This is not just the best bike store on Long Island (and believe me, I've been to most of them), but one of the very best shopping and repair experiences of any store I have ever been to, period. A dying breed: a small, specialty store that carries a high quality product at both the low and high end of the spectrum with extremely knowledgeable staff who are willing to listen, give advice and actually spend time fitting the bike to you.
I bought my first bike (that is my first bike from Kreb) here over twenty years ago. I wanted to get into mountain biking. Chris sold me an inexpensive bike to start, told me where to ride, offered to set me up with someone to ride with. When I was ready for a better mountain bike, he recommended a good bike at a medium to low pricepoint. He ordered the bike, custom fit it to me. Gave me lots of free advice.
When I started to get interested in road biking I brought my old Trek in. Chris never tried to talk me into buying a new bike. Instead he tuned the bike and set me up with the Suffolk Bike Riders Association (a riding group). When I was ready for a better bike, he sold me a Serotta steel (a beautiful bike--but Serotta's least expensive bike), again custom fit it. When I decided I wanted to learn how to build a wheel, Chris sat with me (for free) and showed me how to build it. I stopped in there a few days ago for the first time in maybe a year to buy new tires. Although extremely busy, Chris stopped what he was doing and took the time to help me. Yes, it's the end of the season, and he had to order the tires, but that only takes a couple of days.
I don't understand the negative reviews at all. So David M. took his bike in for repair and got a good repair. He then asked Chris whether it was a good bike and Chris told him it was a piece of junk. That sounds honest to me, not arrogant. Presumably you ask the question because you want an honest answer. Or did he want, "yes honey, you look great on that beautiful bike"? Really.
The assumption from that reviewer (and Patrick D.) that this shop focuses on high end bikes is, as you can probably tell from my experience, completely unwarranted. Yes, you can get a high end bike there, but I have never had the slightest feeling that I was being upsold. Quite the contrary. They are all about selling the customer what he wants and needs and willing to spend a lot of time figuring this out.
And as for Philip E.'s comments. The experience (waiting while staff services another customer): quite possible. The perception that it was because there was money involved: inconceivable. You might not get immediate service because Chris or Greg may be helping another customer. That's the flip side of a full service shop that is willing to spend time with its customers.
Look, it's a small, owner run shop (the rest of the staff is great as well, but I've known Chris for the longest). The selection of bikes and accessories is never going to equal what you can get at a larger shop--but they will order almost anything for you. And spend the time with you to make it right.
Or you can (and I have on occasion) just gone to the internet. Of course when we kill the local bike shops, you better be able to fix your own bike.
I just love this shop! read more