Chain Reaction Bicycles

hain Reaction primarily sells Trek bikes and compared to the typical MSRP, you’re likely to find at least $ 25 to $ 50 dollars off.
All employees are generally well informed and will encourage you to try out their bikes. My girlfriend and I were in the market for some hybrid bikes. We went over at least 3 – 4 different bikes each. I ended up purchasing a bike from a different retailer, however my girlfriend purchased a bike here. I hope to purchase my next bike at Chain Reaction, as Trek bicycles are really good.

Took a hand me down bike to get flat tires fixed there. They came up with absolutely every single thing that needed to be fixed on that bike and then some. Even though we told the sales guy we knew this was a used bike and all we wanted to do was get the flats fixed, he kept up badgering us on making us pay high dollar for assortments of things. I found myself regretting the fact that I had gone in that shop for something so simple and leaving so stressed out. They were not kind or courteous and all had the sort of second hand car sales men personalities. They should realize just because there is a woman going in with an old bike, doesn’t mean she is dumb and doesn’t know what’s going on! Chain reaction staff need to learn to put things more politely and lightly on people and not be thinking only of making $$$$$ !!! Very negative experience indeed! There are lots of other bike shops out there that treat customers with respect and not insult their intelligence!

Great and knowledgable staffs! Ordered a Trek FX 7.2 for daughter college campus commute. Picking up the bike today and received excellent and friendly help from Steve! — despite we arrived rather late on Sunday 4:30pm. Steve helped the ing test drive, fitting the new bike, and find the accessaries with great detail. If you need a Trek bike, I would highly recommended Chain Reaction and would find another bike for my wife soon.

5 stars for customer service and repairs. I have a commuter bike that I ride for about 4,500 miles/​year, and lots of parts simply wear out. I come here for things that I cannot fix myself, like replacing a worn out crank bearing. Every time the staff is super helpful and friendly, finds the right parts for my bike, and repairs are done quickly.

I have three kids and purchased the first few bikes from Chain Reaction. They sold me on free adjustments, tire straightens and a buy back policy as the kids grow older, they would take a discount on the next purchase. Apparently that’s not the case.
Took the boys bike into the store to have the brakes adjusted and tires fixed. Nothing was covered and cost another 100 due to apprently replacement parts.
Just took my twins bikes in for trade-​in for a purchase of two more bikes. Both bikes were apparently not worth anything. My daughters bike that had +/​-​4 miles was apprently ridden to hard, with its original tires that almost looked new? But because the bike was dirty, it’s not worth the trade-​in at any level. The salesmen was willing but the manager said no. The manager basically said the bike has to look brand new, how is that done, being three years old.
I was willing to spend another $ 1,000. Plus new helmets, gear etc. had everything stacked on the counter and the new bikes already picked out.
We left with nothing, went to Mike’s Bikes and swiped my card.
Lesson learned, Don’t get sold on promises from Chain Reaction.

Update: Adding more stars because the business owner responded to my review with helpful info, though I still didn’t have a great experience in the store.
Nice staff and good selection but they wouldn’t let my 2 year old son try pedaling one of the little bikes due to «liability concerns». I guess I’ll buy the bike from Amazon instead.

I accept Steve’s explanation that my experience was a result of poor communication, not a lack of competence.

This is a shop that really knows their merchandise and their clientele.
Sales folks are *helpful* — not pushy. They know the gear because they all ride. Particularly nice is that they don’t all seem to be competitive riders, so the advice isn’t skewed to the hard core racer. They know the mid-​market. We’ve purchased everything from high-​end road bikes to school commuters from them. The staff is genuinely interested in getting you into the right bike for *you*, not the bike where they make the most money. They’ve been more than fair with us, and as a result, our family is now active cyclists. That’s the way a business should operate.
If you are really hard core, they can still help you with Trek/​Bontragrer. Just be aware that they are really a Trek shop, so you’re not going to find a ton of non-​Trek gear. But they the full range of Trek gear, so you need to be really picky before you’d need to look elsewhere. (For context, this really only applies to gear that T/​B sells, like shoes, saddles, handlebars, etc. They carry a full line of Park tools, Garmin GPS units, etc. too.)
Service department is also very strong. They fix what they sell, and it’s not an unreasonable wait to get things done.

I wish there was option to give 6 stars out of 5… Chain Reaction is awesome and more importantly the culture/​values of the team sets it apart. I have been doing casual biking for quite some time but recently decided to buy a proper road bike. Chain Reaction folks walked me thru the pros and cons and did not try to hard sell me anything. Very collaborative approach and hence decided to go with Trek. More importantly I recently bought shoes, cleats, pedals from online and was difficulty with putting the pedals on. CR did it for me free and also allowed me to use their tools to feel comfortable with the shoes and cleats. remember it was not something I brought from them. The guy (I think Ron) explained to me all the nuances and that’s what totally iimpressed. They did not forget me once I bought the bike. I continue to be their valued customer. That’s hhow every business should be. Great business. Just go with it if you are buying a bike.

Run by a bunch of honest people. They’ll give you advice to keep you moving. They don’t seem to be looking for the route with most profit.

Very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

My husband and I went in today looking for a bike for me and we came out with the best possible experience! It took a little while to get someone to help us, which is understandable on a busy saturday, but once we had an associate we were set! She was incredibly helpful, explaining differences between models and answer our total newbie questions. She was knowledgeable without being condescending and insanely good at what she does. She also hooked me up with some must haves and was never pushy about any accessories or extras. The ideal salesperson who definitely has your interests at heart! She also told me about all of the incentives to buy with Chain Reaction, like warranties and free checkups!
Definitely give them a visit if you’re new to biking!

These guys have been consistently solid. Extremely knowledgeable, well staffed, quick on repairs and surprisingly reasonably priced.

Update (4÷29÷14):
I took my bike in today as Mike (the owner of the Redwood City location) offered to take a second look at. He personally explained to me what he thought was wrong with it and helped put on the new parts that he replaced for me, all at no charge. Mike recognized that something went wrong the first time and went way out of his way to make it up. I greatly appreciate that. Great people, going above and beyond for excellent service.
Update — In response to Mike’s comment (4÷25÷14):
I can imagine how there was a misunderstanding and now believe that is the case. I think I was very clear in that I wanted to fix my bike to be safe and reliable on a budget — for commuting purposes — but it seems this may not have been communicated to the bike mechanic. In reaction I was told I needed to fix several parts on the bike from the chain, the cables and housing, even the wheels — probably in an effort to fully restore the bike to its maximum potential. Well over 500 miles later I am using all of the exact same parts that are working well.
Original (3÷22÷14)
Came here to tune up my bike and walked out with a huge estimate. Not to mention recommended new wheels. I had the bike tuned up with all the same parts and it has worked well.

As someone new to cycling, I’ve been to Chain Reaction Bicycles about 5 times over the past month centering around the purchase of a nice bike on my 3^rd visit (visits 4 & 5 were for accessories). Each of these visits featured non-​pushy, but incredibly knowledgable sales people who were happy to share their experiences in helping you select your cycle (or gear). I worked primarily with Bryan but I have a feeling everyone is equally good.
The store, its clientele and its employees exude a local, 21^st century non-​hipster, almost artisanal feeling [without the snobbery]. These guys know their craft really well and are happy to help you discover what they love about it. They’re patient, they’re diligent and I left a very happy customer. I’ve already recommended 2 people to this store and will be continuing to do so.

I bought my Trek carbon at Chain Reaction, but usually went to Palo Alto Bikes for service because they are so much closer to my house. After a disasterous experience at Palo Alto Bikes the week before — feel free to check out my review — I came to Chain Reaction. They were fantastic, sensible and efficient. It helps that is was early Tues morning when the store wasn’t crowded, but know from past experience that doesn’t really matter.
My bike was resized, tire fixed and I was out the door at a more than fair price for parts and labor— One very happy person. Even though there are closer bike shops — Palo Alto bikes is absolutely off my list … I have seen the errors of my way and will make the effort to get to Chain Reaction for whatever I need.
TXS, Guys… I am a convert forever

Overall experience — Excellent.
Looking for a nice quality bicycle for my 5 year old son.
The young staff was very helpful.
The price was fair.
The first service for the bike is free.
Thanks

These guys are my saviors! I sometimes bike from work in Cupertino to my family’s home in Palo Alto. Twice in the last few years I have gotten a flat, and both times they have helped me out.
Today, however, they went above and beyond the call. I got my flat 1.5 miles away at 6:50pm. The store closed at 7pm, so I figured I was screwed. Chain Reaction was on my way, so I continued walking towards them and got there around 7:25pm. I walked into the shopping center with Chain Reaction and thankfully the lights were still on. I knocked, and thankfully C.J. and Adam were still around to help me out! Not only did they sell me a new inner tube, but they helped me put the tire on (teaching me a few tricks in the process), spending time with me beyond when they otherwise would have gone home. Managers of Chain Reaction, if you’re reading this, give C.J. and Adam a raise!

Everyone there is knowledgeable. Every time we stop by, I get good information.
We are not a road biker, and we just wanted a bike for a kid. I wasn’t sure between a inexpensive bike from Target and an expensive Trek bike here. After stopping by a few times here, we decided to buy a least expensive Trek bike for our kid, having assumed it will last long and the maintenance would be great here.
Staff here are friendly and passionate about bikes that supports our trust in purchasing a best long-​lasting bike. Having the kid test drive was good for us, too.
A star missing is because the price. We wished any bit lower price.

I’m taking one star off because of a few unpleasant experiences and a bit of a snooty attitude I’ve been dealing with lately when entered this store.
Service is still professional and prompt.