Recycle Bicycle

Heard from an alleged former Recycle Bicycle employee, Mike, over a year after posting this review. Here’s what he has to say about the owner:
«Your number one problem here is Howard Hill. He’s already under the gun for not paying his employees, lying about different things, stealing people’s bikes, and being a shady character all around.»
Perhaps I should be glad that I got my bike back at all, albeit in worse shape than when I dropped it off. Then again, I’m just relaying what I heard from this employee. I don’t know Howard Hill, though I’m sure he was around when I inadvertently fell into this bicycle trap called Recycle Bicycle.
Also, the person who worked on my bike may not have been named ‘Mike’ (my mistake; apologies, Mike). Please don’t associate the poor work I received with people named ‘Mike.’ The point here is that this place is bad news.

Sadly they seem closed. Website is down. Phone message says they are closed for good.

I contacted Recycle Bicycle via their «Ask the Experts» page on their website over a year ago and never got a response back. I then called to inform them of my inquiry, but, they simply said they would get to it. I was very interested in purchasing a bicycle but changed my mind after the lack of response.
It doesn’t make any sense at all to offer a service through your website and not follow through.

I think that RB has some pretty inconsistent customer service. I inquired about getting a few modifications made to a bike, and was told that a 2 – 3 week turnaround was normal for what I asked for. RB took my number and said they’d follow up to confirm a price. I never got a call from them. After following up at the 2, 3 and 4 week points, it turned out that NO action had been taken on my request. In fact, I was told how my requests were uncommon. It felt like RB was trying to justify the fact that they had completely dropped the ball.
I think RB is good if you want to pick up one of their restored frames, but be wary if you want them to put together a customized bike (something they advertize they do).

I live three blocks away from Recycle Bicycle. I also have a hobby of restoring old bikes. I come in for parts and advice and occasionally have them do work that requires more skill or an expensive tool I don’t own. I totally respect the business model that they work on, and sell, mostly used bikes (but not exclusively — they are a dealer for Surly and some other new makers).
They are good at what they do, but slow. The customer service isn’t so much bad, as it is. .. distracted. Howard, who I’m pretty sure owns the place, is amazing if he is there and you can get a few minutes of his time. He is incredibly smart, knows bikes of all ages in-​depth, and is a fair dealer. I am unaware of a bike mechanic in a shop in the East Bay who knows more about vintage bikes than Howard.
They lose a star (I almost made it two) because everything is so incredibly slow and chaotic. Most of the time I walk in there it seems like there are four people working there: a couple of mechanics who are working on bikes and don’t want to talk to anyone; Howard or another guy who are like a manager and are on the phone or selling someone a bike; and one or two people who have no apparent purpose, know nothing about bicycles, and cannot even ring people up at the register.
After I walk in the door, the average time I’m standing around waiting for someone to greet me is about five minutes, but often it’s longer. If I need to pay for something, another five or ten minutes. There have been times when I’ve driven the few miles to go to Missing Link because it is faster; and times I’ve just walked out and come back hours later because it’s stuffed full of aspiring customers waiting to talk to an employee who has a clue.

I have admired the lovely mosaic on this building for ages — but never popped in til last December when a friend needed to pick up a new lock for his bike. I was very impressed with the friendly service and the selection of accessories. Price was also fairly competitive and I like their mission. Great local business — support reuse, buy used!

Sadly, I must agree with Erin S. that RB treated me like crap when I came to redeem a Groupon for a bicycle tune-​up. I understand that Groupons aren’t generally great for businesses on the cash front, as Groupon takes a 50% cut. However, what it *should* be good for is getting new customers (like me) in the door who otherwise would’ve gone elsewhere, and serve as a massive advertisement for the business. Businesses can choose to cap the number of coupons they give out, and to any business considering a coupon deal, Groupon or otherwise, I urge: DON’T agree to sell more coupons than you can reasonably service, and DON’T treat a coupon-​purchaser as a personal nuisance to you, taking out your coupon-​resentment on them. It’s not fair to a person who has already paid for the service, and that person will a) likely not patronize you again, and b) will likely write a poor review of you on Unilocal.
No need to go into the specifics, but we were treated rudely, were given instructions that directly contradicted the Groupon’s instructions (created by RB themselves), and generally treated like I was a major inconvenience. I was then told to come back in a month… after the groupon would have already expired.
Ummm… no, thanks. For that experience, 1 star. As in the case of Drew P., RB did redeem themselves, but only after major pushing and prodding on my part. They did a great job tuning our bike and got it turned around by the next day. So that bumps RB back up to two stars. I understand it’s a small local bike shop and I really wanted to love them… but I just couldn’t. Come on– it’s the BAY AREA. With a gazillion other spots to go for bicycle maintenance, you can surely find another place that will provide reliable and competent service.

Do you mind if I lay on your couch and tell you something personal? About a trauma I had and a fabulous local business that made me better?
Still here? I thought I saw some people running for the hills.
When I was of age to have my training wheels removed from my bicycle, I was eager and anxious. The rite of passage ended poorly, with me and the cycle careening down a small but scary cliff. From that age til I was 19, I never sat my bottom on a bicycle again. It doesn’t take a fancy degree to understand Trauma 101, and I had all the classic symptoms.
Not being able to ride a bicycle became a burgeoning shame and white whale as I got older. One day in college my then boyfriend declared in his hipster way that it was ‘crucial’ that I learn how to ride a bicycle. He repeated it for dramatic effect. ‘Crucial, babe.‘
He was right, of course. The East Bay is valhalla for bike riding, and being late to class because the buses have their own psych problems was ridiculous. There were myriad reasons to learn to bike: practical, physiological, psychological, you name it. How we found Recycle, I don’t remember. It was in 2004, before Unilocal.Unilocal was just an embryo. Even though it was years ago, I remember it perfectly.
The family that owns this place is a gem. When they saw me «test-​ride» (bf had hold the back-​we were just making sure it was the right size), they realized that I was a rare breed, but treated me well. We walked out (literally-​I had to walk the cycle home) with a great bike for a great deal. A saucy red streetbike Schwinn for around $ 75. She was a beaut. It took me 45 minutes to learn how to ride it. That night, my affair with her started, and I began zipping all around town. On one of my excursions, I ran into the Recycle Bike family. They honked and hollered from their store truck. If Unilocal had existed, I would have sped home to tell the world. Happy to see that a near 200 people feel the same way.
This experience cost way less than one session with a therapist and the effects were long lasting and life changing. You all can probably ride bikes, but this place is wonderful regardless if you’re well or maladjusted. One session here, and you’ll be on your way to health in no time.

This place would of got a one or two star but they redeemed themselves!
I bought a groupon for a discounted bicycle tune-​up.
I dropped the bike off Saturday — they said it will be done Monday before 5pm — I said fine I will just come by Tuesday — the staff member agreed.
Tuesday: «I am here to pick up my bike»…“doesn’t look like anyone got to it…“
I was pretty upset as I live in Hayward and went to Berkeley just to pick up the bike…
When I came back later in the day:
The mechanictalked me all through what he did on my bike, he replaced this plastic piece that had fallen off free of charge and offered loads of advice, and was generally a really cool dude.
However to be cautioned that you may want to call ahead to make sure things are done as well as be cautioned as I eye witnessed a sales person doing some «hustling» on the bicycle sales side (they don’t put prices on a lot of things).

These guys are great. They really hooked me up when I moved to the Bay, about 3 years ago. Got a good price (under 300) on a sweet build of an 80s Nishiki road bike, with New Old Stock components. They were also nice when I came by with some issue and not knowing anything about bike stuff, pointing me in the right direction as to what repair needed to be done, installing used parts (they have a lot), and finding other bike resources like the coop Waterside Workshops. It’s so good to see them thriving every time I pass through on Sacramento St.
Take your time and don’t be discouraged by a store full of people and only a few staff to go around… your time will come :-)

My favorite bike shop in the East bay, and I’ve been to them all.
The simple truth of bike shops, is they all offer something a little different. Maybe you’re a masochist. You want to be derided, or made fun of. Go to Bent Spoke. Maybe you want to pay too much or like only things that are new and shiny. Go to Mike’s bikes. Maybe you’re some kind of delusional hippy idealist and you think cooperatives are the shit. Go to Missing Link and let a depressed, surly hippy guy mess your bike up.
Maybe you just want a really good deal on a bike (or bike repair), because you don’t have any money and you want to be able to get around and enjoy the bike heaven that is the east bay. Go to Recycle.
You can trust these people. For a long while, based on interactions with the employees and owner, I assumed this place was a non-​profit, but it’s not. They’ll tell you anything you need to know about bikes, they’ll tell you if there’s a cheaper way to do something. Their prices are among the best in the east bay.
Howard is the man!

Second Incident:
Do not get repairs here! I brought my bike in on Tuesday for a tune up and to get some rear baskets installed, I said I would be back on Saturday to come pick up my bike. When I came in on Saturday no bike. They have the worst customer service I have ever encountered, I waited a full 20 minutes while they helped other people and avoided telling me where my bike was [apparently it was at their warehouse but was never brought back to the shop]. Incompetence doesn’t even begin to characterize these people. Needless to say I will never be back again.
First Incident 3 months prior:
I’m giving this place two stars because the service was lackluster. Bought a used Fuji at a decent price was told it needed a tuneup when I purchased the bike Saturday afternoon. They said the bike would be ready Saturday by closing time. Came on Tuesday an hour before closing & nothing had been done to the bike. Super annoyed because they had more than enough time to tune up the bike & I work during their limited open hours.

I went in today looking for a new bike. Walked in and said «hi» to the guy working on a bike. Then started to look around for about 5 minutes. In that time I stood around waiting for someone to help me. No one did. And no prices on the bikes. So it was a big waste of time.
Update:7/19/11 I really can’t win with this place. I called today, the guy answered «Recycle Bicycle». I said «Yes, I got hit by a car yesterday…». He interrupts «Could you hold on a sec?», «Sure» I said. He set the phone down and I then proceeded to hear three minutes of muffled cackling and banter. Conversation after conversation passed. But he never talked me. So I hung up. I think I would of felt better if he just hit the mute button. I feel like I am a part of this big conspiracy, you guys are doing everything to not take my money. I really want to like this place. I read such great things and great deals. But again, I am going back to giving my money to the man.

I see other people have also written followup reviews on this place, and it makes sense. I *love* Recycle Bicycle. I went in today, just before my 90 days with my bike to take advantage of my free tuneup. I actually spent probably a half hour in here talking with them about my bike, how to maintain it, how to tune it myself, how the gears/​dérailleur works, and different types of bike seats. Oh yeah, and I got my tuneup and an adjustment to my seat.
Also, since it’s been raining for like the past 3 weeks solid and it’s been a rainy winter-​spring in general so far, they upped my 90 day free service to 180 days. What?! Even then, it seems like they’re pretty flexible. He said, even for a year or more, if something happens with the bike and it’s not my fault, they’ll be understanding about it.
I learned a lot about my bike today, and I know I’ve got a great bicycle shop just down the street that’s going to help me make sure my bicycle is performing just the way I want it to.

Classic bike shop. They have the new, they have the old. they have everything you need at Recycle Bicycle.
The concept behind the shop is great, bikes are timeless. I’m all for going green, where I can. Living in the Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville area biking is probably the most convenient mode of transportation and for a working student, Recycle Bicycle is the best shop. Put simple, I bike for the workout and to keep a little more of the money i make. Since finding Recycle Bicycle I’ve been able to save some more cash and regularly service my bike.
The staff here is dope, they’re really interesting people. The prices here are even better than the service. I remember as a kid, riding my bike through the neighborhood with a bunch of friends then stopping at someones house and «tuning up» our bikes. Every time I come into the shop I get that same feeling.
I recommend Recycle Bicycle to everyone who enjoys riding a bike. You won’t find a better shop with these prices or people.

This review is for my experience getting a tune up.
I bought a $ 30 groupon for a comprehensive tune up for my road bike. I called in to make an appointment and was told I can drop off my bike anytime before the day of the scheduled appointment. They close pretty early (6pm on weekdays) so it’s a bit difficult for me to bart home from SF and then drive my bike to Berkeley. I dropped off my bike the day before my appointment (Tuesday) and left it there until Sunday.
On the day of my appointment (Wednesday), I received a phone call from a lady at recycle bicycle asking why i haven’t dropped off my bike for my scheduled tune up. I then proceed to have a mini panic attack coz my bike is one of the most expensive things i’ve ever bought. I told her i dropped it off the day before and she apologized for the confusion because they really did have it. PHEW! Relief.
Anyway, a couple hours later i get a call from one of the guys at the shop telling me i have a huge gash on my rear tire. I’m very talented at running over sharp objects with my skinny road bike tires so i’m well aware of this gash but was too lazy and forgetful to replace it. He offered to replace it with no additional labor cost, just parts cost. The tire was $ 22 but i received 15% off (i don’t know why, but i won’t argue with discounts!) and my total bill came out to be $ 20 and some cents.
Overall, great service. Very happy with my bike tune up.

MacArthur Bart bike thieves struck again and I found myself with a sad skeleton of what once was. I was kicking myself for not implementing razor wire and pitbulls in my locking routine but was sure no one would want an old rusty steel rear wheel. So wrong, so wrong.
Luckily, I knew exactly where to go to get back on the road and Recycle Bicycle did not disappoint! We were operational within minutes and better than ever. The bike craft here is impeccable and the folks are friendly.

I recognize that I just had a bad experience with Recycle Bicycle, but it made them seem really, really shady. If the situation gets worked out in the next couple of days, I’ll revise this review.
I picked out a used bike and was super excited. I was quoted two prices for it, $ 200 – 250 and $ 400, but they were seemingly allowing me to have it for the lower price, so I was happy. Apparently they wanted a day or two to do some tune-​ups, so I filled out some paperwork, asked if I needed to leave a deposit… no? Really? Cool. and skipped off, sending pictures of my new little friend to my sister.
I called Recycle Bicycle a few days later to make sure everything was still in order, and was assured all was well. But when they called me to come pick up my bike, I came back and it was gone. Whoops! Guess they sold it. Their bad! Maybe I’d be interested in buying this other, $ 500 bike?
What? Sorry, guys; my monthly stipend as a PhD student is barely more than that $ 500. I don’t know what actually went down, but it seems like they quoted me the wrong price, realized they could get a better deal for the bike, so they sold it to someone else. Calling me back was tacky, especially since they’re a fair distance from the BART. I’ve now spent two afternoons trekking there and back… and I still don’t have a bike. Curses!

Since moving to Albany/​NorthBerkeley area, I wanted to get a bike to take advantage of the bike routes/​trails in the area. I hadn’t ridden a bike in a few years and the last time I rode a bike, I was on a pink cruiser and totally ate sh%$ after crossing an intersection where I’m sure drivers either gasped or laughed their ass off after seeing me fall.
I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a bike so I came across Recycle Bicycles. I checked them out on a Saturday afternoon. There were a few customers already being helped and only a couple of sales associates on the floor but they multi-​task and help out customers at the same time.
One of the staff members showed me a bike, answered all my questions, explained how the shop refurbishes the bikes, and fitted me on the bike. It seemed like a good deal — $ 250 for a hybrid Specialized bike. He told me that they would call when it was ready to be picked up.
Well, the following Wed., I got a call from the shop asking if I was still interested in the red Specialized bike because a few people were interested in it. I said that I was. The staff member then said that they could hold the bike until they closed at 6 pm. Well, I wasn’t going to be back in Berkeley until the following evening. He said that he could hold it longer if they had a deposit. At this point, I was really frustrated with the shop because no one had told me about the hold process or a deposit. I think he sensed my frustration and worked with me in holding my bike by getting my card number over the phone.
He apologized because the staff member who helped me in selecting the bike was new and no one had informed him of that information. I would think that’s one of the first things to let their employees know to disclose to their customers.
I picked up my bike on a Friday afternoon. It looked really great, outfitted with a new seat, gear handles, and brakes. They let me ride my bike around the neighborhood to get a feel for it. I had never ridden a bike with gears on it and the guy who was helping me was not helpful at all in explaining how it worked.
Then another girl helped me select a helmet and a bike lock. They do give student discounts, so if you are one, let them know.
I really liked the concept of a used bicycle shop especially if you aren’t sure if you’re going to be regular bike rider but the service was so-​so depending on who you deal with.

I have a new bike! Yay! Granted, the bike I ended up with was nowhere as cheap as I would have liked, but it is also an oober cool bike! Not to mention that Howard who helped me was super helpful and even tried to sell me a cheaper bike that may have fit my needs better!
The in-​shape-​lady (the owner?) was away when I went the first time, but Howie (don’t tell him I called him that) was very useful. I don’t know SQUAT about bikes except that I’ve had two cheapo ones stolen in the past week. I tried out a bunch of bikes and he went out of his way to show me ways to make my riding experience better. I actually had to make two trips because the selection process took longer than expected.
When I returned I met in-​shape-​possible-​owner-​lady who was super nice.
UPDATE! The 30 day guarantee is now a 90 day guarantee. Sweet!