Cycle Quest

I went into Cycle Quest last Sunday to look at their touring bikes. The owner was very helpful, knowlegable and nice. I didn’t buy a bike that day, but when I’m ready to buy… I will go to Cycle Quest to buy a new Salsa Vaya!

Sweetest people that work there. You won’t regret coming here. I’ll definitely be back

Seems like a nice place, but I don’t trust a bike shop in a plaza with no bike racks.

I took my bike in to get a tune-​up and all the staff was friendly, patient, and knowledgable. I recommend this place because they are honest and sincere. They even let me watch my bike get a tune-​up so I could learn, which I really appreciated!

great classic small bike shop very happy with my El mariachi

Great service! They’re located pretty close to UCSD campus, and were extremely helpful in fixing up my bike. Gave some great advice, very reasonable prices, and my bike has been riding really smoothly since.

My tire exploded climbing out of Del Mar, and I’m so lucky CycleQuest was open! They hooked me up with two new tires, and the owners were nice enough to help me install them as I was in a rush to meet back up with my bike buddies. They have a great selection and I didn’t feel pressured to get any certain type of tire. Huge thanks to CycleQuest as I made it to Old town in time for my train. Hooray!

This is a great bike shop!
No high-​pressure salesmen with attitude, or corporate generic product here.
You’ll see bikes you’ve never seen before. All sorts of niche and hybrid varieties of touring, fat tire and «adventure» bikes.
Some great deals could be had here. I got a great deal.
Repairs are reasonable. Tune-​ups are free when it’s a bike that you’ve bought there!
Best of all Eric the owner is extremely knowledgeable and friendly.
We need more bike shops like this!

I went in to have my bikes re-​fitted. They were awesome. They could explain to me why things had been bothering me for months and adjusted my bike for a better fit. Can’t wait to get out on the road.

I wanted a bike for weekend rides and commuting to work, but didn’t know the first thing about one bicycle over the other. Luckily, I went with CycleQuest (I heard about them through my parents), and I couldn’t be happier with my new «All City.» They let me test ride as many bikes as I wanted, educated me on things I should consider, and seemed like genuinely passionate cyclists and business owners. If you’re not sure what type of bike you want, try this place out — they’ll help.

Good place to get a quick bike repair for a good price.

This is a great place for all your tour cycling needs, whether it be a bike or accessories, or repairs. This husband/​wife team are terrific to work with. Very knowledgable in cycling and touring.

Outstanding customer service! Fernie is the best! I brought my bike in for a tune up and not only was it in perfect working order the next day, it was nearly as clean as the day I got it! He really went above and beyond! I am treated like family when I walk through that door — they really know how to take care of their customers and keep them coming back!
Eric, the owner, is extremely knowledgable, experienced, and passionate about cycling. He can match you with a bicycle or gear to meet your needs in the price range you want.
This shop is extremely convenient for those commuters who ride the train to Sorrento Valley, which is why I came here in the first place. If you don’t commute on the train, the shop is worth the drive from wherever you may be coming from. Give them a try — you won’t be disappointed!

Great place. I didn’t buy a bike there but the experience was excellent. Friendly young woman (MOLLY?) Was very helpful. I will definitely go back

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I bought my bike online and needed some help putting it together. They were very friendly and helpful. Not only was it affordable, but they took some extra time to explain how to oil my chain and gave me a sample of oil. I was told they typically only do that for people who actually buy a bike from them but I think she could tell I was new to biking. Additionally, they were very nice and allowed me to keep the bike at the shop for over a week because I was headed out of town and when I tried to pick up my bike it didn’t fit in my car. If I ever buy another bike I will start here and I will definitely go back if I need any other bike related help.

Last night a Wald 215 bike rack I ordered from Amazon for my 1964 Schwinn Beach Cruiser came in the mail, and I knew my older bike was going to make installing any rack at all a challenge, but… I just could NOT get this thing on! I decided to bring it down to Cycle Quest to see what they could do. Unfortunately it was too late in the day to get anything done right then, but they graciously offered to let me keep my bike there overnight and said it’d be ready for me to pick up the following afternoon. I just came to pick it up, and, wow! They got it on perfect, it looks like the rack came with the bike stock. Best of all, the whole installation was super affordable. Exactly what I wanted, at a price way less than I expected to pay. What more could you want? If you’re needing any help with installation, check out Cycle Quest.

It’s not every day you speak with a bicycle store owner who has been a history professor, helped found a record company, and is genuinely interested in assisting customers with their requests and solving their problems.
For example, my girlfriend was looking for some badly needed replacement tires which had to stand up to the challenge of riding through diverse urban environments (see also thorn and flat protection), and Eric’s business was the only one within striking distance — say, twenty-​five miles — which carried anything that met her specifications.
We had to do a bit of research first, though, and ended up logging more kilometers than we expected to before we finally arrived at his establishment in Sorrento Valley. The first place we checked was a bike shop which shall remain anonymous (except for its location) in Mission Hills. The only employee present (it was a Sunday, to be fair) suggested Continental Gators, which have enough protection for city riding, and at a reasonable price.
Unfortunately, due to a prior commitment, we didn’t have enough time to have the tires mounted that afternoon — which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because, after looking up some information that evening, I discovered that Continental doesn’t manufacture the Gators in the size (700×45, not too common) that my gal needed — an important detail which was somehow overlooked during her conversation with the employee.
A couple of days later we tried our luck at another bicycle emporium — this one in the College area — which shall remain anonymous as well (except that its name would be at the end of any alphabetical listing). This time we asked about Armadillos, since she rides a Specialized product (an Ariel, to be specific), and had had them previously on some of her other two-​wheeled conveyances. But again, size did matter. We went to this particular location because the shop’s website indicated that the Armadillos she wanted were available — but only from the warehouse, as it turned out — which was not made clear online. When the sales associate mentioned that he could order those tires, I thought «So could we,» and thanked him for his time.
In desperation, finally, I typed «good-​lookin’ kickass bulletproof bicycle tires» into my browser (well, not exactly, but I did widen my search a little) and got the following return: Schwalbe/Marathon/HS420/700×45, which seemed to match my companion’s requirements. Then I looked up stores in the area which carry Schwalbe products; narrowed those results by selecting the top level of retailer (based on inventory of the company’s merchandise); and filtered for distance, leaving one contestant standing after the smoke cleared — which obviously was Cycle Quest, or I wouldn’t be reviewing them right now.
I called up, a hard-​bitten bicycle tire research specialist by now, and prepared myself for the usual shuck and jive, but Eric surprised me by saying «Come on down — we have four of ‘em in stock.»
I carefully asked the question I now know to ask every time, which was «Did you mean in the warehouse, or physically present at your store?»
He answered me patiently, as if speaking to an idiot child, «I mean here on the premises.» I was so excited I offered to pay over the phone before anybody else could buy them out from under me, but he laughed and said, «Don’t worry — they aren’t going anywhere between now and tomorrow.»
So, after several months of steady riding through a number of different environments, my significant other rated these tires: excellent; no problems whatsoever, regardless of terrain.
And this from a cyclist who hadn’t even heard of Schwalbe products before we started our adventure.
The difference between this business and many others is that Eric is not your typical bike shop owner. He’s a mature individual who has extensive experience as a touring cyclist; he has an eclectic and affordable selection of merchandise and accessories; he’s an interesting conversationalist on any number of topics; and, special bonus! — if you’re a railfan, the Amtrak Surfliner and the Coaster pass by on a regular basis about fifty yards away, and slowly, too, as the Sorrento Valley station is just around the corner to the north.
As for service, we went to lunch nearby while the tires were being mounted, and upon our return fifteen minutes later, found that not only was the job done, it was done right… miraculously, without the assistance that beer apparently provides at certain locations.
In short, you can’t lose if you’re looking for a good experience in a well-​stocked store in a decent area with a proprietor who knows what’s happening and isn’t there to sell you something you don’t need or even want just to satisfy a quota from a manufacturer somewhere in Northern California — know what I mean?
Five stars, only because I can’t award any more than that. A real pleasure to do business with these people.

Absolutely fabulous bike shop. I’ve been to a lot of bike shops and these guys know their stuff cold. I talked to them forever about touring, test rode a few bikes, and was thoroughly impressed. The owner was very informative about touring based on a cross-​country ride he did awhile ago.
Since we’re traveling, I didn’t get to buy the bike I wanted from them since I need a specific build-​out of a frame. They had everything dialed in and were clearly experienced with outfitting a frame, but I unfortunately didn’t have time. Wish I could have given them my money, they deserve it.
Great selection, lots of knowledge, and just a solid experience overall!

Got a flat on todays ride, thank goodness this shop is open on Sundays which saved todays spoiler. Eric was so kind that he let us use his tools and pump to change a flat and also knowledgable about touring bikes.
There is not a lot of specific touring bikes shops around town and this one is definitely a place to visit. Great people, quality equipment and phenomenal customer service!
Cheers Eric :)

A friend recommended this shop and I decided to stop by. It’s family owned and operated and they’re very knowledgeable about their products. There is a ton of inventory and they even have a bike mechanic on staff.
Thanks to their great customer service, I will be purchasing my next bike here.