Europa Velo

Demetri Macrigeanis the former owner of Veloce Bicycles has opened a small shop in Northwest Portland. It is mainly a fitting shop for people wanting to buy bikes or improve their current configuration. I went to get fitted before buying my bicycle. He knew beforehand that I was a bike slob and he understood that I just liked riding around slow, looking at everything and wanted to do road but also fire trail type stuff. He agreed with my frame choice (I planned to build from scratch). He looked it up and all it’s specs and then went through the paces like a good tailor would.
He opened my eyes on a lot of things. He made recommendations upon request and taught me reasons for why certain things are the way they are on bikes. All in all a great experience, I left with the proper frame size to buy. I thought I was a 56 cm frame and he recommended for me to buy my frame in a 54 cm. When I asked him he said, «see here, this frame really measures 56 cm along the top bar, which is the size to look for.» He knows his stuff.
My cost? $ 50. If I decide to go back to get even more dialed in once I put the bike together, it will be another $ 75. So far, well worth the money. Pretty sure I will be spending more than the basic on him, but hey, I feel like I found good information. (everyone is an expert in bicycles, sex, dancing, and skiing,. .. oh yeah, and ping-​pong!).
He was comfortable with me saying that I was a skin flint and was looking for the best deals. He can get certain things he said cheaper than the stores and I said I would run my lowest prices by him before I bought.
I felt very comfortable. He explained that a carbon fiber frame is a whole other level of money and I would be fine with the steel frame I chose. The frame I chose was a Surly Crosscheck. He even had video footage of a rider the day before who he readjusted a Crosscheck frame for.
He also said that 40% of the new bike purchases that come to him he tells his client to take it back, it is the wrong size. He saved me a ton of grief because I was going to buy 2 cm larger that what was perfect for my size. And since I was looking for deals, I probably wouldn’t have been able to return it.
Amongst other things Demetri also gave me 3 price choices on triple gear cranks. He explained that the only difference was the metal between the 2 cheaper ones. He layed the options out and I’m glad he was opinionated.
At $ 50, you can’t lose. Of course, I’m not an aficionado or a Fred, just looking to get out and cruise. Everyone is an expert in this business.