I have read several reviews good and bad. My observation is this is a high end bike store that only carries quality stuff. Further, the work itself is stellar and their is no doubt in my mind the owner Duke has a very high skill set in regard to knowing bikes, bike equipment, and repair. I have a Wilier that had serious crack in the carbon and was over five (5) years old. It took a while to find the needed part and after much back and forth Duke did take the time to locate the OEM part in Italy. He did not take the cheap way out. He performed the needed fixes and found other problems on the bike. The bottom line is the bike came back feeling new. I also bought a pair of shoes. Once again River Velo does not carry cheap stuff and I was given at least five (5) viable options. I have a weird non-standard foot and Duke found the perfect fit. Guys and gals, this is not a conventional bike store. The guy is busy as "hell" for a reason, so he may not always get back to you right away. However, be very aware this guy and his shop have high integrity. I live an hour and a half from his shop (he specializes in Wilier and other high end Italian bikes) and after being educated by Duke and watching what was done to my bikes I don't want anyone else touching my Babies. I will make the drive. Forget all the niceties and usual flowery customer service stuff. If you want to buy a high end quality machine this is the place. If you need shoes or other bike accessories this is the place. If you need service on your bike this is the place. Just have patience. The store is super busy and full of a lot of customers because they excel at what they do. If any of the things I stated were incorrect this would not be the case. In any event, this is the best bike store I have been in and whole heartily endorse doing business with this place. read more

Napa River Velo - The repaired surgery patient - Bikes Near Me - Napa, California

NRV was down during Covid but his back to my great pleasure! Knows his bikes in the industry and he has never led me wrong or tried to hard sell me. I trust him explicitly do what I need and a suggest what I don't know that I need. He's a good honest and hard-working guy. He's my favorite! read more

Duke has built me multiple bikes over the years. Very knowledgeable, very fast service and builds. His wife and him are great people. Don't bring my bikes anywhere or have them built anywhere but here. read more

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I've been dealing with Duke for many years. Duke provides excellent service in repairs and great overall customer service as he went above and beyond on a recent warranty issue, that resulted in a new frame for me. We are fortunate to have a courteous and knowledgeable professional in our community. A Special Thanks to Napa River Velo. Clarence Williams - Fairfield California read more

This is the best shop in town. Knowledgeable team that are not pushy. Trust them servicing my bike. They work with you to get you exactly what you need. Duke and his wife are fantastic people that truly take care of their patrons. Always appreciate their help. Plus they have a great rental fleet which is nice when I have people costing from out of town. read more

I just wanted to update this review, I can not tell you how many compliments I have received on this bike!! I went on a century ride with a pile of Dinos right before Covid struck and the level of jealousy level was OFF THE CHARTS!! "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BIKE?!?", "WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE PARTS?!?", and "WHO DID THE BUILD?!?" I let them all know that Duke and Malia at Napa River Velo found all the parts for this spectacular build. One of the riders told me that Bernard Hinault would be jealous himself and that I should take it to the Tour de France next year and get him to sign it and put a layer of clear coat over the signature - I might just do that. That said, I just wanted to let you know, one of my old racing bikes came back to me recently so I will be back for another custom Eroika build soon!! --------------------------------------------------------------- I wanted to ride the California Eroica event this year. I used to race on a Gitane Professional years ago in europe, but I sold it years ago. I really missed that bike, and by luck, I managed to find a vintage Gitane Profil Aero Time Trial Frame. All I needed was parts to build it up. I reached out to Duke Tuchman at Napa River Velo for help after hearing about his passion for unique custom builds from a racing buddy. Duke was able to track down and piece together a complete period-correct vintage Dura-Ace Grupo for me, many of the pieces were NOS and NIB! He also found me a set of period-correct rims, and a brand new set of vintage Cinelli handlebars and stem! The only thing missing was the vintage Dura-Ace AX water bottle and cage. Once he collected all the parts he called me up and told me we were ready to do the build! I went up to Napa and spent the afternoon in the shop. We spent the next couple of hours assembling my dream bike. The same bike that Bernard Hinault rode in his time trials in the Tour de France in the early 80s. At the end of the build, he said you're going to need some period-appropriate riding gear. Malia, had found me a set of vintage Renault Gitane Jersey and bib shorts. Wrapped inside the jersey was a vintage NOS Dura-Ace AX aero water bottle cage and some vintage Benotto cello tape!! - PERFECTION!! Duke and Malia absolutely nailed it. Right down to the smallest details. They were simply amazing! I literally own a time (trial) machine now! I couldn't ask for a better experience. The bike is perfect and I had an absolutely fabulous ride. I got all kinds of compliments on my bike at the event. Duke won a customer for life. I can't recommend Napa River Velo highly enough. Duke and Malia are simply THE SUPERMOSTBESTEST!! I'd give them 1000 stars if I could. read more

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Tried to walk in to the bicycle shop only to have an older asian woman yell to us that the place was closed. Thinking that we were just early, the follow up question was to ask when they were going to open. She again said, "We're closed" and proceeded to ignore us and talk to a couple with a dog. Shocked by the perceived rudeness, I stopped to ask again what the situation was. She grudgingly explained that they lost their lease, and went back to talking to the people with the dog. Now I get it, you lost your lease. But, we are still humans after all. And giving people some dignity and respect shouldn't be contingent on the status of your business. I'd like to believe this was a simple miscommunication, that she meant we're closed and expected me to understand that this was a permanent condition. But due to the vagaries of the English language, it can also mean, we're close and we'll open in an hour. So there you, go. I just didn't appreciate the interaction, kind of left a sour taste in my mouth for a few minutes but I didn't let it ruin my trip to the Napa Valley, though I was hoping to help my friend purchase or see some bicycles. read more

Lady working in there is very nice but the old man in there was rude like a grumpy old troll.

Duke Tuchman is a local bike mechanic for decades & came from Michigan. I bought 5 pro bikes from him & living here since 1975. He is meticulous & great on pro bikes ($1k-15k). Wealth of knowledge. Not sure how he feels working on cheap Walmart bikes. Noticed his eBikes installations are very good. read more

Don't understand why they have a 3.5 star rating. Great place if you're looking for a bike or bike accessories (great selection). Knowledgeable about bikes. I took my bikes there because another shop could not repair them and they took care of them. Duke (owner), Thomas, and Malia will take good care of you. My rating is 5 star. Chili Dawg read more

I talked to Thomas and the owner. Totally normal, approachable, friendly and very informative. I hate downtown Napa and parking issues, but sincebthese guys are stellar, i go there. I had zero experience on ebikes, and left feeling awesome after test riding an ebike there. I will be buying a bike from them when i am ready. I no longer buy tubes anywhere else. I bought ten tubes elsewhere and all failed. The one tube i bought from them is still the same psi two years later...wow! read more

I needed a rush disc break job before a long ride the next day. I called several bike ships to see if they had the SRAM parts in stock. Napa River Velo was the only shop who had them. I dropped my bike off on Friday morning and Duke promised to have it done Friday night. He stayed until 8:30 PM and hour and a half after closing! My wife and I had a nice dinner downtown while we waited for Duke to complete the job! The best service experience I have had at any bike shop! Thanks Duke! read more

I had the pleasure of meeting the folks and their two dog's at Napa River Velo. Both were pleasant, helpful and inviting... Duke even made a needed adjustment on my breaks free of charge to get me on my way. Look forward to fulfilling all of my cycling needs here at Napa River Velo. read more

Napa River Velo - Bike path off of Trancus after getting a break adjustment at Napa River Velo. - Bikes Near Me - Napa, California

My favorite bike shop in town. I have been going here for 8+ years and Duke is the man. He knows what he is doing and has taken care of my bike since 2013 and getting it race ready. read more

Great customer service. Good inventory and choice. Good after sales service and care

Good evening Duke, I have recently received word of your rebuttable to our previous conversation, and frankly your accusation against one of your rival stores is way out of its depth. Not only did this take place at Napa River Velo (which is in the river front complex) but Napa Valley Velo, which you were so quick to accuse ( be it the name maybe?) hadn't put a store in by the movie theaters when my first review was posted. Also in regards to an admission of guilt via Facebook there was no such message and I think we both know the messages I sent you were nothing more then reconfirming to you that in fact it was your store and your employee. I hope this is as informative to patrons as my last review and I bid you adu. Thank you, Michael Quinn read more

As a Napa native who has spent a good chunk of my life around road cyclists, both professional and amateur, I have always loved bike shops, but hadn't stepped foot inside Napa River Velo since it opened (which happens to be right next door to my favorite gelato place!). I went in yesterday evening around 6:00 for the first time, in search of my four-year-old daughter's first 2-wheeler - a pink Electra cruiser, which I heard they might have. My mom, my daughter and I were immediately greeted by the bike mechanic, who was friendly from the get-go. He chatted with us briefly about what we were looking for, bike size, etc. They had the bike we had in mind in stock (yay!), so he pulled it out and held it for her so she could sit on it. He commented that her legs were having to stretch just a little, but not too much, so this bike would last us a few years. Within 5 minutes, we had made the decision that this was the bike. He added training wheels and a bell while we waited and chatted with us the entire time. We were able to wrap up the entire deal and my daughter was off riding her bike down the riverfront pathway within 30 minutes of us walking in the door. In our time there, we were also talking with a man, who I assume is the owner - super nice guy, as well as another friendly salesman (curly-haired guy) who showed me some trunk-mounted racks for my car. Our visit couldn't have been more pleasant. Showing up just an hour before they closed, I never felt rushed. Everyone was nice, efficient, knowledgeable, the price of the bike was fair, and I left knowing that my daughter will get good use out of her new bike for years to come. I felt great about my decision to buy there and you can bet that these folks will be getting my business in the future. In response to a few comments about how "pricey" this place is, I just have to say this: If you're shopping for a bike in a "bike shop", you're most likely looking for something better than you'd find at Walmart, right? So obviously, you're going to pay more. You're getting a good name brand and probably a year's worth of service. I'm not a wealthy person by any means, but dropping $260 on a GOOD bike that will last my daughter as much as 4 years, doesn't sound like such a bad deal to me. read more

Napa River Velo - Devin's first "real" bike! Thank you, Napa Valley Velo! - Bikes Near Me - Napa, California

Duke helped me out when I walked in when they were closed on accident. Still fixed up my bike! Highly recommend. Also, I love the fact that they are pet friendly/encouraged! read more

I called to see about ordering some parts - about $1k worth. I spoke w/ someone named Duke. He said they were a little busy that day but he took down my email and phone number to contact me later. It's been about six days. I think they say never to do business with anyone who doesn't want to take your money. read more

I was desperate for a quick replacement part in a hurry. The team here set me up super fast and made sure everything fit and was ready to go. Reasonable price too. Thanks!!! read more

We were biking around Napa on a Sunday and got a flat tire. The people running this shop were incredibly nice - gave us air, directions, and right back on our way. This was a great bike shop that I look forward to shopping at on our next trip to Napa. read more

Another business trip to California, where I wanted to cycle on the weekend in Napa with a friend. After filling on the easy online form and speaking to Duke to confirm a few other details, once I got to Napa the store was only a short walk from the hotel and I was able to pick the bike up the day before we planned to cycle so we could see off early. Owners Malia and Duke were very friendly and helpful. And the NeilPryde Alize Ultegra bike was a great ride. Excellent service and I would absolutely use them again if I am ever in Napa again. Great value. They made my weekend with a very hilly 55 mile ride on a great bike. (I notice not all reviews are in the same vein as mine - the above was my experience so I can review accordingly and give them 5 stars). read more

Update - Took my 29er in for a quick tune due to a little noise in the rear wheel and just tighten up the shifting. It was pretty close to closing time, but they threw it up on the rack and said "give us a few" then offered me a cup of coffee and a cookie while I walked the shop. Not only did they run through my whole drive-train and got everything shifting cleanly, but also adjusted the rear rotor, which was evidently the source of the strange sound in the rear wheel. All that in about 10 minutes. Took it for a test ride and came back smiling, so went to grab my wallet and was told there wouldn't be a charge. Ummm yeaaaahhhhh...I'll definitely be coming back to buy my next roadie here... read more

Napa River Velo - My Speedfox SF29 getting the treatment - Bikes Near Me - Napa, California

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I have only came into the store a few times. Every time Duke is very helpful and explains the difference between the items im looking at. He always seem to have what i need when i go there. read more

They're close to my office in downtown and they've always got the small parts I need at the last minute. I like their Salsa bike inventory too. The staff have always been knowledgable about my obscure questions and their prices for maintenance parts are reasonable. I usually got to Bicycle Works because it's closer to home, but the prices are are similar and the staff suggestions have been equally helpful at both stores. The Hub was strangely a little more pricy and their staff push their bikes a little more ... just more of a sales-ie vibe I guess. Any of them are fine to get cables, tubes, or maintenance parts; but I'd go to Bicycle Works unless River Velo was closer. read more

ZERO STARS Incredibly rude and pretentious service to regular or novice-non competitive riders. Deeply disappointed as a Napa-native/local, this business here on the waterfront would snub young or beginning cyclists making them feel their basic questions were not worthy of their time. This has happened to myself and immediate family 3 times in a row now and it is unacceptable. Considering the level of cyclist they prefer to come in (which clearly is ONLY professional riders from out of town), I am deeply offended by them belittling and scolding novice riders for being idiots who have simple questions. They should be encouraging new riders to ask questions and be supportive to embrace the joys of cycling. Ridiculous. I have an expectation of all Napa small business to represent us all with respect and courtesy, especially to locals who families keep them in business with referral and repairs. I will be sure to spread the word to locals with new riders in their families to never step foot in this store again or spend a dime here. Way better local options, especially for families who have young kids and teens who catch the cycling bug and want to learn. Bad me for being lazy and not driving a few minutes to Napa Bicycle Works...They are super awesome there! read more

rude as can be, poor selection of just about everything bike related. The owner does not carry a great reputation either. Made the mistake of going here when I first was getting into riding my commuter around and needed some stuff here and there to keep'er running. I know better now and go to some much better establishments. Do your self a favor and go somewhere you'll be treated like a human. read more

Can I give it 0 stars? Came to Duke about a bike that needed to be fixed. He said he could do it, hopeful I left it with him. A month goes by nothing, not even an update. Call him and he says that he's still waiting for company to let him know what to do to repair part on bike. Several months go by and nothing, again not even an update. I tell him I'll just take it he says give him another month he will get to it and at least call me with an update. Again I wait to hear something and again nothing. It's not as frustrating that this person is incompetent to perform a service he said he would and could do but his lack of communication. Duke is more than capable of making decisions to say he will and won't help so I can't forgive that behavior. I don't like to use this word often but he is prejudice. It makes me know his lack of substance as a person is unfortunate that he would discriminate one costumer by ignoring service and give priority time and time and time again to other customers. Explain yourself Duke. read more

Years ago when I was looking to buy my first ever road bike I came here to test ride a few bikes. I got great advice, they didn't try to "up sell" me but instead helped me find a bike that really met my needs. Since then I've upgraded my bike and again received great advice, assistance and customer care. It is great to work with a business that creates and maintains a relationship with its clients. read more

Brilliant experience, highly recommended. I found & bought the bike remotely, and picked it up today. Duke was fantastic from start to finish: Responsive throughout, a great price, helpful and friendly. Worth the drive to Napa! read more

I'm an amateur commuter cyclist from Napa and I've visited Napa River Velo twice: once when getting my first "commuter" bike and once when I needed an emergency tire on a Sunday evening. Both times, I've found myself feeling very unwelcome at Napa River Velo and both times I took my business elsewhere. Maybe they would've been kinder if I was a tourist renting a bike from them or if I was a Crit One racer? When asking about a replacement tire for one I had just blown out, I commented that I didn't have a need for a tire with major speed, that I was a commuter cyclist and not a racer. Without even a smile, the only comment I got back was, "Obviously." "Obviously," they just lost my business from now on. read more

The guy who handled our rental didn't seem to be concerned with even the lowest level of customer service. We were not offered a choice of bikes and were given no explanation of the bikes provided (not even a description of the brakes or number of gears). I asked where we could catch the Silverado Bike Trail, and instead of answering my question, the cashier just warned us that the trail is narrow in some parts. When we returned, there was a similar lack of small talk. No one even asked us how the bikes rode or whether we had any problems with them. Regarding the bikes: There were no bike racks, but there were handle bar bags. There were also no bells, and my hubby's seat was a ball buster so we only lasted 3.5 hours. We went to NRV because it was walking distance from our hotel, but we should have just driven to a better shop to rent. read more

I was one of those tourists renting a bike, and I had a great experience with Napa River Velo! Their road bike rentals are a little pricey so I opted for the much cheaper "commuter" bike (hybrid). I think I paid about $35 for a one day rental, and the bike was in decent condition. I wanted to keep the bike past closing time so the friendly guy who was helping me agreed to let me keep it overnight as long as I brought it back first thing the next morning. As a side note, the Silverado Trail is perfect for biking through wine country! The wineries are fairly close together and the bike lanes are nice and wide for the wobbly trip home. read more

In fairness to the earlier reviews, it's true that Duke (or is it Dean?) the owner, seems to be just overwhelmed at times and maybe a bit cranky with all the questions he gets from customers all day. But in my experience with his store, it was a pleasant purchase. I bought a Lapierre carbon road bike about two months ago and I have to say that the guys were very patient with me. I test rode a couple of bikes, a felt, pinarello and finally the Lp. They adjusted and re-adjusted the bikes to my specifications and was there for over three hours. Before I finally pulled the trigger, I came by a total of 4 visits and every time they were very pleasant in answering all my questions. It was a big purchase but I never felt pushed into making this decision. They could have lead me to a more expensive bike but we stuck to my price point, I have been getting a lot of complements whenever I tell people how much I got my all carbon bike for. It was a steal! Anyway, I am due for a tune up and I hope the service is as good as the buying experience. read more

I rent a bike here every time I'm in Napa. They always have what I need, well tuned, new tires in my size, every time. For parts and bike they have an excellent selection and great service. This is the only shop I go to in Napa. read more

This place has great eye candy for sure and one of the closer BMC dealers around. Brought my ride in to get its stem cut to size and got the bike back same day! Shot the sh*t with Duke about upcoming BMC frames and such. Great place. Will def come back and try and purchase from his inventory once I get good use out of my Team Machine :-) read more

If i could give this place a zero i would. My bike was in this shop for 3 weeks and was never worked on. I did not recieve any phone calls letying me know what the status of my bike was. Terrible business and customer service. Would absolutely not recommend. read more

Nothing but great! I have been in a lot of bike shops in the NorCal. I view bike shops from the perspective of as a causal rider, hard core weekend warrior, and picking out my sons 1st bike. This place has it all. A great mix of product from several hundred to way more. The staff is über knowledgeable and very friendly. Yes, quality cost. So if you are looking for a big box store cheap bike go buy one at Walmart ... But if you want a quality bike with great staff this is the place. They even have a shop dog! How cool is that?!?! read more

Many other bike shops in town with better deals and better customer service. This staff could use a few lessons in customer service. Maybe they treat tourists better because locals don't seem too pleased. About a year ago a man who claimed to help out, but wasn't a full employee (whatever that means) proceeded to sell us merchandise that in turn he couldn't sell. He raved about some race in Portland that he attends yearly (maybe that'll help the owner know who I speak of). When the mistake was realized a simple call and apology would have been fine, but neither happened. It was also a lot of work to get my refund. I wish we bought the bike in full that day because I couldn't image the repercussions you would have faced from the customer who owned the bike you tried to sell. Saying my bad isn't good enough. read more

My husband and I are new to road biking and the team at Napa River Velo went above and beyond to find us bikes we felt comfortable riding and that met our budget. That included hunting down a bike that was smaller for my petite frame and cutting the post to further adjust the height. They've been extremely helpful in getting us equipped- from information on how to operate, ordering items that we're looking for, and installing them on our bikes. We've been in the shop several times for various gear and they've always delivered excellent customer service. Their knowledge and willingness to help is apparent, and we feel that we are in good hands. You'll be greeted with warm smiles and wagging tails (the two cute resident dogs :) We highly recommend their store and services and appreciate having such an honest and expert team to support us in our new hobby. read more