To save us both a little bit of time, here is a list of your most commonly asked questions. You’re welcome 🙂

 

“My tires are flat, can I get some air? How much is it?”

For sure, come in anytime to get your tires pumped up. We don’t charge for air, but you’re welcome to leave a tip.

“Do you guys fix flat tires? How much is it?”

Yes, we fix flat tires. For most bikes it’s about $20-25, including a new tube. If your tire is very worn or old, you may need a new tire as well, which range from $15 and up, and we have many to choose from. If you want to learn how to do it yourself, we’ll gladly show you how it’s done.

“Do you guys have tubes? I need a (27″, 650B, 700×28, etc.) size. How much does a tube cost?”

Yes, we have tubes in sizes for most any bike, ranging from tiny 12″ to monster 29er. Most tubes cost 7 to 9 bucks.

“I need my bike looked at, how much does that cost? Do I need to make an appointment?”

We don’t charge to look over and assess your bike, and no appointment is necessary. We’ll tell you what it needs to run well, give you an honest estimate, and put you on the schedule as soon as we can. We can complete most tune-ups within a few days, but often complex jobs that require special parts may take us a week or so to finish.

“Do you guys do tune-ups? How much is a tune-up?”

Yes, we do tune-ups, and the prices range from $59.99 for a Mini Tune (for newer bikes that just need a little tweaking) but most bikes require somewhere between the Quick Tune at $89.99 to the Regular Tune at $119.99. Parts are extra, of course.

“You’re called Upcycles…so, like, you guys just fix up old bikes & stuff?”

We started the shop in 2010 with a love of reviving old bikes back to life, and we still work on many vintage rides that get wheeled in through our door. We no longer sell any used bikes, and our focus is on selling quality new bikes from Public and Raleigh, ranging from $350 to $700. If you’re really wanting a used bike but are afraid of Craigslist, check out the Community Cycling Center, a nearby non-profit that takes in used bike donations and does good things for the world.

“I have a bike I want to sell, do you guys buy bikes?”

We no longer buy and sell used bikes, and usually your best bet is to sell it on Craigslist. If you’ve got a bike you’d like to donate, we may be interested in taking it, as we work with an organization that provides bikes for refugees.

“Do you fix (Specialized, Trek, Giant, etc.) brand of bikes?”

Believe it or not, the brand of bike is generally not that important. Most of the major brands make very similar bikes, and their frames and components vary a bit. We can work on most types of bikes, and statistically speaking, there is a 98.1% chance that we can work on your bike too.

“How do you feel about electric bikes (e-bikes)? Do you work on them?”

E-bikes are great, and we love every type of bike as a means of joyful transportation, and a way to minimize time spent behind the wheel of an automobile! E-bikes make biking a possibility for people that have to contend with lots of hills, or have a long ways to travel to their work. We’re (usually) able to do basic work on e-bikes, such as flat tire fixes and brake adjustments, but for anything more involved we simply don’t have the expertise or specialized tools – we recommend The eBike Store.

“My bike is making this (creaking, squeaking, ticking, knocking, etc.) sound when I pedal, can you fix that?”

Bring the bike in and let us check it out – with many years of experience in listening to the weird sounds that bikes occasionally exude, we can usually figure out the source of the problem pretty quickly. No promises though; once in a while we encounter a mystery that defies all logic…like this one time, there was a spoke on an old French Mavic rear wheel that kept clicking and no amount of lubricant could remedy it…and this other time, what I totally thought was a creaky pedal or crank ended up being a squeaky leather Brooks saddle!

“I let my friend borrow my bike, and now it’s not working, can you guys fix it?”

Very likely, yes. And your friend should totally pay for the repair.

“Do you have any kids bikes?”

We don’t have enough space to stock kids bikes, but we do occasionally have some in stock. We can get anything that Public, Raleigh, Diamondback, and KHS makes. Get in touch with us and we’d love to special order a bike for your favorite kid!

“My boyfriend (or husband, dad, sweetie, lover, neighbor, etc.) was trying to (tighten my brakes, install my rack, fix my gears, etc.) but it’s not working right…um…can you check it out?”

Many people – especially those of the masculine persuasion – won’t admit to others (let alone themselves) that they can’t do something seemingly simple, like adjusting the brakes on a bicycle. The problem here is two-fold: first, the inability to admit one’s lack of expertise, and second, the faulty assessment of a a complex problem that only seems simple. Inexpensive department-store bikes can often be the most difficult to fix, even when brand-new, because of poor assembly and cheaply-made components. Old bikes that have been aging un-gracefully in the garage may be worse than they actually look. Just remember: here at Upcycles, we’ve been fixing what your boyfriend couldn’t, since 2010.

“Do you guys take credit cards? Apple Pay? Samsung Pay? Bitcoin?”

This question of whether we accept credit cards has miraculously not reduced in frequency over the years. Yes, of course we take all major credit cards including Discover and AmEx, but not Diners (if that’s still a thing). We are not yet set up for Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, but we are “working on it.” We have never been asked about whether we accept Bitcoin, but we do make frequent jokes about it.

“I really want to tip you guys – do you drink beer?”

Yes. The one beer we can all agree on is a good IPA, and just to be safe, make it a Breakside.