Wheels of Bloor

Wheels of Bloor has been the best experience out of all the bike shops I have been to. The staff is beyond helpful and make sure customers feel comfortable. Buying a bike is expensive and WOB makes sure you are not intimidated. They are patient, kind, and persistent on finding you what you want. Their customer service is exceptional. Thank you to Peter and David. I highly recommend WOB. My boyfriend and I both purchased our new TT bikes for Ironman this year!
This shop is not just a store, they have built a community.
Thanks guys!
Morgs

Bike shops seem to have a uniformly rude and dismissive attitude, which is a real shame because it pushes so many people out of the shop. The lessons from my experience are quality of staff is not uniform so you need to do your work before hand and know exactly what you need because you can’t rely on the staff.
I went to Wheels of Bloor in late November because there was a sale on the Cervelo P2. I had done my research and knew that’s the bike I wanted. When I got into the store, the employees were all clustered at the back, hanging out with what looked to be a local rider who was chatting with the mechanics in Italian. I waved to the staff, but they just waved back and didn’t offer help. I looked around for a bit then approached one of the staff members for assistance. He was a young guy, and completely stunned. I had to pepper him with questions to get any information about the P2 or alternatives, and when I told him I wanted to order one it was like pulling teeth to get any details of upgrades I might want to include and shipping details. After a really sloppy fitting, without offering to let me even sit on another bike for sizing, he ordered one and told me it would take a week.
I called back the following week and was dismissively told there was a shipment of Cervelos arriving that day and mine would likely be included. I waited to hear back from them, but I gave up after two more weeks and called back. They told me my bike was ready, I just can’t believe they didn’t reach out to me first.
When I got into the store I was disappointed that the same young staff member was the only one there to help me. When he rolled out the bike I noticed it wasn’t the advertised saddle, and I had to argue with him that I wanted the saddle that was on the website and display model. An older manager overheard us, and quickly told the young staff member to give me the saddle from the display unit. I think the staff member I dealt with was just a dud, because the other guy seemed great.
I was given a quick fit of the bike. After doing a little more research at home, I realize they didn’t setup the ISM saddle quite right.
Maybe they’re used to $ 5000 pro bikes, but my $ 2000 purchase should have afforded me a little better service.
On the positive side, the bike was a great deal, hundreds better than anywhere else in Toronto.

I’ve purchased both of my bikes from there and always had a great service when I’ve taken my bike there for a tune up or repairs. A few weeks ago, I was doing the first cycle of the year and Wheels of Bloor couldn’t fit me in on time for a tune up, so I took it to Racer Sportif at Bloor and Windermere and they lost my gear cover. When I questioned it, they said it was loose. I asked them why didn’t tell me before letting me leave the shop and they had no answer. I would never take it there again.

I’ve read through all the google reviews and the ones here, here is an objective review from me. If you go to Wheels on Bloor, it would be helpful to have some general bike knowledge and do some research on what you want and what your budget is, very important. I went to buy a S2 Cervelo on sale, and was treated with very good service, ultimately they were selling me on the bike, which is to to be expected. I asked a few questions about the product, did a test ride on a trainer and bought the bike there. Peter who was there treated me very nicely and I got very good service all throughout, he threw in a free fitting as well. They did not appear snobby at all. I felt the service was polite, cordial, and on the point. Ultimately i didn’t need to be upsold on the bike that much as I did my research and knew what I wanted given my budget.

I visited the store on a quiet Friday afternoon.
There was 1 other customer in the store picking-​up his bike from the repair shop.
I was prepared to buy road shoes but had a few basic questions first.
I spent 15 – 20 minutes trying-​on shoes. No employees acknowledged me. Nobody said «hi» or asked if I needed help.
I’m in no rush to return.

So — this is the first time I have written in a review — and let me get started by saying I have a $ 5000 Carbon Fibre Bike set-​up and have put in a few thousand of kms. I called them on March 9^th 2012, at approximately 11 AM to ask about 700 CC tires, and what where the price points — first response, guy with a european accent said i have tires for $ 20, 40, 60 and $ 80 — what did you want? — rather rudely, but whatever (I only mention the accent so everyone knows who I am talking about) — I asked him what brand, and he puts the call on hold for someone else to answer. Then someone else comes on the line, and starts to give me more information — I started to write this down, just to show what information I got — $ 60 for Conti Ultra Sport, $ 80 for Conti Grand Prix 4000s — Now — since the first guy told me there are also tires for $ 20 and $ 40, I asked what’s available — the person on the line repeats for $ 40 — then a break and I believe the guy that first answered the phone starts saying something about me to the other guy at the bike shop — but imperceptible. Then I hear laughter — and then the guy on the line says something like ‘forget it, ok for $ 40 and then the line goes dead — so THEY HUNG UP ME — or I believe the guy with the accent closed the line on both of us. Really. Anyways, I included all the details, the prices, the date of call, and if they need the time it was 11:42, duration of call 4 mins:22 seconds (should be about 30 seconds less if they didn’t take the time to insult their customer). Hmmm — First review, very detailed — do you think I am making this up ??? I guess the shops knows for sure that I am not — I will be talking to all cyclists including a friend of mine that bought a cervelo and zip wheels there in 2009 — Finally — avoid this shop — they are a blemish to the toronto cycling community — and its horrible to support shops like this as they should be our advisor in advancements in cycling, not rude sales people. I am sure if you walk in to spend thousands they will be nice, but call them up on the phone and you may get this service.

After my go-​to bike got crushed in an accident, I did some research, heard some word-​of-​mouth, and decided to make a road bike purchase at Wheels of Bloor late in 2010, primarily because they were offering some attractive discounts on certain models at the time, and given my budget I felt I could get the best performance for the dollar going with them.
They are a shop that skews their business toward the needs of the road enthusiast and/​or racer. The atmosphere at Wheels is kind of like that of a car showroom — bright, clean and full of great eye candy. I would ogle fancy bikes in their store all day if I could! They primarily promote and distribute Cervelo bikes, but also sell Felt, Colnago, BMC, Ridley, Argon 18 and a couple of other notable manufacturers. If you want a bike that’s light, fast, well-​fitted and cool to look at, they can probably build it up for you.
A good selection of clothing, parts and accessories is also available — though in a limited suite of brands — they have almost everything from bottle cages to power meters to DVDs. Most of their stock in this regard is also from companies established in the road bike market as purveyors of items on the more expensive and/​or «pro» side of things, but it’s all very high quality stuff.
Buying a bike at Wheels was like dealing with a very precise and talented doctor with great new equipment, but it came at the expense of rather poor bedside manner. If you tell them what you need, they will get it done for you with professionalism and quality service — in this regard, they are recommended — but they aren’t the friendliest people to those who come in with questions or less experience. They have excellent knowledge of all their products, and their skilled group of mechanics and fitters will get you measured and set up and put together right, but like I said, there’s that sales-​heavy car showroom feel.
Wheels of Bloor is certainly going to appeal to anyone with a serious cycling interest — just be sure to act the part when you go inside or you might get some stink-​eye. I wish I could give three and a half, because they’re better than OK at what they do but I just don’t have the right feeling about how they do it.

This is the best bike place I’ve tried around Bloor West Village. It’s a neat, clean establishment with friendly staff who know their stuff.
I was looking to replace some worn out pads from the inside of my bike helmet one time, and they gave me a whole bunch for free. They charge a little more than the average for a tune-​up, but they do a good job, and they do it in a reasonable amount of time.