I experienced poor service repeatedly. They didn't stand behind the product they sold and they were very unpleasant.

Series of events: 1. My husband got squashed between a moving MBTA bus and a parked SUV the other day while riding his bike. He was okay but got a flat out of the deal. 2. I watched him try to change said flat tire the other night for close to an hour, to no avail. He said things like "Damn, I can't do this. What the hell is wrong? I have changed bike tires my whole life! I can't go to a bike shop and have them do it for me, I'll be too embarrassed." 3. Then he said, "Wait, there's a bike shop near your work. You do it. Just tell the guy it's your bike and that you got the flat." 4. Cut to me in bike shop the next day telling the guy I got a flat and asking him to put in a new tube. He then said "Your tire is shot, look here. I can't just replace the tube." 5. He asked me how it happened and I froze. I couldn't lie anymore. I came clean and admitted to the guy that my husband was too embarrassed that he couldn't change the tire himself so he told me to pretend it was my bike. I am a terrible wife! 6. The guy sold me a new tire, new tube and put it on for me and it cost me $65! Serves me right for being a bad liar I guess. The guy in there was really nice and they were fast and it was pretty painless. So, I don't know about buying a bike here but as a repair shop, I was pleased. read more

In an effort to support local businesses, I went to check out Farina's a few weeks ago. I'll be honest when I say this place looks nothing like a bike shop from the outside. The first floor of the two story building is devoted to lawn mower and snow blower sales. At first glance you might never know this is a bike shop too. As I frequently pass the storefront I was able to bake out the road bikes dangling in the 2nd floor window. Upon arrival I was skeptical as I entered the snow blower show room. I proceeded up the staircase to the 2nd floor where I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of stock in the showroom. They have it all- mountain bikes, road bikes, single speed commuters and children's bikes. What impressed me the most was their large selections of women's specific bikes and clothing. I've been to almost all the bike shops in the Boston area and I can say with confidence this is by far the largest selection of quality apparel for women. Go Farina's! Anthony Farina, one of the owner's was very please ant to talk shop with as I had questions about proper bike fit. He gracefully helped me and at no point suggested I purchase a FitKit bike fitting with him. He gave some great advice that had improved my ride. Farina's lacks the the final star due to their lack of Triathlete gear. However, this should not keep triathletes away. Anthony will order you anything you need! read more

It is offputting that the people in this store, two separate trips, two different people --didn't offer to help load my bike in the car or carry a heavy, large item down the stairs to the car. Given the premium they charge -- and it is a premium -- this seems the least they could do for those of us who are not as young as we once were. next time i'll go someplace where there is more consideration. read more

These guys are great! This was my first experience with any bike shop. I am a new bike commuter. I am overweight and do not know much about bikes except I needed something to help me get back into shape. All I had was a hand-me-down mountain bike. I brought my bike in for a tune-up. I fully expected to deal with gear heads who laughed at my bike and me. Of course this is not what happened. I was greeted professionally by a man who not only knew what he was talking about, but patiently shared with me his thoughts on how to make my commuting experience better. I believed him and happily agreed to the estimate. I went back to the shop and paid slightly less than the estimate and the man at the counter was also very interesting and made me feel comfortable. The point here is these guys made me feel like a had a right to be in there and did a fine tune-up. I am extremely grateful and am eager to continue doing business with Farina"s read more

We had visited several bike shops before settling on Farina's to get brand new bikes. The owner Anthony is extremely nice and in no way pressures you to buy anything as you're walking around looking at everything. The other salespeople don't follow you like a hawk, which is a nice change from some places. We had taken advantage of the tax free weekend in the summer and Anthony was great about letting us buy everything in advance without having to come in on that busy weekend. He let us take as many test rides as we needed and helped make sure everything fit properly by putting the bikes up on the trainer. They have free service within the first 90 days and we took advantage of that already with no issues. We've also stopped in twice with simple questions/problems that the service folks took care of quickly without trying to charge us any extra money. read more

I has been a number of years since I have been to Farina's but I have purchased two bikes from them and they have a great selection and staff that were very helpful. My last purchase from Farina's was a mountain bike and after a month of riding I found this fit not quite right. I stopped by Farina's with my bike and they took the time adjusting my bike and even recommended changing my seat for a better ride. After their adjustments to my bike it made a big difference in the comfort and ride quality. I plan to make another bike purchase in the future and Farina's will be my first stop. read more

I cannot say enough great things about Farina's. From start to finish, they went above and beyond to help me find a bike that was not only in stock (not an easy task during a bike shortage), but also one that also fit my budget and height perfectly. We will be coming here for many years to come. Truly, their customer service is top notch. Thank you, Farina's! read more

I bought my new mountain bike here and had a great experience. I dealt with Anthony who was very helpful and also the guys in the service dept were great helping me set up my new bike for me. They even took the time to write down some good local spots to get my skills up to par. Price was very fair and competitive with all my research and shopping. read more

I have been looking at several different brands of bikes, all of which are sold at different shops, so I have been visiting a lot of places lately. The staff at Farina's was very friendly and responsive, let me browse and then asked me if I wanted help, set up a great test ride for me, and followed up on an email request for me. Paula (one of the owners) was very knowledgeable about the products she sells. Unfortunately the bike I want is out of stock everywhere at the moment, but unless I find something else first I will be back to buy a bike from them. Friendly and solid shop. read more

This place is great. I went in with my son to buy two bikes. They listened to what we wanted/needed and steered us in the right direction. They sold us two perfect bikes at a fair price. They took the time to answer all of our questions - fit both of us on the perfect bikes. Words don't express how great of an experience we had. We won't buy a bike anyplace else after our experience here. Top notch all around.! read more

I have been going to Farina's for over 6 years. I have bought 2 bikes from them and had numerous repairs done over the years. They have good pricing and deep product knowledge. I have always had a good customer experience. read more

Prior to 2009 I had shopped at both Farina's Garden and Farina's Bike (they are both in the same building). Farina's serviced my previous snowblower (SB) for several years. About two years ago my old SB malfunctioned. Farina's said I could get a used SB that was "only a few years old." When I went to register it with Toro about a week later, I discovered that the SB was FOURTEEN years old. The price I paid Farina's was completely out of line! I complained to Toro, but the rep said he couldn't do anything about it. I complained to Farina's but the rep said it "must have been XXX" that said that. Farina's had my money; I had an old item from its inventory. I don't consider that a fair swap. I recently went to Needham Garden Center to have the belts replaced on my "few years old" SB. Bottom-line: Check the serial numbers on any used equipment you consider buying! read more

This was my first time at a Bike shop, and everyone was extremely helpful. Andrew in particular went above and beyond to help me pick a quality bike helmet and lock, and was quite pleasant while doing so. The fact that he's able to balance being a full time student at northeastern and working at a bike shop several miles from his home is quite impressive! I would recommend this bike shop to new and experienced bikers read more

I'm very happy with my shopping experience here. I needed a new lawnmower, the guy asked the right questions and listened to me and ended up suggesting the perfect product for my needs. I made the mistake of going to "the orange apron store" on Arsenal Street first, where I had no idea what I was doing and didn't get the slightest bit of help...the first time an employee approached me (after ten minutes of me browsing all the lawnmowers) was when they were trying to get a forklift down the aisle and the staff member was actually asking me to get out of the way. The orange apron store is good for certain things, but the next time I need power equipment I'm coming here first. And I doubt the orange apron store would have sold it to me with a full tank of gas. read more

I had my second experience at Farina's yesterday. And, it was again... GREAT. They are helpful and knowledgable. I brought my bike in yesterday because it wasn't shifting into my big chain setting. I was thinking I would have to leave my bike and miss another week of riding. I thought for sure I broke the shifting gear when it was stuck and I forced it. However, Anthony (owner) came out and addressed my bike immediately. And, when he had it in the rack, he looked it over and did a quick clean (it was a bit dirty). Price to fix it was incredibly reasonable too. I'm happy to say I can get a few more rides in this year. And, feel confident I have a shop that is there to help when I need it. Thank you! read more

Went for a bike rental here while visiting... Bike and service was good, staff was friendly and easy to reach in case of changes to booking. It was a great experience but definitely overpriced at 40$ for 24 hrs, considering you get cars at the same price! read more

I went to Farina's with my four year old daughter to have her helmet fitted and she ended up having a huge tantrum because she wanted a pink helmet instead. She was carrying on and wouldn't let them fit her helmet because she hated the color. To our surprise, they brought out a pink helmet and let us exchange it. My daughter was so happy and carried it all the way home on her lap. The customer service is incredible. No one wants to deal with 4 year old drama and they handled it so well and made her day. Thanks, Farina's! We'll be back for a bike next. A pink one! read more

I bought a Giant(R) Talon 2 mountain bike from Farina's in late spring, 2019. I love it, 'great bike! Well, it was time for a tune-up & tire fix, this past February. So, I brought it in. They turned it around within a week, charged a reasonable rate, and were very polite. Farina's has a broad selection of bikes, and knowledgeable, helpful staff. I strongly recommend Farina's. read more

Farina's is the best; they are not a big chain store trying to pump out volume or over-selling, but a family business that cares about each customer. They always go above and beyond; I have gone here for literally decades. I also bought my snow thrower here! They have a shop for winter equipment too. read more

I bought a Honda lawn mower from Farina's a few years ago. I never brought it in for maintenance because it worked fine -- until last Saturday when it didn't start. I brought it in to the store. The store personnel helped me unload the lawn mower from my car. They told me what they were going to do and gave me an estimate which turned out to be spot on. They sent me an email on Tuesday when the lawnmower was ready .I picked it up the following Saturday. Farina's did exactly what I wanted in terms of service. They were quick and courteous.They gave me an accurate cost estimate. They fixed the problem, and the lawn mower now works beautifully. Farina's gave great service and I highly recommend them. read more

I am horrified at my experience at Farinas today and last week. Incident #1: I came in last week to ask about bike fittings and take a look at merchandise. I asked if I needed an appointment for a fitting and was told no. While I was there I took a look at some merchandise and decided to buy a windbreaker in the sale section. I asked how much the price was and was told it was full price even though it was in the sale section and the reasoning was "someone must have put it back in the wrong place" (that same item in other colors was marked down). I decided this wasnt worth the argument and I paid full price for the item however it was clear the associate just didn't feel like taking a look at his merchandise and offering me a fair price. Incident #2: I went back in today after crashing my bike over the weekend and I have a triathlon this coming Saturday and the gears needed to be adjusted. I walked in an hour before closing and no one was there asking if I could take up the sales associate on his former offer about not needing an appointment for a fitting and to see if he could tighten the gears. The sales associate told me there was no time for a fitting because it was too close to closing (the store didnt close for another hour). I understood that reasoning and asked if he could tighten the cable on my gears (roughly a 5 minute task) since I have a race this weekend. I was told no because "he was too busy and if I saw how many bikes he had in the store I would understand". I told the associate that I noticed there was no one in the store, there was another hour before close and this was a fairly low level of effort adjustment and since I had a race in 3 days could he fit me in. Again I was told no. I am a triathlete living in Watertown. I spend a lot of money on gear and my bike. I am horrified at not only the unfriendliness of the associate and the lack of customer service. I want to let the Tri community of Watertown and Boston know that Farina;s is not worth your time and there are many other bike shops in close proximity that will be getting my money and repeat business. read more

Look at these reviews - many new riders and someone even compares them to Walmart! Simply comical. That woman who bought a bike for her tri-athlete husband? I don't get how any shop can sell a bike to someone who they have never seen. How do they know it's the right size, or the right type of bike for him? Especially if the woman knows nothing about bikes? Sell her a gift certificate you dodo's and let the guy pick out his ride - that's what they should have been talking about with the lady. That's a huge bad business move for a bike shop in my opinion. And those saying they have the widest and best selection? What!? Have they been to any other shops? The selection is fine - but very from the widest or the best. This shop may be good for a strict newbie or those who know absolutely nothing about bikes but if you ride for more than 5 miles at a time, this may not be the best place. I bought my bike here. I knew what I wanted (it was on sale) - called ahead of time, had them build the bike, came in and test rode it for about 1 hr. Made the purchase because it was on sale. The sale price was pretty good - so definite points there for them. They didn't seem very knowledgeable though. I was questioning the appropriateness of the top tube length and saleswoman said I could move my saddle to adjust that - wrong! You change the stem to adjust for that. I've only been riding for a couple seasons and know that. They would really benefit from spending an hr researching bike fit on the Internets. Maybe they should make that a standard part of training for their staff. So I kept questioning and they set me up on the trainer to appease me I guess. The guy (Anthony) pointed a camera at me and had me watch myself. Yipeee - interesting but so what? I can do that at home too. Are you a professional fitter man? Fit me dude. I mentioned getting a fitting (Basic or Pro) and he really didn't say much about getting one done. Why not? I am saying I want one. It should be the norm with a road bike. What adjustments should be made? Ease my distress over the size of the bike. Give me some insight. All he mentioned was the saddle height. Yeah, thanks, I know that my knee should have a slight bend at the bottom of the downstroke. But my questions have to do with my reach to the bars. He said it was appropriate. Why does it feel awkward then? Do I need a different posture? Do I need some time in the saddle to get used to the reach? Address the concern with real information. Dunno, it didn't seem like they were really knowledgeable on fit, which is really the most important thing. Anyone can go buy the FitKit system and take the certification class. I just didn't get a sense that there was a good fitter on staff. I was OK with the size but will be getting a real bike fit somewhere else. Oh, lastly, who cares about book donations to schools? Sure it's nice to do but we are reviewing their bike shop right? I stink at cutting hair but maybe if I make a donation to your school you'll let me give you a bad cut and then tout my skills on Yelp. read more

Given the state of the world right now, with Coronavirus requiring us to shelter in place, it was exciting to learn that bike services are still available. I bought my bike at Farina's several years ago and return for repairs and annual tune-ups. I am a casual bike rider but I can see I am going to need my bike more now for mini-escapes from the house. I emailed for an appointment and was told I could just come during their current hours (M-Sa, 9-2:00 PM). I dropped the bike off on a Saturday and was emailed the following Friday to say the bike was ready for pick up. A friend tried to get her biked serviced at another local bike shop and was told they were booked for the next 10 days. So, off she went to Farina's. Friendly, efficient customer services even during this surreal time. Thanks to Mike and Anthony read more

I'm not a bike person and I have to say, after all my great experiences at Farina's, not only do I have a bike on my Christmas list now, but I'll never shop anywhere else!!!!! (And yes, I've been to Wheel Works- OVERRATED and EXPENSIVE!!!) Anthony Farina, one of the owners, assisted me in purchasing a bike for my husband, who is a bike person!!! (Triathlete actually). He spent a ton of time with me trying to find the perfect bike that wasn't super high-end but would be a great road bike to serve my husband's racing needs. I explained that I needed it for a special date, and he assured me that it would be ready. Anthony also offered to drop it off at the house on his way home from work, as my car was too small to transport the bike. I was bowled over by the time he spent with me, product information he provide to me, and customer service that he provided so I could make the right purchase! Needless to say the bike was a huge hit and I have since been back for a bike rack, bike for my daughter and a snow blower. Everyone at the shop is warm, welcoming, and offer a ton of expertise on bikes and snow blowers. No one tries to "up sell" you, but rather take great lengths to make sure that you purchase the correct bike. And their service department is amazing! It's obvious why they've been in business for so long; their product line is diverse and there is a bike for every level and every wallet! While other bike shops sell you a bike and say goodbye, Farina's has a wonderful and all encompassing service department so you can count on them when your bike needs a tune up or something more. I'll never buy a bike anywhere else and highly recommend them! Be sure to ask for Anthony!!! read more

Best Bike shop around. Just ask for the "Pollis Squad Discount" for an easy 60% off. They make sure the bike fits you great and is nice and comfy. Great show room. The Attenders helping are truly amazing. read more

Family owned business (2 brothers, one sister). The brothers could care less about your business and are borderline rude. I recently bought a fairly expensive bike here. First issue was that they never provided the ride sense (cadence/speed) sensor that was supposed to come with the bike. Second issue was that shortly after buying the bike the steering tube starts coming loose. I pop into Landry's on my way home. Turns out Farina's assembled the bike wrong, which was immediately obvious to the sales associate at Landry's. Third issue. A few weeks later I crash the bike going five miles an hour and bring it in to have them realign everything and get my free tune as part of my purchase. Turns out I bent the rear derailleur bracket and I immediately offer to pay for it. For the next ten minutes, one of the brothers ridicules me for crashing the bike and telling me how careless it was. There are a lot of great bike shops in Boston that are grateful for your business. If you have to shop here, deal with the sister as she is courteous and extremely helpful. read more

I had a great experience buying a bike here. Joe was very nice, personable and helpful. After searching around at other places i came back to buy my bike here because of the great customer service. read more

Farina's is my favorite bike shop. They have helped me out several times last year with both my bikes and snow thrower. I love working on my own equipment - I guess I'm a typical "Ruin-It-Yourself-er". When I showed up with assorted worn vintage bike and carburetor parts, I received the right parts and friendly helpful advice from all departments (sales, repair, lawn equipment) Chains, cables, pads, ball bearings, fuel line, they have it. I did not ask but they may even fix gas powered bikes. Their part prices are comparable to other shops and mail order, though you get everything right away without an hour of browsing and wondering if you ordered the correct part. Location wise, they are very convenient. A few hundred feet off the Charles River bike path and right in front of the Watertown bus stop, you can get what you need and keep on biking. Want to learn basic bicycle maintenance? They offer repair classes as well. I have never purchased a bike here but they sell both quality bikes and lawn equipment. These are not department store quality bikes. If you don't want to purchase a new bike, they have a large selection of used bikes all set to go in many sizes, kids to grownups. I highly recommend for all biking needs. read more

I bought my newest road bike here, and had it serviced here too. It's a great bike, and the service is fast and painless. The best part is the customer service. They are attentive, understand what you want, and make sure they exceed expectations. It's my favorite bike shop in the area. read more

We just got the perfect bike for my teenaged daughter at Farina's. Justin was super helpful and patient as we tried several bikes and asked lot of questions. He really listened to what we needed for my daughter and helped us find the best bike for her. We shopped around at several stores before landing at Farinas, and Im so glad we did. They had a great selection and gave us a lot of help without being the slightest bit pushy. Everyone was kind and seemed to really like working there. Definitely check out farina's when you need your next bike or repair!!! read more

If you have to ask what it costs, you can't afford it, and they will lie to you anyway: More than once I've called and asked about a lawnmower or chainsaw part and been quoted a price (like $20) and when I've gotten there I've found the price is actually higher (like $27). They seem to want to cater to the more-money-than-brains-cant-be-bothered-with-prices crowd. read more

Don't buy your bike here unless you plan to service and fix it yourself. Buy your bike from a store with a more capable service department.

Just took my bike in for a tune up at Farina's. They were really nice, they called with a suggestion of a part they wanted to replace (which i accepted), and were done on time. The shop is nicely accessible, and you can always find a parking space out front. Nicely done. read more

Last year I got my bike fixed here when I was living in Oak Sq Brighton. I biked up to Watertown sq and then took the 57 bus back to Oak Sq. I was amazed how quick they were and they were very nice. Price was good too. read more

I have been here a few times seeking bike equipment and having a tune up. Always really friendly and knowledgeable. They had everything I needed and a fast turn around on my bike. They are the only place I go now. read more

I had a good experience with Farina's. I went in a couple of weeks ago to buy a bike for my two-mile trip to work. Paula was pretty knowledgeable and helpful. I liked that she didn't try to upsell me a much more expensive bike after I told her my price range. A week after I bought the bike, I went outside one day and the brakes were frozen! I mistakenly forced them to move, which did something to the cable on the right lever, causing my rear break to malfunction. To be clear- this was entirely my fault and NOT a result of shoddy construction. I should not have been keeping the bike outside in such bad weather. When I went back, the guy fixed it right away, no questions asked. My lock also malfunctioned and they replaced it, again with no questions asked. I gave it four stars instead of five because I wish that their selection of lower-priced women's bikes were bigger. I spent $350 on my bike, which I know is reasonable. However, they told me there is a different version of the same bike that is $300 but that they didn't have it in. I would have rather had the $300 one but hey, what can you do? I can safely recommend Farina's for both initial purchases and subsequent fixes. read more

We had a terrific experience here yesterday buying a bike for our son. We had a budget that we were trying to stick to and the salesperson was super respectful of it and went above and beyond to find something that both fit our son and our price range. He was also great about talking to our son about the bike and how to take care of it. We will definitely be back. read more

This review is for gardening equipment. I just purchased Stihl battery powered tools (chainsaw and weed whacker). The staff there was great. Knowledgeable and friendly, they helped me buy the right products. By the way, Stihl products are always light years better than the low end, but cheaper, tools you can by at Home Depot. The quality is definitely worth it in the long run. I've been buying garden tools from them for years and if I've ever had a problem, they fix it right away. read more

I've been in there several times over the past 2 years, including buying my bike there, getting the handlebars raised up, and just today, getting a bike fitting and learning how to use clip-in pedals. This place is terrific. I worked w/ Mike on all of the above, and throughout his focus was on what the needs were. He easily could have up-sold and I wouldn't have been the wiser, but he told me what was and (equally important) what was not needed. I have the greatest respect for this place. It's family owned / operated and has integrity. read more