Citybikes Workers’ Cooperative: Repair Shop

What a great bunch of people. When you’re looking to escape the annoyances of big bike shops, this place isn’t to be missed. Their mechanics are professional and attentive, their prices are *ridiculously* affordable.
Last time I was in, the mechanics squeezed me in last minute, just because they didn’t want me rolling around in the rain with a broken brake.
Great selection of used stems, wheels, tires, and all kinds of high-​quality used goodies.
Love this shop; love these people.

Cheap stuff, but honestly those mechanics are in need of a serious additude adjustment. Judging from some of the other reviews i see now that there is a bit of pattern going on… Every time I’ve gone there I immediately feel extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome the second i walk in. The guys running the place act like they cant be bothered with even the most simple requests. It’s super lame too because it’s one of the few places I can rely on having cheap odds and ends…
Honestly though if you know exactly what you need and dont mind being patronized by a bunch of grubby white dudes, then this is the place for you I guess.

Cheap stuff, but honestly the dudes who run the place are the worst. Judging from some of the other reviews i see now that there is a bit of pattern going on… Every time I’ve gone there I immediately feel extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome the second i walk in. The front end mechanics act like they cant be bothered with even the most simple requests. It’s super lame too because it’s one of the few places I can rely on having cheap odds and ends…
Honestly though if you know exactly what you need and dont mind being patronized by a bunch of grubby white dudes, then this is the place for you I guess.

I will come back here for their used parts, which are often priced quite reasonably — but: «cheap used shit doth not maketh a good bike shop.»
I have gotten basically the dumbest customer service. They were not necessarily rude, but just completely unhelpful.
I guess
here’s my experience:
I go in and asked if said fenders will fit on my bike. The mechanic looks at my bike and says «yes» so, I buy the fenders.
Bike home with the fenders in my backpack because it would be 20 dollars for them to instal the fenders them selves. Which seems like a lot.
Anyway, turns out the fenders aren’t disc brake compatible. So I try to return them. Another one of their guys then convinces me that I don’t need to swap them for the «disc brake compatible» version, I just need two little metal things that apparently help. I, trusting this man understands what he does; take his advice and bike home again. Because my tools are at my house and I don’t feel like paying 20 bucks for fender installment. Well… He didn’t tell me what’s involved in using them. The two little pieces WOULD work if I could cut them. But I live in an apartment and don’t own a metal cutting device. IF I HAD A FUCKING BIKE SHOP IN MY HOUSE I WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. I have only the basic tools for my bike. I expect them to take care of ‘heavy lifting’
I am not happy with my service because I interacted with them twice, and neither time did I actually leave with helpful information. Actually I left with wrong information the first time.
I could go back and yell at them about me losing about three hours of my life having to commute to their shitty bike shop — but I don’t care anymore. And losing another 30mins to them would be… Well just that: losing another 30minutes to someone who’s only screwed me over.
If they had taken any time to really look at my bike or ask me exactly what the problem was im sure they could have helped me better. But I as the customer should not need to take initiative in getting good service.
Also, I get this is a kind of DIY shop… But, at the same time it’s not. It’s a bike shop. And although many of their customers are the type to build their own bikes: they aught to be able to accommodate a normal biker who wants normal help.
This review in only a warning to all of you.
I’ve gotten a lot of great stuff here… But I would not recommend their mechanics.

the male bike mechanics always always alllllllllways talk to me like I’m stupid, y’know, cause I have a vagina.
One time I brought in my Linus Mixte 3 w a broken spoke which they fixed fine but the female mechanic had some trouble w the internal hub and it wouldn’t stay in the 2^nd gear anymore. It was a huge problem, barely useable after. I brought it right back in and said something’s wrong and she at first apologized and tried to fix it. She fiddled around w it and then took it for a ride, brought it back in and fiddled some more and took it out again, she was having so much trouble. After watching her for a while I told her, you know that you don’t keep pedaling while you shift on this? Then she got her boss involved who just talked down to me– it looks like the pin inside is damaged and we don’t have time to fix that right now and started to tell me how much it would cost. When I said I rode it in and it was working fine and the mechanic damaged it he tried to insist that’s why I brought it in. He finally looked at it, did something so it kind of worked, but I now have to hold the shifter in the right place w my hand if I want it to stay in the second gear.
I won’t let these mechanics touch my bike again.

I have yet to actually go in but am giving them 5 stars for setting up the water station in front of their shop on brutally hot days. It was a long slog home in the 102 degree heat today. Nothing could possibly have felt better than riding through that cooling most. These people have good hearts.

Love these people. Very little of the standard Portland «We’re so incredibly cooler than you» attitudes – instead, friendly, knowledgable, skilled, and helpful.
MUCH better attitude, prices, and completion time than River City Bikes (I will be reviewing them next. Quite unfavorably :-) By comparison, here’s River City: first the guy tells me I’ll need a new chain (without even looking), presumably hoping I didn’t know any better and would just go along with it (just like at a shady car shop). I kindly expressed skepticism, and he relented (again without looking).
I was told they had only one level of tune-​up, and all-​or-​nothing complete drive train rebuild for $ 180, no a la carte. And that «maybe» they could squeeze me in for a couple of hours in about 3 weeks. All with an attitude dripping with condescension about how incredible they are and how lucky I am he’s even talking to me.
Compare Citybikes: a la carte, no upselling, $ 45, was READY THE NEXT DAY (even though they said 4 days), and perfect work, all with smiles and friendliness.
Skip River City, Universal, and similar joints, check out Citybikes Coop. The other good reviews are spot on with my experience.

So I hate to have to actually take the time to write a lackluster review of this shop, but unfortunately for them the service I’ve gotten here has been just that: lackluster. I will preface this by saying yes, I will no doubt return to this dismal excuse for a bike shop because they have a great source of gently used parts I can acquire cheaply to fix certain bikes I have.
I have been here probably 4 or more times in the past four months so roughly once a month since the start of 2015. Every time I go in I’m met with the same blank faced «what are you doing in my shop”-stare that honestly as a customer willing to pay snobbish bike mechanics for used parts I could find just as easily on eBay, I really don’t appreciate. I have tried to bring in some of my excess parts to give or try and trade to them in order to see if maybe an exchange of goods or knowledge might be why they keep looking down on me and treating me with blatant disregard, but that hasn’t helped. This of course has motivated me to seek out other shops for repairs and used parts (community cycling center, bike gallery, a better cycle, and river city all come to mind) and thus I have never let these people touch my bike for repair despite what seems like affordable pricing. The only thing I can say that’s positive about this shop is that you really can find some great used parts here sometimes, and if you can get the jerks who work there to acknowledge you sometimes you can get a decent price for them. They’re unique in that they will buy used parts at all and for that I thank them. However in every other regard they should try going to any other of the aforementioned bike shops in Portland and see how a real bike shop functions at both a customer service level and business level.

After a horrible experience at universal cycles you were a breath of fresh air! Thank you for your heart felt customer service. It’s nice to give my business to people that deserve it.

City bikes has always been one of the most dependable bike shops in Portland. For almost two decades (?) I’ve been going there, the welcoming tone of the service somehow always feels the same.
One time I was there using some tools and I needed a pedal wrench, and so I went inside to get the tool, all of the employees were busy, so instead I grabbed from that toolbox that is to the right of the entrance. One of the employees noticed, scolded me, and pointed at this sign saying «for employees only» or something like that, like I was supposed to know that that was there, because it actually is in plain sight. I still didn’t notice it. If you don’t want people to use tools then why not put them behind the counter, whythe hell are they out there on the floor anyway?

Looks like a dive bar. Your mechanic is like your favorite dive bartender. You can’t tell if he acts like your best friend because you’re paying him, but you don’t care because he’s efficient, friendly, and always there to listen to your (bike) problems.
But, really, these guys and gals are awesome. Never disappoint.

Bought a beautiful used Kona mountain bike from this place about 20 years ago. Moving and recently unemployed so needed to sell. Only place I thought of to return the bike and sell. Peter provided the BEST service, patiently explaining the value of the bicycle and equipment. Very fair price for the bike and equipment. Can’t say enough good things about these folks for either a purchase or a sale.

Wonderful! Brian an Noël (I hope I spelled those right) fixed my gear shift for $ 10, a problem I was quoted $ 80 for (new parts and installation because my gear shift was allegedly not fixable — liars!) at a bike shop closer to my home. I’m glad I decided to shop around and found Citybikes. They also helped me pick out used fenders and supplied all the screws I needed to install them.
Altogether I walked out with fixed gear shifts, fenders to install at home, a new brass bell and new handlebar covers for $ 46.
I love these guys! I will be back for all other bike needs.

I’ve had good and bad experiences here. It’s great that they let you use their tools and they usually have the small part you need if it’s fairly common. On the other hand, some of the people who work there are rude/​unhelpful/​pretentious («a Cane Creek headset is kind of like a fine wine»). I think the service really depends on who’s there, but I don’t wanna worry about being judged every time I need help with my bike.

Simply outstanding service and great experience every time I’ve been to Citybikes on 19^th & Ankeny.
Probably my favorite bike-​shop.

My idea of a bike co-​op is a place that is safe for those are historically left out of the bike repair hierarchy. Women, POC, Queer people, Lower income, etc. So I expect co-​ops to ya know, think about the history of why they exist. My girlfriend went in with specific sizes for some tires and tubes for her new rims. The employee right away dismissed those sizes and sold her what he thought was appropriate which ended up being the wrong sizes. This kinda thing has happened enough to both of us that I will no longer be spending money there.

I SUCK at bikes.
Seriously, I don’t know crap about them. I usually learn it the hard way, with a bruise and a «whoopsie-​doodle!» and 4 hours of googlin’ and youtewbin’.
I was having an extremely minor problem with my bike that I had been procrastinating. Why? Two reasons:
1) I was afraid of some Portlandia stereotype making fun of me to no and and making snide remarks (which I probably deserve).
2) I was afraid it was going to cost a ridiculous amount of money for how simple my problem is.
Well, this took all of 3 minutes, they knew exactly what to do and got right to it. They didn’t even charge me and I then tipped the crap out of them. Really nice folks!
What was my problem?
Sorry, too embarrassed.

This place can save your butt if you’re broke & need to fix your bike.
I’ve loved the place for about 20 years now.

I almost gave this bike shop 4 stars just for the random hipster-​with-​no-​manners working the desk when I came to pick up my bike (hey, it’s still possible to be cool AND be nice, dude) but since the rest of the experience both here and at the other location were positive, I’ll stick with the 5-​star rating.
I was sent to this store by another bike store that didn’t have the obsolete part I needed for my 1960’s Firestone Traveler. It’s just a rusty 1-​speed cruiser that I wanted to fix up so I could ride it around like a dork. :P
So, after stuffing the thing in my trunk (seats folded down) and lugging it into Citybikes, I was greeted by one of the employees, and another employee knew who I was because the other bike shop had called to tell them I was bringing the bike over. Even though I was ignorant on what the bike needed, they were pretty nice considering I was basically asking them to fix an antique.
The bike was done today, which was the earliest promised date, so that was a plus. I got a phone call from the tech, Mike, who was one of the nicest people I encountered at this location. He thoroughly explained what he’d done and also asked for the go-​ahead on some other planned repairs before actually doing them. I gave him the OK and he gave me another call once those were done a short time later. Then I went to pick it up and it rides great for such a clunker! I also got a new helmet. They didn’t have my size in the one I wanted, so I went to their other location near 7^th and Ankeny, and found the right one. There was a very nice guy working there as well who showed me the products. Overall good experience.

THESE GUYS JUST MADE MY EVENING LAST WEEK!
I was in the middle of a slight night time bike emergency after my lights were snagged right off of my bike! Clearly I’m fearful of getting slammed by a car, so I needed to fix this mess.
I was cruising down ankeny hoping they were still open. It was 7:30 and I could see they were counting $$, ready to go home. CLOSED! I knocked on the door, and employee #1 comes to window asking what I needed, I explained. He let me right in, got me set up with new lights, and I was ready to pay! Minor crisis was he did not take my card company. Eventually I walked out happy as a clam with new lights, and left my ipod for ransom so I could come in next day and pay with cash. Thats just really decent, huh?

Excellent selection of used bike parts. Bought handlebars for only $ 10 new, can’t beat that! They even offered to cut them for me while I waited but I wanted to fit them on my bike first. It’s neat that this shop is nestled in a neighborhood. The staff were friendly despite it being a very hot day.
If I lived in Portland I know I would visit often for my bike needs.

I just picked up a sweet vintage August 1979 Schwinn for my wife, and I needed to give it a little tune up. The rear brakes were soft, and in adding some tension to the rear brake line, I decided to use a little too much strength and stripped the tensioner bolt. Whoops! I guess I should be a little more careful with parts that are almost 30 years old!
I was recommended to Citybikes by my normal go-​to bike store for a replacement part. I brought the part in and was presented with a shiny new replacement in moments. It cost me a dollar. That right there says A-​OK to me.
There was not a ton of opportunity for customer service, so I can’t say that I was denied good CS or given the stink eye for not being in a SE hipster fixie uniform, but based on the general apathy and malaise of the guys working there, I could see how that could happen. My «Thank You» and wave as I left the store was met with a blank, cynical stare.
I can deal with a little SE PDX ‘tude to get the parts I need, I guess.