Different Bikes

Birdie needed a whole new caliper brake and several other things. She was ready in half the time any other shops had quoted me and for almost half the price, too.
I’ll be bringing my bike here for her checkups from now on.

I was in the Broadway location this weekend and had a great experience. I was served by Dan, who was very knowledgeable and helpful. He took the time to help figure out which bike would best serve my needs and explained his recommendations, which as a newbie to the bike world, I really appreciated.
I can’t speak to the product selection but I do know I’m happy with my bike and very happy with the service I received. I won’t hesitate to go back for accessories or tune-​ups.

A few days ago I came into this store and was assisted by two women working in the store. One of the ladies was very helpful and I had scheduled a return to try out a bike in my size and purchase.
I just walked into the store, Tuesday afternoon, only 2 men working in the store, no customers. The two guys were discussing how one of them wasn’t going to be at this store too much longer because it wasn’t part of his long term plan. The other guy agreed and they went on discussing leaving the store. Small store, customers within earshot, but hey, sales comes second.
Seriously, how about helping the customer in front of you. They neither greeted me or showed any interest in assisting — so I left in disgust.
Last time I was here was a few years ago to buy a kids bike for my child. The bike ended up with a bad valve and I needed it replaced. I returned 2 days later than what I said I would do to find out they had put the bike on the floor back on sale — price tag attached selling as new. My daughter’s 6 month old bike that needed a tube replaced was being resold rather than them phoning me to remind me to pickup the bike.
I just tried phoning to complain and was told the owner’s name is Andy but he doesn’t work at any of the stores and I should send an email to the general mailbox which all 3 locations check. Nice hands-​off approach.
Going to buy my bike elsewhere because 2 strikes is enough for me.

We live a few blocks from this location so was really pleased when it turned out not only was my wife really happy with the bike she bought here last year (and the service),. but that it was possible to get the best tune-​up my bike has had in years!
No joke, my bike now sings,. and it is an early 90s KHS converted mountain bike to commuter with probably hundreds of thousands of km on it and has been through hell.
Now before you think anyone can tune a bike,. you are wrong. I now know this as my story goes back a few years,… I generally took care of my own bike (semi-​ok) but was a bit negligent. As I rode my bike to a West End bike repair store my brake cable snapped on that very trip! That place actually did a good job and I learned how well my bike could be functioning if I took a little more care. 2 years later I took my bike to a large outdoor outfitter that shall go unnamed. I didn’t even make the ride home would my wheel coming off due to them removing a needed part and having all sort of thing going unattended that I specifically asked for. That was just the start, I had multiple chronic issues that started that day but as simple as a bike is,. I could not fix them or figure out exactly what was wrong. I did a multi-​day gravel road bike tour and luckily my friend on the trip was able to keep me operational. It was a battle and he identified all the parts that the last tune-​up didn’t handle right.
Fast forward to last week. I thought maybe this wasn’t the tune-​up (which I had been battling for a year), and just the age of an old battered bike. Perhaps I had a crack in the frame or something was worn out? Not the case,… though perhaps I should have shown customer loyalty to the West End place,. I instead went local, and the guys at Different Bikes revived my bike to its former glory!

I was recommended to Different Bikes by a friend of mine. After searching for the right pair of bike shoes at several other stores, I found the right pair at Different Bikes and a pair of clip-​in pedals.
There was a technical problem with the clip-​in pedals and I brought them back. I was dreading the process of returning my pedals but Different Bikes handled it very well. Different Bikes responded to my email right away. When I went into the store to return them, I didn’t have my receipt, I just happened to be going by the store. They found my receipt on their system. As it was a Sunday afternoon, the manager wasn’t in but they contacted me the very next day. They took care of all the details and communicated with me politely and responded in timely manner.
The in-​store staff was friendly and unpretentious. They were busy and the staff seemed to be split between attending to customers and working on bikes. Aside from bringing me different sizes of shoes, they generally gave me space which I prefer. There was no pressure to buy.
It is a kid-​friendly store. While I was there, a child was happily, proudly zooming back and forth across the store on his bike with his parents nearby. The staff were friendly, talking with the parents and kid.
5 stars for customer service and 4 stars overall as it’s a small store, due to that it seems crowded with less selection. Overall, I appreciated the excellent service and will be back.

Fantastic and FAST servicing.
Very honest employees.
Brought my bike in on three different occasions for servicing and excellent and unbelievably fast service.
Honest people and fair prices.

Went to this store to buy a particular children’s bike for which Different Bikes is the sole authorized retailer in Vancouver.
It was a quiet weekday afternoon with only one or two other customers in the store. After a few minutes of trying to figure out how to get to the bike we wanted (it was on a wall rack with a bunch of other bikes in the way) I finally had to ask someone to help me, despite two staff members having watched us walk in and being well aware of our presence. Then after a few minutes of helping us out, the salesperson went back to doing work on the computer, without so much as saying, «I’ll be over here if you need anything or have anymore questions.»
I really felt like they couldn’t be bothered with us, as we weren’t their typical customer looking to spend thousands on a high-​end bikes and parts.
Alas, my suspicions were confirmed when I later sent them an email expressing my disappointment, and they never bothered to reply. Basically, they don’t care. Indifferent Bikes.
When I didn’t receive a reply to my email, we decided to order the bike online from the manufacturer. I would not shop here again.

UPDATE:
I repaired my flat tire today, and guess what? No patches on the tube. So they basically did nothing to it and charged me 15 bucks.
Downgrading this review to one star and not coming back.

Professional, nice, and mainly fair.
Matched the bike to my needs and budget, which is more than other vendors do.
Great service, always feels welcome.

Tired of you fixie? DB carries several types of bikes fit for any cyclists. Mountain bikes, road bikes, cruisers they can help you find your entry level or avid riders’ team bike at $ 3000+.
There is a Lifetime free basic tuneups, on the frame (ex whtn the welds crack for no reason they will send it back to the manufacturers), 20% off accessories with every bike purchase. The gentlemens there are super nice and helpful. They have several locations so there’s one always near you. Plus if you are on W Broadway or W4th, it makes price comparisons /​bike shop hopping super easy.
Got my gf hard tail Kona. Personally I wouldn’t buy brand new, but only the best for my girl. Now just need to train her up a little before we hit the mountains when the weather finally clears up! I should buy a HD pro.

I was looking for a mountain bike. Something to get in shape and make use of the summer with my bf. I know nothing about bikes and my last bike that I owned was from junior high probably from Cad Tire or Sears. Dave and I went bike shopping along W. Broadway and came across Different Bikes. The styles are there pretty good. They carry Kona, Giants, etc. Prices are pretty reasonable for entry levels. They had some really awesome 2x suspension Giant team bikes that are like $ 3000, some crusiers, road bikes, helmets, accessories (streamers, bells, etc) and clothing to suit you up.
I’d recommend you to come check it out and compare prices with similar shops along West Broadway and West 4^th. Believe they do price match. At least you’ll get 20% off accessories compared to CAPS which only offer 15% off and no discounts on current year models.

Stopped by on way home from a Rainy Bike Ride to see if I could replace a Helmet cover I lost this week. The store has went thought a nice remodel. The Display area has new white and blue color scheme to match the company colors and changed the way the accessories are displayed. So you dont get so confused when you look around. Bikes in one place and Jackets have there own areas. The Helmet Cover was sold out but I bet back again soon and see if it will be restocked

Bought a new bike here (Rocky Mountain RC 50) in 2009. Got a good deal but the technical support since has been terrible. Poor workmanship or lack of care I’m not sure.
One example out of a number: Disc brake calipers were poorly aligned after they replace the pads — I asked them about it but they told me that was «impossible». When I finally took the bike to another store they confirmed that the calipers were not aligned with the disc — (the frame of the calipers was rubbing on the disc even when the brakes weren’t applied).
Second example: The way they fitted a rack to the back of the bike also lacked care and attention. Didn’t find longer bolts to use, didn’t bend rack mountings to ensure alignment with mounting bolts. Absolute minimum effort was employed to attach the rack.

I was guaranteed by a gentleman here that my kryptonite lock will protect my bike from getting stolen, the only way to have it stolen is by unbolting the bike and taking it to spend a half an hour sawing it off. I paid 55 bucks each and bought 2 of these locks. A week later, my bikes got stolen. The lock was cut in a matter of less then 30 seconds. $ 123 bucks gone worth of locks and a very expensive bike. Think they would have done anything? Even a credit for something? Nope! Not a very well wrong business.

My buddy and I stopped in here to rent bikes one day.
They were friendly and hooked us up with a couple of mountain bikes and helmets for a reasonable price.
We biked around Vancouver for almost six hours. My ass is still sore from the seat.

Went here almost a year ago. I didn’t end up buying a bike because the one I test rode needed to be adjusted before and during my test ride. It was as if I was trying to pinpoint what was wrong with it so the mechanic could «fix» it rather than see how I liked it to buy it. The quality of the bike was enough to turn me off the bike shop. Perhaps this was because this bike was in the lower range that some shops don’t even carry, though the clerk told me it was a popular seller. There was a guy buying the same bike I was test riding, so maybe I just have higher standards.
On the plus side, the girl was able to answer my questions and I learned about hydraulic brakes. On the down side, maybe she didn’t think I was a serious buyer but she didn’t spend much time with me and I got better attention and service at the Bike Doctor, where I ended up buying a bike that I’m still very happy with.

different bikes is my favorite bike shop in town.
the best part about different bikes is that their staff arent pretentious, jerky bike snobs that are all too common in vancouver’s lbs scene. they don’t look at you like an idiot when you ask a ‘dumb’ bike question and they are more than willing to help with any bike issue you have, big or small.
their prices are great and their free-​service-​for-​life policy on new bikes can not be beat. keep that in mind when you look at different shops and are pricing out your new ride. a couple hundred saved somewhere else can be made back pretty quickly through free service.
different will order anything for you at a reasonable price. go with these guys.

These guys are great. They stand by their philosophy of matching bikes with riders without attitude. Really helpful, and not condescending. Some bike shops, unless you’re a member of their riding club or walk in with your full-​carbon ride and in full gear, treat you like an outsider — like you’re not cool enough — but we’re gonna sell you a bike anyway. Not these guys. They helped me through my bike purchase, fitted me well, made adjustments without whining. Repairs here are fast, and reasonable — you don’t feel like you’re being gouged or up-​sold. I’ve dealt with the West Van store as well, and had a similar experience.

The husband and I have been doing the bike shop tours since both of us needed new bikes this year. We ended up buying his from these guys and so far, we’re pretty happy with them. Nice selection of bikes including Norco, Kona, Electra, etc… with a variety of ride styles in stock. Staff are knowledgeable.
No issues with test-​riding the bikes, and frame sizes come in quickly if you need to order one when one isn’t in stock. Even better if there’s one in stock at the other store locations since you can get it the next day.
One of the big reasons we bought from them was their free lifetime service on their bikes. The fact they had the cutest pink turtle bell for my bike was just a small bonus :)
Most other shops offered tune-​ups for the first few months or the first year, but you were on your own afterwards. This was a great selling point for us… will update if anything changes down the road.