I recently purchased another bike from ATA in Concord, MA, and since I have extensive experience with the shop, I thought I'd take the time to write a thorough review. By way of background, I am a Cat 4 masters racer (road & CX) and I log about 4.5k - 5.5k miles a year. I bought my first bike from ATA in 2009 and have been a customer ever since. While I am admittedly biased, it is for good reason. I have visited nearly every bike shop in Massachusetts, as well as an assortment of other shops in New England, and can say unequivocally that ATA is in a class by itself. There are a lot of things that go into making a great bike shop and I'm going to focus on a few of the key traits that I think set ATA apart from the rest.
First, customization. ATA doesn't sell "boxed bikes." Each bike is built to the specifications of the customer. This means that you get exactly the bike you want, with exactly the components you want, at the price you are comfortable with, since you have final say over every component. In the long run, this saves cost because you won't have to swap out your saddle, stem or any other component that might come on a pre-configured bike, but which doesn't quite work for you.
Second, frame selection. Because they aren't forced to sell anyone's full line of bikes, ATA gets to pick what they feel are the best frames, and their array frames is amazing and dwarfs every other bike shop I have ever visited. Their lineup includes Time, Look, Wilier, Colnago, Museeuw, Storck, and Derosa, as well as some of the household names like Cervelo and Giant. The frame is the most important part of any bike and will directly influence your comfort and enjoyment more than any other part of the bike (though a good saddle is a close second). Their selection of wheels is just as impressive. You can certainly purchase your staples, such as Mavic and Reynolds, but they also carry more exotic brands like Corima and Gokiso.
Third, fit & expertise. Bike fitting is fast becoming a commodity and nearly every bike shop now offers fitting services. However, not all fit services or fitters are the same. Few, if any, have done as many fits as Husam, and it is unlikely that any have bike fit technology that can rival ATA's. ATA devotes considerable resources to ensuring that its technology is top of the line, and the proof is in the pudding because my bikes fit like a glove. In contrast, I was fit by a rival (but extremely well known and well regarded) shop a number of years ago and was told that the correct size bike for me was a 54cm. I'm 5'5". It is worth noting that ATA will only recommend frames that they believe will fit you properly.
Fourth, mechanics/build quality. The quality of a bike is often only as good as the person that built it up. ATA has a small team of mechanics and they have had the same mechanics for years. A stable workforce is one of the key signs of a good business and these guys are the best in the business. Sure, they can do the standard Ultegra build, but they also build up the cycling equivalent of Ferraris and Rolls Royces. When a guy takes a hacksaw to my seatmast, I want to know that it isn't his maiden voyage or that he only does one a month. ATA can handle the trickiest of builds - no problem. I have complete faith in their mechanics. Andy is awesome and has built several of my bikes. Additionally, not only have they done a terrific job building my bikes, but they have also been great in helping me out with quick adjustments, answering questions, etc.
Lastly, passion for cycling. ATA isn't a bike factory. They love bikes. Spend 5 minutes with Husam and you will quickly realize that it's more than just a business to him. That may be what I like best about ATA. I hope whoever reads this finds it helpful. read more
