This is where I bought my bike from and where I can count on friendly and prompt service. One day I stopped in to buy gloves and the guy who rang my purchase up asked me if he could show me what the problem was with how I had locked my bike outside the store. Of course! I always appreciate advice about stuff I’m not aware I need and with bikes there’s a lot a I don’t know. He showed me how to detach the front wheel, too, which I thought was close to impossible. Turns out I wasn’t keeping my hands in the right place for the maneuver to work :). I can’t tell you how grateful I was for the advice.
Today I stopped by again because I kept losing a screw that ties the basket rack to the frame. I must have run through five screws in two months; it was driving me nuts. One of the guys in the back of the shop did more than just put a new screw in: he identified the real problem and fixed it. Since the bike is practically my car, knowing there’s someone there to help is invaluable, especially for a klutz like me when it comes to mechanics.
Speaking of the bike being my car, I can proudly report that I biked 190 miles/month (304 km) just by commuting to work in August and September. It might look like a lot, but it’s just 9.5 miles/day. I have coworkers who bike 26 miles/day in any weather. I’m going back on the bus, though, because it’s getting really cold in the morning and it’s getting dark early. But come April, I’ll start my daily pedaling again and I know my bike shop will be there for the ride.
The Arrow 