Philadelphia Bikesmith

We are lucky in Philly to have so many great options, and this new option is one of the best I’ve seen in any city. As others have said, the mechanics are top rate, affable guys. I’ve had work done twice and in both instances the prices were very reasonable, the work was done professionally, and in a timely manner. Really couldn’t be happier with the shop, fantastic guys.

Philadelphia Bikesmith is a great place and local Fairmount gem. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It is a very relaxed and comfortable environment, the staff seems to really enjoy their jobs. They do quality work and they do it quickly. I have had them work on my bike several times and never had an issue. Prices are reasonable.

These guys are awesome. There is no other word for these guys. Our first interaction with them was when my wife was looking for a bike. She’s small, so sizing her on a bike had been difficult. The guys spent three hours with her to fit her, trialing her on two bikes off the floor, and when neither of them fit, they built two more until they found the right bike. And that «right bike» was one of their most inexpensive in the shop. They immediately made customers for life.
Every time we go into the shop, it’s clear that they truly love their work and they’re all incredibly knowledgable about it. We look forward to working with them for a long time to come!

Philadelphia Bikesmith is the best shop in Philadelphia! Hands down these guys are super friendly, and dedicated to exceptional customer service. Richie is always willing to go out of his way to ensure that all your questions are answered and work completed as expected and on time! Would give them 10 stars!

Bike smith guys ROCK. I shoped casually at a bunch of stores for a frame and ended up buying a complete bike here. The margins at my price point suck but I still got excellent service. What’s better, though, is that while I was getting fitted for my disgustingly fancy road bike, I saw several employees give the same level of service to people who were in for a tire change. That speaks volumes for the calibre of a shop. As someone who used to be in the industry, this LBS exceeds that of just about any other shop I have ever been to. Thanks a million to Max & Lucas.

Richie was really helpful in helping me find my first bike. He set up four or five bikes to test ride and helped me understand the differences in each ride. Everyone who works there is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Truly top notch shop. Max and Richie are extremely knowledgeable, and can talk to you about any bike. It’s amazing how much they get done in such a small space! Wouldn’t go anywhere else.

This place is wonderful with super helpful and friendly employees! I have had many experiences here, and they have all been a pleasure! I make it a point to buy my bike-​related things here to keep supporting them!
I first came here for help with my bike seat when I had knee pain after replacing a bike seat that had been put on at the wrong height (at another bike shop I won’t name). They adjusted it right away and even gave me a tool to adjust it on my own.
I bought a bike lock here. I started having trouble with the lock after a couple weeks, so I came back and asked about it. They replaced it on sight (apparently there was an issue with a new product) with what seemed to be an even nicer lock right without any hassle.
When my bike was stolen, they helped me try to get it back and helped me pick out a new bike I’m totally in love with. This place is the best!

They all are extremely knowledgeable and willing to troubleshoot anything. Even when the fix was thought to be found and the issue still came up everyone at the shop stopped for a minute and put their collective knowledge together to solve the issue. Tune ups are quick, service is great and of course you guys are a fun group to be around. Plus the music and atmosphere usually makes the mood more like friends hanging out then a shop.

Best bike shop in the city, and it’s not close. Good dudes too

There should be 6 stars for these guys!
What was pure enigma for 2 other «respected» bike shops became piece of cake for Bikesmith. I’m horrible with people’s names but one of their mechanics new precisely what’s wrong with mike after hearing my description of the problem and just about 2 minutes of checking things on it.
Keep going Bikesmith. You’re an example for other local businesses on every level, even if I don’t like your new location as much I liked old one
Hope you’ll grow and give joy and happiness to many cyclists in town!
Btw-​reviewer with 3 stars concerned about working with mechanic who fixed his flat while chatting with other client on the phone should put lots of ice on his forehead. Best wishes!

Richie just assembled my single speed bike for me that I ordered offline.
Service was prompt and friendly! I’m a beginner in the biking world but the staff made me feel completely comfortable.
Will be back again.

I brought these guys a frame and asked them to make it into a bike. A short time later they returned to me the most beautiful thing I have seen since Wendy Peffercorn was a lifeguard at the community pool. I gave them the freedom to take any liberties they saw fit, and they obviously had a clear image of my vision. A couple weeks after my bike fit, I wanted to try a different saddle– they swapped it out, no questions asked, and no money out of my pocket (I actually got five bucks back!)
Trust these guys to build your wheels and your bike. They will probably nail it every time. And if they don’t, I can assure you they will make it right.
Good dudes, too.

Love this place! Employees are super friendly, knowledgeable, and not pretentious like others you might encounter in the city. They get down to exactly what I have trouble with on my bike and even suggest minor upgrades without trying to sell me a whole new bike, which I like. Sitting at the bike bar while waiting is also a pleasant experience too. The shop has a great community feel, and they play great music. Their prices are very reasonable and I always feel like the money spent is well worth it every time I come here. And they always mention, if I have any troubles after I bring it home, I can bring the bike back to have them look at it again. I definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for superb maintenance, or to purchase accessories or a new ride.

I came here as a first time rider, nervous I’d look like (and be treated like) the non-​hipster goober that I am.
But from the moment I walked into the shop, everyone made me comfortable and it was obvious that they genuinely wanted to give me good advice and teach me «the way of the road bubs.»
I recommend this shop to any of my friends who are thinking about buying a bike. Everyone who works here is friendly, helpful, and they treat beginners who know nothing the same as they treat the experienced riders. It’s cool.
Also, fear not (even if you know jack sh*t about bikes), you will realize quickly that you don’t need to be afraid of overpaying. Everything I’ve read about their shop is totally consistent with how they actually operate. They are honest dudes, and have often charged me nothing for some of the smaller maintenance my bike needs.
If you’re considering buying a bike, or have a crappy bike that you always wanted to get fixed but the idea of a bike shop is intimidating… Just don’t think about it anymore… Go here.

As a first time bike rider and purchaser, this place was incredible in helping me not only find the bike I was looking for, but fitting it for my comfort and ease of riding. It was very clear during my time there that this shop is more of a community than retailer. Each member of their team was very helpful in providing safety tips, recommendations for riding, etc.
Would recommend to everyone.

This was the most friendly Philly business I’ve ever visited! I just moved here from Seattle and these guys gave my Specialized Tricross a once-​over for free: tuning up the dérailleur, oiling the chain & checking the tire pressure. They also gave me a cup of damn-​good coffee and kept up witty conversation the whole time — also free. I tipped them well.
You guys rock. Keep up the great work.

The first time I came to Philadelphia Bikesmith, I was treated to a round of standing in the front of the store while people stared blankly at me and a conversation about how racist jokes where the best way to combat racism.
Today, I got a regular mocking the protesting of police brutality («the only thing getting beat in this town is a dead horse» and from the gallery «HIIII OHHHH»), getting asked twice what I was doing there and, again, lots of standing around waiting to be waited on and being spoken to in the shortest possible sentences.
I’m black by the way. And this was honestly one of the more uncomfortable businesses I’ve been black in in recent memory. Both times.
The flat fix and general tuneup was fine and cheap. I’m sure the artisanal coffee they happened to have on hand was good. I didn’t taste it, but I doubt it could mask the taste of pretentious, racist prick in the air.
Whites only folks.

I was super psyched for my first bike ride of the season when suddenly I heard a pop when pumping up my front tire. I wasn’t going to let a flat get in my way so dragged my bike down to Philadelphia Bikesmith.
They were able to look at my bike right away and the cost to fix the tire was only $ 7. The whole process took about 20 – 30 minutes. They also took a look at my back tire and pumped it while I was there.
In the end of the day I have no complaints about the result of the work, but there were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way.
First, the girl working on my bike took a phone call while working on my bike and joked about it to the person on the other end of the call and in the others in shop. I’m all for double-​tasking, but that just made me a little nervous since my safety was at hand. Maybe this happens all the time at shops everywhere. I just didn’t like that it was happening right in front of me.
She also took the liberty to grease my chains without permission. This took my total bill up to $ 12. If she asked me I most likely would have authorized this work since my safety was at stake, but she absolutely should have asked me before doing this.
She was very nice and gave me some tips on how to pump since it’s been a while and I’m still sort of new to my bike. I just wasn’t thrilled with everything that went down during my visit. At least I was able to get a quick fix and get out on the road in the same day.
***Edit: I did misunderstand the pricing structure. I was accurately charged and can now appreciate the complimentary lubing. However, at the time of my visit, Sarah did not appear to be working on anything or drop what she was doing to fix my flat. At the time I entered the store, she was sitting at the front register. I can’t speak to what she had been doing prior to that. Secondly, while my bike was in the stand, she was still working on it while on the phone. My concern wasn’t that my bike would be dropped, it was that her attention was split. Maybe that was her 10,000^th tire fix and she can change them in her sleep, but that won’t take away the nervous feeling I got during my visit.

I know next to nothing about bikes, and after purchasing a Raleigh on Craigslist, a friend suggested I stop into Philadelphia Bikesmith to get it checked out.
I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and was greeted by Richie for a free diagnosis of the bike. I was initially nervous that I would get duped into buying items or services I didn’t need due to my lack of knowledge, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the exact opposite. Knowing I’m not an intense biker and would mainly be using the bike to get around the city, Richie tailored his recommendations along those lines instead of automatically trying to sell me on the most expensive option. He also answered every stupid question I had about the bike, and trust me, there were quite a few.
Overall, Philly Bikesmith has great service, super friendly staff, and really affordable prices. I will definitely be returning for future tune ups!