Went to rent bikes here and the service was awful, especially from the older woman who I believe is the owner.\ She suddenly yelled at my child and me for no reason, telling us not to ride on the sidewalk--even though we were still at their rental station and hadn't even taken off yet. I was literally standing still, explaining to my child how to pedal on the back seat, and she shouted as if we had already done something wrong. It was completely uncalled for, and the tone she used was harsh and rude. Considering it was my child's birthday, the experience was even more upsetting. I looked at her and ignored her because the last thing i wanted was to go off on her on my child's birthday. That was the first and last time I will ever do business with them. read more

We checked out a few other shops before coming in, while we didn't encounter the friendliest salesperson, it did have the best price and a large selection of regular bicycles. We rented a tandem to try it out since we were avid cyclists back home. The tandem had zero power when going uphills, but otherwise it was a fun experience. read more

Brown's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

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The gentleman at the window couldn't have been more helpful! We had a party of four and we were considering several bike options. He let us know what kind of bikes we needed for the activities we had in mind and he even let us know which other rental place could serve it needs better! His help was very much appreciated and helped us create a fun and memorable day! read more

The staff member that helped me rent a bike was very friendly & helpful in explaining what parts of the island I coolant ride the bike. He provided me with a map illustrating areas that were restricted from bike usage. read more

Brown's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

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Great experience as always!! Second time renting the two person bicycle here at this friendly bike rental store.

The e-bike kept shutting down (I was following all guidelines), like just completely stopped working at least 20 times the entire ride. I explained it to the lady when we got back and she said "Thanks for letting us know". No compensation, no apology. Just trash bikes and even trashier service. Not worth it, won't be back. read more

Disrespectful & rude woman. There were 2 ladies today, a senior and a middle aged (45-46 ) woman. The middle aged woman needs some basic etiquette classes on how to be polite towards customers. We asked for electric rental bikes and she could have replied politely that they were unavailable. Instead, she yelled rudely & gave us abrupt one word answers while giving us the stink eye. She was a greying brunette with hazel eyes. We should have known not to go when we were not even greeted and instead welcomed with a sour look. BTW the senior lady( in her late 80s) is just a more horrible version of the middle aged woman. In the previous years we had to deal with the rude old lady now we have to deal with the middle aged one for renting bikes!! read more

Brown's Bikes - Will not suggest this rental shop. - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

We were skeptical of this place but they had an online deal for $70 all day e-bikes and we went for it and were not disappointed. The bikes were newer, looked good, and the battery easily lasted all day, long for us to get into every nook and cranny of Avalon. Highly recommend. read more

Michael made our experience at Browns Bikes PHENOMENAL. This guys made us laugh and welcomed us to the island. He helped us feel safe with our selections and at first I thought the price was high, but his customer service made it well worth it all. Thanks Michael for hooking us up with a great experience. read more

Brown's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

We needed to rent a wheelchair for my mother while visiting Catalina Island for an overnight stay this week ... I was recommended by a Catalina Local we met on the ferry to stop at Browns Bikes. She assured me they would take care of us. The service was phenomenal. Lizette thank you for being awesome! She was quick to explain our options and even offered to help us back to the ferry the next day (as it's about 0.15 mi walk from ferry loading dock to Brown Bikes) You can rent a wheelchair for $20/24hrs. It was clean and perfect! My mom is fragile.. she can walk but in short distances. She's stubborn as can be and didn't want to bring a wheelchair, but there is A LOT of walking along the cove and we couldn't have site seen as much as we did without the wheels for my mom. Thank you Brown Bikes for taking care of my family. I would highly recommend this business for any and all rental needs they offer. read more

Friendly service and clear directions on bike rental. Would go again for bike rentals on Catalina :)

Rented last minute beach cruisers. They well somewhat well maintained. The staff wasn't friendly at all. It's $14/hour. They weren't any electric bikes available but it was later in the day. read more

A great local shop that's only a 2 minute walk from the ferry station, Michael and PJ were helpful and answered me and my fiancés questions accurately, the map was super helpful as the island's streets are charming but confusing. We rented the electric bikes for the day and we had loads of fun! Definitely check it out if you feel like taking in the island views while getting in a decent workout! read more

Biking Avalon was fun but my bike wasn't working well. I finally switched with my partner to see if it was me or the bike. It was the bike and it was also time to return them. I felt I was owed some sort of discount on my rental fee for riding a defective bike but they did not offer a discount and I was disappointed in that. read more

Rented two mountain bikes for a day. The bikes are not maintained well. My rear brake didn't work at all and my front brake screeched loudly. The gears were out of adjustment and it shifted terribly. Customer service varied depending on who was behind the counter. One employee was very grumpy, the other was nice. This seems to be the only place on the island that rents regular (non electric) bikes. On one hand I would say stay away from this place, but having a bike is better than not having a bike so take that into consideration. With no competition I guess they have little incentive to improve. This place would not do well if it was located anywhere else. Your best bet by far is to bring your own bike on the ferry if you can. read more

**We did NOT rent a bike from here** We stopped by Brown's bikes to ask if we could borrow a wrench as the front tire to my boyfriend's bicycle was loose. We got nothing more than a flat no, despite the fact that we made it clear we wanted to use the tool in their shop, not take it away and give it back. Luckily a kind local took us to the smoothie store in Golf Gardens and they let us borrow the tool we needed. read more

Bf and I rode the cruiser for an hour and you can basically go through all the chill and flat road areas all in 20 minutes. Cant really do much when you want to explore more with the cruisers, but they were definitely enjoyable! They kind of felt dirty or seemed like it wasn't properly sanitized, even during this pandemic, so make sure to also wash your hands after use~ read more

Brown's Bikes - Nov 2020 menu - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

The man helping us was friendly and told us everything we needed to know. The bikes worked great. Know that the hills here are no joke and the map they give you is very helpful. I would recommend the electric bikes if planning to go long distances to make it more enjoyable. We rented mountain bikes and had a good time, just beware the hills here are very steep and hard to bike. Price seems good compared to others on the island. read more

ZERO STAR!!! Never use their services!!! if you don't want to spoil your vacation! You will be fooled with their fake supposedly electric bikes. The owner is completely tactless woman, behaving tactlessly and rudely. By the way, his closest competitors have all the bikes sold out, and she has a full garage and no one needs them, I think you understand why. "Great Coustomer service" read more

Brown's Bikes - Proof - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

Check the map, the area in Catalina you can ride cruiser 6 speeds bike is so limited. I would say 1 hr is pretty enough. Whole day is kind waste of money. If you are more adventurous as me...go with the mountain bike. We went with the 21 speed mountain bike (all day $25) She suggested us taking the route from Lovers Cove to the Edison power plant (this part is flat and level) and up to Mt Ada and down back to the fire station. This route is under "Advanced Rider" , very steep hill, Mountain bike only, no cruiser. It's not as scary as it looks from the bottom, doable. However, riding cheap mountain bike (Trek Navigator 3.0 and Gary Fisher )were really a challenge. These two are so heavy. Gears were not super smooth but alright. Seat was comfortable but somehow I felt the seat post just kept lowering after adjusting. I think their cruisers are in better and newer condition. So many golf carts drive passed us...some even cheering for me saying: you can do it!!! The view from Mt Ada looking down casino Catalina was amazing. And all the downhill from there was easy. I think if you only have limited time, doing this route first. We took a break just cruise to the Casino Catalina and Descanso Beach then started again riding to Wrigley memorial and Botanic garden. This one is less steep but it was hot and I was already tired. We rented the bike from 11am and returned it at 4pm. Not enough time to try out the west side of the map. They told us no need to lock the bike, if bike got stolen just call them and they will deliver another one. Catalina is pretty safe for bike riding too. P.s you will need one out of 3 item for deposit: return ticket, credit card or ID. read more

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Went with family to rent bikes from here. My brother and I were so excited and hopped on some bikes before renting them. We didn't know at the time that you can't do that, the lady working there got angry at us, like went full Karen at us. It was honestly scary and I thought she was going to hit me. We said sorry to her and told her we wanted to rent bikes and that we were not stealing. She just wasn't having it. I'm 17 and only had a school ID with me and she said that wasn't enough. She literally shooed me and the rest of my family away cause she was having a "bad day". She then mumbled "stupid LA tourists" as we were leaving, like bestie this island is LA. read more

After reading many of the reviews on here (only after renting!) I feel comforted knowing I'm not the only one with a not-so-great experience. The person at the counter, a heavyset younger guy lacked any customer service skills. The girl beside him, didn't offer to assist or help at all either. She was just on looking down on her phone. My group and I were weighing our options on what we should do (tandem bikes, solo bikes, or gold carts) and we would ask questions to the guy and he spoke as if he were in a freaking library, no one could really hear him. Blank stares, rehearsed lines. The guy at the counter just felt empty and bored to be there. We felt like we were being an inconvenience to him when we, as tourists, just needed a little bit of information and recommendations. They hold on to your (or one person from your group) ID as collateral for the bicycles. To rent a 7-gear bike it's $10/hr, or $25/day, so we opted for the whole day. The bikes are decent, with wired baskets to hold your belongings. That's pretty much it. After reading another review, I guess there's a cheaper and nicer bike rental place within the area.. if I ever come back, I would likely look for them first. read more

Fantastic experience! I was really pleased that they pro-rated the cost of the rental when we returned our bikes. We were expecting to pay for the entire second hour, having exceeded our minimum 1-hour rental, but we were only charged for actual time. We rented two bike cruisers (at $8/hour each) and they worked great, including climbing up slightly steep roads on first gear past the botanical gardens. The staff member gave us a very colorful map showing the recommended bike paths as well as areas that were more challenging and areas to avoid all together. I'm 5'2" and I'm glad they had a cruiser short enough for me with a minimum of tiptoeing required. We showed up without prior calls or reservations and they had plenty around 11am during Monday of Memorial Day weekend. They give out free helmets, but we opted to go without. If you lose your bike, they claim you just go back to the office and get a new one and they deduct the time spent on this. And you don't get charged for someone stealing your bike. I guess because they could catch the thief pretty easily, 'cuz who steals a bike off an island? read more

I have rented regular bikes and now electric bikes and PLEASE rent the electric bikes, you really can't get around the island without them. Catalina has a lot of hills and it was so wonderful being able to really see the island without getting too tired! As well, the staff when i come here is always friendly! read more

Brown's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

Was helpful and friendly in teaching us how to ride electric bikes. Rented for 1 hour just to try. I'm impressed!!! read more

Brown's Bikes - My electric bike rental was a blast!!! - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

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We rented 4 e-bikes from Brown's Bikes. We had to return back to the location SEVERAL times to exchange bikes because they kept having issues. I've rented many electric bikes in the past (and own my own), and I don't understand why their bikes had so many issues. Also, the staff had a pretty bad attitude from the beginning. They acted as if the issue was with my group, and not their bikes. When someone in my group had a problem, I would try it out myself, just to check. The issue was the bike every single time. Avoid this place for your e-bike needs. You'll waste a lot of time. read more

I'm not sure why people are giving this location bad reviews, I think they provide great customer service and we had a great experience. We rented E-Bikes and when one of the bikes was low on charge they swapped it out right away. PJ and Michael were great. Thanks guys. read more

What better way to explore the cute island of Catalina than with the wind blowing through your hair and getting in a leg workout at the same time? We were debating between driving golf carts or riding bikes but chose to go with the latter because we didn't want to look lazy. Yelped around to see what's good and despite some negative reviews, decided Brown's Bikes was the way to go for it's convenient location and low prices. $8/hour or $20/all day for beach cruisers. We rented it for 1 hour and it was more than enough to ride along the beach toward Lovers Cove and back the opposite way towards the dome. Beware: - Bikes weren't in the best condition. My seat was not sturdy and kept shifting every time I made the slightest move. So give it a test ride before making any commitments. - Don't expect the service to be superb. The person that helped us lacked enthusiasm and told us the bare minimum information needed. So if you have questions, ask. They won't go out of the way to make you feel comfortable. Overall 3.5 stars but I rounded up because it wasn't a bad experience. Cheap way to get around town and see the sights. read more

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Renting an electric bike was our best decision on the island. Well, second best: my best decision was to take a photo of me sodomizing a bronze buffalo, just so I could have the caption "Buffuckalo". But, yes we had fun. We originally toured the island with a golf cart, but that was not as fun. Here's why the electric bike was better: 1. No yellowing windshield glare, so visibility is much better. I feel like an Islamic woman driving a tent in the golf cart. 2. The bikes handled better, seemed faster, were easier to operate, and had less braking distance. 3. There's no stress of people behind you wanting to pass. 4. You feel the wind in your face. In a partially enclosed golf cart, you will only feel broken wind in your face. 5. You can easily stop ANYWHERE to look at the view or to explore (as we did when we came across a pet cemetery) without worrying about parking. 6. $15 an hour is cheaper than $40 an hour. I didn't intend this to become a word problem, but you can get A WHOLE DAY of bike for about the same price as 1 HOUR on a voting booth on wheels. It was so RAD that next time I might pay the $45 for all day, but I advise everyone to at least do this for an hour. We stopped for drinks and a taco at the Sand Trap, explored a pet cemetery, rode to the botanical gardens (we saw a deer and her baby drinking from a sprinkler at the ballfield), and rode easily to the highest point on the south side all within one hour, which was one of our funnest hours ever. You can do that, too, although I can't promise the deer will be there: you may have to make arrangement yourself. Write them a letter. "Dear deer,..." read more

We got two front suspension mountain bikes....they didnt have any full suspension bikes,. or we'd have got those. the bikes were okay....probably about $400 each... they also offered complimentary helmets , which is a plus!! they also provided helpful and easy-to-read maps. I'd rent here again...i just dont think it was anything too special. read more

Brown's Bikes - take the road all the way up and then cruise down with this amazibg view!! - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California

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I wish it could give a lower score. The fat little troll behind the counter had the nerve to tell me that I'm too big for the e bikes. I've rides e-lux and pedogos with zero issues. Also he claimed the bikes only handle 230 when the website says 250. Went next door got a golf cart. Jabbah the island hut wasn't trying to do rent more bikes since there was a line and he already was trying to leave. The fact that this place has any good reviews is miraculous and suspicious since the idiot next to me was giving the guy renting 4 bikes trouble the entire time. I would never rent anything from this place unless you like Quasimodo insulting you in front of everyone. Update: purchased my own e bike and I've been riding it now for months. Never once has it shutdown or exploded on me like Ursula the sea witch suggested. I plan on riding it by the shop while hurling insults at the shop and that clown. read more

$15/hour for e-bikes, $45 for the day. Pretty easy to use but definitely not for kids. Helmets are required b/c CA state considers e-bikes motor vehicles. There are two modes - one is full electric power (no pedaling necessary), and the other is pedaler-assist (required to use when going up hills so the bike doesn't burn out). The pedaler-assist seemed to go faster than full electric. The bike shoots forward which can be a bit alarming at first. If you aren't acquainted with bike gears, make sure to ask because there's some motherfriggin' steep hills that will burn your thighs! I learned the hard way. Everyone else was pedaling uphill easily, and I was getting the workout of my life! Brown's is one of the first stores on the left when you get off the ferry (across from the basketball court). E-bikes are an inexpensive way to check out the lay of the land and have a little fun. read more

Get ripped off paid for 2 hours and only rode for 1 and when I went to return it they could not prorate me for the difference

All the low reviews are CORRECT. Horrible customer service. Check out rentals two shops down. They're nicer and cheaper. Misa, the owner, who was also unavailable at the time, hires these young kids that have no manners and cannot solve simple problems. There were a lot of blank stares after simple questions were asked. Either blank stares, or repeated a rehearsal of responses. They were all the same responses. The bike handbrakes were obviously misplaced, which a simple wrench would be sufficient, however, instead of explaining why they were unable to move the handle brakes at the moment (which a simple wrench would do the trick) the representatives pinned the problem on us. The representatives are rude. Frankie, the heavy set boy, chuckled as we explained the brakes were in a position that made our wrists hurt upon braking. He turned to the other two slim boys to gesturing movements to mimic us. This review is for a summer, and it enrages me to remember this experience. I hope you make a smart move and do not go to this place. The only helpful person who was there at the moment was Hunter, who was polite. read more

Brown's Bikes is located right smack next door to Snorkeling Catalina-which makes it very convenient to hit the 2 places up & get what you need for a day of complete fun and hijinks. They have a good variety of bikes and very reasonable prices. It's true they throw in complementary helmets. They also sell and service bikes, as well. I rented a 21 Speed Mountain Bike with shocks-$20 for the entire day-it was a godsend getting around on it-even up the Avalon Canyon Road hill to Wrigley's Botanical Gardens! You can also get tandem bikes for $30 per day and strollers or wheelchairs for $10 per day .The popular beach cruiser is only $12-$15 all day-.( 1-speed to 6-speed) Just have to remember to use the maps they give you because some pedestrian areas are off limits to bikes and the road that runs past Lover's Cove-Pebbly Beach Road-is closed to bikes and walker/runners due to potential rock slides .Brown's Bikes is really the GOLD standard for bikes in Catalina-which is the perfect island for bike-riding. Go green and get lean at Brown's. read more

We rented bikes here and got the 6 speed beach cruiser for $6 an hour. The bikes were nice and the seat very comfortable. They were perfect for climbing the hill to the Botanical Gardens, although I would not take them up any hills steeper than that. I left my Driver's license as a deposit. They told us not to worry about locking up the bike if we went in somewhere and that if the bike is gone, to just call them. It is an island I guess, there is no where to go with a stolen bike. They gave us a 15 minute grace period on our one hour rental and there was no hassle involved. read more

Easy to rent the bike online. Great price for a mountain bike for the day. Went there and had my bike as well as helmet in about 10 minutes. Good mountain bike for a rental. Easy and quick as well to turn the bike back in. I had no issues with any of the workers, they were nice and helpful! Would recommend this place to any of my friends. Make sure if you go into the inner island that you have a conservancy pass from the Catalina Island Conservancy down the street from Browns. It is $35 for an annual membership (that is the only option). We did see a ranger on both our rides and they will stop you if you don't have a pass. read more

Thanks Emi B.. your review confirmed my partner and I's suspicion that the owner (blue eyed, old Caucasian lady with short blonde hair--wears glasses sometimes) is prejudiced against people of color. Really wish we read the bad reviews before we went there. She was way more polite, smiley, and talkative to non-poc. read more

3.5 starts for good bikes at a decent price. No frills, no hassle, just stop by, pay up (cash only if under $24) and choose a bike. You'll also need an ID. Heads up: -You must be at least 5'4 to ride the electric bikes. I've never heard the rule, but if it's for safety, can't argue. - riding a standard mountain bike up to Wrigley isn't a cake walk. Do-able, but be prepared for a couple breaks and burning quads. - no need for locks... The company said just leave the bikes! - a few nice rides to lover's cove, Wrigley and the casino... But other than that, there are wildly difficult uphill routes. read more

I rented a tandem for the day for my GF and I. They had both cruiser style, and commuter bike style, multiple speeds, which is great. They also provide you with a helmet. The staff were helpful and answered all of our questions. They give you a map showing areas to bike, and which areas are steep. They also filled up the tires. The cool thing about it was we didnt need to worry about locking up the bike, since it's an island, theft isn't a common occurrence. We rode all over the place, took some great photos. It's definitely more satisfying than taking a golf cart like the lazy people do. Avalon isn't too large, so you can easily see everything via bicycle in one day. When I went in March, they closed at 5pm. I wish they were open till 7, we would have liked to have had the bike a little longer since our boat didnt depart till 7, but other than that, no complaints. I'm not sure if any of their bikes are single speed, but definitely make sure you get a multi speed bike so you can tackle the uphill roads! read more

Brown's Bikes - Tandem commuter - Bikes Near Me - Avalon, California