The Bike Connection

«Meh. I’ve experienced better.»
I don’t know why, but I get a weird feeling that they aren’t as honest as they could be. First off, I was quoted $ 120 to do a job that the guy over at Pedlers West did for $ 50. Second thing, I was sold brake cable housing for my gear shift cables. While looking at tutorials online on how to replace the cables, I came across videos and blogs that say you CAN’T use brake cable housing for gear cable housing.
When I tried to take them back I was told that It doesn’t matter since my bike is old. I’m not an expert so I didn’t have the confidence to tell him otherwise but, why would everything else online say that it DOES, in fact, matter? After hearing that, I went to a different bike shop and the guy there told me the same thing I read online, that there is a difference (even for an old bike). I don’t know, something doesn’t feel right about bike connection.

I find it ludicrous that The Bike Connection wants $ 29.99 for SPD cleats and $ 15.99 to install them. I would have thought that by calling a local, neighborhood bike store I would have received a fair price. This is just insane! I can order them from Amazon and switch them out myself for far less but had hoped dropping in here to quickly switch out my LOOK cleats would have been a simple fair task. I’ve called several other stores that are all significantly less and do not charge to install.
I’d say skip this place for sure, not only are they over priced, they are so over priced I can’t respect the business.

Almost a year later, Roberto at The Bike Connection did it again! I dropped my bike off for a tune-​up and a clean, and two hours later, when I came back to pick up the serviced bike, it looked as good a new! And my first outing, it just glided. Quiet. Smooth. Clean.
These guys, Roberto and Felix, really know their stuff. And they care. Their work is meticulous.
I would recommend them anytime. These are small business guys who care about their product and their future of their business. So they don’t just service and forget, they remember your name and your bike. And what they’ve done to it in the past. Great shop! Great guys! Give them your business.

I meant to post this a month ago when I wet in and these guys helped me out but I got busy and it slipped my mind.
Anyway, I had just purchased a new Santa Cruz full suspension bike and needed it to be assembled/​tuned. Even though it was the end of the day, Roberto helped me out in a clutch. He is very knowledgable and walked me though everything he was adjusting on the bike while he was doing it. They charged me a very reasonable and competitive price for the work performed and encouraged me to call them or stop back in anytime I had further questions.
Roberto and the owner, Felix provide a high-​level of customer service and personalized help that is almost extinct in this day and age of mass-​market bike shops.
These guys also have tons of great bikes and accessories, literally everything you’d ever need, in their shop. They’ve been in business for more than 20 years and are super-​professional.
I can’t recommend these guys enough for any biking need form purchase and maintenance or a kids bike, to a high end mountain bike or road bike. They handle it all and do it very well!

truly a bike shop that thinks out of the box. I brought them 2005 Shwinn Airdyne exercise bicycle. The parts I needed were no longer available. This is when Roberto assured me that Felix the owner of the shop would come up with something to help me. All I can say is that in 2 hours it was all done and some extras at no charge. This is truly old school business with personal care, as it used to be. Thank you guys for all your help.

Sorry I can’t praise Bike Connection more, but I am so disappointed in their work. I took in cycle shoes for something simple: new clips. I was back a week later complaining that they didn’t fit right, wouldn’t come out of the pedals at any studio I went to, and one side was pushing on the bottom of my foot. I was told repeatedly that they were going to be nice and not charge me to make sure the clip was located in proper alignment to my foot (why would alignment not automatically be done when installing a clip – I was charged enough for «labor»!) and who knows what that actually involved, but I told them after it did not solve the problem – lump still there, and of course I was still stuck in pedals. I was told the clips would eventually break-​in. Tired of the humiliation of having to keep asking for help to get my shoes out of my bike, I went for a second opinion elsewhere, where an autopsy was performed on the clip and I learned my cycle shoe’s design and my shoe size should never haven outfitted with these particular clips, and there would never be a break-​in period because they were wedged hard against the shoe in order to somehow make them attach… so hard, Bike Connection had actually broken my shoe from applying so much torque to get their clips into place.
And so, now with broken spin shoes that couldn’t accept the original clips anymore from the damage done to the actual shoes (and of course not the new clips), I had to buy brand-​new shoes and throw out my perfectly good ones, all because I wasn’t told as they started to install the clips that «we don’t think this clip is going to work and let us show you why.» Instead, they argued with me when I returned, about how it was everyone else’s fault – my foot, the spin studios sloppy maintenance, etc.
This was all truly disappointing, so I will not be able to recommend this shop.

I have been bringing my bike to them for 10 years. They have always treated me with respect and have done excellent work on my bike. I will be going to this shop for the rest of my life. They care about their costumers and I for one am very grateful. My bike was stolen earlier this month and I told them about it, they said they would keep an eye out for it. Well thanks to their sharp eyes, they spotted someone walking down the street with my bike, they confronted the person, and managed to get my bike back. For that, I am eternally grateful to Felix, Roberto, and everyone who works at The Bike Connection. Thanks for everything, you guys are my hero.

First, I walk into the store to get an inner tube for my bike. I bought the inner tube and I brought it home, I put the inner tube in my tire only to realize that as I was pumping the tire there was about 4 holes in the inner tube. So then I called the store saying that I just bought the inner tube and that there was about 4 holes and the man on the phone said that he doesn’t fall for that stuff and that he doesn’t want to play any games. I can’t believe I wasted money on a faulty inner tube. So ya

I had a 12 year old bike that I needed to take with me cross country and needed a bike rack for my car but didn’t want to break the bank since the bike was so old. Lulu said they had a very good rack for fairly cheap. I get there and Roberto installed the rack on my car and gave me a few pointers as of how to mount the bike onto it without damaging the car. 5 days later I’m in FL and the bike is in one piece without a scratch, aside from some bugs lol. They were very knowledgable and helped me out with exactly what I needed.

I called them up twice to talk about a specific bike in their stock and they were extremely helpful. Then, when I got to to the store I was immediately helped in great detail. I had many petty, seemingly dumb questions which were all answered properly and professionally. I got to test drive the bike and talk about the needed accessories which they had in stock. All three employees were kind and informative. Eventually I made my purchase and the owner properly showed me how to best operate my new bike. (it was a folding bike so that took some instruction.) Great family, great store.

Love this place. I came in because I had to go on a big ride to go on and my bike had rusted in the rain. They cleaned it up for me and pumped up my tires and looked at everything for free! They were super helpful and nice, would definitely go there again!

I have purchased 3 bikes from this bike shop and I can speak from experience that they are the best bike shop in town. The owner Felix is the best and makes you feel welcomed as soon as you walk thru the door. His knowledge on bikes is outstanding. Roberto is a great mechanic and also has tremendous knowledge on bikes. All of them ride so they speak from experience. Prices are reasonable but you can’t put a price on great customer service. Lupita is the newest addition to the team and she was awesome and also very knowledgeable. This is not your average Mom and Pop bike shop but it certainly feels that way once inside and once you interact with the people that work there.
Felix has plenty of followers from his time at Beverly Hills bike shop. They continue to follow him out to the Valley even from way out there. He is a humble owner that cares about his customers and will go the extra mile to please them. For the customer that gave this place a bad rating. I’m sure Felix would’ve taken care of the issue if you would have brought it up to him.

After checking out the other bike stores, I purchase Specialized 2015 Sora from Bike Connection. Why did I use this shop for the purchase you may ask. The service is grand! The advice excellent and as Karen C. said… felix was there to make sure it all went off without a hitch. I had to order the bike and within 3 days after the purchase Roberto made sure the bike was waiting for me, ready to ride, when I entered the shop. Felix answered all my questions, and the technical 411 was made clear, as Roberto, a Specialized University trained fitter, made sure I was perfectly set up. No hype, no hard sell, no pushing for a more expensive bike then she needed.
The Roubaix Sora or Compact is everything it’s made out to be. After we tweaked the set up to perfection this bike ate up the bumps. After a 15 miles spin on PCH in Ventura, even with my 700×25, which come on the 2015, I was able to sit in on a rotating paceline at a 17mph pace with ease and I a 63 year old gal! (Want better absorption of rough rides? Change to 700×25) The bike responded when asked, my new anatomical seat, good suggestion Karen C, was perfect out the gate. Everything about my new 2015 bike is just a pleasure. I raced track and TT for years and can say I wish I had a bike like this to soften the miles of training and racing.
For the Sportif rider the Sora is just fine. It has done everything I’ve asked. And like all new bikes you have to stretch out the cables and re-​adjust. I find the brakes work well for my type of riding, non-​racing, even on moderate training rides. If you’re doing hard core training in steep terrain have Felix set you up with Ultegra, a little stiffer construction of brake Or spend the $$$ and step up to the next Roubaix. Man I love this bike!!!
Felix you are my hero and Roberto my hero. I could keep writing but I’m sure it bores you by now.

I came here about a year ago and this place was the best! I need spinning shoes because I had just joined Blazing Saddles which is right around the corner. Blazing Saddles had referred me over to them. I had never bought spin shoes so I didn’t really know what to look for or what I needed.
The guy that helped me was so awesome! He was knowledge, friendly, and patient. He got me the shoes that felt perfect on and put the clips on that I needed but didn’t quite understand that I needed. He knew everything. He gave me a great deal too!
The amazing thing is I still have my shoes, I wear them everyday and they are still in perfect condition. Great quality, great price, and great service. They even offered to help me with my bike for cheap.
If you need spin shoes I would definitely come get them here!

THEY STOLE MY KICKSTAND!!! Then lied when I called them the next day, when I noticed it. I returned the next day and requested my original kickstand. The guy came off like «why would we steal you kickstand, we’ve been in biz» … for several years. As if I was making the whole thing up. He refused to even acknowledge that the kickstand did not go with my bike.
I have a unique folding bike and the kickstand was unique to the bike, but they stole mine and put on one that was too small and a different color (which I did not notice initially) … but I know they stole my kickstand!!!
Ever since I’ve had the bike, I only took it there, never to any other bike shop, and when I dropped it off the day before this incident, it had a silver kickstand. I will never go back there, they are thieves, on top of all the other bad reviews.

Stellar customer service.
I don’t expect mail order prices from a local shop but the post office wouldn’t mail my bike to Amazon for repair… even covered in stamps. What’cha gonna do?
This is one local business worthy of supporting.

RIP OFF.
My husband and I brought in his mountain bike for a tune up after it had been sitting on our balcony for 9 months — it had a flat tire and some rust. Someone working at the Bike Connection (we didn’t catch his name unfortunately) looked over the bike and insisted it would be $ 275 to repair it. Interestingly, he pointed to one of the most expensive parts on the bike, the brakes, and said that they were «a major problem» and would be the bulk of the repair cost. Fishy.
We left with our bike right after that bs conversation. We went to The Bike Factory on Woodman and the owner there told us it would be a very minor tune up he could do for under $ 40. Go to The Bike Factory — the owner there is very honest and isn’t trying to rip anyone off.

Felix is so friendly, knowledgable
and helpful… highly recommend coming here! He picked the best spinning shoes for me (my first pair) and they fit perfectly. Great selection of cycling shoes, excellent customer service… Thanks Felix!

Thank you Chris for the top customer service I’ve received earlier today. I absolutely adore my first boa spin shoes. They are very comfy. Looking forward to try them shoes out in my next spin class tonight.
Definitely a 5 star bike shop.

Karma always wraps around and gets you when you least expected.
I am grateful to Bike Connections because they instantly filled my yoga ball with air without any hesitation. It was actually very comical.
I walked in.
I said hi.
They saw I had an uninflated yoga ball under my arm.
A rep reached out his hands with a smile as if he was saying, «Okay, just hand it over so I can pump it up with air.»
I smiled even bigger in excitement knowing he knew exactly what I was there for even without an exchange of a single word except, «Hi.»
We had small talk and when he was done filling it with air I asked how much I owed him and the owner turned and gave his nod of approval with his gestures to say, «Nothing.»
I skipped out of there in glee and I can’t wait to go back and bring back more business to them.
Sending the Bike Connection lots of love for their kindness!!!