Amazing experience. I decided to move on from my non-motorized cargo bike to one that could give me a little help. I stopped by the Alameda location and they said 'here ya go" and gave me the Mundo I was interested in for a test ride around the island. I know, no hills, but... I went home to mull it over - it was a big purchase decision - and called back to confirm some stuff with the owner. Specifically I wanted it boxed and not yet assembled, not having the space yet untili I could get rid of my old one. Vivee offered to bring it to my place in Oakland, which was a huge help! She showed up in her classic old pickup truck and helped unload it. I tried to pay her through PayPal but I couldn't get it to go through. She said no problem, I think I may have given her a token deposit, she said swing by in a few days and settle up. They were really good to me with a couple of accessories for the bike, too. This was my first experience with them. I'm happy to have this shop as a local resource. read more

Pains my heart to give any 1 star review for small businesses. But I ordered a Veloric folding bike on 3/17 so I can reduce use of my car. Especially with gas prices. I also live in Walnut Creek and decided to go with a more "local" (used to live in Alameda) shop. Originally I was going to go for an Letric bike, but got convinced to go for the Veloric. So Vivee was nice enough to let me test ride one that was in the shop for service and I decided to buy one, but they didn't have any in stock. She asked if I can use Zelle and I wanted to use card, but she said she would face a 3.5% fee. Ok sure. We also bonded over tennis as well since my brother played and her kids play it and she was a hitting partner, which we found funny. We go over the options on what the bike looks like, what options I wanted and add-ons. I got a date of mid-April, probably more on the early end for me to pick up including assembly and shipping. Veloric would take 3-10 days to ship (from their site for direct to consumer) and then it would take time to assemble. So I presumed, ok, maybe it's quick and coming early. I'll call! I text Vivee on March 20 and she said she would check Monday when she got back. I didn't see a response. So I text back on Monday to check. No response. I call the shop (no response). I text again (no response). It's now 4/7 and yes I called and left a message on the phone and text. So the lack of response + Zelle payment + reviews I didn't read up here = panic. I decided to go and call Veloric to see what's happening. Veloric told me to try to work it out and confirmed there was a fold 1 that was delivered, but they couldn't confirm this was mine. Vivee did eventually answer the phone on 4/9, but said she was waiting on the shipment and said that she ordered a pallet and blamed the tariffs for the delay. So I decide to go in 4/23 when my bike was supposed to be there, but it turns out it wasn't. She told me she was ordering a pallet and she would install my bike first. She also said it was difficult to talk to Veloric's customer service team since there were trade shows. Turns out she lied. I had been in contact with Veloric's customer service team since March because I read some of the reviews and there was a Reddit post on them buying a bike there with a few other horror stories on people getting repairs and either never getting them done and having to pay upfront. Veloric told me they had not gotten an order from Westside Joe's since March 16 and I had come in on March 17 to order my bike. I truly wanted to support a woman owned minority business in my hometown of Alameda. But unfortunately, they are unable to be transparent on ETAs to the point where the manufacturer had to check for me and now I have to dispute with my bank. I've also posted my story to Alameda Peeps, and it looks like there are more horror stories. Moral of the story: It's great to shop local, but please be careful on who you chose to do business with. read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California

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If only yelp had negative star's .... west side Joe's WILL SCAM YOU.... more specifically the owner Vivian "con artist " my biggest mistake was not reading the reviews on this scam of a business.. I payed 150 to Vivian through zelle for a tire and tube to be installed on my bike rim. I was told 2 days max, I came back a week later and the rim was still exactly how I dropped it off.. no work done to it. Everything that people are complaining about in the reviews are exactly what is happening to me, to the "T".. VIVIAN IS A HUGE CON ARTIST.. stay away from west side Joe's bike shop in Alameda, unless you want to be ripped off , lied to ,conned, waist your time and money.. How this place is still open is insane.. Stay away from Vivee The Conn.... Best place to waist time n money.... Vivian should do some jail time in my opinion. She's a CROOK. Let's start a class act .. stop her from doing this to the community of Alameda in the future and now.. The island is better than this garbage and we don't want people like Vivian giving us a bad rep.. read more

I paid $153.28 upfront via Zelle for two bike services -- a balance bike conversion and maintenance/rust removal on a second bike. No written receipt or itemized quote was provided. She told me it would take a couple of days. Around day 5 or 6 I had to call myself for an update and she told me the small bike was ready for pickup. When I arrived I noticed the pedals were off but the crank arms were still on. When I asked why, she said they don't remove crank arms -- something that was never communicated before I paid. I took the bike home, dropped off my son, and came back 30 minutes later to tell her this was not what I asked for since I needed it as a balance bike. She then said crank removal was extra and 'universal knowledge.' I am not a bike expert -- it is the shop's responsibility to explain this upfront. I asked for a partial refund for the small bike and she agreed but never sent it. I then asked for my second bike back and she told me it was at another shop and already done but the mechanic was sick. She asked me to wait two more days. When she finally delivered my second bike on Wednesday she handed me only $15 cash for the small bike. Since it was dark and I had my son with me I could not fully inspect it. The next morning I inspected the bike and it was barely touched -- they only removed a little rust from the front wheel but the rest was untouched. There were still spider webs on the bike proving it was barely touched. My ring bell was also missing -- this was actually my second visit to this shop. I had come previously over a year ago for a minor repair and purchased the bell at that time. I returned as a loyal customer and this is how I was treated. I sent her a message pointing all of this out and she never responded. I like to support local businesses and wanted to give them a chance but I am so disappointed. After this experience I checked the reviews and found multiple other customers reporting identical issues -- missed deadlines, incomplete work, and no communication. This is a clear pattern. Please check the reviews before trusting them. Get a second opinion and always get everything in writing before providing payment to this shop. read more

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Actually I was planning on writing a negative review however , after a few events that took place after I got frustrated,the owner and the mechanics attitude was quite impressive and eventually my point was accepted and , eventually after a bit of headache ,I feel taken care of and heard. so overall I think this is a nice place. People make mistakes but overall the repair was very well done and it feels good now read more

Terrible service... Way overpriced There are so many great bike shops in the area, this is not one of them. I will never come here again read more

We were excited about getting our bike up and running, Vivee promised that the bike part that we ordered would be ready by the following day. After a week, nothing was done. I asked Vivee for a refund and I would get the part that was needed elsewhere. Westside Joes Bikes has not honored a $150 refund that was promised to me by Vivee. I was told the check would be dropped off, but after four follow-ups, it still hasn't been received. Repeated promises have been made with no follow-through. This raises serious concerns about reliability and customer service. I hope this gets resolved, but until then, I would be cautious when dealing with this business. read more

Absolutely horrible experience. There are so many bike shops here, DO NOT go to this one. Vivian is full of excuses about why she can't deliver anything on time, and the thing that's shocking to me was -- even if she wasn't lying (which I bet she was) -- that she's incapable of problem solving. "I couldn't contact you, our computer glitched and I lost everything!" Me: You took my payment. You had my venmo. Her: Oh but I didn't remember whose was whose! You're a business owner?? YOU CALL PEOPLE AND FIND OUT WHO IS WHOSE so you can fix the damned problem. And you have a ticketing system so you leave a tag on the bike. UGH boy do I regret "supporting a woman-owned business." Note, I'm a woman, and the bike is the famous Georgina Terry's bike. (She also claimed to be confused because someone else brought in a same sized bike. Orly? Also a 17" inch bike with a 24" front tire and a 27" rear? There's ANOTHER manufacturer that makes those? Oh right, no there's not.) Then she left her mechanic to cover the entire shop on a Friday afternoon, as he packed up my bike. It didn't fit in the box properly, which won't shut, and it's not taped well -- it was bizarre how he didn't have any idea how to close a box. So not only is she massively disorganized, but she is a terrible manager, leaving someone who has no skill to manage a flow of customers the week where her computer glitched (and she gave another person in ther a different excuse that her item wasn't ready). read more

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I will stick to purely the facts of what took place. You decide if they're good or bad. I received my final communication and invoice from west side joes on 10/24/2025 I dropped my bike off on 7/15/2025. An entire 3 months and 9 days prior. I picked up my bike on October the 15th. That's 3 entire months they had my bike. When I dropped it off they asked if I had any timetable and I said no super rush but I'd like it in a reasonable amount of time. I've learned to never ever say that. I dropped it off on the 15th of July and the work requested was this: 2 tubeless bike tire replacements (I provided the tires) 1 new chain and install 2 New brake pads General tune up and checking the shifters and brakes (I was under the impression this would include a brake bleed) The total cost here was to be $460 I was going to try to do some of the work myself or take it somewhere else but they dropped the price to $410 for me. I thanked them and paid and left. This visit both the owner and maintenance guy were present. 6 weeks go by and I hear nothing. I call. No answer. I call the other number, no answer. I text, no answer. Finally I go in and ask about my bike, the maintenance guy says it needs a brake bleed and I need to pay more money. I say they need to communicate with the owner as that should have been covered in my initial expense. He says oh well we'll talk about that and get back to you. This is when I finally get a text from the owner saying it was a miscommunication and they're short on maintenance guys and backed up right now. A few weeks go by and I finally get the update the bike is ready. I go in and only one tire has been changed out to a tire I didn't bring in and the chain is still the old one. I tell them this won't work and they say something about needing proper tires now the ones I called for don't fit. We go back and forth and I can't find the tires that do fit so I say purchase the ones needed and I'll pay for that. I get a text saying my bike is ready and I can pick up on Friday. I go in Sunday and nothing has been done. I'm told the tires didn't come in. I finally get a text saying the bike is ready so I go pick up and I get the bike. The maintenance guy says we're square and nothing more is needed. So I take my bike and go. About a week later I get a text with a receipt invoice saying I owe for a tire installation and a brake bleed 2 tire liquid sealants and the 2 tires at an additional $223. I ask why I'm being billed for things I already paid for and I get a text back saying it was a miscommunication and they're going to keep the tires I brought in as final payment. Fine by me I'm so so over it at this point. I'd really like to like this company and have purchased bikes with them before but I won't be going back and if you need bike work done I would highly recommend you go anywhere else at all. read more

Go to a different bike shop on the island. This one isn't worth the time, everything is overpriced and you get the run around for delivery times, I've heard it's pretty common that they take your money but don't actually order the bikes. Check the Alameda Reddit about them. My first red flag should've been agreeing to buy a secondhand, Disney bike for way over a reasonable price, then taking 3-4 weeks to put on training wheels? After all that, I was very disappointed when I saw it and having agreed to buy junk bike. Then the owner asked me to pay on Cash App or PayPal to avoid taxes or something. This place is hella shady. I'd rather support a reliable, local business who is honest. read more

This is a very special business . Unlike most businesses ,the owner prioritizes quality of service,customer satisfaction and cutting costs over profit. The owner works with very low income community members if necessary to get their bike or scooter back on the road again. Kind ,cordial and competent at ther craft .Top of the line! read more

Absolutely terrible experience. I told Viveee her reviews were really awful and she rationalized by replying that of 8000 transactions a year she could live with 20 bad reviews. Make that 21. Vivee is a con artist 100%. No conscience or moral code. Don't know how she sleeps at night. I read the negative reviews of other shops on the Island but others were generic and none were as bad or as specific as Vivee's. In 2016 I had a brain tumor removed, followed by two ruptured discs two weeks later. I did construction but my career ended after the disc ruptures. Se la vie ! I didn't realize it at the time, but I see now that I've lost a fair amount of executive function over the last decade. Anyhow, I continued to ride my bikes, but there was a gap in my rhythm which was annoying. I had to abandon my clip-in pedals for my Serrotta and as my balance slowly digressed over the decade and I developed a foot drag on the opposite side from the tumor. I decided there was a correlation to the tumor, but for brevity I'll skip explaining. At some point I had to abandon riding the Serrotta altogether. I finally invested in an E-bike but my balance has deteriorated to the point I cannot ride the E-bike either. Life has no guarantees. I had an incident at the track on Southshore over a year ago during school break where a gaggle of teens about 13 or 14 were riding toward me. The kid at the rear decided to show off by launching into a wheel stand to pass his buddies, in MY lane. If I had kept my wits I might have brought the E- bike to an abrupt halt, but I dumped it. I've become a pro at crashing my bikes and was not hurt, but this incident rattled me and I didn't ride for a few months, almost a year. I recently tried to ride the E-bike again and could do it but dismounts were tense. While returning from a ride somebody suggested a tricycle. I went to Alameda Cyclery but sales person was not very helpful but said to avoid cheap ones ! Long story short, this led me to Vivee. Westside Joe's had one which I rode when it was raining. I returned while sun was out and befell to Vivee's grift. She had promised me she had a waiting list for people that were interested in my Serrotta. I over paid for the trike and have no leverage to control whether I ever see my Serrotta again. I tried to get it back but was told it was at the Piedmont shop. Turns out the shop is "closed til further notice". I suspect for non-payment of rent. Vivee keeps a garage on 37th street in a residential neighborhood in West Oakland. Bizzare ! I had a bad feeling and could have walked away, but didn't listen to that voice is my head. I suspect this bad review seals the deal but I need to put this behind me. Viveee asked how she could make it up to me and I replied "Sell my Serrotta for fair price- ASAP." She said "I'm on it !" I knew it was a lie, but haven't replied. My lack of judgement is not all due to my brain injury but it's definitely a factor. "Cry me a river." read more

Brought my road bike in for a tune-up after it had been sitting for a couple years. When I arrived, no one was at the front. I waited around five minutes before someone finally appeared -- not sure if he was the mechanic or the owner, but he asked me to Venmo the owner directly and pay upfront, which was around $200. Seemed sketchy, but I went along with it. When I picked the bike up, it rode okay, but it was still completely covered in dust -- which is ridiculous for a $200 tune-up. The least they could do is wipe it down. I also asked if they could take a quick look at my girlfriend's brand new e-bike because of a minor brake noise, and the owner said it would cost another $200 just to inspect it. No offer to even glance at it or hear it out. The whole place gives off strange vibes -- unprofessional and overpriced. Since then, I've gone to Alameda Bicycle instead. They were super friendly, and when they noticed my tire was low, they topped it off for free. That's the kind of service I'll keep going back to. Avoid Westside Joe's. Not worth your time or money. read more

I am posting this review to warn anyone who is looking to purchase an e-bike from Westside Joe's and Vivee (store owner). I went into Westside Joe's in March at first looking for a standard bike. Vivee was friendly, thoughtful, and helpful in recommendations. It was a priority of mine to support women + minority owned local shops, in which she promoted herself. Ultimately, I decided to purchase an e-bike as she is an authorized Aventon dealership. She asked if I can pay via Venmo or Zelle. I paid via Venmo and she said she will email me the invoice. She also told me on that day that the bike will be ready in 2 weeks. A week goes by and I haven't received the invoice so I text her asking for it, which she does provide. She said the bike will be available in a week and to check in with her for updates. I texted her multiple times asking for an update after more time goes by. Vivee did not respond to ANY of my messages where I asked for an update. I went to her store since I didn't receive a response from her and after reading some of the 1 star reviews on here. She said the bike may be on back order and it should be here in a week. I ended up calling Aventon's customer service and they informed me that Vivee never placed an order... I sent Vivee an email and a text stating that Aventon confirmed with me that she never place an order and she immediately responded to my text, asking for a phone call with her. In our phone call, she tried to explain to me all that was going on in her life and changes with Aventon's dealership, however I called her out on lying to me about placing an order and making me believe the bike was coming. She did apologize and agreed to refund me. She was unable to provide a refund in our first mutually agreed upon timeline. I contacted ABC 7 On Your Side for mediation before pursuing small claims court. Vivee did fulfill her end by providing me a refund by our second mutual agreed upon date. I have decided to post this review to warn others who are looking into purchasing from here as it looks like this is the same experience multiple other people are having. While Vivee did end up following through on the refund eventually and offered to "make things right," it has created deep hurt to many, including me as a women of color, who wanted to support a local business who advertised as such. I hope nothing but the best for Vivee and Westside Joe's AND I hope that no other individuals go through this. read more

As a small business owner, I'm passionate about supporting local businesses. I know firsthand the importance of supporting our local businesses. Today, I picked my new bike from Westside Joe's Bike Shop in Alameda! I absolutely love it!!! This incredible woman-owned business went above and beyond to help me find the perfect bike. If you're in the market for a new bike, swing by Westside Joe's in Alameda and support local. Ask for Vivee, she's the owner, super friendly and beyond helpful. Highly recommend read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - The owner Vivee - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California

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BEWARE of paying by cash or Venmo! Use your credit card. I was sold a bike for $5000 the owner claiming she will order it from Esker a custom size that will be manufactured. I waited until Xmas but no delivery. A month ago I called Esker and learned the bike was never ordered from the manufacturer. I am still trying to get my money back after a month. If I would have paid by credit card then I would have my credit card company resolve it. I used Venmo in good faith trying to support a local business. Be very careful what you buy and if it is original, if I did not called Esker I would not even find out that I was getting sold a bike with no providence. If you bought expensive bikes there you should check with the manufacturer too. Viviee it has been over a month with excuses and avoidance to return my money and 5 months since I paid- people need to be aware of the business practices Read the rest of the reviews there are multiple 1 * reviews that have stated similar stories of taking payments in advance with not credit cards and having to spend months trying to get back the money. read more

11 months ago I bought a bike. While at the shop I mentioned that I might want to get a spare battery as well. In the conversation she said something to the effect of 50% down and the battery would be delivered in two weeks. I believe that I said I would think about it. I did not get a receipt when I purchased the bike. I needed to demand a receipt - it took 3 days. when I finally got the receipt I saw that I was charged for half a battery. I have gone back to the shop a few times asking for the battery - so far (11 months later) no battery, no refund. the owner is an excellent sales person - my experience also suggests that integrity is NOT one of her strong suits. Now - I did leave a trade in bike. When I did not get a receipt for that either, I demanded that the bike be returned to me immediately. I did get that bike back. I have a very strong suspicion that maneuver cost her. However.., I am not interested in doing business with someone who I believe engages in behaviors that seem to be unethical. read more

I'm disgusted by the lies and half truths. My new bike was rusting and sat outside for months. Taking her to court.

I too attempted to order an e-bike from this business...it did not go well. I test rode a floor model. The owner Vivee seemed super nice, so I foolishly agreed to pay full price in advance via Venmo to help support a local business. She said the bike would arrive in 1 - 2 weeks. 2 weeks later, the bike still hadn't arrived and no ETA, which is when I discovered the other Yelp reviews and my heart sank. I went to the shop asking to see proof that the bike was ordered, which she was not able to furnish. At this point, I asked for a refund. She refused, insisting that the bike had been ordered, and said she would get me a tracking number from Velotric. After much back and forth and threatening to contact the bike company myself, Vivee finally agreed to a refund, but said she couldn't do Venmo as her account had been hacked (I don't believe this as another reviewer reported the same thing a few months ago). As others have reported, she was only willing to do Zelle or cash. I wasn't trusting anything at this point, so I opted for cash and had her meet me at my bank so I could deposit with the teller. I appreciate the refund, but the whole thing was incredibly stressful and a huge waste of time! My take is that Vivee is a nice person, but she's clearly taken on too much financially and not yet upholding acceptable business practices. I don't think she's trying to steal from anyone, but perhaps "borrow" money for extended periods without the customer's permission to make things work for her? She told me at the end that she waited ~1.5 weeks after I paid her before ordering, as she wanted to group many bikes into a single order from Velotric to get free shipping. Who knows if she actually did order the bike or not. I reached the point where I wasn't believing anything anymore. read more

This place came through clutch for me recently when in a pinch to get my bike tubes replaced at the last minute in preparation for a ride. They were honest with me and told me I actually only needed one tube replaced and air on the other. As an aside, though I wasn't looking to buy a bike (I have several LOL), I did pay attention to their excellent selection if you are in the market. read more

I won't be coming back. The owner has no ideia about bike mechanics nor the mechanics working there . I still don't know what I paid for because nothing got done right and some didn't get done at all. She asked for a Venmo so I never got a receipt $215 waisted the mechanic put the wrong mineral oil fluid on my brand new brakes potentially voiding the warranty. Left all the bolts loose. He had no ideia how to install the high end brakes . The gears were a mess and broke down on the ride right after due to tightening too much, . Headset was never worked on besides I little tightening up no cleaning or even taking out ( she charged for that too). She charged me $30 to install a rotor with 6 screws ( couldn't install because he set know how to fit ) and $20 to put chain on , some I could done it myself. No proper torque or degreasing the factory chain oil. The owner has no idea how much to charge for anything. I usually work on my bike. Would be better off if I had done it myself. I would give a 0 start. Trying contacting and never got a reply. Horrible service do not take your bike there. There other place in island much better than this dump. read more

Laughably bad service. I brought a bike into this shop before reading the recent reviews and, after reading them, all I can say is that they are consistent with my experience. Avoid this place. I hear good things about Cycle City, on the East End, and will be checking them out in the future. read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!! I went to this shop on a Saturday, with a friend. I needed a bike tuned up. The owner quoted me a price, including $150 for a tune up, $35 for shifting problems and $18 for brakes. I paid in advance with a credit card. I spent the day wondering what the 150 bucks was for, as I thought a tune up usually included the bikes moving parts (brakes and shifting mechanism). I returned later in the day and informed the owner that I did not want them do perform the repairs. She returned my bike and informed me that she had already purchased a non-returnable bike chain for about $45. A few days later, I received a credit of $168. She either forgot to include the $35 refund, or omitted it, hoping I would not check. I sent her an email informing her of the omission. I also asked her for the name and number of the company she bought the chain from, so I could call them and obtain a copy of their return policy. A few days later and, you guessed it! I received a refund, in full, including the price of the "non-refundable" chain. I'm all for supporting small business, but this KILLS me! The day I was there there was a line of customers in front of me and behind me. She could have been ethical and simply refunded my money. Instead, she tried to stick me, either by making a false claim of a chain purchase, or an equally false claim that the chain was non-refundable, or couldn't easily be used on another bike. Truly disappointing.. read more

It's so great to have this shop in Piedmont Avenue! They don't have a ton of merchandise (though they have most of the essentials). But their shop skills are top notch! I had them resuscitate my bike (it sat idle for several years) and they did an amazing job. read more

This is the epitome of small business. Viv is awesome. They were willing to provide a loner bike while my bike was being repaired. Love this place. Shop here with confidence. read more

I have visited this shop several times because it is conveniently located by my house. My interactions with the owner kept leaving me feeling I'd been taken advantage of somehow. So after several visits I've decided to write a review. I can't recall her name, but the owner comes on very strong. She is pushy with sales and frames everything under the safety umbrella, which worked for me initially. You cannot comfortably browse without her in your face even when you are conversing with a different employee. She presents herself as being very knowledgeable about bikes and products. But after asking a few questions I find out she has absolutely zero bicycle background. She merely took over the business from Joe. I don't know about most people but I want my bike shop owner to actually be a bike person. Each time I have come here she is pushy and tries to upsell me things framed in a way as she pretends to be friendly and has my best interest at heart. But I only see her now as being very pushy to take my money. Just my experience. read more

Just getting back into bikes since being a kid, and Vivian at Westside Joe's Bikes made the whole experience awesome. Super informative, patient, and kind--which I really appreciated as a beginner. Prices were fair, turnaround was quick, and everything felt really easy. I'm definitely planning to make this my go-to bike shop from now on. Highly recommend! read more

I just purchased a new bike, and Vivy and Team did a great job putting it together. I'm happy I was able to find and support a woman-owned business. Thanks, team, for a job well done! BB read more

Amazing service! My bike is a 1982 Schwinn mountaineer and VIVI and her crew brought it back to life and made it better than ever! read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California

TL;DR: This is a huge bummer for me, because I really want to support a small, local business. However, they've repeatedly tried to blame me for a recurring issue, couldn't keep track of what was requested and what they had done, ordered a part without checking in with me on the price AFTER I had specifically asked them to call with a quote, and charged me more than their initial quote without authorizing the price change. The long version: I've had a recurring issue with a bike where the rear tire would pop out of the blue. Just sitting in the garage, it would occasionally loudly POP and I'd have a loud hissing flat tire. I took it into Westside Joe's at least three times to replace the tube. The last two times I took it in, I was told it was probably my fault for overinflating the tire. This was after I explained that the tires had not been inflated since the last time I had the tube replaced at their shop. The second to the last time I brought it in, I had to call two weeks later to see what was going on and was told they had the wrong phone number for me, even though I'd been there a few times before. At that point, they didn't know what they were supposed to do with the bike, thinking it was a tune-up when I had requested a new tube and that they tape the inside of the wheel to see if that would fix the issue. That time around, I picked up the bike, put it in the garage, and it sat there for a few weeks. Then on June 29th, I once again heard the loud bang and subsequent hissing, so I took the bike back the next day, asked them to see if it needed a new wheel, and to call me with a quote. They told me they'd call back with a quote by July 2nd. I waited and called back on July 3rd and was initially told my bike was ready. When I questioned that, they realized that they were looking at the work they'd done the month before. I once asked them to find out how much a new wheel would cost and call me back with a quote. This time I was told me they'd call me back a day or two after the 4th. The afternoon of the 6th of July rolled around with no call so I went over to get the bike back. At that point, I was told they'd already ordered the wheel even though they hadn't bothered to approve this with me. Here is where I made my biggest mistake - I gave them another chance. I left the bike there after being told that they'd give me a discount on the wheel and that the total cost for parts and labor would be $123 and some additional cents. Another mistake on my part, I accepted a verbal quote. Today I got the call that the bike was ready. Woohoo. I went by and picked it up and was charged $163.99. Knowing that I wouldn't ever come back and being too hot and tired to deal with it, I just smiled and paid. However, to add insult to injury, as the mechanic went around to get the bike, the lady at the counter told me that they wanted to talk to me about how I wasn't properly inflating the tire. AGAIN. After I have had at least two separate conversations with her letting her know that the tire hadn't been inflated since it left their shop. I told her, AGAIN AGAIN, that the last time it was inflated was by them and that I had mentioned this to them already. I did follow up when I got home with a call to find out why the number 123 mysteriously changed to nearly 164. I was told that I did get the discounted wheel but that there were other part fees that brought it up to the new total. This was again never discussed or approved, and was wildly different than what was quoted in person. I was also told I'd get an itemized receipt sent to me instead of the "Labor, Accessories $163.99" I currently have from them. No surprise, I'm still waiting on that breakdown of costs. So, I will be taking all future bike related business to Another Bike shop on Park Street and doing my best to let anyone I know who has a bike or needs a new one to steer clear of Westside Joe's. read more

Just moved to Oakland suddenly and have been using my roommates bike that sits sadly in the corner. I rode it over to their play of business and they were all smiles with good energy to help. read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - The sad bike - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California

Fixed a broken valve for $40. Noticed they also have a good selection of bikes if you want to supplement. Seem super local and attentive, will use again. read more

The owner of Westside Joe's, Vivian Young, stole over $1,000 from me and held it for months until I threatened to take her to small claims court. I provided the funds as a deposit on a bike that she never delivered. When it became apparent that there was no bike, she strung me along by lying to me about her communication with the merchant processor (Square) claiming that she had done all she could but the refund was in their hands. What really happened was she did nothing. I went to my credit card company to dispute the transaction since it was clear she had no intention of issuing it. When Square asked her to prove whether or not my dispute was a valid claim, she went radio silent so that Square would assume she was in the right and so Square denied my claim. Attached is proof. This is a correspondence between Square and Vivian, which Vivian mistakenly forwarded to me herself. It took me a while to build up the nerve to write this review because I was so upset that a small business owner in Alameda was willing to behave this way. But I've seen others post similar stories and I feel it's fair for others to know what they're potentially getting into by shopping here. I believe she's found a way to manipulate the merchant processor system by having all her receipts printed with "No Refunds" so that even if you never received the product in the first place, the merchant processor will claim that the store's policies are stated on each slip and so nothing can be done. read more

Came here to ask about pricing to get a wheel replaced on a bike- person at the counter was initially kind but when I asked more detailed questions about the pricing (wheel cost, labor cost, and when it will be ready for pick up) I realized the price was above what I could afford. She pressed on me to pay because they are a small business- which I completely understand- but when a customer simply says they can't afford it at that price and is ready to leave, the employee should not argue and guilt trip the customer who is stepping out of their store. I got my wheel replaced on the spot for a vastly more affordable cost without any issues that very same hour elsewhere. read more

I had a flat tire on my electric stand up scooter. Was rudely snubbed by every other bike shop I contacted. These folks got back to me with a friendly email. Suggested I bring it in to so they could take a look and see if they could fix it. I brought it in, they were amazingly friendly and they were able to fix my tire! I plan on buying a bike in the next 6 months. I will definitely be buying from them. read more

This is our bike shop. Woman-owned and local bike shop. What's not to like? We purchased our bikes when we lived in SF. When we moved to Alameda from SF we needed to find a bike shop to maintain our bikes. Westside Joe's has been fantastic. Once the chain on my bike broke pretty far from home and Westside Joe's. We don't have a car that can accommodate my bike, so I called Westside Joe's and they were able to come and pick up my bike. Vivee even offered to give me a ride home! AND they were able to figure out why my chain kept breaking. Woot! Amazing-super-duper-fantastic local bike shop with an amazing owner and employees. Can't recommend them enough! read more

There is no way that my family and I would ever go to this bike shop again. If you are a person of color, just expect to be treated poorly here. The owner didn't want to provide service to my husband, we we're both standing in line after one customer, and we we're next in line, as soon as it was our turn, the owner got up, and came from behind the counter, she approached me, said "Hello", and never even looked at my husband. It wasn't until I turned and looked up at my husband, being 6'0",compared to my 5'0" stature, that was when she decided to notice him. My husband had explained to the owner, that he had brought our son's bike in and never received an estimate, and he was told that it would be ready that Saturday, before he left it on a Tuesday. Then we both tried calling them though the week, and no answer, but on this particular day, the phones were ringing and I noticed with caller ID she answered. The owner started to explain how she was short on staff, and that she didn't have enough people to complete the job, then she told the only other person that appeared to be working there with her, to go get the bicycle. This was the moment that we noticed that our son's bike had not even been looked at til right then, although my husband recognized me man he handed the bike to, this was the first time it was looked at because it was pulled from the back of the shop, as if they said "We'll get to it", and shoved it in the back, so the owner, gave an estimate and told us that we needed to pay over $200 for repairs, and that this money had to be paid upfront before starting the work. My husband and I thought that the repairs were kind of expensive, and was interested in taking it somewhere else, because we would have waited another weekend before getting it back. We told the owner that we would be interested in taking it somewhere else, but she has mentioned that the other bike shops would be three weeks behind, and that we would have to pay the whole amount first. This is when we really felt like we were being taken advantage of and discredited, needles to say treated unfairly, being parents in Alameda, and having a son that attends one of the local high school in the city. Not to mention the fact that I am a teacher in AUSD district,my son needed his bike to get back and forth to school, and this shop totally ignored our calls, we weren't given an estimate until we came back to pick it up, and they were trying to make us pay upfront before they had serviced the bike. Just overall a horrible experience. read more

came to get my wheels fixed on a bike I bought from them for $200, got quoted at $160 total for the set+labor , said I couldn't afford it at the moment, got told the other set would be $95. understandable, I said I would consider it and come back. I asked if I could get my tires pumped at the moment since they were almost flat, the lady said that they couldn't do it since my tires were too much in disrepair and rudely started talking to another customer as if she wanted me to leave her shop since I wasn't spending money. Showed absolutely no sympathy towards my situation. note that I came just a month before and one of the other workers fixed my tires no problem, while they were in the same condition. It seems like the lady wanted me to just buy new tires, and didn't want to pump my tire for that reason. That wasn't my only bad experience. I came into the shop about a year and a half ago to buy my bike, a vintage Schwinn. The lady originally quoted me at $350, and said there wasn't any wiggle room for negotiation at all. I was disappointed, as it was out of my price range. I came back about a week later, to see if they got any new bikes in around my price range. It was a different person working, and they said I could have the same schwinn for $200 out the door, the same one the lady said there was no wiggle room on. Overall, it seems like the owner only cares about making as much money as possible, with little care towards people who are on a budget; which is backed up by many other reviews on here. I got very rude service every time I've interacted with her since I'm not rich. Disappointing as I want to support small business' here in alameda , but I will not be doing business here anymore. If she would've just pumped up my tires and shown some grace towards my situation towards my situation instead of shooing me out of the store, I definitely would've been willing to do business with them. Take your business elsewhere . read more

Went in for a repair on my Bike a man by the name of Jon helped me out. He was very knowledgeable about bikes and what the issue was. I honestly thought my frame was done for. Jon was not only able to fix the issue but he did it in one day ! He also let me know the parts needed to fix what I was trying to do. They also have a nice selection of high end bikes. I'm a new fan of this shop and will be back. read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California

I bought an electric bike in January 2020. Who would have known what kind of year we were about to experience! The one thing that has made me so happy and sane this year is the bike. The electric bike has been my main transportation. I turned in my car for the electric bike and it was the best decision. The people who work at the shop were so helpful and encouraging on my new adventure. They hooked me up with all I needed to make it my main transportation. They even matched the deal I found online. I had an overall great experience! read more

Westside Joe's Bikes - Bikes Near Me - Alameda, California