My husband's birthday was at the end of last month, and since he is not particularly easy to shop for, I was glad when he told me exactly what he wanted: bike repairs. He bought his bike, Henri, approximately four years ago at Radspannerei, so naturally he wanted the tune up and serving to also be done there.
I called up about a week before and spoke with someone on the phone, who asked me to bring the bike in to have them take a look at it to assess what needed to be done. I did just that, telling them what I (he) wanted done, and they scheduled an appointment for a week later.
I expected a waiting period, but only one week (in the middle of the summer, no less), was not bad at all. And luckily the bike was still perfectly rideable, so it was no inconvenience to us.
A week later I returned, and talked with the person working about what was wanted, including an overall check-up, new tires, a new bottom bracket, new handlebar grips, etc. I also gave him permission to fix things he saw fit that might have been overlooked. Meanwhile, he wanted to know more about what specific tires my husband wanted, and was kind enough to offer to speak with him on the phone, in order to ensure that everything was correct.
After my noon drop-off, I went home and return an hour before closing to pick it up. I was particularly impressed that it only took the day - again, very convenient for us. I had to wait a short while (since it was a busy time of day) but once I was seen, the person working was very helpful, explaining what was done and writing out an invoiced receipt for me. He then pointed out things to be aware of (such as what might need work in 6-12 months) and he also explained that, for example, the bottom bracket was not replaced as I had asked, because they were able to tighten it without requiring a new part, saving me €40. That alone really upped my trust level in the shop, because they didn't do something just because they could make money, but had the overall interests of the owner and bike in mind...
As for my husband, he was thrilled to have a newer version of his bike. Yeah, it's a bit pricey, but they get the job done. I will definitely be back. read more