I am relatively new into cycling as it sucked me in as a conduit for convenience in running local…read moreerrands expanding into a way to try to cram in as much exercise into my busy schedule as possible. It all started when I needed a bicycle for some new situations in my life where a car was not convenient so I decided to re-animate and tune my old bike(s) that my family used to use when I was a kid way back in the day that I still had lying around in the basement. Brandon did a wonderful job at a very fair price of getting my bike back on the road. However, I found that the bike wasn't great in wet roads or less than perfect road conditions and it was HEAVY. I remember as a kid how heavy and slow it was compared to all my friends and now I know why. So one thing led to another and as we know cycling is yet another sport rife with fancy, nice and expensive accessories and for someone who was out of it for so long I had no idea where to turn. I am glad that Brandon steered me right, he could have sold me so much crap that I didn't need and never known the difference but he gave me solid, cost saving advice. The only time he cost me money is when I (stupidly, my fault for not listening to him!) insisted he retune and re-activate the other two old bikes I had lying around. For that kind of money I could have bought a brand new bike almost and he even told me he would do it for sentimental reasons but that it was not an efficient use of funds. He was subtle and diplomatic, maybe too kind as some people take this personally. I wish I had listened. At any rate now I got some awesome bikes and in both cases I paid very fair prices. For example a lot of people look at the low prices of the big box stores particularly when their items are on sale. In those times yes you can save some money by going to REI. If you're so motivated I even recommend the experience and you will understand why big box stores are a waste of money. They sell you stuff on the cheap to start but nickel and dime you every time you have a problem or need help and never own the problems that occur after the fact. The truth is that Brandon's prices are already very attractive, in both cases about 20% or more under list from what I saw on the website. The time for killer deals is late winter where you can find some of the last year's latest and greatest bikes, stuff that would sell for top dollar, still brand new at 2nd hand prices. And the beauty is that if you buy from him he will help you out if you have problems down the line. For example to install a rear view mirror I needed a powerful air compressor and some tools that I just don't own and he didn't charge me for it. as various issues cropped up that he took care of for free. As long as you're not asking him to get you new stuff he will work around to help anything you bough from him work for you. After my experience I really would try to dissuade anyone from going either big box store or online just because of the chance of issues Brandon takes care of the customer. What I also like about Brandon and his shop is the culture. Obviously it's a nice clientele but it's not just a job for him as he lives the lifestyle. He gets to know the customer and taylors recommendations on what you really need and can afford. For the most part this shop specializes more in hybrid and mountain bikes because this is what cycling in Northern Rhode Island demands. The proximity to a lot of parks, trails, forests and the bike path as well as highly inclement road conditions half the year with sand from late fall to well into Spring on the roads makes road biking less practical around here and is the reason why I was glad to switch away from my old road bikes. I even ended up buying a nicer gravel racer with the mid sized tires that he told me I could inexpensively convert to a high speed road bike just by getting another set of wheels and tires but I am afraid of speed and he knows it, I was looking for an occasional commuter with more efficiency, and above all safety. That's how you have to roll in this area and being a cautious rider fearful of high speed but looking to make trips more than a couple miles long with lots of elevation change easier he steered me well. Now that I've tried hybrid bikes on RI roads in the winter and don't care for the speed that a true road or race bike can reach I am very happy and won't be going back, no more hair raising skids on sand, ice or road debris! I love Blackstone bicycles. I have been a satisfied customer for over a year and have bought more than a few items here and more importantly was talked out of buying many more pricey ones. I have been 100% satisfied with the quality of what I purchased, the honesty and appropriates of the recommendations, the treatment, the extra mile Brandon "pedals" to take care of his customers over the long term. I think this shop is an asset to this community and would recommend anyone new or experienced in the sport to buy here.

Was in a pinch and needed a barb for my hydraulic line. The mechanic was super cool and helped me…read moreout.

Customer service has never been the smile you get when paying for a purchase. That's being nice,…read moreand I do appreciate it. Customer Service is how a company steps up to correct a problem. When a bike lock won't unlock half the time, that's a problem. Although the lock was made overseas, Dash stood by the customer and refunded my money. THAT IS HOW CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOULD WORK. Even for the little things. Thank you Dash.

I was in this Sunday for a bike bag for my new bike, and Jason was so helpful and kind! I've just…read morerecently started biking again and often bike shop workers are pretty unfriendly in my experience and it was so nice to be in such a cool specialized shop and get such great customer service and friendly conversation. He showed me the New England Randonneurs which I will be joining and was so helpful!

Since I didn't know anything about bikes before I recently bought one, I did a little bit of…read moreshopping around first. I started out buying a cheap dept store bike, which blew a tire within a week or two, and was promptly returned. After the cheap bike earned me a 10 mile walk, I decided to go for a more expensive model and looked at a few local bike stores. Not only was Union Cycle the friendliest and most knowledgeable, but they also came in at or below the higher-end chain stores' prices! They've been taking good care of me since then, and seem genuinely interested in how my experiment with biking has been going. For anyone else that's new to biking, I'll offer the advice that dropping a hundred or so more dollars on your bike is well worth it - it's a lot more comfortable, and I haven't been left in a ditch anywhere yet!

Repaired a SPECIALIZED bike for me. On time and a beautiful condition now. Enjoyed talking with…read morethem and getting ideas. I'll probably buy my new bike here.

I needed air in my tires today on my bike ride. They were friendly and helpful and did it for free!…read moreThey even took the time to make sure my tires didn't have any defects. Very professional and thorough.

Service pricing was with full disclosure of price and what was included. I was completely…read moresatisfied with the quality and competence of service.

UPDATE: Almost a year later and a move across the country out bikes are still in great condition!…read more ------------- If you are looking for quality used bikes and repair I highly recommend Recycle-a-Bike. My husband and I just bought two bikes for ourselves and their customer service, knowledge and prices were outstanding. Support this non profit and get a quality bike as well!

I had two bikes to donate and in my research Recycle-A-Bike came up. I sent them an email to verify…read moreif I can donate my bikes and received an automatic response with answers to the most common questions they get. One of the questions was "Can I donate my used bike and bike accessories?" The response was "Yes. Donations can be dropped off during all open hours: Tuesday: 3:00 - 8:00 p.m.; Thursday: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.; Saturday: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Open on Sundays during the Summer (May to September): Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. I visited Recycle-A-Bike on Tuesday about 7:00pm and a staff member welcomed me into the store. I informed him that I have two bikes to donate and he offered to help grab the bikes. He told me that he really appreciated the donation. When I was browsing the Recycle-A-Bike website, I noticed they offer a 5 week course to rebuild a bike-Changing flat tires/patching tubes, adjusting brakes, chain and cable maintenance, tuning and alignment of the derailleur/shifting mechanisms, truing up a wheel that is out of alignment, and checking/tightening bolts/fasteners on your bike. At the end of the class, you keep the bike. How cool is that?!

Absolutely fantastic customer service!…read more My partner got an ebike last year after contacting different bike shops throughout 4 New-England states and essentially gave up on finding a shop that had substantial knowledge of ebikes or decent customer service, so I was nervous when I started doing my own ebike shopping. I found the ebike I wanted after doing a LOT of research online, and found that Mission Electric was one of the closest dealers for the bike I wanted (Gazelle brand). Tyler the owner is absolutely wonderful. He has been incredibly friendly, very knowledgeable about ebikes, and was actually the first person running a bike shop that could answer all my ebike questions! He went above and beyond to make sure I got the best experience possible in buying and riding my new bike. When I had questions after I had ordered my bike, Tyler was always quick to get back with me and make sure I was being taken care of. If you are in the market for an ebike, I highly, highly recommend you check out Mission Electric. P.S. I love my new bike -- totally worth the money and the 2.5 hr trip to Providence.

A pleasant greeting at the door, but zero offer to assist with what was my first experience…read morebeginning to look into an e-bike. Totally understandable that he was talking to someone else, but there was no indication that he had plans to help me understand this new frontier.

I had one of those few-and-far-between experiences at a business where the service was so great…read morethat you just want to tell everyone about it. I was served by one of the owner's, Joe, and he really went above and beyond with his service. He was knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating, and just overall helpful. He made sure I had the right product under my butt before I left the store. Thank you, Joe! I will definitely be back whenever I need anything cycle related.

Salesman was honest and to the point. No hassle and not aggressive. In and out with new Haro BMX…read morewithin 30 minutes.

My husband and I have been coming here for years -- for our family's skis & boots, gear, jackets,…read moreapparel and ski storage. We have ALWAYS received superior customer service -- from the people at the front desk, to the knowledgeable folks on the floor, to the people tuning our skis and making sure our bindings are safe! We are greeted warmly and with a smile. I can't say enough great things about Alpine ski and snowboard they will have our business forever.

The staff was amazing answered all our questions. Very accommodating. Good value and selection.read more