I'm very impressed with the bicycle shop known as Epicenter Cycling. The location is excellent, especially if riding the redwoods or shuttling up to Demonstration forest. All of the staff are super, be it downhill, free ride, pump track, road bikes or commuter bikes they know their stuff. Shop there is all about community and sharing the love of bicycling. They're the ones that organized the pump track, donated bikes to bike trips for kids. I also like the hours, open seven days a week open till seven on the weekdays and open early on the weekends just in case you something for your bike. Or a good cup of organic coffee to get your motor going. So check out this great shop! Ride hard and always where your helmet! read more

Great selection of rentals and a shuttle to boot. Hard working employees. They might consider providing a simple line drawing sketch of how to get from the shuttle dropoff to the park gate. When handing off the bike to the customer, spend a minute going over the bike controls. If signage is bad where they are going, warn the rider. Have the shuttle driver give simple clear directions for how to get to the park gate. Have employees follow a checklist so the rider gets consistent answers. These steps would help the rider avoid making silly navigation errors due to minor equipment malfunction. To the customers -- consider hiring a guide if it is your first time to a location. Here's my story: I was doing recon for a larger group that I was going to assemble for a future outing. I rented the top of the line mountain bike and the shuttle service. I never made it to the park gate. I made a silly navigation blunder, one that was easy enough to make for a first time visitor to the trail despite having maps and gps. I had asked several workers for guidance. I got inconsistent answers. The shuttle driver made it seem like it was super easy to find the way. I tagged along with a group just to be on the safe side. Due to a comedy of errors triggered by a minor equipment malfunction I fell away from the group and went the wrong way at a critical juncture, quickly ending up in the middle of nowhere halfway down the mountain. I spent the remainder of my rental period just getting back to the shop on time. No single track for me that day! Local knowledge and eagerness to share it is an important consideration for me in choosing a rental shop. I'm hopeful that the leadership team at this shop will be more helpful in future about things outside of the shop. read more

Terrible... just the worst. A monkey would do better repairing a bike than the crew at this shop. Most disappointing and costly.

Great service. I reserved a mountain bike but the day turned out very wet. Derek told me to take it out anyway since they never contacted me to cancel. I ended up underestimating how long the ride would take and rolled back to the store about 15 minutes after closing time (and 45 minutes after they asked me to be back by). Store personnel were still there waiting for me when I pulled up on the mud-caked bicycle. They could've easily gone home and charged me for an extra day. Bike was in perfect operating condition as well. Epicenter crew definitely went above and beyond! read more

I contacted Epicenter about a year ago to find out if they had some mtn bike training classes similar to what was offered by REI over the hill in the bay area because we were signed up for a mountain biking trip with some friends and my husband and I had no off road/single track experience. The owner Shawn emailed back right away saying that there was nothing scheduled until April but he would be happy to teach us and take us for some rides... And he did-- and wouldn't accept payment for bike rentals, or for teaching us basic skills, and taking us/me for 4 single track rides around the area. Shawn is a very skilled rider and excellent teacher. He never pressured us at all to pay for anything/buy anything (although we offered and felt we should!). A year later after demoing several bikes and riding locally, in the Epicenter Epic Thanksgiving ride (Sandy Point ride, meaning 7 mi uphill then downhill at Nisene Marks), Emma McCreary trail, Wilder ranch and in OR, I finally bought a bike (from Epicenter) and can't wait for it to arrive! All of the staff I've met in the Aptos and Santa Cruz stores has been super nice, knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful! read more

Bought a bike crashed it, it needed work on the drive train took it in hoping it would be fixed paid 110$ to put a new shifter on it, turns out they poorly diagnosed the problem. had nothing to do with the shifter I needed a new darailer. Might as well have done the work myself. read more

Rented two full suspension Mtn bikes. Rough customer experience getting bikes and finally walked out with them late for our ride. We ended up not able to finish our ride and have bikes back by 5PM so we called to let them know that we would be there before they opened the following day. Having bikes less than 24 hours we were still charged for having the bikes for two days. Super bummed on the experience of a Bike shop that's open for 7 hours but won't allow bikes to be held overnight. will be avoiding this "too cool to be helpful" shop for any bike needs in the future. read more

Went into the shop today to check out some of the stuff. The place is kind of small, but stocked with everything you could need, including a little coffee shop on the inside. I wanted to get information on some gear, and the guys definitely knew their stuff and were really helpful. The reason I can't give them the 4 star rating, though, is that, while they were quite nice and knowledgeable, their demeanor during our conversation gave me the impression that they weren't really interested in what we were talking about. It was sort of "well we sell these, and these are good, and I use these..." but there was little to no enthusiasm about it, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was bothering them by asking about the things they sell. Again, they weren't mean...just disinterested. It might have been an off day, and I'll definitely be in again to see if it was just a one time thing. That said, i did get all the information I was after...well, enough of it at least, even if it did seem like I had to pry it out of them... read more

After 25 years off a bike, extremely out of shape, I decided to start again and to make changes. Lots of trips to Epicenter and they spent a lot (a lot!) of time with me to get the best fit and bike for my budget. Also helped me to see that it will take some time to get used to riding and that adjustments are necessary along the way! A lot of older people are taking up biking (or cycling for the hardier set). It can be intimidating to walk into a shop of 20 somethings and serious cyclists but you will find nothing but helpful people here so don't hesitate if you have been thinking about it. read more

Yay!! A place that opens on time, with helpful and friendly staff. I came here right when they open. Staff was putting out bikes. I actually had a flat tire on my jogger stroller, and was hoping for a quick fix so my kids and I could go for a jog/ bike ride into the forest. Super nice, had my stroller fixed very quickly, and they helped my 3 year old son get some riding gloves. I was super happy and prices were just right. Thank you!! read more

Awesome having a great bike shop in Aptos and right at the entrance to Nisene. Great inventory, super knowledgable and friendly shop. I have bought 4 bikes there and never gone wrong. read more

The staff were so helpful and knowledgeable. They found an issue with my bike that could have caused a fun day of riding to go horribly wrong. They fixed the issue in less than 30 min and charged me a fair price for the emergency fix. read more

Rented bikes this weekend and got to ride up and down the trails in Santa Cruz. Matt was great at the Front desk and Kenny the manager was extremely accomadting when I had some bike issues. Highly recommended A+ Service read more

If only there was some way to compare the slight of hand wizardry that Kenny turns his wrenches with when he's working on my bike, I could only compare it to listening to "Bittersweet Symphony" on repeat. The ratcheting of the wrenches, the sweet melodic time-keeping of the chain going round and round while Ken shifts through the gears, double checking his work (but let's be honest, he just does it for show, he KNOWS his work is top tier), the clicking and clacking of screwdrivers, this man is a conductor of a classical orchestra in the highest regard except his instruments are not the conventional ones you'd see in a traditional orchestra. Tubas, flutes, and violins have been replaced with box end wrenches, metric sockets, and needle nosed pliers. The firm but delicate technique employed by this man deserves nothing less than an all-hands-on-deck standing ovation! I am humbled by the sheer genius of this man but still question why he refuses to take a bow after each one of his performances? read more

Went in last week, cash in hand to buy a hybrid bike but was never served. One sales guy busy selling a $5k bike, two others busy doing service and eating lunch. Even tho I had $1k to spend, it felt rather uncomfortable waiting 20 minutes for the one guy. I left with no service and no bike. Must have been an off day for them or a thousand bucks for a bike just ain't enough to get attention. Sorry. read more

Great selection of bicycles, helmets and a supporting knowledgable staff.

Without a doubt the best service I have ever received at a bike store. This is where you want to buy your next bike.

I had a fantastic experience with Epicenter Cycling in Aptos. Located just outside Nisene Marks, it is probably the best test ride I've every taken on a mountain bike and they probably spend more than an hour fitting us to the bikes before we _test rode them_ (let alone bought them) and explained everything about the Fuel EX 9.8 we were looking at from top to bottom. Definitely the best Trek dealer I've ever visited in the bay area and worth the drive if you are not from the Santa Cruz area. read more

Finally decided to stop in today while pouring rain. As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted with a hello and smiles from a man and woman behind the counter (later I found out they own the place) and I felt at ease immediately. The store is full of very cool bikes, parts and accessories. The location is even better since I live about 4 miles away, finally a local bike shop I can call my own. The store is also at the entrance to Nisene Marks Park and if you have not adventured there yet, you are missing a real Santa Cruz County treat. I'll be back because I like friendly shop-keepers who know there business and they even asked me my name. read more

Great location... at the mouth of Nisene Marks. Making it a great stop for both MTB and Roadies heading out of town. Great Service, these guys get it... friendly smiles, willing to share information and make recommendations that are good for you... not just for them. These guys also know their bikes... top quality repairs and FAST. It is apparent that they love biking and hooking people up to have the best experience possible. I stopped by with a specific request for an item they didn't have in stock, the special ordered it for me and I had it in 2 days. This is my go to bike shop! read more

I think this is the best cycling shop in the area. We went here recently to rent some mountain bikes to hit the fire road at Nisene Marks. We were set up with a pair of really awesome Santa Cruz mountain bikes with helmets. They took the time to fit us properly to the bikes and helmets and were downright friendly. Even gave us a flat repair kit just in case. I kinda wish I bought my mountain bike there to begin with. But it's in desperate need of a tune up and I'm definitely bringing it here. Reasonable price for a mountain bike day rental. I can't comment on the selection of accessories because I wasn't specifically looking for those, but the store seemed to be well stocked. read more

What an amazing location! OMG - right in the gravel parking lot at the Soquel entrance to the Nisene. Very impressive - lots of road/mountain bikes, a lot of bike gear and accessories (not running which I think is a mistake), a lot of snacks, and once they get their permits - coffee and espresso! And the service was very friendly. I spoke with the owner (Shawn) and he said I could demo just about any bike in the store to see if I like it - wow. If I had to buy a bike I would definitely give these guys a serious consideration. In the meantime I'll be buying accessories, etc. there. read more

Puzzled. I came here with four of my good friends who were visiting me from out of town for the weekend. We'd called ahead and reserved four bikes and the shuttle trip up Nisene Marks. When the shuttle dropped us off, we immediately noticed one of the bikes was stuck in the highest gear - it wouldn't shift out, and even if we manually moved the chain a couple gears over, it quickly moved back to the highest gear as soon as the pedals started turning. Not the best situation as there was a good amount of uphill climbing from the point we were dropped off. A couple nice guys came along while we were trying to fix it, and with their tools were able to get it to shift down two gears, but no more. A few minutes later, it was stuck in the highest gear again! Grrr... When we got back to the shop, we told them about the problem with the bike. One of the older guys at the shop put it up on the rack and was able to fix it within a few minutes. I asked them, since they rented us a bike that had a mechanical problem before we even started pedaling, could they give us some sort of a discount. I figured this was a no-brainer...I mean, when you rent a bike, aren't you paying for a fully functional bike? But they totally refused. The interesting thing was, they never accused me of breaking it during the ride, yet at the same time would not take responsibility themselves for not servicing the bike beforehand. How does that work?! I tried to reason with them, but they would have nothing of it. They wouldn't even look me in the eye when we were talking. Between the time we wasted on the trail trying to fix the issue, the extra time fighting the uphill sections, and then talking with them afterwards, we ended up much later than expected and had to cancel our plans for later in the afternoon. It was a total bummer and made worse by their chip-on-the-shoulder attitudes and complete lack of accountability. Bottom line, I'm sure these guys are talented bike technicians, but their customer service and inter-personal skills are terrible. read more

Epicenter Aptos is an awesome bike shop. They work hand in hand with the Santa Cruz location and offer great ideas and great service. Super friendly staff as well as super helpful. They know their bikes and want to make sure you get the most out of a bike purchase. The also have an awesome selection of of clothing, shoes, helmets...etc... I highly recommend them for any biking need...purchase, service, advice...you name it...and they excel at it. read more

Excellent service and customer care. We rented new Treks for a wonderful ride in Nissene Park. Took the shuttle up and it was worth it!!!

I have gotten a bike here years ago. It came with a lifetime guarantee that if it gets any repairable damage, it will be fixed for free at the shop. When I was in Nisine marks biking last week, my chain got derailed since a peg broke loose. Luckily, I was able to walk towards the shop. They took the bike immediately and started cranking on it. Within ten minutes, the tires were in great working shape again and did not charge me a dime under warranty. That's an honorable business approach they have and I'm happy to give them an awesome review. read more

I highly recommend Epicenter Cycling in Aptos. Not only are they geographically desirable for me (I live in Soquel CA ) but they have the best service in the area. In particular Sam Long has been terrific to work with. I had a long layoff from mountain biking. Almost ten years. I have a busy work schedule and I just was not using my old Specialized Full Suspension Stump Jumper. So I sold it my brother in law in 2003. Last year I tore my ACL playing basketball. I decided not get surgery and just change my sporting habits. Pivot sports are not an option without an ACL but cycling is a great sport for those without key "knee parts". So I decided that I would get back into cycling and specifically mountain biking. Epicenter took me in. They educated me. They helped me with accessories and getting me set up to ride again. The folks are super friendly, very knowledgeable and easy to work with. So I started out with a Hard-Tail a year ago and just recently I bought a full suspension carbon fiber Trek Cross Country Mountain Bike - it is an incredible bike. I have had about 10 rides on the new bike so far and it is so much fun to ride. I still have my Hard Tail and I still ride that sometimes too... Bottom line - if you are looking for a great bike shop - wether you are just a causal rider or a hard core cyclist, Epicenter is the place to go for great bikes, great accessories and fantastic service. read more

These guys are AWESOME! Was going on a bike tour and had a messed up tire. Epicenter Cycling opened up early to fix my bike and away I rode!

I recently bought my first new mountain bike after bumming off friends for way too long. I went to Epicenter, which is conveniently located at the entrance to NIsene Marks State Park - a favorite local mountain biking, hiking, and running spot. We already bought a bike for my son there a few months ago, and I decided to be a return customer. I am very happy I went there. Epicenter is the exclusive retailer of Trek bikes in Santa Cruz County. The expertise the shop staff shows toward Trek bikes really goes a long way. Shawn, the owner, spent 2+ hours fitting the new bike and making sure all its components were dialed in. All the staff are bike riders which shows in their inside knowledge of all the bike stuff, and I often got advice based on their direct experience with the gear. There also seems to be very little air of bike elitism (the "I'm-an-amazing-bike-rider-and-you're-just-some-amateur-customer" attitude) amongst the staff, which is so prevalent elsewhere. Having bought a road bike from a big bike retailer a few years ago and, subsequently, ending up with a bike that doesn't really fit me, I have realized the importance of bike fit and getting the right machine for your purposes. Epicenter really nailed this with me, by giving individual attention and "dialing" me in with a great bike. In addition, when you shop there, you are really supporting a small business, which helps our local economy. Epicenter bikes also seems very involved in the community, in particular, with the pump track out back, which my son loves. My only suggestion would be that the staff should get Epicenter T-shirts or name tags - which lets the customer know who works there. Also, I would think the very convenient coffee bar (great idea!) would do even better if they sold sport drinks or smoothies. Most athletes returning from their hike/bike/run in Nisene would want to rehydrate rather than drink a caramel macchiato. These are just small suggestions to an already great bike shop. I really hope Epicenter continues to be a busy, successful neighborhood bike shop. Great job! read more

We are a family with 3 kids visiting on vacation. We booked a set of bikes to ride in Nisene Park. The staff was very informative on which type of bike to rent, etc. Unfortunately a few days before we could do the ride, my son took a bad fall and tore a ligament in his knee and had to be on crutches. We called Epicenter and although their policy is no refunds on cancellation (they mentioned this when we made the reservation), Eli was so helpful in ensuring us a full refund due to the injury. Rather than lecturing me on the policy, he got approval to do the refund, called me back quickly, and asked how my son was, focusing on us attending to him and our vacation. This is a great place and I'd certainly rent from them the next time we are visiting the Bay Area!! read more

My buddy rented a demo bike for the day here. The guy at the front was really nice and had some good trail recommendations. Also can't beat the price and location near to some sick trails. read more

I got a new Trek at this shop this week. Matt was very helpful as was the whole staff and I LOVE my new bike. We have already been to Nicene Marks twice and had a blast. read more

Some of the nicest guys in the business...great source of info and service. super knowledgable about all things Trek. A fun place to hang out and find out what's going on. Check out Sam's socks! read more

I highly recommend Epicenter Cycling because they have excellent products and customer service. I purchased a Trek Madone 3.1 road bike on sale from Epicenter in August 2011. Shawn White, the owner, took time to answer my questions and to arrange a test ride. When I returned two days later, he spent time to fit the bike, and help me select Bontrager mountain shoes and Shimano pedals. Shawn also installed a water bottle cage, and established a Trek card account for me with one-year zero interest. When you buy a bike at Epicenter, you also receive free tune-ups as long as you own the bike, and a 10% discount on accessories for one year. I love my Trek Madone, and I recommend Epicenter because they always take care of me when I have come in for accessories, adjustments, tune-ups, or questions. I think they're the best bike shop in Santa Cruz County. read more

We bought a bike for my daughter last year and a bike rack today from epicenter. Have to say I have never been to a better bike store. They offered to assemble the rack for us at no charge and spent 20 minutes showing me how to use it and hooking it to my car. My daughters bike had a flat after we bought the bike. No charge and no hassle to fix it even though the issue wasn't a manufacturing defect. The sales people are very laid back and no pressure while knowledgeable. Won't go anywhere else. read more

Rented a mountain bike here to ride Nysene Marks & the Demo Forest. Good riding area but not much single track (legal). Good bike setup, knowledgeable & friendly staff with good riding area suggestions. Great location. read more

We are a recently retired couple and after weeks of looking at bikes we chose to do business with Epicenter Cycling for three big reasons: their knowledgeable, friendly, low-key staff who guided us to just the right bikes, the quality of their products (we bought two Trek Verve 4's), and their excellent after-purchase service (lifetime free tune-ups, free bike clinics, terrific can-do attitude). We've now ridden the bikes for two months both on and off-road and they are just as fun and durable as we had hoped. We are very pleased with both the bikes and the wonderful people at Epicenter Cycling - special kudos to Kenny, Shasta, Darin and Shawn! read more

I was at the Aptos Pump Track the other day with my wife and two kids (7 and 11) and another family (dad, mom and 1.9 yr old). We had recently purchased a Strider bike from the Epicenter bike shop and were enjoying the opportunity to watch the kids ride around the area. At one point, the other Dad took his mountain bike around the pump track; He was not wearing a helmet. All of a sudden, one of the people from Epicenter Cycling (probably about 20 yrs old) comes blazing out of the shop and starts yelling across the field at the Dad (mid-course), telling him that he cannot ride on the track without a helmet. Yelling! My friend was shocked and his wife and child were also freaked. I am a 40 year old Veteran (whose wife and kids were also openly staring at the completely unnecessary and uncomfortable interaction) and I commented to the Epicenter employee that we understood CA helmet law to apply to those 18 and under. Well, the Epicenter employee became more irate and declared that "He would call the police and they would teach us the law" and "It would be our fault the pump track in Aptos was closed to the public". Again, this was a 20 something year old Epicenter employee speaking to two fathers in front of their wives and 3 children. Moreover, we were customers that had just paid an extra ten dollars to buy the stride bike locally while openly discussing with our children the concept of paying a bit more to "keep it local". (Yeah, we looked it up on amazon before purchasing the strider bike) I know Epicenter Cycling put in a lot of effort at the pump track (though it is a county park), and I have made numerous purchases at their store in the past. However, there is really no excuse for anyone to demean a father in front of friends, wife and child. It was just a pure lack of tact, class and social etiquette. It appears to me that the entire encounter would have gone so much better if the Epicenter employee would have simply approached the man after he had finished the course and in a courteous manner discussed the helmet request, importance of setting a good example, etc. I know this man's wife, had a bit of tact and the "set a good example" been used, I guarantee a helmet sale would have occurred post haste! Another reviewer stated, "[t]heir demeanor during our conversation gave me the impression that they weren't really interested..." Instead of a bike shop looking to make friends in the community, it sometimes seems like Epicenter Cycling is more interested in "what's in it for them". read more

I was walking in Nisene with my toddler the other day when I realized that my BOB stroller had 2 nearly-flat tires! I had not noticed it until a while into my walk and was wondering why my stroller was so hard to push. I walked out of the woods and into Epicenter at the entrance. As soon as I walked in two people offered to help me that were already busy repairing bikes. I was shocked! You usually have to wait around to get helped...A nice young man wheeled my stroller behind the counter and filled up the tires good as new - no charge! I haven't made any purchases here and don't know much else about this place other than they were kind and 'on it'! I really appreciated the quick help. Will go back there for any other cycling needs. read more

Went in looking for bikes for my daughter and I. Staff was awesome! They gave me lots of info, fit us for bikes, had us test ride them, etc. Great service, we ended up buying Treks that we love, along with the gear needed, including ordering a rack for the car, which arrived quickly. Cody and John were extremely helpful. I highly recommend this shop. read more