Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen

Facts:
1) I am an idiot with wheeled things.
2) Bike repairs are expensive.
3) The BK had no wait when I went, and again when I dragged my friend.
4) The volunteers were super friendly and helpful, made sure I learned about how to fix things while still making sure it got done right.
5) The BK has parts, tools/​supplies, even entire bikes for sale
Thank you for helping me fix my janky bike without making me feel bad about my ignorance or up-​selling me, Bicycle Kitchen!

Great place to go and fix your own bike. They have all the specialized tools you need and nice volunteers to help you do it. Support your local community bike shop!

this place is amazing, really promotes biking to those other otherwise couldnt!
they give really helpful advice and have any part you need

Love this place! They are very helpful and will teach you if you don’t know how to do the maintenance needed to get your bike back in the road! Thank you George for helping me and for the advice! :)

I really love this place!
They provide classes for all the community for a donation and its all ran by volunteers! The staff are generally rotated throughout the week. Throughout the month, they do several activities to get the community involved such as group rights, second Saturday events, band nights, group classes, and lots of other community outreaches. THe place is stacked with tools and parts for you to feast on.
Come here to learn to replace your tubes or tire, SBK will save your moola!
Pros: Staff, Non-​profit, community benefit
Cons: Hours
Stars: 5

I wanted to buy a used bike. There was some donated bikes, most of them really used. Anyway, one was ok and I wanted to know more about it but the «manager» was not able to provide me with any information. It is like he was unable to speak or something, I got some words out of his mouth and then his phone rang so he left to have his conversation out of the store. This place might be good to repair your bike or to buy some very used bikes for Burning Man but otherwise I will pass.

This place is amazing! I had 8 hours before I was supposed to leave for burningman. While I packed, my boyfriend ran over and with the assistance of the bike kitchen, my bike was up and running in a couple hours! Thank you bike kitchen! Don’t forget to donate!

Total man cave. Most volunteers are wonderful and very helpful, however it only takes a couple of dickwads to ruin the BK. Talking smack about members of the cycling community when others can hear, making women feel unwelcome and unwanted, and a general air of male entitlement have ruined this experience for me. This is a complete departure from my first experience in 2009, where the volunteers were happy to be there — and happy you were there, too. I’ll take my money to a shop where I can be treated with respect. «Volunteer» doesn’t necessarily have to mean complete asswipe.
If I had really big tits and were 20 years younger, the service I’m certain would have been completely different. Hats off, BK, you’ve set the human race back 50 years.

Moved to sac and got a bike cause you can get drunk as all hell and ride home! Fabulous… so I haven’t had a bike since 97′ forgot you had to service it… my Damn tires were starting to go flat and I needed a pump… not a regular pump but the one for the skinny valve things… I dunno what they are called, neither do I care but, I needed a pump none the less… went to the bike kitchen cause a few folks recommended I go and they hooked it up… helpful people, got me a pump, and it was only eight bucks! Bam! Now I got full tires so I don’t bang my rims on cracks and eat shit when I’m drunk… now I can concentrate on getting home without getting pegged by a car!

Where do I begin with this place. I volunteered here and was a patron for the two years that I lived in Sacramento. There are no other bike repair shops in Sacramento that care as much about educating people and making sure they ride out of the shop safe and happy as this place does. This is all on top of the fact that the prices for parts are dirt cheap and they are always willing to negotiate. The amount of parts, frames and whole bikes they have is impressive seeing as they where all donated by the community!
No, this place isn’t just a place you can pull up and have someone fix your bike for you. There are however lots of volunteers waiting to help you and guide you along with your bike repair. It does get pretty busy there on some nights but don’t let that scare you off. Its worth the time and you will leave there a little smarter and happier. You not only get the knowledge on how to fix your own bike but you also help out this great little non-​profit shop.
Sacramento is lucky to have this place.

Interesting location, probably an old warehouse next to the heavy rail line in midtown sac. The quality of the help is dependent on whoever volunteer decides to show that day and can help you. but generally, if you are mechanically inclined the $ 5 shop fee is a killer deal to utilize grease, bike stands, spanner wrenches, presses, pay minimal prices for used parts, and have someone guide you through mild repairs to wild alterations. If you own a bike, hate spending hard earned money on something you can do yourself (but don’t have the room or tools), then head down to the SBK.
You never know, you may find one heck of a good deal on used bikes!

A super cheap alternative to a bike store. #DYI

Earlier this year, I bought an affordable and mechanically working bike from This
& That, which I love. It’d been a few months since I bought my bike and I noticed that it needed some light tune ups. A co-​worker recommended the shop and it had awesome reviews, so I thought I’d stop by.
One of the people fixing up their bikes was really helpful and directed me to go the front desk. I proceeded to describe what was going on with my bike, so I could get some help as to what tools I needed.
The person working that day was unhelpful, patronizing, and a real creep. He made comments about what I was wearing, looking at me up and down — and told me this isn’t a shop «where you can just drop off your bike and have someone do it for you.» I told him I do it myself (I was well aware of the self-​help structure of the shop before I visited). After meeting the attendant, I definitely did not feel comfortable staying to fix my bike there. I’m sorry to have to leave this review as I’ve heard wonderful things about the shop.
The concept and the service this shop provides to the community is laudable, but I certainly will not be returning and will make sure my friends don’t go here for their biking needs either.

Went here to find a used bike I could use to commute to and from school, and ended up buying from a different store. The place was very unorganized. When I walked up, the first thing I noticed was people just standing in line not being helped. Then, the guy «working» the front door just looked at me, said «what’s up», turned around, and just stood there. I wandered into the shop and found a guy wearing an apron, so I assumed he worked there. I told him I was looking for a bike to buy, he pointed to the back wall and told me those were the bikes for sale and some of them may need repair, and then just walked off. I looked at the bikes, and they were all in really bad shape. I know they’re used bikes, but most looked like they had just been pulled out of the bushes. I was about to ask the apron guy about pricing when I saw him practically yelling at two guys who were trying to fix their bike, and were obviously new at bike repair. At this point, I just walked out of the shop and found a new bike at a different store (for what seemed like a cheaper price, based on the few price tags I saw on the used bikes.)
For purchasing a bike, I would suggest going to a different store… any other store. The place looked like its main focus was giving people a place to fix their bikes, so it may be best just to utilize it for that purpose.

Such a great place! Would never do work on my bike anywhere else! Highly recommended!

What an awesome and unique way to contribute to the community. The Bike Kitchen is a non-​profit that does a world of good for the many folks like myself who use bikes to cruise the downtown grid, and they do it for cheap while teaching long-​lasting skills.
For a pittance ($ 30), I rode away on a junker that had been completely refurbished with a lot of love and care. Why spend $ 700 on a new bike to cruise around town on and invite thieves to steal? Now I have something that I won’t lose sleep over or have to put a lot of effort into. They stayed open a little late on a Friday so I could buy this beauty!
They said that for $ 5 they have mechanics on hand to teach you how to repair your bike, so with the miles my baby has I may be back soon. Bring your own tubes as that’s the one thing they don’t have!

$ 5 gets you in the door.
I have used this place twice to true my rim and fix broken spokes. They are always packed with volunteers and people utilizing their services. They are lacking in tools, but that seems to be because all the tools are being used.
This also a great place to go and buy a bike, bike parts, and bike-​related paraphernalia on the cheap. Just by going here, you can get free tubes, which may or may not have a hole, but you can get free patches too.
I popped my tube when I was messing around with my spokes and utilized this complimentary service to my advantage.
I went out of there after 1.5 hours with a straight (as I could make it) rim and was on my way!

These guys are really helpful, just don’t be afraid to be aggressive in chasing them down to give you advice. Wish the hours were more extensive, and the shop could be cleaner. But hey, instead of $ 75 bike tune-​up at my LBS, I made a $ 5 donation and learned how to do it myself! A nice add to the community.

By the looks of me, you’d think: girlie. And you’d be 75 percent right.
However, what you don’t know is that I am 20 percent MacGyver, builder, inventor, and bug collector (OK, it’s been awhile on that last one). While I might not be entirely successful at all of these dimensions, the heart is there.
So this weekend I decided to get good and greasy, and begin the process of bike lift. (That’s like face lift.) I have been struggling with the aesthetics and functionality of my ride and determined this weekend was as good as any. First order of business: seat lift. Um, yeah an ass lift if you will.
Because I was lacking parts to adjust my seat, I rode my low rider over to the Kitchen, where I knew with 20 percent of my heart — the MacGyver part, I belonged. The other 80 percent thought I might get snotty looks for wearing a romper instead of proper bike fixing attire — whatever that is.
I arrived hot and sweaty to the open-​arm oasis of volunteers, allen wrenches, bolts, lock washers and nuts of every shape and size. In fact, I’m pretty sure the volunteers out numbered the customers.
I will admit, I was a little nervous. I love trying new stuff, partly because of and partly despite the trepidation of embarking on foreign territory. I mean, here I was in tool-​land and if left to my own devices, I’m sure I could have torn that joint up, but in the presence of such mechanical greatness, I had a small douchebag* moment. The Kitchen has bike racks, kind of like mechanic shops have car lifts, and they are rather intimidating.
The head volunteer said, «Just go ahead and put your bike on the rack.»
I took one look at this thing — this jaw with comfuddled clamps and holes and said, «Oh, no that’s OK, I won’t need to do that. I can just fix it like this.» He said, «you should really put it up there. It will make it easier.» Or something to that effect. I’m pretty sure I pretended not to hear him and scurried away with another volunteer to the screw section.
I’m sorry head volunteer guy. Your bike rack just scared the shit out of me. However, I think you sensed my fear, because when I returned, there was my bike, up on the rack. :)
Now, my seat is fixed and my ride is golden. (Literally, because I painted it gold, which was kind of unintentional and you *might* be able to tell it wasn’t done by a professional … but hey, I’m only 5 percent painter.)
*According to trusted Unilocaler, David O, a douchebag is simply one who will save face at virtually whatever cost. One who desires to appear cool in order to save face.

OK, so let me preface this review with the fact that i am probably biased as I am loosely involved with the SBK shenanigans from time to time …
that being said, this place is a great resource for the community. not only can you use their space and have full access to all the maintenance manuals and tools for $ 5, but the UNPAID staff are all very knowledgeable and willing to assist you. their goal is to have you riding out of the shop with enough knowledge to maintain and service your bike on a regular basis, so you can avoid going to pricier retail stores and paying a much higher labor rate. all the men and lovely ladies here are also very down to earth, honest, and stand up people that you know won’t swindle you.
the space itself is very clean and a vast improvement from the oak park location. sometimes you’ll find hidden gemstones in here like a super sweet shimano hub or glossy campagnolo parts, but more than anything, what you gain from SBK is empowerment.
i notice a lot of complaints from people going to other retail bike stores, about the pretentious attitudes, or the misinformation, or simply feeling ripped off. if you visit the kitchen a few times, you’ll walk away with a basic knowledge of all the ins and outs of bicycles so you can avoid that sleazy rip-​off feeling in the future. plus, as a general common sense kind of thing, it’s good to know how to change/​repair a flat tire, and be aware of basic bicycle safety (something most people don’t know around here, hi can you stop riding on the sidewalk please?!)
the 2^nd saturday parties are always fun and a great place to get a beer for cheap while pitching in to help a great organization, so drop a few bucks off at the next party and drink to a charitable cause.