I've had a hard time trying to frame this. I'll try this. I had to listen to a performative dood talk emanating from the floor worker to a customer about chain lubricant that went on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. And on an on an on an on and on. And on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. And on and on and on and on and on an on and on and on and on and on. It was a long time. I waited. And I waited some more. I did some serious waiting five feet away in a red sweater. No acknowledgment. No letting me know it might be a while. But that would've likely stopped the upselling I started to see. So I turned me and my bike around and left. It's hard for me to be on my feet that long. That's why I bike. Dood has a right to be into his subject matter. Usually shops want you to feel comfortable and respected as somewhat of a priority, even if you aren't being directly pitched at the moment... it just was not a good vibe. All doods working there when I was in. Way heavy on the dood vibe. Captive audience syndrome. Sigh. Dood has to do what a dood does. I avoid places like this. Going to the bike collective in Rogers Park instead next time. read more

Tailwind has been my family's go-to bike shop for six or more years. Some years I find myself shipping them a new bike to build for a kid's upcoming birthday. Other years we've adopted a used bike that needs some TLC. This week they are working on upgrades to my kids' road bikes to make them better suited to racing on the velodrome in Northbrook. As always, the guy who helped us (Kyle) was knowledgeable about the options and had good advice about how to proceed. I knew that would be the case and knew that the shop is always fair about labor costs, which is why I brought the bikes back from Northbrook to have the work done. Long story short, this place is great, and you won't regret giving it your business. read more

09/10/20 - I dropped off my bike about 10 days ago after much indecision on wether or not I should spent the money to have my bike tuned up and make it Road worthy. I haven't ridden this bike in many years and kept trying to decide if I should spend the money. I finally decided to "JUST DO IT". My bike needed a complete tune up. Both of my tires had dry rot so they needed to be replaced. The spokes has to be adjusted so the wheels are aligned. I needed new brake pads & cables and a new chain. I also put a new hand wrap around the handle bars. I use to be pretty hardcore biker but haven't ridden a bike in years. My bike is a Fuji Del Rey. It's a good bike but not super light like some of the ultra lightweight bikes that you can pick up w/2 fingers. It serves my purpose. They did a nice job on the tune up though the cost they quoted me ended up being more then what was originally quoted. read more

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I had a fork swapped on my bike. When I called to ask how much it would cost, the reply was $40. when I dropped it off, the estimate was $40. When I picked it up it was $70. AND I had to ask the shop for the original fork back when I KNOW I did not specify to "keep the old $250 fork" read more

Highly recommended. I've had my bike serviced regularly and been professionally fitted and it's always a positive experience. The fitting was detailed and well explained throughout the process. This solved some aches and pains I was having on my longer rides. read more

These gentleman are nothing short of awesome. I was a little intimidated before walking in as my previous experience with bike shops has been pretty subpar. As a casual bike commuter I usually feel out of my league around cyclists and like I have no idea what to do or what to expect. this experience was completey different. I was welcomed and right away and felt completely taken care of. The process was straightforward and everything was explained to me simply which I so appreciate. I will highly recommend to all my friends. I feel lucky to have such a great neighborhood shop. read more

This is a great little neighborhood bike shop, where you go not just to get an amazing bike, but also a whole lot of expertise. They know everything about bikes and provide any service you will need on your bike in the future. So nice to be able to patronize a neighborhood shop and get all of the extra service that goes with that! read more

Tailwind Cycles - My awesome new bike! (And my awesome husband.) - Bike Repair/Maintenance Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Two times in a week, tailwind save my ride with its convenient location near the North Shore Chann Trail. Friendly people great service fair prices who could ask for anything more read more

Shoutout to Tailwind Cycles who fixed my flat tires in like zero minutes and had me back on my way. Really appreciate them.

I've been visiting Tailwind Cycles for several years now and have always had super positive experiences with them. Recently dropped a bike off I'd been tinkering with for some troubleshooting. They were able to find my problem and quickly get the parts needed. Most importantly, the mechanic took the time to call and explain the problem in a helpful and informative way that grew my knowledge. I've had experiences with mechanics elsewhere in the past where they can be a bit short or condescending if you're not an expert. 100% not the case here. There's a good reason anytime anyone asks me for a rec, I send them here. Fair prices, good work, and friendly staff. So glad they're in the neighborhood. read more

I called the shop not knowing what direction I was going with bike choice. I received amazing advice, He answered all my questions and gave me an education on picking the right bike. Had me sold on a bike but needed to save a bit for winter gear and went a different route. I just wanted to give a shout out, that kind of patience in customer service is a lost art. read more

These guys are gold. Literally! My special needs son asked for gold bike for Christmas, and didn't specify the gold detail until the very last minute. With only 24 hours to paint it, I tried several shops with no luck until I tried Tailwind. They took on the challenge no questions asked, disassembled and reassembled in no time allowing me to make a kid's wish come true. They also promised adjustments for free. They are beyond professional, and I will be a lifetime customer! So happy to have small businesses like this in the community. read more

Tailwind Cycles - Christmas bike! - Bike Repair/Maintenance Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They're absolutely amazing! Friendly service. Knowledgeable staff. Very fair prices. Accommodating hours. I've been here three times since I moved to the neighborhood last month and each time I leave satisfied. So glad to have such a high-quality bike shop in the neighborhood! read more

Wow. I can't say enough about this place. Super cool and helpful. Good info. Great service. Tips. Looking out for my best interest. I loved that when all the shops were swamped I could make an appt and drop off the day before vs dropping off weeks ahead. A +++ thx guys!! read more

Up until a few weeks ago I would have posted a wildly upbeat and positive review for Tailwind Cycles. For years this bike shop has sold to me and serviced at least 5 bicycles. Both bicycles and service are pricey and both are worth the cost. As I said, up until 1 few weeks ago this bike shop was tops. Bikes for my adult son must be in excellent shape. My son rides 150 miles a week and he happens to have autism. Tailwinds tweaked brakes and filled tires and adjusted and tightened and serviced my son's bicycles. They sold us helmets and baskets and carriers and water bottles and bells and lights and holders and straps repeatedly. We paid every time. We paid a lot. I would say my son and I were very good and loyal customers. My son would go through 2-3 bikes a year. Accidents and theft happen a lot. Biles we purchased averaged 600.00 per bike. 2 weeks ago my son was in a hit and run bike accident. He was hit by a motorcycle. His bike needed fixing. Together my son and I picked up his bike at the 17th police district. My son rode to TailWinds. I drove my car. My son was a mess and had a melt down in TailWinds. Autism is ugly and painful. The shop is small and had approx 6 employees and 4 customers. It bears repeating. My son has autism. My son had a melt down. It is strange and upsetting and frightening. My son was in the shop less then 8 minutes before I arrived. My son did not get violent My son did not harm anyone or anything physically My son screamed and threatened and shook and raged. I had words with Ben the owner - He had words with me. We left. We will not ever return to this shop. Thank you to the Tail Wind customers that helped me get my son's bile into my car. Thank you. I could not have managed on my own. When we got home my son posted on his own FB page and tagged Tail Winds that this shop sucked and did not have the part needed. My son left out his rage and total and complete meltdown. I asked my son to take down the post. Before the post was removed Ben the owner hopped on the post. Ben from Tail Winds responded to my son's FB post lickety split. " We both know what happened.... I HOPE YOU GET THE HELP YOU NEED .... YOU SCARED OUR STAFF AND CUSTOMERS " No mention of my son's disability. Only Ben of Tail WInds need to humiliate and dress down a young man with autism on FB. Shame on you. TailWinds - 1 in 67 folks have autism. My son and I both apologized to Tail Winds and we are sincere in our apologies. So long Tail WInds. read more

I was trying to catch Bikes'n'Roses when they were open over the end of the year and learned that they are moving to somewhere in Belmont-Cragin. Boo. They recommended these guys. Tailwind Cycles fixed a flat tire for me, explained how I could avoid making the valve split off from the tube again, all for a reasonable price. No bike-shop-too-cool-for-you here just nice, helpful people. Steve mentioned that they are starting up winter bike maintenance classes too in a few weeks. read more

Great service and staff. They've been taking care of our bikes and jogging stroller for a while and have always been super knowledgeable and quick. read more

I regret ever going here. Moved to Albany Park from Uptown last year. My bike picked up a flat (and was in desperate need of a tuneup I'd been putting off) so I made an appointment and got my flat fixed on August 3rd. $20 for a flat fix (replacing the tube, not patching it) is a fair price. Got the tuneup scheduled for two weeks later on the 17th. Did a few rides in the next week and noticed my tire was flat again on the 13th. Figured it was no big deal and stayed off the bike until my scheduled tuneup a few days later. My first warning sign should have been when they didn't call me to confirm my appointment. I waited until the shop opened the day of the appointment and called them. "Hey, a few weeks ago I scheduled a tuneup for today. Am I still on the calendar?" The guy on the phone seemed unsure about that but said they'd get me in if I brought it over. Get to the shop, drop off my bike and mention to the guy who took it, "I was just in a few weeks ago for a flat fix. You put in a new tube but it's flat again. I think there's something more wrong with the tire or wheel, be sure to check that out." Which, honestly, I shouldn't have to say when it's a $170 full tuneup but I wanted all the cards on the table. They tuned up my bike and it appears the service they did was fine, it needed a new chain and rear gear assembly. Brakes got tightened and they even moved my bell to a place where it's not sliding around. Rode the bike home and I thought everything was good. Until the next morning when I start off on a ride. I'm only a few blocks from the Tailwind Cycles and I rode straight home that night. The next morning I hop on the riverfront trail and head north but only make it about a mile and a half before a loud BANG comes from my rear tire and I start fishtailing. Rear tire was completely blown out after less than two miles of riding. Walked my bike back home and waited until the shop opened to call them. I'm not an aggressive person at all, so let me tell you how much it stressed me out to start a phone call with, "I was just in yesterday for a full tuneup and flat fix. This morning the new tube blew out in less than two miles. I need you to fix that." The guy on the told me to bring it in and I did on my lunch break. I must have been radiating anger because the guy who took my bike comped the repairs. But every time we talked he kept trying to deflect. "We do a lot of flat fixes, we can't remember everyone." "You gotta tell us if this is an ongoing issue." and my personal favorite, "It had air in the tire when you rode home, this isn't our fault." Even after several minutes of conversation about how this IS AN ONGOING ISSUE and I think there's something wrong with the tire and/or wheel, the guy replaced the tube and put new tape on the wheel and called it good. To the best of my knowledge he never inspected the tire. Fine, whatever, I walked out of there without giving them another dime and never intend to again. I go for a few more rides last week, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Things are looking good. I average about 7 miles on a short weekday ride, really nothing extreme. Something that can be done in about 30-35 minutes before work or at lunch (yay working from home during Covid, right?). Saturday I get up and go for my 7 mile route in the morning. I get about 4 miles in and notice my rear tire is fishtailing again. It's deflating. I pump it up every mile or so on my way home and call a bike shop I know and trust - shout out to Uptown Bikes. They couldn't get me on the books initially but later that day they had a cancellation for this afternoon. So I took the appointment, took a half-day of vacation, and walked my bike three miles to Uptown. Dropped it off with them and they call me about twenty minutes later, "The tire has some pretty big gashes, probably from glass on the street. You'll need a new one. If you want, we do carry a puncture-resistant tire that's pretty good. It's $45." I told them yes and picked up my bike about twenty minutes later and rode it home trusting that it's actually fixed. read more

My wife and I ride our bikes daily and once a year, we bring our beat up cycles to Tailwind for full tune-ups (I think for the last 3 years). We did again this year and after the first ride, my wife notice that her gear shift was not "springing back" after shifting. I called Tailwind and after explaining, Ben offered to stop by our house to take a look (it was later in the day and they were about to close). In about 15 minutes, Ben showed up, took a look, made an adjustment and the bike was FIXED!!!! We really appreciate that effort and friendly response! Five stars is not enough!!!! Thanks Ben, thanks Tailwind for keeping us riding!!! read more

This bike shop is awesome! The guys working the shop are friendly and helpful ! They take walk ins which is great. I was recently in a car accident and my bike flew off my car from the impact which caused the tire to puncture as it landed on the ground and the handlebar area was loose . They were able to fix my bike tire and tightened up anything that was needed. Waited maybe like 25 minutes, which was not bad for a walk in. Price was reasonable! Def will be coming back for any of my bike needs. read more

This is an outstanding small business, with big hearts. I was riding my bike home when I noticed I had a flat tire. Tailwind had a bike pump outside their shop that I was able to use. I'm not that experienced in knowledge when it comes to bikes.. so when I was attempting to put air in my tire, Steven came out to offer help. He took my bike into the shop and was very patient and helpful. He explained I had a hole in my tire, and was extremely kind in offering to replace the tire. Panic sunk in when I meekly shared that I didn't bring my wallet since I was going on a bike ride. He was beyond understanding and was willing to repair my bike tire regardless. As he was doing the repair, he explained what he was doing and he shared information regarding my bike that I didn't know about (She was a Craigslist purchase). Eventually, I realized I was able to pay using Zelle, and Steven was also super helpful in guiding me in the steps to use Zelle. I highly recommend this location if you are new (or experienced) to riding bikes. My bike runs so smoothly and it felt like a blessing seeing that tire pump outside the store because otherwise I would have walked my bike 5 miles home.. which would have been TWO TIRING ;). This is a wonderful shop that I know I will visit again in the future. Thank you Steven Blum! read more

Wonderful service! My kids needed a new ride so Ben and Steven hooked up an optimal ride for my 8 year old boy. They've always been attentive. From adjustments to full builds ... these Guys know how to set you up. I would recommend the Tailwind cycles crew to commuters - people who want to race - and everyone in between. Tschüss! read more

They absolutely do a great job. Stellar work, super friendly, competitive pricing. I've brought the higher end race machines to my commuter and they always return it clean and smooth shifting! read more

Went in to have my rims trued and they did an amazing job on them! I thought the tires were done as well - but they got them aired up as well. Took the rims in in mid morning they were done same day 5:30. And best part is that it was inexpensive compared to other shops I called in the area. $15 each rim. I'll definitely go back when or if I need! read more

I cannot heap enough praise on Tailwind Cycles. They were prompt and professional. I needed a complete overhaul on my bicycle. In the past, whenever I asked other shops for a quote on a extensive tune-up, the price was more than getting a new bike. Tailwind's fees are way better than any I've seen before or now. Ben picked up and dropped off my bike and was very informative. I'm looking forward to exploring my new neighborhood. I couldn't be happier. read more

I needed to have my bike tuned, and checked throughout. The experience here was great. Steven was honest and great to talk to. During walkthrough, he saw some components loose and was clear about the cost to fix if it was necessary. I did give them to go ahead and no need to check in to approve the parts. It turned out they just need to be tightened and all was well. I appreciate this kind of honesty and not trying to replace something that was fine. I look forward to taking my bikes here to be serviced in the future. I would highly recommend Tailwind. read more

Super awesome and super friendly service! Pricing is very reasonable. If you need to bring your bike in, this is the place to go!

TLDRL: I had a great experience getting my bike tuned up at this shop. I have used yelp for a few years now, but this is the first time I've felt compelled to leave a review. I've owned my bike for 7 or 8 years now and had never gotten a tune up. I went into the shop thinking I might need the more expensive tune up given my poor upkeep. I spoke to a gentleman there who said everything I would need was likely covered under the standard tune up. He then put my bike up on a stand and asked me about what problems I've noticed As I mentioned things, he would look at the corresponding components, talk me through the probable causes, and then tell me how they would troubleshoot it. I love my bike, but don't know much about it's components, so I really appreciated this. I learned a lot about my bike and felt really good about the work they would be doing. A week later my bike was finished and ready for pickup. My bike rides as well, if not better than the day I purchased it. I will definitely be coming back here for any other work I need done. read more

This is a somewhat delayed review but a testament to how good and meticulous these guys are. September 2018 I moved back to the U.K. and had Tailwind box my beloved single speed for its ride home in a container across the Atlantic. Finally had it built up by a bike shop in London last week (London Bike Kitchen) and both they and I were a little worried about the state my bike might be in. After dropping the box off I received an email saying: "I don't know who packed this bike but they did such a flawless job. Absolutely brilliantly protected. So rare. Result is less work for me and less money on your bill. Which never happens. Usually boxed bikes are such a mess. Totally ready to pick up." With the situation we are in right now, the fact they'd taped the position of my handlebars and seat height, there wasn't even the need for me to have them set that, which was fantastic. I simply rolled the bike out the shop and cycled home. And from what I recall the cost of this boxing was really reasonable and on par with any other quote I got. Thank you!! read more

The small shop contains an immense depth of experience from years in the retail side and professional bike racing support. There's little they can't do and are ardent supporters of the local community as well as the Chicago bicycle racing scene. Highly recommend their bike wash service for quick cleanup and inspection of your bike on a regular basis if you are a frequent bike commuter year round or put lots of miles on your drivetrain. Honest estimates at good prices, ready to service a kids BMX, a paleta cart's wheels, or a pro bike's needs with high end parts. Excellent brands for all budgets and needs for road, CX, MTB, track and city bikes. read more

Had them do a safety check (and finish putting together) a bike I ordered. Everyone I talked to was nice and helpful, and they got the job done in a reasonable time, for a reasonable price. read more

Trustworthy and friendly. I had a flat fixed. Failed twice. Only charged once. So they installed two new tires & tubes for cost of the tires ($50) & no charge for labor while I waited. Good deal I thought. read more

Great bike shop! Everyone here is super friendly and helpful. If you're on the north side of Chicago this is the bike shop you wanna go to!

The guys at Tailwind are awesome. I took my bike in for a simple tune-up and it rides like a brand new bike. Kind of wish I could get some of my money back from the shop that tuned my bike last time. read more

Ben and Steve are top notch professionals. They do incredible work at fair prices. They quickly sorted a brake job that another shop botched and had me back on the trail in no time! read more

I am so glad that Tailwind Cycles opened up in Albany Park. They are a needed presence on the Northwest side and feature the wrenching talents of two long-time bike mechanics with a variety of shop and race-support experience. Ben and Steve have smartly stocked their shop with unique bike brands that won't break the bank and offer everything from the grocery getter/daily commuter to the ready-for-anything-gravel racer and a well-thought out array of bike supplies, parts and accessories. Where they really shine however is in great service. I have a bike related business and I recently took in 17 bikes to get them all tuned-up and ready to ride and they did an incredible job. They even delivered with their awesome bike-support van. A++ read more

I've been in Tailwind a couple times to repair a chain and replace an inner-tube and tire. Both times I was given quick service (once I was in and out within 15 minutes) at very reasonable prices. The staff are down to earth, friendly, and helpful. Will definitely return if needed. read more

These guys are great. I bought an old Schwinn off Craigslist for $80 and needed my folding baskets from old bike put on. These guys did it, no problem, and at a very fair price. First impression might be that it's only a high-end kind of place, but not at all - they do everything there from high-end racing, to mom bikes with baskets! Highly recommend! read more

I live in the area and visit this location quite often I couldn't recommend this place enough honest friendly knowledgeable fair not to mention great service. Very helpful if they don't provide a service they will direct you in the right direction. read more

Stopped in an evening last week to get a quick check on the bike. They were able to help me get a new chain on, add a sweet kickstand, and set me up with a new helmet that better fit my ginormous head. Had a good chat about trails on the NW side and got some maps to help me on my way. They have some bikes for sale as well if you're in the market. Seems like good dudes. Glad they're around the block. Will make me super-lazy on self-repairs. Check'em out! read more