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    Waterside Workshops

    4.8 (124 reviews)
    InexpensiveBikes, Bike Rentals
    Open 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!

    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!

    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!

    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

    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!
    Lauren S.

    Best first-time bike shop experience I ever could have hoped for. Set in a beautiful water-side spot in Berkeley, in a co-op setting next to Sew Your Own shop (See Yelp Reviews): http://www.watersideworkshops.org/pages/our-programs/sewing-program.php - Chris, Curtis, and the other awesome bike folks are willing, able, and awesome at being helpful in curing a bike of its ills - while also educating the owner on hoe to DO IT THEMSELVES. It's like giving hungry woman a fish - or telling her how to ride it herself!... or something like that... I went in there with a '77 rusty Schwinn with messed-up gears, crotchety steering, untrue wheels to the max, and a host of other random problems - all of which I was taught to fix myself in an hour or two. And how much did I pay for all this awesome, helpful, community-service? NADA - Zilch. Nothin' - FREE. Nice, eh? They weighed my bike for me, let me run around the shop trying out bikes like a crazy woman, and had unlmimited patience for this bike un-savvy trying-to-rid-herself-of-a-car chic... I am forever indebted. I almost walked out of there with an awesome bike, but could only ride one home at a time :0) Check it out - they're only open in the afternoon/evenings on certain days so be sure to check the times before you cruise over there!

    View while we waited for a flat tire fix

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

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    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.

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    Sports Basement

    Sports Basement

    4.3
    (440 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Great rental experience! I recently rented 3 bouldering pads for a week, and the rates were a…read morefantastic value; much less expensive than other rental options I looked at. When we realized all 3 pads wouldn't fit in our car alongside our luggage, we went back in and the employee working was super helpful, easily swapping one out for a smaller size with zero hassle. Both picking up and dropping off the gear was completely seamless. Highly recommend their rental department; I'll definitely be renting and buying from them again!

    I enjoy shopping here and became a 'Basementeer' member. Particularly, this location as I have fond…read morememories of ice skating here as a kid in the 80's! Almost brings me right back. I would encourage you to ride a bike (tons of bike parking) or take public transit. There is not a lot of parking for cars here, although you could park on the street. I also shop at REI, but much prefer Sports Basement. I even use their free 1lb propane tank refills (after initial purchase of a refillable tank) and I feel that that is a very smart thing to do give that the normal propane canisters are totally non-recyclable and considered hazardous waste, so you cannot and should not even throw them away. I found a hazardous waste disposal/recycle site where I got rid of mine, good riddance. The refillable ones they sell at Sports Basement is the way to go. Sports Basement has a good return policy and for the most part friendly people working there. I did run in to what seemed like an incompetent phone support person however. I had called the 800 number to cancel a preorder on a bike and she acted like she had no idea what I was talking about, and ended up telling me I would have to call the store I had set it for pick up at. It turns out, I was able to cancel the preorder via the 'AI' chatbot on the website. I'm really not sure why the phone rep. wasn't able to help with that.

    Photos
    Sports Basement
    Sports Basement
    Sports Basement

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    Blue Heron Bikes

    Blue Heron Bikes

    4.6
    (137 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    I had been buying bike accessories from Blue Heron, plus experienced their ability to get me a new…read moretire installed on the spot. This happened 13 years ago. I finally decided to try them for servicing my Ebike, a Riese & Muller Roadster. Their shop is much more conveniently located than my regular shop and I can ride there, rather than loading the bike on a rack and driving there. What I'd been missing with my old shop was knowing who people were and getting in-person feedback on whatever needed to be fixed. They had expanded and the service, while still good, was getting very distant, in terms of knowing who actually worked on my bike. Blue Heron reminds me of what my old shop was like. The shop is small, crowded with new bikes and bikes being serviced. The people I dealt with were friendly and went over what they'd do on a basic tune-up. They replaced what I figured they'd replace, chain, brake pads, adjusted the derailleur, etc. What I didn't expect were all the little things. They found some missing screws, replaced those. They also adjusted the fenders for alignment and got rid of the stray rattles that the bike has had since I purchased it. They trued up the rear wheel too, which is pretty standard, but it made a difference. I also noticed they cured the problem with the derailleur moving the chain down from the biggest gear in the cassette when I would back the bike out of the garage. It now stays put. The bike has never felt this solid before. It now rides the way I had hoped it would from the beginning. I'll have to stop by later this week to thank Jordan and his mechanics for a job well-done. A good review is one thing, but I believe that the personal service I received deserves a personal reply. Five stars!

    My lunch got dropped when I fell off because the seat was higher than when I dropped it off …read more I went to get on and fell face forward I went in to tell them , got blown off and requested to see the manage. He simply debated about my seat being fine , said sorry I don't know what to tell you attitude . Going to the Doctor , getting it documented if it's more serious than i think . I can barely walk and still have to walk home .I could have died for their carelessness

    Photos
    Blue Heron Bikes
    Injured my leg and arm
    Injured my leg and arm
    Faraday purchased at Blue Heron

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    Faraday purchased at Blue Heron
    Biketopia Community Workshop

    Biketopia Community Workshop

    4.7
    (53 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    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.

    Photos
    A bike in the shop, in the middle of a rehabilitation.
    A bike in the shop, in the middle of a rehabilitation.
    Open 4-8pm.  Perfect after work/school hours!
    Open 4-8pm. Perfect after work/school hours!
    Biketopia Community Workshop

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    Waterside Workshops - bikes - Updated August 2026

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