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    Waterside Workshops

    4.8 (124 reviews)
    InexpensiveBikes, Bike Rentals
    Closed 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

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    Bespoke bike
    Ben B.

    Had an amazing experience today at Waterside Workshops. My daughter and I went in to see about buying a used bike or buying parts and assembling one ourselves. Trey Starr was running the store when we got there and once he was free, the three of us spontaneously started to build a custom used bike together. First he sized my daughter, then picked out a perfect frame that we liked both the fit and color. Then found a used wheel with a single freewheel, then bottom bracket and crank set, then brake handles, extended stem, semi-upright handlebar (from the adjacent student workshop) , rack, pedals, etc.. Within 2 hours we had a totally bespoke bike! All the while enjoying Trey, who is a terrific, super-positive guy. This store is a gem, and will be our go-to especially after the closure of Missing Link:(. And this place is non-profit which teaches inner city youth how to maintain bikes and how to become a strong rider!

    Mary Q.

    I've been mulling the idea of getting a bike for years and finally decided to pull the trigger. I walked in the door and Gio had me trying out a couple different bikes within minutes. Once I selected a bike, he helped me add on a rack and a kickstand. We took it out for an inaugural ride to the Albany Bulb and Fieldwork. Fantastic experience, great folks behind the counter, and overall super easy and friendly. Glad to have this business in the neighborhood. Special thanks to Gio!

    David N.

    My bicycle looks like a "hoopty." I was down at the Cal Sailing Club and told my friend, Peter, that I wanted a bike. He smiled and about a 1/2 hour later, Peter, rolled up a nice blue Trek for me. He got it for $15 at a yard sale. It looked like it never was ridden. I thought it perfect for me. Peter and my son decided to paint it just like a tie-dyed shirt. WTF? "It's a Berkeley Bike, Dad!" my kid shouted with glee! Right, "The Grateful Dead Edition." Well, the paint job has grown on me and she rides really well. But I needed a tune up, new break pads, new grips, and tires. I stopped by a few local bike shops and it was going to be a $100 investment. Not that I'm cheap, but I've put it off for several months. I kept seeing the Waterside rated #1 on the "yelp Welcome" page and my yelper pal, Molly W., posted a nice review. It's two blocks from my crib, so I rode over there to check it out. The place is a "Hoopty Heaven" for bikes! A half dozen fix-it stations you can do it yourself, get some pro wrenching advice, a fair price on parts, buy a recycled bike, and see kids that are learning and willing to work on your ride. After failing home repairs many times, I opted for the Waterside crew to "pimp my ride." And $50 later (can you say bargain?), she "sho" is running fine now! The Waterside Workshop is a nonprofit group whose mission for youth is "to provide a safe and welcoming atmosphere where teamwork, dedication, and sustainability are illustrated through various handcrafts, skills, and outdoor experiences." Last year, Waterside served over 250 youth with over 70% of these kids coming from low-income families, and 35% of those youth were living below the poverty line. This workshop is funded by the philanthropic generosity from the local community. Even if you don't need your bike fixed, ride on down to Berkeley's Aquatic Park, take in the beauty there, and stop by the Waterside Cafe for an espresso drink and a snack. I guarantee you'll bookmark it and come back often. My bike rides likes there is no tomorrow and stops on a dime. With new grips and tires, I took her out today for several Aquatic Park loops and then, cruised down Fourth Street. I proudly parked it right in front Cafe Rouge and while eating my steak frites at the bar, a number of admirers were checking out my wheels. Must be the tie-dyed paint job, for it is, a Berkeley Bike. Thanks to my friend, my son, and Waterside Workshop!

    Shane J.

    Just walked in and had the best experience. The staff here were super helpful helping us pick out our kids first bike. They helped adjust it perfectly. They sold us a balance bike for our youngest. We walked away with a bike a balance bike two helmets for a beyond reasonable price. To the woman who helped us get fitted thank you. Your customer service is exceptional. Our son hopped on the bike and rode it home. No experience ever. I know where we'll be purchasing all of our bikes from now on!

    File cabinet drawers labeled with the parts and organized by size. You can go through them yourself.

    The BEST source for used parts. The volunteer helpers are super knowledgeable and patient. I had an old bike and couldn't find a seat post that fit. They let me use calipers and directed me to a file cabinet filled with posts. $5. My new favorite shop. Well laid out with work stations and they will teach you how to do whatever it is you need. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to true a wheel and rollin for a lifetime. If you have a vintage bike that you're trying to get on the road, this is the place. Top end road bike that needs new chain-theyll show you how

    View while we waited for a flat tire fix
    Josie C.

    Beautiful location and a life saver if you get a flat bike tire on the Bay Trail. We enjoyed our time waiting for our tire repair while drinking iced coffees in their garden on the side of the lagoon. Such a lovely hidden gem. Bike guys were super friendly and professional. There is also free workshop space if you want to do your own repairs. Its worth the stop even if you dont have a flat.

    My beloved bike, built by Waterside
    Mollie E.

    They build it, you buy it. No, that's not true. They teach people --including low-income individuals and a large population of underprivileged kids-- how to build it and fix it, and then you buy it. Then they turn around and employ those kids to keep building bikes. The selection of completed bikes wasn't huge when I went, but the Watersiders offered to fix up a frame I pointed out, which miraculously turned out to be my size AND blue. So we agreed on a price, and they promised to call me in a week. I was skeptical after a horrendous experience with another local bike store, but had to trust that they wouldn't rip me off. And I *wanted* to like Waterside. Verdict: exceeds expectations. They called! YAY! And they held the bike for me! DOUBLEYAY! For less than $300, I got a used Trek road bike with fine Shinano parts (and a super squishy seat). They quoted me a very reasonable price for a high-quality bike, and they were good for it. (Recently, an enthusiast friend confirmed that my bike was tuned to perfection and could have gone for much more.) So, main points: getting a bike from Waterside Workshops is a win-win-win situation. The Waterside crew keeps kids off the streets, and the bike you buy keeps Waterside open to teach more kids. As a bonus, you get an awesome bike for very little money. The staff seems to be composed of people who really love what they do, and are there because they want to make a difference in the community and in kids' lives. Is there a good reason to buy a bike anywhere else? Maybe if your mom ran a bike store, it would be acceptable to buy from her... but that's the ONLY legit reason. Otherwise, keep these kids off the streets, mmkay? Glad we agree; Waterside it is. Everybody's happy. EVERYBODY DANCE.

    lovin my newly fixed-up '77 Shwinn - thanks, Chris!

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    2 years ago

    Amazing shop for refurbished bicycles of excellent quality at unbeatable prices. Friendly, patient, & helpful staf

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    3 years ago

    There are good reasons for the positive reviews. The work was skillful, communication forthright, and turnaround excellent. A pleasure.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Waterside Workshops

    Review Highlights - Waterside Workshops

    Street Level Cycles is a tremendous asset and resource to the bicycle community that I hope always remains.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Mike's Bikes of Berkeley - 2023 Cannondale Habit 4

    Mike's Bikes of Berkeley

    (444 reviews)

    $$

    Downtown Berkeley

    Careless customer treatment won't bring me back here…read more New, not so knowledgeable clerk showed me e-bikes, arranged to get the model he sold me on, then let store sell it to someone else. Glad I learned that's how they roll before I bought from Mike's Bikes Berkeley. I can imagine getting service from them is probably similarly sloppy and inattentive.

    Really overpriced for repairs and they have terrible policies. (Go to Tip Top Bikes or anywhere…read moreelse). A spoke broke on my back wheel. Then it broke again a few months later. I took it to Mike's Bikes both times and it cost $80 each time to replace a spoke! Then the spoke (or a different spoke) broke again about a week after the 2nd time. They said they'd re-do it for free, but I should really just replace the whole back wheel. I suggested they just apply the $80 bucks' worth of labor they were about to give me and apply it towards a new rear wheel, which was going to run somewhere between $100 and $200 and I'd pay the difference. The manager wouldn't do that. So they fixed the spoke a third time, and when I picked it up -- having to take the bus each time -- he said I really should get the rear wheel replaced and that it wasn't safe to ride. As if he cared about my safety!! The spoke broke again about a week after that 3rd repair, but I surely won't take it back to Mike's Bike's! I've made an appointment to get the rear wheel replaced at a different shop. It was a frustrating saga with Mike's Bikes and a huge waste of my time and money. I think they're really only interested in selling high-end bikes, not in providing any kind of decent or cost-effective repairs.

    Biketopia Community Workshop - One of the many female volunteers!

    Biketopia Community Workshop

    (53 reviews)

    $

    I went to Biketopia Community Workshop for the first time to do a thorough check and tuneup of a…read moregood bicycle. I was greeted, welcomed, and given the lay of the land of how this workshop works, by a bicycle volunteer. Biketopia is just what I need: Bike stands, coaching and the right tools. I paid for an annual membership - which is about what I could have spent at professional bicycle repair shop to accomplish what we got done and will do next time. I went to my car and brought in the Fuji endurance road bike, and was immediately to able to put it up on a free bike stand - so we could begin to see what was Up - and calling for attention. The volunteer - a veteran Berkeley cyclist - was friendly, observant and a very good coach: He observed and let me do - what I could do with relative ease - and he showed me how to do the Next Thing - right. He carefully checked the brakes, and showed me how to see exactly what was going on with the front brake . He knew how to do both the fine and gross adjustment of the brakes, and had the proper tools for each. And showed me how to adjust and fine tune the adjustment of my brakes, so I was able to do the work and have him check my adjustments. He heard and understood my report of some recent shifting issues and gear jumping. He checked and showed me how both derailleurs were shiifting and the simple adjustments we cojuld make. He offered to measure the wear of the chain. Since the chain was about 50% or 60% worn - I decided this would be a great time to replace it. The volunteer found exactly the right chain from their small inventory of new parts. He showed me how this chain's magic link worked, slighly different than the link on my current chain. Then how to install the new chain. He and i worked on the getting the derailleurs to shift just right. It took some skill I did not have - but soon I learned. Then he showed me how to check my rims for true - and how to adjust them - using their simple wheel truing apparatus and a spoke wrench and the right technique. I took good enough wheels and made them truer and better. We put the wheels back in and did a final adjustment on the brakes and derailleurs. Ready to ride for 50 mile runs - up and down the Berkeley hils - safely and smoothly. Next time I will work on improving the dish of my front wheel. This is a great place, if you want to learn how to take care of your bicycyle in a tightly packed community workshop.

    This place is honestly amazing. I gave my friend a bike for burning man but wasn't sure if it was…read moreup to par. I saw this place and decided to check it out with her before she left. Turns out it's a community bike shop where people can bring their bikes to get repaired and even learn how to do it! We learned so much about bikes that we didn't know before. I can actually repair a bike now myself if needed. Everyone was so nice and willing to help. They have so much supplies, everything we needed was taken care of. Despite our labor taking over a hour and multiple things being fixed, we were only charged about $25. Well worth the price and quality. I appreciate this place so much and will definitely be back.

    Tip Top Bike Shop - Trek Madone 9.2

    Tip Top Bike Shop

    (325 reviews)

    $$

    Temescal, North Oakland

    I used to come here all the time when it was under the original owners, (a man and a woman) who…read morewere great! After the store was sold I came in a few times and did not have a great experience - it didn't feel friendly anymore for women, I felt brushed off when I tried to get info. I got a few services, but it wasn't my go-to place like before. Well, I needed a simple thing and was passing by, so I thought I'd check it out. For all I know it has a new owner since the last time I was there. Well, it was a change! I was greeted when I came in, the person asked if I was looking for something, he showed me where it was, asked someone else if they needed help. I saw another person on staff asking someone else if they needed help. If, like me, past experience or some of the reviews here leave you disinclined to come in, give it a try anyway. I'll be back too.

    I LOVE this place!! I recently bought a (Marin) bicycle from them after visiting 5-6 shops. In…read moreaddition to buying a new bicycle, I also asked if they could swap some of the really good parts from my old bicyle to put on the new one. Usually a request like this will cost extra cash and it should be expected because of the additional work that needs to be done. I was expecting this would come at a really high cost. To my surprise, it was a lot less than expected. I feel as though I made out like a bandit in this situation. They're really knowledgeable and extremely patient. I was hit by two cars a few years ago. My body has changed because of that and I had a ton of concerns over this big purchase, They were able to address my concerns. They totally went beyond and above what I expected. I was on cloud 9 as I walked my brand new Marin out of the store. I would recommend asking for either Eric or Pat. They are the best at what they do and totally worth checking out. You'd be pretty dumb not to.

    Waterside Workshops - bikes - Updated May 2026

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