Boston area. The employees are all experts and won't try to sell you on overpriced parts or equipment you don't need *cough cough looking at you Landry's cough cough*... The mechanics charge fairly for the labour, and are all incredibly friendly. I can't recommend Papa Wheelies enough!

I visited on a saturday morning and it was a bit busy, and I had to seek out help for somebody to help me, but once I did he was very helpful and helped me find everything I needed. Very friendly

Quick and competent bike shop, they take pride in their work so the quality is good.

Disappointed I didn't know about this shop previously, and I live right down the street! They have a courteous, knowledgeable staff who never talks down to the customer, which I've found is a key frustration of mine at bike shops, despite having been an avid cyclist my entire life. Highly recommend for both elite and novice/commuter cyclists.

They are the best. Zach was professional, courteous and gave excellent service. My bike was stolen and he not only helped find a new one that fit me, but instructed me for steps to take in order to attempt to recover the old one. Great people, great shop.

My Giant Seek bike was stolen. I lost about $1400 with all accessories and upgrades. So I visited all the bike shops in the area to purchase a new bike: Giant, Landers, Cambridge, Back Bay. First off, only Back Bay (rep. Mike) said "wow, we will help you out, we'll take care of you" - and actually kept to their word. They reduced the prices for me and really helped me get a comparable bike and replace all the parts for a good price. The other companies all pretty much went with "wow, that really sucks... now here are all our bikes for the price on the shelf." Secondly, Back Bay was cheaper than any other store. Third, they were very kind and helpful. Fourth they answered multiple phone calls I made with them, to the point I thought they would get annoyed, but they didn't - they just gave me a great bike for a good price. And fifth, they even helped me out with a rental until my bike shipped to Back Bay. Coolest company ever. I will be a repeat customer.

Great, knowledgeable team. Great selection and amazing deals. I highly recommend this shop!

Experienced mechanic performs prompt & thorough repairs. Dropped my bike off multiple times for smaller & larger repairs. Maintenance was always completed on the same day, even on weekends. Proficient staff gives good advice on how to take care of your bike.

Excellent shop to work with. Had a bent rear hanger. They fixed it while I waited. 15 minutes later I was shifting smoothly and on my way. 5 stars all the way.

Greak bike shop. People are friendly and very knowledgeable about bikes.

Assistance was quick, friendly, knowledgeable and reasonably priced. This is the place to go for everything bicycles.

Complicated transaction made easy and pleasant by Back Bay Bicycles Team Member, Taylor. I wish I could do all of my shopping there.

I couldn't be happier with the team at Papa Wheelies. They set me up with a fantastic bike and installed a number of things. I couldn't recommended them more!

Solid crew in the back.
Rick, thanks again man. Much appreciated.

I did not find what I was looking for but the work team did everything possible to help and that is well valued

bruh they've taken such good care of me!!! So thankful n it's so close by!

Very good service and nice people, they tried to help out the last costumer even the store supposed to closed.

Very experienced and knowledge crew of people who you will get to know and enjoy. Take awesome care if our family's multiple bikes.

Came here a few years ago for the first time, looking for a new bike. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You can get free tune-ups for the life of any bike you buy here.

If you're doing a charity ride, be sure to mention it when you check out because you can get a nice discount (20% unless I'm mistaken).

If you're lucky, you'll run into the shop dog. He'll try and walk between your legs - let him, then sway back and forth. Voila, you have a new best friend.

Had a flat and Nick met me outside the shop to maintain safe social distancing, brought the bike in, and had it repaired (including fixing a potential issue I didn't know I had) in 20 minutes. very helpful and friendly!

Excellent service! I'm a casual rider and my bike recently started acting up, so I had a walk in today and they were able to quickly figure out the issue. They were very helpful and they walked me through the fixes they were doing to my bike. Within an hour I walked out with a new chain and a fixed bike at a very reasonable price!

These guys are great. Got a flat on the river trail and they were helpful getting me a tire and tools needed for a quick repair. Very reasonable. They saved me a 22 mile bike carry from Waymouth

This is not my regular bike shop. I stopped in after my seat post failed and my bike became almost unridable. They did not have my exact replacement part in stock but they improvised and combined a quick release with a simple bolt to manufacture the bold on clamp I asked for. They did not even charge me for labor. I was in and out in 15 minutes. I am thankful to have such an accommodating shop so conveniently located. Incidentally, it is ridiculous to compare prices on the internet to prices in a local bike shop as other reviews have done. Of course the internet will be cheaper. They have virtually no overhead. But try sending your bike to Amazon, Performance or wherever when you need a repair. Sure I buy bike stuff online, but I make a point to patronize the local shops too. We would not be able to enjoy our sport / recreation / transportation mode without them.

Great shop and amazing people. They voluntarily told me about a small defect in the bike that I'd never have noticed. Ended up buying it anyway after test riding it. Definitely going to go to them for future stuff for their honesty. You can buy a bike anywhere but it's just so comfortable to do it from a trustworthy place.

Oh and did I mention they give 3 years of free tuneups

Very helpful and friendly! Picked up some helmets to safely make use of the Blue bikes on some of the busier street of Boston and Cambridge.

Always great service! Rick is always knowledgeable with no Beating around the bush.

The crank of my bike was annoyingly loud recently and was looking for a place that could repair it soon. After trying a couple of places closer to home finally I went to this shop. They ahave a system to avoid crowding duentl covid but they approached me promptly and kindly. Rick is the main mechanic I take and he's very knowledgeable and friendly. It took a while to repair (I even went to have a coffee) for an issue that was originated during assembly. I was very lucky they had the piece to replace it, and his team really pulled it out and now I'm riding smoothly my bike back again. And overall I don't think it was that expensive either. Thank you guys.

Repairs are overpriced compared to other bike shops in Boston. Staff is generally unfriendly and condescending.

I like to test the waters before shopping somewhere new. I called the Back Bay Bicycles today inquiring about their prices for chains and tools. The rep I spoke with knew the question was broad (kind of the point, to see how they handle it) and immediately gave me the range. Left me feeling informed and more comfortable with my first visit (which I am off to now :) ).
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Got back today from BBB and yes, the service was everything the phone conversation promised. Skilled and passionate sales/service people and quality parts. A very nice selection and a bathroom!. I will continue doing business with this establishment.

Dropped my bike off for service. Turn around time was extremely quick and the quality was excellent. The mechanic also took time to walk me through some common bike checks and tune ups for future reference! Will definitely be back.

Incredibly disappointed to have to leave such a bad review here as I was really hoping to love this bike shop. We just moved in right next door and needed our bikes reassembled after taking them apart to ship in Amtrak boxes. Brought our bikes in for full tune-ups and here's the story:

1) The first day I got my bike back I rode it to work. When I stood up about 5min into my ride, the handlebars rotated toward the ground - almost crashed and would have been way worse if I'd been commuting on a street instead of a trail which is usually the case. They failed to tighten the screws on one of the most important parts of the bike. I took it back in after tightening them myself to get home, they offered a $20 store credit. I figured they'd give a full refund but didn't wanna fight it as I was hoping to be coming there often.

2) I noticed the same day that my wheel was squeaking and chalked it up to the fenders. A couple weeks go by and it's still happening - diagnosed that it was the front brake hitting the tire. I brought it in and the front office staff, David, simply took the tire out and put it back in, which fixed it. He then proceeded to tell me that there's no way the bike left the shop in that state. I didn't want to argue and cause a scene right there, but it DEFINITELY left the shop that way and I let him know so (without asking for a credit or refund or anything). He told me that if I didn't take my tire off then someone else did. He then proceeded to say something about "being honest with him" twice in the minute before I left. Everything short of being outright called a liar.

So in summary - they gave a sloppy tune-up that could have cost me (and them) dearly had I crashed due to handlebar failure. In that same tune-up they failed to reinstall my front wheel correctly then accused me of lying when I came back to get it fixed. Bad tune-up, TERRIBLE customer service and attitudes. Even though I live so close that I've given them their mail a few times after it was delivered to my building, I'll be going to any bike shop in Boston but this one.

I agree all bike shops should be like this. Great people, who love bikes, people and dogs. How could it be better. Great service, they get repair done fast and right. I go out of my way to buy anything bike from BBB.

Great shop, terrific team. Back Bay Bicycles has been my go to for 8+ years. Recently, I had an issue with my Di2 derailleur. I stopped by another bike shop closer to my home (after moving out of the city), but their 'Di2 certified' tech couldn't resolve the issue and recommended replacing the unit. After checking with Zach at Back Bay Bicycles, he ran a software fix and the issue was resolved. Zach is the man, and always super helpful. I couldn't speak more highly about the team!

Incredibly friendly and helpful. 10/10 would recommend.

Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Would recommend buying a bike or gear here to anyone.

I've been coming to Back Bay Bikes for the 5 years I've lived in Boston now. I'll admit that their customer service is a bit rough around the edges, and that they can seem rude and gruff at times, but seriously, give it time. Befriend the shop dog, be polite, and over time, you'll get some truly fantastic service and advice at a fair price.

Repair turnaround times are impressively fast, and while they might give you grief about the state of your bike, I've never had issues with them trying to upsell me or BS me about needing new parts. They work wonders with a wheel truing stand, and I'm consistently impressed at how solid and true my (admittedly cheap) wheels feel after a tune up here.

Back Bay Bicycles: Very helpful and quick with all the repairs I've ever needed. And great bikes and accessories in the store.

The quality of the merchandise here seems to be fine, and I've had no complaints with the repairs I've had made. I was very bothered by my last interaction with the folks here. I came in asking whether they carried SPD sandals. The gentleman behind the counter looked at me as though I had two heads. "SPD _sandals?_ Never heard of them. Sounds like a terrible idea, too." I left and have not been back. Being ignorant of the products that exist on the market is forgivable, but being scornful of customers is not.

Love this bike shop. Over the years I've bought many bikes from them, and had many maintained by them. Friendly, nearby, and great selection. Overall a great place, highly recommended!

A great experience from start to finish.
Friendly, personable, knowledgeable and efficient.

The people were really great and knowledgable. Would recommend going there

Great group of guys. Got my Epic specialized mountain bike there last year. Extremely knowledgeable and out to make your biking experience safe and fun.

I had an issue with my car s battery, a couple of blocks away, called the store to know if they sold a cable to give my car a jump, the owner Richard came himself to help me out, friendly and helpful!! I have no words to thank him enough, such gestures are pretty rare nowadays , great person!!

My bike was super messed up after being left outside/poorly repaired in the past and they fixed it right up within 48hrs! It s better than ever now. Overall, they went above and beyond and everyone was super friendly!

I am super happy with my experience with Papa Wheelies. Every employee working there was very kind and helpful. I had an issue with my derailleur not shifting, and it only took them about 20 minutes to get my bike back. I will be recommending Papa Wheelies to everyone I know.