Cycle Solutions

Been here before in a jam when i had a flat tire as it is close to my office which is convenient so when my bike had another issue again, i stopped in again out of convenience.
The first time i dealt with an asian guy in the service section at the back who was extremely friendly, this time i dealt with a guy at the front who had a euro accent who was far from friendly. Maybe it was because i stopped in shortly after the store had opened as the guy was giving me the «dont talk to me until i’ve had my morning coffee attitude». Maybe he was annoyed bc i didn’t understand all jargon bike terms and parts he was referring to, i don’t know.
Anyway, He pulled the part that was needed and looked as if he was just going to hand it to me to purchase… fair enough as i could have my own tool kit to fix it on the spot outside of the store i suppose. Instead, I asked if it could be serviced at the store same day and he said no bc one section with the nuts and bolts attaching the frame had rust which needed to be inspected and that would apparently take an entire day to figure out is what i was told. He mentioned that the rusted threads could have «issues» and «might» need fixing was his excuse for not working on it that day and postponing it to the «first appt in the morning».
Rather than deal with his condescending attitude and ridiculous answers I walked with my bike over to another shop 30 mins away in 30+ degree heat. To my surprise, my bike was serviced right away, broken part replaced and i was riding again in 30 mins… which says a lot about the rusted bolt excuse i was given earlier by the Cycle Solutions guy.
Giving 2 stars bc i have dealt with a friendly staff member on a previous visit but would never go there again… even out of convenience or in a jam.

Bought my bike there 2 years ago. Fair price (I investigated that fully), service and set up was smooth and educational. After service has been excellent. I go there with any problems and they tell me what to do or fix themselves for a fair price. I even take in my kids bikes now if I can’t figure something out. I feel like they care about selling and education together. Highly recommended!

Selection of bikes, apparel, and accessories is limited. They also don’t rent bikes here.
Service is rude-​ish (like most bike dudes tend to be). You can test drive a baby if you give em your driver’s license.
They pumped our tires and fixed my saddle for free which was pretty nice of them.
Don’t think I’ll be coming back since I don’t currently need an overpriced bike from a rude-​ish man.

Here’s my experience here in a nutshell: I was poor having just moved back from Maryland and had very little disposable income. I had a flat tire and didn’t yet know how to change it and my tire and tube needed to be replaced. Staff member who helped me found the most puncture resistant tire available for under $ 50, and in fact made the whole thing come in just under $ 50 in total. Saved me from having to walk around for the next two weeks.
They go the extra mile. Whether it be price matching, finding something to fit a budget, loaning sample saddles from Specialized (awesome program) or just having that thing you need, they’ve got it covered. The staff are great. They’re kind of like the better version of a jack of all trades store. They won’t have the really high end or low end, but they’ve got a bit of everything and their prices are fair. Not a great range for fixies, but they’re in a small store in Cabagetown which is not exactly the haven for fixie riders and they still have a couple models so I’m impressed. Good hub and tire selection, and good saddle selection. Light selection also pretty decent. Will most likely have what you need.
Worth the trip

I had a great experience at Cycle Solutions this morning. I had a flat tire and while I was originally told over the phone that it would be a few hours (still a pretty reasonable timeframe), when I arrived at the shop after a 30 minute walk in the rain, the guy said he would do it on the spot, to save me having to make another trip in the rain. The price was incredibly reasonable, and he also offered to install a bell that I also bought – not a huge job for him, but very helpful for me!

Went in there for a quick tire change. Guy behind the desk spent 5 minutes telling me how busy his schedule was instead of just changing the damn thing. Walked down the street to Charlie’s Bike Joint and was in and out in no time.

Having now picked up both our bikes, wow, these guys deliver and are very helpful. Joe spent ages fitting me my helmet and was very patient. Thanks to these guys I’m confident and happy on my new bike!

I am revising my rating of this shop based on the quality of work from the service department. I have been back a couple of times in the last few months and they have done excellent work on my bike.

They carry all the best brands, and the owners are always willing to help.
I’ve only bought one bike there, but get all the work done on my other bikes here.
To often the mechanics at other bike shops 1) rush 2) don’t know what they are doing. but at cycle solutions they are great.
The prices are fair, the service is great. This is likely the best bike shop in the city,

This is my local bike shop. I have been to countless other bike stores around Toronto including gears, dukes, trek store, sporting life bikes, etc.
After shopping around at these various stores, I found the selection of bikes, both road and mountain (including 29ers) to be amazing. It’s one of the only stores that sells Santa Cruz. The sales staff give an unbiased opinion of different bikes, even bikes that they don’t carry, which is rare among bike shops in Toronto.
When I just had to bring my bike in for a wheel rebuild, they were prompt in diagnosing the issue and fixed my bike for under the quoted price. They also kept the shop open late so that I could pick my bike up after I got off work.
My only critique is that if you want a simple service on your bike in the summer, they are extremely busy and you need to make an appointment at least a week in advance, however smaller jobs they will still takecon the spot like adjusting a deraillieur, or adjusting brakes. I’m glad that this is my LBS because I would be über mad if I had to go to dukes all the time.

BOTTOM LINE: Friendly and fair! A solid place to look for a new set of wheels or to tune up old ones. Accessory selection mediocre.
I purchased my foldable Dahon from them a few years ago and they’ve been exceptionally helpful and friendly with ordering replacement parts even though they no longer sell this line (conflict on the supplier end of thing, apparently).
Their staff have always been welcoming and patient, and have often been happy to chat about bike maintenance and tips. They sell a whole range of bikes from racing to mountain to cruisers and to fixies — you’ll likely find something you’ll like here, but it’s not a specialty store and you won’t find anything super fancy. If you purchase your bike from them, they’ll cover your annual tune-​up for 2 years, which is pretty sweet.
Accessory selection is just okay and I’ve had to go elsewhere for some things (my helmet, particular side basket, etc.), but overall, they’re good at where it matters most: keeping your bike in good working condition.

Fair prices, no BS repairs/​upgrades and fast service. Friendly staff.

I have used this store for mostly acessories and a few quick fixes. I have found the staff to be knowledgeable and helpul. I am also very appreciative of how women friendly this store is .By this, I mean, talk to me directly about my bike even when I am there with my partner. Way too often I can be ignored or talked down to in a bike store as a woman. They also are more than willing to order in acessories with a quick turn around time…
I have come to appreciate this bike store more and more.

The staff here is super nice and very helpful, but I didn’t really like the selection. First off they had very little in the way of female frames… most of their bikes were unisex mountain/​road hybrid. Needless to say they didn’t have many small frames.
On one of my visits I was shown the «Africa Bike». It had everything I wanted… fenders, back rack, step-​thru design and just under $$ 450. The guy helping me also explained that for every bike they sell of this model, a replica will be sent to a village in Africa. I liked the idea of helping the environment and helping a third world country… but (and this is going to sound terrible) the bike was sort of ugly. Ok maybe ugly is the wrong word, but it was very sporty looking, white and once again a hybrid model. The guy helping me sort of dismissed my aesthetic opinion of the bike and recommended I give it a test drive when I was appropriately dressed. I was wearing a below the knee dress with flats… clearly this guy did not understand that this would be the exact thing I would be wearing ridding my bike! But I was tired and in no mood to argue so I took a pamphlet and plan to return.
The second time I came to this location I was greeted by another sales person who seemed a bit more in tune with my dissatisfaction with the Africa bike. I asked him if I could take her for a spin and right away he knew I hated the bike. I explained to him my last encounter and he said that he frankly did not think this was the right bike for me. For starters it had an 18″ frame which at 5“1 was way too big for me. Secondly he made me lift the bike… I did it but struggled. This beast was about 45 pounds and since I lived in a basement, I would have to carry it in and out of my apartment every time I used it.
He suggested the Via II by Global, which was a little bit more expensive and did not have a basket or back rack… but she was beautiful; a greenish yellow base with baby blue accents. The frame came in a step-​thru and I tried a small. It was still a little too big for me, so the guy called their second location to see if they had an XS. They did and they said they would hold it for me for the day.
Despite not having found what I was looking for here, I would still recommend this place, just make sure you do your research and follow your gut…

Given that good customer service is hard to come by these days, I was surprised and impressed with my experience at Cycle Solutions.
Being an idiot with tools and repair, I brought my girl’s Giant cruiser in for some assistance. Shit was squeaking, and parts were loose — the bike was a mess, and I lacked the tools to facilitate a repair.
Without even asking if I had bought the bike there (I hadn’t), friendly dude Patrick was quick to assess the problem and fix it up. As he declined payment for the service, I chose to buy the tool from them for future use; he was helpful in this regard too, understanding that my limited skills would not require the fanciest of tool sets.
This fifteen minute exchange earned Cycle Solutions my future business, and I will be back to pick up a new ride as my current shitbox is near death.
Note: I came into the store near the closing hours of the day. Had it been peak hours, my experience would have likely been different.

Got a new rack and panniers as well as some nice tires here and was happy with everything… will definietely try service dept out this year.

Only go because I have to.
I am close to this bike shop so that makes it an obvious choice. After having been a long-​time customer for many years and spending countless dollars here, I finally faced a huge repair bill over $ 100 at one point.
I felt like I wasn’t getting a good deal because all the services were being priced individually. For the amount of different services I was paying for, I should have received a break — for example I needed rear wheel work where the gears are, and then work near the pedal. Instead of being charged for labour as a total, every different thing is charged as it’s own job.
While the staff are generally friendly, there have been some exceptions where I have received rude or curt service. I feel that because the store knows it is the only one in the area they do not have to treat customers as well as they could or give regulars any sort of break in combination pricing.
I left this shop for CycleMania on the Danforth, and then came back today to give it one more chance. After the rude service I received when I wanted an inner tube replaced, I asked for the tire back and immediately went to CycleMania where they did the job on the spot at a lower price. I am never going to Cycle Solutions again unless I have to!

Great shop with lots of selection. Run by bike guys who know their stuff. If your ride needs TLC their service department is priced well and manned by the best in the business.
Trailbikes, 29ers, Fixies, Road bikes — they’re your place.