The folks here are nice and friendly. Their on-hand inventory was broad enough to solve my particular problem (odd sized handlebar needed). They didn't try to sell me something that I didn't need. I had been hustled earlier in the day at another shop so perhaps I am a bit sensitive to that. Nicely laid-out shop and free parking on the Southside...can't be beat. read more

I had a good first time in Thick. I actually bought two new bikes from them. However, I am actually fairly unhappy with the bikes we were sold. And I've been back into Thick several times since then for service on those bikes and also on my other bikes, and each experience gets worse. Chris, who is the owner and typically running the front desk (therefore "greets" you), is rude and belittling. I have been biking for over 25 years, and while I'm not a total expert (hence why I've been into the shop a few times), Chris always puts me down. I think his end goal is to shame me into buying new bikes, instead of Thick making money servicing my older but still very usable bikes. To be totally honest, Chris is the problem, not anyone else or any of the products at Thick. It's too bad: this shop has a ton of potential. If Chris can get out of his own way Thick will be a better shop. read more

Awesome service and straight talk about the current situation of my decimated 29er. Gave me options from least to most expensive/invasive and let me make an informed decision. Went with a new chain and they were kind enough to lube my cables too. Feel like I got out of there with my wallet intact, good info about the state of my bike, and service with a smile. Also, the shop itself is very cool. Some great toys available. I'll definitely be bringing my Niner back for a full service when my wallet allows. read more

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Thick Bikes really surprised me with their services - I was looking for a bike shop to disassemble my bike (so i could paint the frame) and then reassemble it afterwards. Other bike shops estimated they could start the task next month with a week of work, but the team at Thick Bikes was able to take my bike in the day I visited, disassemble it in two days, (i painted it over the weekend) and they reassembled it within three days. The additional tune up was well worth it. I appreciate the speed and diligence of their service which helped me get back on the road sooner. Thanks Chris and the rest of the TB team! read more

My son, who is 15, has been dreaming about buying a fixed-gear bike all summer. He has a job (that he got on his own initiative) bagging in a grocery store and works 8 hours every Saturday and 5 hours every Sunday. He has spent a lot of time educating himself about fixed-gear bikes and comparing prices, as well as taking test drives. He has been wanting to visit Thick Bikes for weeks. Today, after school, my husband accompanied him to the shop, but as it was our son's own money that he would be spending, my husband really wanted him to learn how to work with a sales person to negotiate a price within his budget and make the deal himself, therefore my husband stayed mostly in the background observing. We feel it is our job as parents to raise kids who are self-sufficient and confident and able to make their own way in the world. We viewed this as a life lesson for our son to purchase a $250 bicycle using his own skills. We live and work in the city and make a point to spend money in locally-owned independent small businesses whenever possible, even if it costs slightly more money. When it appeared our son was getting close to working out a transaction, my husband stepped outside. A few minutes later our son went outside to discuss some points with his dad and my husband gave him the go-ahead to buy the bike he wanted. When our son went back inside, he was met at the door and told by a different employee that he could not be inside because he was a minor. The salesman that he had been talking to was within our son's sight line, but would not make eye contact or walk over. The employees knew that our kid really was technically there with an adult, and was serious about buying a bike, but they turned him away. He was clearly not a juvenile delinquent, he was not a jagoff, he was a smart and polite and enthusiastic kid who really wanted to buy a bike with money he earned on his own--and to spend his money at a local bike shop. It is too bad that Thick Bikes does not want his money. It's a good thing that Pittsburgh now has a lot of other independent locally-owned bike shops to choose from. read more

Had my previous bike stolen about 6 months ago, literally went to over 10 different bike stores with no success prior to stopping in Thick Bikes. They have by far the best selection of mountain bikes and provided great service. I ended up buying a bike that was still in the box and expected the build to take a few days. The next day I received a call from Chris letting me know the bike was ready, which was awesome! Thick Bikes exceeded my expectations all around and will now be my go-to shop for all biking needs. read more

Walked in today for info about the bike I am looking for William showed me everything and made it very comfortable I'll be back to buy and they even offered to look at the tow behind we are buying to make sure it's ready to go. Top notch in my book read more

Great bike shop with wide selection and chill staff. Adam was super helpful and nice. Cool art outside too.

Thanks to Ken and the friendly staff at Thick Bikes for setting me up with a great new ride! I had high expectations of this place after a bike-expert friend recommended this place as the best shop of its kind in Pittsburgh, and Thick did not disappoint. I know very little about bikes, and Ken and the rest of the staff were informative and approachable, and really took the time to understand what I was looking for and to make sure the fit of the bike was perfect. Highly recommended! read more

This place has excellent service. In my recent hunt for a commuter hybrid, my first stop was Thick Bikes. A friend had recommended it, and boy was he right! I went in not really sure of what I was looking for, but Chris helped me figure out what I wanted and showed me several different bikes. They didn't have anything used that was fixed up and would meet my needs properly, but I did test ride five or six new bikes over the course of about an hour, and Chris was helping me out the entire time. I did not end up purchasing here, but this is a great little place that you should definitely consider if you are in the market for a bike! read more

The owner will have you towed while your in the store looking at bikes to buy. $200 for impound, $150 for city ticket. There goes my sons new bike for Christmas ya jagoffs!! read more

The people at Thick's are incredibly friendly and generous. Within less than 10 minutes they adjusted the handle bars on my bike and helped me readjust my suv bike rack so that it was on correctly. I was fully expecting to pay but he didn't charge me at all. He just offered his help and told us me come back if I needed anything else. I plan to return to buy some accessories. But in the meantime, I highly recommend this shop. Shop local people!!!! read more

Terrific bike shop in a terrific Southside location. I recently bought an amazing roadbike from them for a very good price. Had a minor problem with a tire, took it back to them, and they fixed it while I waited. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Their website says it all, "Bike people doing bike stuff." I live in another part of town, but will continue to come back to Thick. read more

I've been around town to other bike shops but I always end up back here. The service is honest and helpful. I don't know a lot about bikes other than I love to ride. I am still kind of new to bike culture as a whole. I've really only been riding a year. The staff here schooled me on a few important things as far as bike maintenance goes and weren't rude or condescending about it. I went in today to get a new rear wheel which I assumed would take days considering there seemed to be a lot going on in the repair shop. But they had me on the road in about 15 minutes. AWESOME! read more

I live very close to Thick Bikes but will be continuing to come back for service and products once I move to a further part of town. I've gotten service on my bike twice from this shop, the first time to install a rack and fenders, the second time for a safety check. The system they have set up is very streamlined, the workers are legit experts. I'm not as knowledgeable about maintaining my own bike as I should be, but I've never felt condescended to when asking for advice or like they were trying to upsell me on unnecessary services/products. For instance, I took my bike in yesterday for a safety check and picked it up today after the worker/mechanic (I didn't get his name) told me it could take about 3 days, and the cost of labor was about $10 shy of his estimate. My receipt had clear, itemized notes about what was fixed. Can't recommend these guys enough, especially for how affordable their services are. read more

I had a last minute disaster with my pannier rack the day before setting off on a ride from Pittsburgh to Washington DC. Thick Bikes were amazing. They squeezed me into their schedule at the end of the day to do a custom job fitting a new rack to my road bike. They're passionate about biking, knowledgable and good fun to chat with. Cheers! read more

My folding bike had a problem during a ride on a stop in Pittsburgh, and this was the closest shop. I got lucky because these guys were the best. Super friendly, knowledgable and they fixed my bike while I waited. Best bike shop I've been to, hands down. They had tons of bikes in stock too. I would've bought one from them if I could've. read more

Hands down the best in store buying experience ever!!! No lie. These guys are extremely down to earth and knowledgeable. Adam walked me through everything a new bike rider needs for the city. He was always practical in his advice, and Christian set my bike up really well with the slight modifications (seat, peddles, etc.) while we were talking. I felt like Adam really heard what I needed and found the perfect bike for me. He never talked down to me like you may assume some bike experts would. I will definitely keep coming back. read more

Thick Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is a fantastic bike shop -- the staff is hugely helpful, knowledgeable, and approachable! Plus, their bike selection is extensive (both new and used in a wide range of prices). Came in with only a vague idea of what I wanted (was on the hunt for a new bike) and Chris was helpful and patient, explaining details and specs without condescending. Test rode a bunch around the block and every time I came back in, he wanted to hear how it felt and then lined up the next thing I should try. They don't try to upsell you on anything and aren't pushy at all. read more

Decent shop that I would recommend. However, they may be a bit too popular ... I've had to leave my bike for a week or more for repairs and I was once told I would need to make an appointment for a tune-up about a month in advance. I've also had a mechanic try to sell me wheels that we were practically worth more than my bike, but I think that had more to do with his lack of sales experience than trying to rip me off. Overall, they've done a good job with repairs--as long as you don't mind making appointments well in advance or being without your bike for several days. They have a nice selection too if you're looking to buy. read more

Thicks is a very nice bicycle shop I bought my first fat bike there and it is wonderful the people are awesome and they are all very patient with you. I bought a mukluk salsa there and haven't regretted it yet. Met some cool people there. No matter what kind of ridder u are they will help u. Lot and lots of products kept in stock. And to the sales lady that help me you're wonderful and thank you again. read more

Great experience as a first time Bike purchaser! Chris was great and walked me through everything I needed to know! The entire staff was friendly and helpful! read more

Just moved back from Florida and Thick remains the best bike shop I've ever known. Thanks, all!

REVISION- At the owners request I gave them a second chance...chalk my first review up to a bad day. My second try was awesome. Great service, picked up a new ride and my gf got some bike bits for the Montour Trail ride tomorrow. Give them a chance and I think you will be glad you did!!. read more

I am a bike commuter and frequent user of the GAP and other Pittsburgh trails. I use Thick Bikes every time I need a repair or replacement. They're my favorite bike shop, and I'm so grateful to have found them. Perfect location in the South Side almost right next to the trail, as well. The people, products, and service are wonderful. You can go there trusting you'll be well taken care of. read more

I am 74 years old, 5 feet 3 inches, not too strong but yearning for a bike. However, I am terrified of falling. Therefore, I need a small, light weight, used bike. Where can I find one? Living in Squirrel Hill (Pittsburgh) read more

Me and my friend were in a hurry to drop our bikes off to get shipped to a charity ride in CA. We had a very hard time getting our pedals off because they were too tight. We were very pressed for time. We took our bikes to Thick Bikes because it was the closest to us. We explained our situation to the worker and he was rude and he arrogantly said "WELL YEAH! They need to be tight or the pedals will fall off." He said that we could use the tools free of charge or he could take them off for a fee. The point of us being there was because we couldn't get them off ourselves. He charged us $1.50 per pedal to remove and it took him less than 5 minutes to remove all 4 pedals. Why charge us at all? We did not mind paying the 6 dollars, it was just annoying. My go to bikes shops do little things like that for free, but not them. I understand that it's their right to charge for a service, but thats a little ridiculous. read more

Hands-down the most vile customer service I have ever witnessed. I accompanied a friend into this establishment. He wanted to buy some wheels. He was, instead, promptly encouraged to buy a new bicycle. The salesperson then listed a number of incorrect reasons why a new bicycle would cost less than a wheelset. When my friend politely turned-down the suggestion, the salesperson then encouraged him to buy a bargain wheelset that he described as "pretty good." He was, however, unable to tell us anything notable about the features of the wheel without googling it. It was a very poorly-made wheelset. I have worked in bike shops. I have managed bike shops. I know that contrary to what salesman may say, "unsealed" bearings have no practical advantages over "sealed" bearings (which I would like to point out are nonspecific terms). As much as I try to support local small businesses, I would rather buy a bicycle at Wal Mart than give one cent to these clowns. read more

Excellent experience at thick bikes. While many of the other shops have a wait during busy season, thick is able to meet my needs. I would highly recommend. As a girl, they also don't rip you off and suggest additional services. They are an A+++++ read more

I dropped my wife's bike off early one Saturday for a seasonal check up/ repair. I was the 2nd customer in that day. They put it on a rack, gave me an estimate, I gave them the ok, and they told me it'll be about a week. 10 days later I get an email stating that I must have dropped it off on a busy Saturday (false! I was the 2nd customer!) and that they under estimated the repairs by $100! ($200 now $300+) Additionally, the email stated that they have a selection of new and used bikes they recommend! To add insult, when I called to ask about the email, the bike wasn't even touched in those 10 days! (Wait, they said done in a week, right?!) I told them I was coming to get the bike! I took it to another bike shop where all work was done for half the price and timely. My wife is very happy with her bike and says it rides like new! If this is their way of marketing then I'm surprised they sale anything! The only way I'll ever set foot in this store again will be during their liquidation sale! read more

Larry is the man. My screwed up bike chain was ruining our family biking day but Larry found the problem immediately. He fixed us up and we were on our way 10 minutes after he got to us. read more

I got my latest bike here and was really pleased with the experience. My boyfriend dragged me in because he gets work on his bike done here sometimes, and we were looking for a new road bike for him. What we didn't know is that in addition to a nice selection of new bikes they have a few dozen used and vintage bikes tucked away in the basement. While we were down there there was a really helpful employee who was not only handling our rather specific questions about bikes but seemed to be explaining "bikes 101" to someone who didn't know whether he wanted a fixie or a mountain bike. In the end my boyfriend didn't find his new bike there but I wanted to test ride this gorgeous vintage mixte. Again, bike guy (he introduced himself but I cant remember his name) was really attentive and wouldn't let me take it for a spin before he made sure the tire pressure and seat height were perfect. I didnt buy it until the next day because I didn't want to make an impulse purchase. It was around 200 and it was awesome to get a vintage bike from a bike shop, because it was tuned up and parts were replaced so I didn't need to put any initial work into it. All said, great staff, good place to check out if your in the market for either a new or vintage bike. read more

Went in there on Thursday, planning to simply ask some questions, get some ideas. I was pretty sure I wanted a hybrid but, overwhelmed by the vast amount of information I was seeing when doing internet research, I decided to just go talk to experts. A friend of mine pointed me to Thick Bikes and I'm glad he did. For over 2 hours, Chris helped me with showing me bikes, answering super noobish questions, letting me test drive various models, and providing zero pressure sales help. That last point was greatly appreciated because, especially when faced with an expensive purchase, the last thing I would want would be to be pressured into the wrong thing. Chris genuinely cared that I was happy with what I got, didn't try to forcefully upsell me on extras, and left me with such a positive attitude towards them that I will never go elsewhere for my bicycle needs. If you want a chill place, with super nice and knowledgeable staff, and a great selection, I don't know why you would ever consider going anywhere else. read more

Might recommend if you are very familiar with what you want/need. Purchased a new bike - felt like the service/assistance was spotty. Very little sizing help (even though it was promised). They prefer to sell professional fitting services for $150!!!! Went to another shop for a repair & first thing technician said was "that bike looks too small for you". Unfort., bikes seem to come w/ too many parts that are not adjustable (e.g. handlebars) and no bike fits anyone perfectly without some adjustment. This causes new parts to need to be purchased (seats, peddles, stems, etc.) - i.e. there is no trade out of parts at Thick. Seems like a plan on the bike mfgers' and sellers' part to sell accessories/parts that have high markups. Also, as I bought these new parts (which Thick service installed w/o charge - very nice) Thick kept my original parts rather than giving them back to me - so watch for this old trick. So all in all, since there are several shops that sell the same brand bikes (pretty much all at the same price), I see no reason to opt for this one. Accessories seemed to be priced a bit higher at Thick than elsewhere. read more

I've been going to thick bikes for years. I've bought my last two bikes from them. I have recommended them to all of my friends. This shop is very knowledgable,fairly priced, and they have a huge selection of bikes, brands, and parts. read more

I can't recommend Thick Bikes enough. Great people and excellent service. Thick was the fourth place I went to in my search for my new bike. Heard of them from a friend. The first 3 places I visited were good, but I wasn't really able to find what I think I was looking for. And then I went to Thick. Eric at Thick spent probably a solid hour walking me around the bikes they had. He asked tons of questions about what I wanted and listened to my input. We looked at maybe a dozen bikes before we got to one that he looked at and said roughly "This is the one I think you're looking for." I checked it out and liked it. Took it for a test ride and loved it. Eric took me to the fitting room and put the bike up on the rack for me to ride stationary while he checked things out. I've never had that kind of attention in bike buying before. I bought it and have been loving it ever since. I took it in tonight for the one-week safety check and got great service, help, attention again. I really cannot recommend them enough. I almost want to have a problem with my bike so I can go back and visit them! (almost) Make sure these guys are part of your bike search. You'll walk in and think it's a neat place. But when they take you to the showroom in the basement? Try not saying "holy shit." I mean, we're talking bikes. Bikes, bikes, bikes. Good stuff. read more

Called the shop on Friday and they stated $75 for a bike build. Took the bike in on Saturday morning and they said $90. I decided to leave it anyway. They said 10 days for pick up. Called them the following Monday and asked if they could get it done in 7 days. They stated no problem. Two hours later I get a call and they say that they have to charge me a "Rush Fee" if I want it in 7 days. I told them to forget it and that I would just come in an pick it up and take it somewhere else. They said "ok". Went in to get it and the bike techs started arguing with me stating that they must charge me a fee if I want it in 7 days (even though they told me that it was no problem to get it done in 7 days). I walk out with the bike and an employee comes just short of assaulting me to tear a paper tag off of the bike. I had to forcible tear my bike away from the employee as I was leaving the shop. The employees need some customer service training. I would not recommend using them. I took my bike to a different shop in the South Hills and the did it in 4 days and were friendly about it. read more

Had a great experience at Thick Bikes. Walked in on a busy Saturday afternoon with a recently purchased commuter bike from a big box store needing some serious front and rear derailler adjustment after initial break in period. Despite their 2 week backlog in service, they had my bike on a rack in 15 minutes, adjusted it, test rode it, and had me out in 45 minutes. Everyone was very friendly. It shifted like a charm on the 15 minute ride back home to downtown Pgh. So glad to have a great bike shop a short beautiful ride from home -- convention center waterfall, around the point fountain, out the river trail to their shop. Thanks to everyone at Thick! read more

Best bike shop around. I don't know much about bikes or my bike for that matter. Yet they don't treat you as some other bike shops around do. No subbing of the nose, no pushing stuff of you don't need. Every time I've gone I've dealt with a employee named Adam. They are great. When I bought my bike I lived in the city, but I moved about a half hour north recently. Anytime I need something for my bike I make the drive. I've stopped in and they are always willing to help. I never write these things, but I feel they definitely deserve it. read more

I'm in the market for a new bike and went to Thick Bikes after running out of other options in Pittsburgh. The first time I went I was just looking to see what their selection of new and used bikes are. I spoke to Adam, who was very helpful and spent a lot of time helping me. I left empty-handed that day but planned to go back and buy a bike in a few days, once I'd had some time to do some research. I went back two days later, ready to buy a bike. When I walked in, all of the employees in the store ignored me. I walked around a bit, looking at the various bikes I was interested in. Still no one offered to help me. I went downstairs to glance at their used bikes. I saw a Bianchi I was interested in and tracked down an employee to ask him what the price was. He said he'd check, and then wandered off and never actually told me the price. I went back upstairs and decided on a new bike, but wanted to test ride it before I plunked down the cash. I found the same employee who could not be bothered to tell me the price of the used bike, and told him I was interested in buying the new bike but wanted to test ride it first. He told me it "wasn't ready" and then walked away. I followed behind him, asking what he meant. He just repeated that it wasn't ready. I asked when it WOULD be ready. He said he didn't know, that "they usually do a few bikes a day" so it could be days or weeks. I said well, if someone wanted to buy it but would rather ride it first could it be ready sooner than later? He said yeah I guess and then turned his back to me again. I gave up on this person and found another employee, standing with a group of people at the front of the store. I explained to him that no one seemed to want to help me (I'd been there for almost 45 minutes at that point, pulling down bikes and reading specs, etc and no one has so much as said hello to me) and asked if he could tell me who was in charge here because I wanted to buy a bike. He said the guy I was just talking to, the one who couldn't be bothered to face me when I was asking perfectly valid questions about purchasing a bike, was the owner. Lovely. I said that he didn't seem interested in making a sale but that I wanted to give them money in exchange for a bike and could someone please help me with that. He said the bike was ready, that I could ride it but they were closing so maybe another day. THEN the owner interjected that the bike wasn't ready. I got rather angry at this point, and said that I wanted to BUY that bike but wanted to RIDE it first and could SOMEONE tell me when it would be ready to ride. They all just stood there and shrugged and looked at the owner, who couldn't be bothered to try to make a sale. At this point I gave up and left. I'd rather be bike-less than give one cent to a jerk like Chris at Thick Bikes. Be warned: if you're not male, or a hipster, you will get terrible service. read more