New to cycling, and went in there just to take a look as it is close to my house. Came out with a couple of minor adjustments to my bike (which they did without charging me), and a great deal on a rack and pannier. This was no upsell. I've been using it for several days now, and it turns out to be exactly what I needed. So I really appreciated their insights in helping me figure out how to schlep my stuff on my bike. Balam (I really hope I've remembered the name right!), John, and Doug were knowledgeable, friendly, and just fun to hang out and talk to. It's also just a great shop with lots of fun inventory to check out and, while I don't really have any experience in this area, what seemed to me to be very reasonable prices. I am sure I'll be going back there quite a lot -- as long as Chicago drivers don't get me first! ;-) Seriously, though, a terrific shop. Highly recommended. read more

They sold me the wrong part. Fine. Reasonable, normal human error. When I call I'm told that "it was probably the spec sheet because lots of cut rate bikes have bad spec sheets." I became...upset. It's not a great bike, but I'd just spent days fixing it after someone stole all the parts off it--and he KNEW that! I then went to a different shop. They initially made the same mistake with the part (because it was a reasonable error) but then managed to fix it without somehow making it my fault for not having a 1200 dollar bianchi. Maybe they have a lot of bike knowledge maybe they don't-but what I'm sure of is this need to talk down to me because you misread a spec shit was pure ego-and I'm telling literally every human i see on a bike--don't go to boulevard bikes. I literally asked for an apology for their comments about my bike and they decided to double down and be smug. Then a simple refund process became a shouting match because their ridiculous egos got triggered. I hope they had fun read more

Was in a bind with flat kid tires and restless kids and the guys at Boulevard Bikes were so helpful in airing up the tires when the outside air pump couldn't fill them (they were beyond flat). Super friendly and also did a minor fix on one of the kids bikes on the spot! Highly recommend this local business! read more

Boulevard Bikes - Bike shop - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Didn't realize this bike shop was on the New Logan Square landscape. Glad it is. Having left my bike outside in the elements for a whole year during the pandemic, I took it in for a tune-up. The guy at the counter did a quick once-over and explained that they'd replace the chain because it was proper rusty. The tires and brakes were still in good shape, so nothing was needed for that. He didn't try to sell me on more than what was needed.. And when I returned to pick up my bike, he put a kickstand on in a matter of minutes after I bought it on the spot. While we're still in caution mode, only one customer or group who is with customer can be in the shop. No problem and I respect that. I also appreciate that the guy at the counter clearly has enough customer service talents that he doesn't rush patrons out just to keep the line moving. I hope this shop stays in New Logan Square for the long haul. I gather the merchandise is quality. The A+ service was the deal maker for me. read more

I come here with all my bike needs! Everyone is super knowledgeable and upfront about cost and timeline. Kevin is my go-to as he is very kind and efficient. read more

My brother and I planned to bike on the 606 last Sunday, but my brother was having trouble getting a Bicycle Child Carrier attached to his bike. We tried all of his tools and WD-40, but nothing was working. We found Boulevard Bikes on Yelp and decided to try them. I have not been to a bike shop since I was 10 years old, so I really didn't know what to expect. Adrian was there and greeted us, told him what we needed help with, and quoted us a very affordable price. Adrian and his team were done very quickly, and we had enough time for my brother, me, and my niece to enjoy a wonderful bike ride that same day! I would highly recommend this business again! They were very communicative and very friendly. read more

I've been relying on Boulevard Bikes for years and for good reason. On a ride into work this week, my Bianchi (purchased at the old location from Kevin about fifteen years ago) got a flat tire, so I dropped it off at the shop on my way home. John took a quick look and suggested a few replacement parts (chain, etc.), which was not surprising as it's been a while since the last tune-up. Twenty-four hours later, I was riding home with what looked and felt like a brand new bicycle. Keep up the great work, John and Kevin! read more

Definetely not the greatest bike shop in Chicago - their estimate was not even close to what I had to pay to tune up my bike, but what are you going to do? Also, the breaks they "upgraded" my bike with were not the ones I had originally selected...they were red and my bike is white and blue so it just looks wonky. Not to mention I had to take them back twice because they were squeaky. The lady working their just said they weren't tightened correctly. Uhh well what if they didn't work? Idk, I think there are a lot better bike shops you can go to in the city. I will not be going back for a tune up, but in a pinch might pick up an accessory or something. read more

I can't say enough about Boulevard Bikes! I left my bike in Chicago when I moved to Florida during the pandemic. I emailed to find out if they could ship my bike to me and Kevin was SUPER helpful. He helped me figure out how much it would cost and how to ship it and really went above and beyond to answer my questions. The price was super reasonable and he even aired up my tires for me before he packed it. I should also mention when I lived in Chicago I came here for tune ups, etc, and always had a great experience. Definitely check them out. I'll miss this place! read more

These guys helped me out in a big way today. Great service, very friendly, super helpful. My bike needs a tune up, but the wait for service is a few weeks out. I'm leaving Chicago before that, so they do me a favor and get it into riding condition while I wait. I thought I needed two new tires, but they're honest and show me why I only need one. That's awesome. A few new parts, a little bit of labor, some free advice, and I'm good to take a victory lap around Chicago. My bike even smells new. It's great. I love it. Later on I realize I don't have a bike rack for my car so I call up, they reserve one for me, I buy it. Easy peasy. Super friendly. They even offered to help me install it on my car down the road if I'm having a trouble with the thing. Really lovely experience here today. Thanks for the help, Boulevard! read more

Definitely call ahead if you're interested in something in particular. They don't have everything they claim to on their website. Went in to get a used bicycle. There were 10 -20 on their website. I took a trip there to find that they not only have nothing that can be found on their website, they don't have any used bikes at all. read more

I'll keep it simple... they could have screwed me over and they didn't. They're now my bike shop. While out running errands I started hearing the kind of metal on metal grinding that makes a rider who loves their bike feel actual physical pain. I was in agony. Boulevard Bikes was the nearest bike shop that I was certain of location. I'd never been before and frankly, but for the breakdown, I likely would've never entered the shop. I guess I assumed they catered to the high end fixie crowd or the scenesters next door at Lula conspicuously reading d-bag magazines like Wallpaper or played out beat literature all while trying hard not to be caught checking out who might be checking them out. As an old, thick necked, carnivore on a whitewall tired beach cruiser I thought I'd get that exasperated expression the uber-cool give to the uncool the moment I walked in. I was very, very wrong. They couldn't have been any nicer to me. They looked at my bike right away, identified the problem and told me they'd have it done in about an hour. I was shocked. I figured I'd be walking home and coming back later in the week. And not only was the problem fixed perfectly and in well under the time estimated, they actually charged me less than they originally quoted. I was dumbfounded. An honest business has my patronage for life. They're now my bike shop. read more

Boulevard Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came in with my crappy old mountain bike that hasn't been ridden in two years with the gears locked up. One of the guys grabbed it and started looking at it immediately. Was chatting with him and he quickly lubed up and fixed the issues with the gears as well as fixing an issue with the front break unprompted. When it was all said and done I asked how much I owed him and he said it was free, and when I fall in love with riding it again bring it back for some upgrades. Such fantastic customer service! Will def be coming back here in the future. read more

Fantastic service, very reasonable price . Highly recommend! I went there to get my bike serviced, the owner was very accommodating and honest about what my bike needed to get done. It only took couple of hours for the service read more

I went to Boulevard Bikes because I was having issues with my rear wheel. I was told by the mechanic that there was no issue, and that it was solely because I hadn't tightened the rear bolts correctly. I told the mechanic I wanted a new rear wheel, and instead of selling this to me, he told me that the rear wheel was fine and my FRONT wheel needed replaced (they had both wheels in stock). After a $40 labor charge on top of the price of the front wheel, I was sent off with my bike. I got a blowout in my rear wheel 5 minutes into my ride. Since then, I've gotten FOUR BLOWOUTS in 2 weeks. 2 stars because at least they got me out in 35 minutes, but obviously brushed off my (very valid) concerns about my rear rim. If you want your bike handled right the first time, go somewhere else. read more

Amazing business and people! Took my bike here today; i had some issues with my brake and was quickly informed about the history of the bike, issues, cost, and turnaround time. Bike was repaired in less than 3 hours; very friendly, affordable, just excellent place! Will be back for any of my bike needs going forward! Thank you! read more

Thank you Boulevard Bikes! I just took my "from the '90s pink and purple" bicycle into their shop to have the wheels trued up. My bike was in pretty "meh" condition; just pulled from storage (been there for YEARS) and I was just looking to get it ride-able. They took my bike in without scoffs as to its age or uncoolness. Again, I just wanted the very basics for my bike; nothing spectacular. They trued up my wheels, but also made sure my brakes were working and that my chain was oiled. They treated me well and worked on my bike right away even though I was a walk-in. Thanks for working on my bike! read more

Pretentiousness and poor customer services... This is what we expect from our bicycle shops, and this... Is pretty much what we get. Was I greeted quickly, while three employees stood around working on bikes and talking to each other? No... Of course not. But that being said, it's not something I'd honestly expect from a bike shop. That being said, they WERE working, and most likely because of that, people are going to get their bikes back on time as quoted. Once I was acknowledged, the gentleman behind the counter was friendly, efficient and courteous. And when something caught my eye, he waited for me to finish looking before verifying I didn't need anything else, accepting my credit card and sending me on my way. When I had I called first to verify their hours, both call and question were answered quickly and pleasantly. When I showed up, my purchase was made swiftly. There was no attitude, no pretension and compared to other bike shops, the price exactly what I expected... Perhaps even a bit less. I'd definitely recommend this place to friends. read more

Boulevard Bikes - Boulevard Bikes - Storefront - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bought a Bianchi bike here. Emailed Kevin way past hours. Got an email back in 10 min. Emailed him again - response in 5 min. I don't know the names of the dedicated staff but everyone is great. They're real people - not just "bike shop" workers. Knowledgeable and engaged. But more importantly in these times these guys are working to keep food on their plate, taking great care to protect customers and their community. If you've benefited from this shop think of ways to show your support while we navigate COVID-19 and the people that come into physical contact with us and others on a daily business. Thank you. read more

Don't waste your time here. Take Milwaukee towards downtown and go to the Bike Lane. I needed a tire replaced, they charged $17+ I asked if I could get the job down for a dollar less, because I only had 16 in my bank account. The guy said no, and wasn't even able to get the job done the same day. I said thanks buddy! Went to the bike lane - got it done for $10 - and the guys weren't bike snobs. The sad part is that I've been here before to get a new handlebar and grips. Figured they would remember be and be nice, guess not. I was greeted with smiles at the bike lane. If you're not nice to your customers, why should they support your business? read more

I got a flat front tire repaired and it cost about $16. The tubing was damaged I think? The job was done in about an hour even though they seemed pretty busy. The staff was friendly. I don't know anything about bikes but it was a positive experience. read more

I know nothing about bikes! I came in to get my pedal fixed. It was done in 15 minutes. I didn't catch the girls name but she was awesome! Thank you! read more

I don't know what the fuck is wrong with this shop. If you hate hipsters or hipster douchebags, this is not the shop for you. The shop's staff seems much more interested in drinking PBR and hooking up with girls than actually running a bike shop. If you don't ride some souped up fixed gear bike with bright and shiny Velocity Deep Vs, expect serious attitude from these "mechanics" who seem to install very loose brakes if they're sneering sarcasm at you for small talk or questions (not that they answer them correctly anyway). My past few experiences with the shop were absolutely depressing to come out of any small bike shop. The experiences my friends have been having lately is just fundamentally frightening from price discrepancies based on gender/looks to telling someone over their phone that they shouldn't try looking at their bike if they don't what they doing (in reference to a measurement). I'd rather give up biking than shop here again. read more

I've gotta give Boulevard two stars because I just don't understand their whole thing. I buy enough bike tools, accessories, gear, that's it's not that hard to take my money. So my question is, "Why you guys gotta be such dicks about it?" Here's what I mean: A real conversation-- Me: "Hey, do you know when those roller sprint races are?" Super Cool Shop Guy: "Yeah, they were last night. Someone who wasn't you won." Thanks, guy! I've never met you, so probably good to be a total knob to me for no reason. Another conversation-- Me: "This seatpost bolt stripped out, so I'm hoping to get a replacement." #1 Expert Bike Genie: "Yeah, that's what happens when you're not careful." Awesome. Thank you for the lecture, dad. I realize it's not like anyone outright trash talked me, but this is Chicago. People have options! You have OK inventory, decent mechanics, and weird-butt hours. There are 1 billion bike shops in this city, so how can you afford to just be rude and unhelpful? If you need a tube or a tune-up, I'm sure these guys are more than competent, but if you want to be treated like NOT a dick, you might wanna keep pedaling. read more

I came here because it's in the neighborhood and I was afraid a shop that I was interested in getting services from would not have what I needed because they just opened. Okay, so if you read my review that I wrote from the Bike Lane, I talk about exactly the type of customer service problem I ran into here at Boulevard (and how I avoided it there). DO NOT CONDESCEND TO ME. If you like bikes so much that you have made it into a career or a business, then you should want to promote that same sort of love to your customers who have already invested in a bicycle themselves. If you casually name a part or procedure to me, and I meet you with a blank look, just explain it to me. And be honest and reasonable. When I mention that financial aspects of the service are of concern to me, don't quote me at $150 for the repair and parts, and then charge me $173. Just because I ride a single speed doesn't leave room for assumptions; I took my gears off because I am too poor for constant maintenance and never use gears. But, it doesn't mean I'm a trust fund hipster kid. I am an unemployed person who only has a bike. Uugggggh. I won't be returning. The Bike Lane has my business from now on. Even if I have to wait. Those guys even gave me a free chain. And explained EVERYTHING to me, without making me feel stupid or unworthy or some such. Stars for speed and having what I needed. Missing stars for customer service, misquoting me, and for the sour mood I am still in. read more

Hm. It seems the first time I went there was the exception to the rule. I've been back, out of necessity a few times since and it's usually an infuriating experience. After I crashed my late 70s Peugot I brought it there just to ask some questions about the extent of the damage and the 2 dudes that were working were so rude and disinterested I wanted to slap their faces a few times and tell them I was going to call their mothers to tell to inform each of the asshat her son had become since being weaned. Fuck! They barely looked at it, then one said, "Oh. It's French. Next time get a Specialized." Imaging him saying this in hipster bike pretension so thick I could knit a fucking sweater with it. I will knit that sweater, and then strangle him and his pally with its sleeves!!! So that kind of behavior happened 2 or 3 times. Then, last Saturday afternoon, around 3 PM, I trekked over to Armitage Bikes and it was closed (LAMELAMELAME) so I had to make my way to the despised bike fucks at Blvd. to buy a tube. I stood checking out some parts and prices expecting to be ignored when someone asked if he could help me. Very surprising. I told him what I needed and he grabbed it while I continued to squish the various handlebar foams they had on display. When I went to buy my tube, patch kit, and reflective tape the price tag was better than I expected, and so far the dude helping me hadn't offended. Better than usual, I thought. The guy then said a succession of sentences so quickly, and in guy-grunt, that I had to say "what?" to him three times before I said, "Listen, I haven't had much human interaction today. You need to slow down because I don't know what you're saying." The guy fixing a bike on a stand behind the counter said, "He's had a long day, he's been working hard." Whatevs. It was alright I s'pose. And neither person working had a fucking crustache or skinny jeans with maxed out pockets; so that was refreshing. read more

Closed for the day because they felt like it. Sign says "we're out riding our bikes, sorry." Hey, I'm all for a good bike ride, but it would have been nice to know before I dragged my busted bike a half mile to your shop. read more

I try to support my local bike shops instead of the chains, but Boulevard Bikes is off my list. A conversation of "Once I get the part from you, I'll probably just install it myself or have a friend do it" was met with a major 'tude, and the suggestion of going elsewhere! Another time, when just browsing the store and speaking aloud about the nice selection of tires, handlebars and whatnot, the owner kept butting in and pointing out the proper/official names for things in a rude and insulting way, like I was a total idiot. Personally, I just want to have a working bicycle, not a lesson and certainly not a bunch of holier-than-thou condescension. read more

Hipsters and douchebags and snobs, oh my! I went here a few years ago when I used to live across the street, one week in advance of Bike the Drive. I needed just a basic tune-up, and would've been happy to pick up my bike at a later date, even the day before Bike the Drive. The staff was very clear that I should not have waited until the week before Bike the Drive to request a tune-up, "we are very busy and important." A customer service pet peeve of mine (per last reviews) is "you should be thanking US for doing business with YOU," as opposed to "thank you for doing business with us!" Boulevard Bikes caters to a specific customer, if you don't fit the mold, they're not interested. read more

Yeah, no thanks. Aside from having the worst costumer service I have ever received from a bike shop (i.e. they are super slow moving; EVERY TIME i come there i wait forever for them to acknowledge me, or at the very least charge me out; they always seem annoyed by my questions), their maintenance prices are ridiculous. I went in for a quote early in the spring and a very basic tune up with some piece replacements was over $70. I decided to check out Smart Bikes Inc. to get another quote and they offered to tune up for $45 and actually fixed MORE parts than what BLVD bikes fixed. Clearly their location gives them a competitive edge, and they are only interested in affluent clientèle who don't mind paying more for less. The better alternative: http://www.yelp.com/biz/smart-bike-parts-inc-chicago#hrid:M0XmATkS4hRTnhLfXEx64Q/src:self read more

I left my bike with Boulevard for a tune up. I made an appointment, and was told to lock the bike outside and put the key in the mailslot. I did so; at the end of the day, they had not touched it. Nobody had looked for the key. Nobody had even called me to confirm or check in about the appointment until after I picked the key up off the floor that afternoon and walked away. The person at the counter just shrugged and said, "Sorry, I was busy" and offered to take the bike some other time. A careless error is one thing, but the shop was incredibly cavalier. My bike was essentially unsecured for the whole day - anyone who'd walked in could have picked up the key and left with my bike. I would not trust my bicycle, or business, with anyone so careless as this shop is, or who clearly cares so little about retaining customers. There are people at the shop with their hearts in the right place, but I am not going to pay for their hearts if my bike isn't cared for. read more

Boulevard always does the best job. They know bikes, and it shows. Worth every penny.

Wow! I recently popped in to this shop with my wife and son. I just wanted to ask what I thought was a fairly simple question about some hardware for my child trailer. They obviously didn't "approve" of the brand. I almost immediately got the stink eye from the owner. He then went on a pretentious rant about my trailer (which I explained was given to me free). This was followed by more unbelievable pretension. This coming from a guy that looks homeless. My wife was horrified at the immaturity and I was embarrassed for the guy for being such an obvious elitist fuck. Very sad. We love the neighborhood, but this sort of childish crap is like a giant scab on the street. Seriously, what's the point? I bike a lot and consider myself an overall supporter of cycling in Chicago and everywhere else. This city has come a long way in terms of bike friendliness. Treating people in this manner does nothing to help the cycling movement. It only alienates decent people. Sad indeed. If you need a bike or a repair, do yourself a favor and go ANYWHERE else. Don't spend your money in this shop. read more

Pretentious, totally uninterested in customers, and generally a total pain in the bottom. Go elsewhere. (Oh, and someone should tell the staff that there's nothing inherently wrong with a person who wants to pay under $500 for a bicycle. You might disagree with the individual's bike selection, yes, but it really has nothing to do with their character or worth. Ew.) read more

I bought a second bike a few months ago because I was mad about my job and the only thing I could think of to do was to make an expensive impulse buy. Because I'm an adult, see? Anyway, this new bike, while perfectly fine AS IS, is going to be a little project of mine that I will fix up and sell to some short bike girl in Humboldt Park or something. (Short bike girls in Humboldt Park, holla!) So in the meantime, I'm pricing out all the parts I want to buy and the work I'll need done. The other week, a friend of mine and I went to brunch at Lula Cafe because Lula Cafe and I stuck my head into Boulevard to ask about pedals. The following is an actual conversation I had with one of the guys at Boulevard Bikes: ***Stacey: So right now the bike has the original pedals, which are FINE except I'm looking for new pedals that will not cut the fuck out of my leg. ***Bike Shop Guy: This pair will probably not cut the fuck out of your leg. ***Stacey: Excellent. It would suck if they did. ***Bike Guy: Yeah. And then you'd have no more fuck in your leg. -Scene- This may be the least dickheaded bike shop in all of Chicago. They're awesome, unpretentious, and totally helpful. read more

So here is the deal - these guys (that's right, only guys from what I could tell) clearly know and love bikes. But as for their riders, I am not so sure... My experience here started out great. I am a daily commuter and as this was my very first new bike, I had done the research and came in with a pretty clear idea of what I wanted. The guy who first helped me was super patient - adjusting the bike seats very carefully for each test ride. This process ending up being complicated because I was in between bike sizes. This man and another (who I think is the owner) came up with a brilliant solution that involved trading out one of the parts for a better fit. So clearly they are willing to spend hours solving interesting bike problems, and I am really happy that I didn't just buy the bike on the internet. On the customer service end, however, they were a bit gruff throughout, and after being told that the bike would be ready on Tuesday, they were rude when I called to find out when. The owner's comment as I came in was was "oh didn't you call like five times today?" Twice, actually, after you said you would call me back and didn't and thanks for trying to make me feel stupid. I agree with some of the other reviews - they are kind of condescending - so good for getting a cool bike, but for service I am going to stick with the amazing (and really friendly) team at Uptown Bikes. read more

I bought a 1985 Nishiki Sport Roadbike here. I paid what I considered was fair and came back regularly for tubes, accessories and whatnot. I loved the all original bike and it treated me well. I took it apart and repainted it, I bent the derailer hanger, they replaced it. Everything was good. Boulevard Bikes was 5 star for me up to here. The original Araya Alloy wheels were nearing the end of their life and one taco'ed. I had the set replaced by Boulevard with high-spoke count double walled alloy rims, Should of lasted another 20 years right? Wrong. They fell out of true within a month or two and when I returned to have them trued, I was told that the wheels could not be trued, they were that bad. So I went to Oscar Wastyn and asked them to do it. Next day I picked up my trued wheels, and rode them for another two years without any further maintenance needed. I was really peeved by the wheel situation and have never returned. read more

My neighbor goes here, so I decided to try it out but I had a horrible experience. My neighbor let me borrow her bike and I got a flat biking around the eagle. So I decided to go there. The guy at the shop thought I stole the bike and even after I told him that I borrowed the bike from my neighbor (they were friends and he recognized it). He looked at me suspiciously while I was there. There have been few times that I have felt looked down upon and this is the one place I will never forget about. They were obnoxious and they flippantly answered my questions. I decided to go back figuring that it was a misunderstanding and that they were caring enough to look after my neighbor's bike. Yes, the experience was different because I didn't ask them questions and I bet they saw my neighbor on her bike again. However, the two times that I have gone back for emergency tubes I felt very unwelcome to say the least. My mom and a friend that lives here in Logan Square have had the same experience. I really don't know what the deal is, but I am not going back there, especially now that I have found Smart Bike Parts and they have better deals on tubes. read more

Read the reviews about this place and was very hesitant since it seems that predominantly it is guys that seem to have the hard time. Well, I am here to tell you that this guy had a fantastic experience.Brought my bike in and showed them what I wanted versus saying it as I am not up on Bike terms and they made my Bike into a dream. That being said,, they could improve their customer service skills but alas I don't really care about all that when I am dealing with trained technicians who can do the job they did. To sum it up, if you want to be babied thru the repair process this is not the place for you...If you want quality work at quality prices then I would say give em a try. read more

I had service done to the disc brakes of my electric bicycle in July of 2020. Doug and Kevin couldn't have been nicer. My electric bicycle was rejected for repair from no less than 8 other bicycle shops and Doug & Kevin had the heart to look at my bike, make the necessary adjustments and take the time to explain everything to me. The service was more reasonable than anyone out there and they took me immediately. I certainly do not expect them to do this again in the future but I want them both to know that I am thankful for their help. I will happily bring my e-bike back to their shop for servicing. Thank you both. read more