Gladys Bikes

I pretty much only go to Gladys now to get anything bike related done /​purchased. I even bought my diaper bag here when I got pregnant, because their bike bags are super solid. And it’s pretty much the only bike shop I feel comfortable going to as someone who likes to bike but doesn’t know a thing about biking. Staff is always super enthusiastic and helpful — and doesn’t make me feel like a complete idiot.

Gladys is the living definition of what a community bike shop should be. Although there are much larger stores in town, with Gladys, you are guaranteed an extremely high level of service and a carefully selected group of products that are perfect for commuters, new riders, and some racers.
They are the only shop in Portland that is particularly geared to women riders, and their devotion is evident in the high numbers and types of women’s bikes they keep in stock, as well as women’s specific accessories and clothing made by both independent and larger bike companies.
My wife used their saddle library and took a beginner cross clinic through the shop a couple years ago and found the experience to be very fun and supportive. We also helped my sister in law buy her first new bike ever through the shop, a Giant Liv commuter that has allowed her to begin commuting in Portland with ease. I can’t speak highly enough of this shop, highly recommended for all!!!

I was blown away by the customer service and support I received in purchasing my fancy Bianchi bike! They went out of their way to special order my bianchi, and let me shred the bike all over town to ensure my comfort of making this bigger purchase. Even when I crashed my bike, they helped me order the parts needed and have consistently supported me through all adjustments needed on my bike! My bike fits me, I always suggest to friends that they should go to Gladys, or go in for the sake of saying hi to my now friends!

The best things about Gladys Bikes? Their saddle library service. Beforehand, I did my research and decided I wanted a Brooks saddle for my upright mixte bike. I just didn’t know which saddle would work. Brooks’s wide selection can be bewildering. The library gave me a chance to check out every saddle on my short list and try them out for a week. I tried out four saddles in total. After cycling about 25 – 30 miles a week on each one, I was able to figure out which saddles I could eliminate (Cambium – hurt my sit bones! B67 – too wide and cumbersome; springs squeaked) and which ones might work (Flyer S and B17s – both identical in specs except the Flyer has springs). So it basically, it came down to sprung vs. unsprung. For this final decision, Leah was in. She gave me a no-​nonsense opinion about what would work, saying that the extra suspension for someone my size (I’m a petite rider!) wouldn’t really make a difference. That made sense. I ended up riding home with the new B17s on my bike. I couldn’t be happier with the choice and the library at Gladys for making it happen. My only small gripe is that it would be great to have the library stocked with more than one saddle of the popular types, which can stay in circulation. Sometimes what you want, won’t be in – first come, first served. As a newb, bike shops always kind of intimidate me, but Gladys was laid-​back and approachable. Gladys isn’t in my neighborhood exactly, but it may be my new regular LBS!

This place is the best! I’ve wanted a new saddle for a long time, and a friend told me about their Saddle Lending Library! I brought my bike in, told them my woes, they had me ride around the block with a few different saddles and then sent me home with a saddle to try for a week. I came back in 5 weeks in a row feeling like I was getting closer, but hadn’t quite found the best seat for me. But the 5^th seat was my glass slipper! I came back and bought my very own, and the price of joining the Lending Library ($ 25) was taken off of the price of the saddle! As a bonus there happened to be a Bicycle Transportation Alliance party at the shop when I bought my saddle so I got to celebrate my new purchase by drinking free beer with a bunch of bike nerds! Super nice, approachable and friendly staff. While this store is definitely not just for ladies I do believe that it is only staffed by ladies. I love a lot of other bike shops around town, but when it comes to talking about comfort on a bike, it was nice for me to know that I’d be able to get a woman’s point of view. Also they have a hilarious podcast on their website. They’ve got all sorts of other great gear in the shop as well, so stop in soon, you won’t be disappointed.

I took my bike to my neighborhood shop for some adjustments and they referred me to Gladys for a fitting. The full fitting was excellent. My bike is like a totally different bike and fits me perfectly. Gladys bikes even supplied my local shop with parts to finish setting my bike up after the fitting. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Highly recommend them for service and fittings.

I visited Gladys Bikes for the first time a few days ago. The customer service was top notch! The staff member even followed up a few days later calling me with more information about a bike I was looking at. Great shop!

I was getting ready to pack my bike into its original box for my flight to Portland, when I realized that it was due for a major tuneup, and I really couldn’t bring all the tools that I needed to do the work myself. So I started looking into bike shops near where I would be staying, figuring I could get assembly and tuneup in one shot. I have a bike that I bought over the internet and assembled and fit myself, and it has been a wonderful ride, but I have been a little reluctant to bring it to a shop until now because I know that bike shops don’t like it when people do that. I saw the reviews for Gladys, and knew it was the place for me. I booked ahead to make sure I could get the bike on the same day, and they were fine with that. They were pleasant and professional, and even caught and corrected issues that I had forgotten to mention (!) I picked up the bike about 5 hours after I dropped it off, and this morning headed out for an Epic Bike Ride (metric century to the Vista House in the gorge and back). The bike was FLAWLESSLY reassembled, with new brakes, a new shift cable in the front that means that my left hand can still type after the ride (I couldn’t after my last ride, it was so stiff), and a bottom bracket that doesn’t creak like a poltergeist when I had to get out of the saddle on a climb. Prices are reasonable, the people are wonderful, and the quality of the work was excellent.

Going to Gladys Bikes has been a pleasant and speedy experience for me every time. I’m using their bike seat library to try to find just the right seat for me, and I feel like we’re getting really close to finding my match. It’s so great that we can have a quick discussion about what’s good and bad about the current seat and then I get steered toward a better one to fit my needs.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Gladys!

I’m working on a bike that is a little over my head at the moment. I decided to take this project on because I thought it would be a good experience for me to learn more about my bikes, but after visiting a couple of various shops in town, (including my previous favorite, Universal Cycles) I’m pretty frustrated. I’ve had things «mansplained» to me repeatedly at other places, been talked down to, subtlety made fun of, and I’m not even the type of person to even notice this kind of treatment right away, let alone repeatedly.
Long story short, I visited Gladys today, exasperated, just wanting to ask some questions from someone who could take a look at my bike and give me some perspective. The gentleman that helped me was indeed very polite, didn’t at ALL talk down to me, and 0% mansplaining. I just happened to have my spouse with me at the time and he even managed to talk to me, instead of at him, because he knew it was MY bike, and it’s MY project.
At the end of the conversation, the gentleman directed me to the bike shop down the street (because I was looking for something in a specific color,) and he provided me information to help me with my project in a very respectful way.
Gladys is an incredible atmosphere, very welcoming and not at all intimidating. This is exactly what our city needed, and I will be visiting them again in the future.
Also, they’re not women-​only, they’re just women focused, so don’t be afraid to step in even if you’re a dude.

I have a newer Trek hybrid and after the first fit that came with purchase, have never really done anything else but basic maintenance. I’ve become an avid «fair weather» bike commuter and the miles were starting to rack up. Plus, I find myself riding along sleeker road bikes for a periodic 50 miler and knew one was coming up… I was told about this shop by a workout friend who recommended this for the specialty for women’s bike fitting.
With stiff shoulders and painful wrists, I rode there to see what they could do, and brace myself for the $$.
Leah cheerfully greeted me and mellow Jim, took my bike for a free assessment. I was waiting for a bit of a «car» experience wondering how much he’d find wrong with it. First thing out of his mouth, «the bike’s in good shape!» Really? I do my own maintenance! «You might consider getting new brakes. Come behind the desk, and I’ll show you why.»
It was that kind of helpful, non-​fear inducing «suggestion» that set the hook. Oh, and that thing I might «consider» where my brakes. The pads had been worn past all their indents!
I asked Leah about handlebar bags, and explained what I was looking for. She didn’t carry the one she «loved» but sent me to a website to investigate. Really? That is self-​less customer service that drove the hook in deeper. I’m going to wait till she carries the bag, so I can buy it FROM HER!
So, I opted to set up a Basic Fit assessment with Natalie of SweetPea bikes, co-​located at their new location on Alberta. She was AMAZING — so professional, taking body measurements and flex gauging with tools that rivaled a physical therapist — um… she is not. I told her my goal was to purchase a second bike — road — and not to invest too much into this one. She «HEARD» me, and I walked out with two minor changes — new seat post and a cut down of handlebars — renowned to always be too wide for women — thus shoulder and wrist pain. Oh, the seat happened to be facing down, so all my weight was sliding to the front as well. And then, she did a minor shoe clip adjustment, so the placement was where I could apply the most power.
I was left with so much education, a strategy of potential changes if those don’t «fix it,» a six month guarantee, ideas for a cost effective road bike and best of all — a completely different ride that in two days have already made a world of difference! Most of all, with all the bike shops in Portland, I have my go-​to place!

Their bike saddle library is a fabulous service! Pay a one-​time $ 25 fee, check out saddles to try for a week at a time. If you decide to buy one, the $ 25 fee is applicable to the saddle purchase price!