How Do You Pick Your Bike Shop?

IMAGE VIA PARK SLOPE LENS

Park Slope needs another bike shop like it needs another mexican restaurant. But that didn't stop Soho's Bicycle Habitat from opening up their first Brooklyn shop on 5th Ave and 10th St. last week (pictured above). What used to be a Toys"R"Us pop-up shop - and a Jeans Express before then - is now an expansive, 3,000 square foot storefront filled with wall-to-wall bikes and gear. But the large space isn't the only thing Habitat has going for it. Named "Best Bike Shop" by New York Magazine, the shop's been around since 1978, and is known for its fair prices, great service and boutique selection. Not a bad reputation, huh?

Still, with R&A Cycles, 9th Street Cycles, 718 Cyclery, Ride Brooklyn, On the Move, and of course Dixon's already well-established in the Slope, Bicycle Habitat has a lot of competition. Most bike owners I know have loyalty to pre-existing Slope shops, and don't like to change. After all, choosing a bike shop is less like picking a place to grab a bite and more like choosing a primary care physician. You kind of want to go somewhere that'll know your medical history and squeeze you in during an emergency.

So here's what I'm wondering: What do you look for in your bike shop? And what, if anything, would get you to switch?

For me, I choose my bike shop based on the employees. Biking can sometimes feel like a cool kids club - and bike shops, their exclusive hangout. Walking into some of the shops in the 'hood, I've felt that condescending "I can't believe you're bothering me" attitude from shop employees. You know - the kind of nonsense you get from your office IT guy when you can't figure out how to install a printer or the work the latest Outlook upgrade? So if a bike employee approaches me with respect, has the patience to answer my questions, and isn't trying to sell me something I can't afford, then I'm game. 

As for switching from one shop to the other, I have to get something there I'm not getting somewhere else. Here's a suggestion for all the shops out there: how 'bout opening your doors early in the morning for all us bike commuters? I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a flat or needed a new light when I'm getting ready to head out to work in the morning - only to find that none of the bike shops are open. You want to get my business for good, Bicycle Habitat? Do early a.m. hours.

But that's just me. Weigh in below, fellow bike riders. Imagine - commenting on a biking post that's not about the PPW bike lane. What a novel idea!