Ideal Bikes

These guys are great. I get all my work done here that I can’t do myself. They’re super helpful and friendly. The most recent thing I got from them were my awesome tan sidewall tires for the road bike I use to commute. Best of all, they aren’t out to just make sales. If you’re considering a piece of equipment that isn’t right for you, they’ll let you know even when it would have been an easy sell. That’s great customer service.

I’ve been in and out of this place so many times in the last couple years on the hunt for my ‘dream bike’. While they didn’t have an option that was close to what I was looking for, they went over so many options with me, answered so many questions, and gave a lot of good advise. Eventually, I had two bikes that were both close to what I wanted and they took parts from the two bikes and put them together into something amazing, and it was very reasonably priced. The guy who did it let me sit behind the counter and watch him do it, to make sure it was what I wanted, swapping out pieces that he had back there that might be a better fit.
I have since gone back numerous times to discuss rust issues, paint jobs, tire replacement, handlebar configurations, seat options, special orders, and many other bike-​related issues. They have answered my (at times tedious and repetitive) questions with patience and confidence. There were times where they didn’t have what I was looking for and they referred me to other bike stores around the city that they knew would have what I was looking for. Not many businesses out there will send you to their competition, taking your satisfaction over their own profit.
I can’t say I’ve ever had a bad experience, and I can be a pretty annoying customer at times, I’m sure, and I’ve definitely been here more than enough times to account for a bad experience or two, but they are just great, every time.

Alright, so after writing my formerly less-​than-​stellar review about the customer service here, I received a message that said that they *had a staff meeting* about the review to impress on their employees the inappropriateness of providing a sub par customer experience. Needless to say, I was very impressed that my review was taken so seriously, and I am bumping them up to five stars.

First let me say that I think ideal bikes has done a good job providing a second hand bike option. If bikes are a black box to you, and you want to be able to buy with confidence than pay extra and buy here rather then face potential disappointment on kijiji. If you know bikes, and are able to do your own repairs then they will seem overpriced, stick to rolling the dice on kijiji for bargains. They also get old stock in that they sell for «discounted» prices. What I’ve found though is that sometimes those bikes seem to be priced very fair, and other times they seem to be a little on the expensive side compared to the newest model. (new models tend to get minor upgrades from year to year) Do not rush into a purchase, research it first.
Also I’ve sometimes felt very pressured to make a purchase when visiting, but this may also be linked to that fact that I always seem to visit when the shop is empty.

Ideal is just the word. In my ongoing hunt for a two-​wheel ride, this stop shot me some: A) approachable and informed service B) An idea of their many bike-​related services C) A bountiful selection of new and used bikes D) A cute sales boy E) Affordable options for my student loan indebted soul.
It was a breath of fresh air! Not only did the sales boy cover all basis for my bike inquiry, but he truly listened to my specific needs as a client, and gave me some helpful advice.
There were a few gems that I’ve added to my list of possibilities. He showed me a used bike for just over $ 100, and also a new, more stylish one for $ 399. All bikes are ready to ride once they are purchased and cost no extra cash for a tune up. Perfect.
I’ll likely be back to IDEAL once I’ve pondered my options a little more in depth. But with such great prices and quality assurance, it seems like a safe bet, and a great local business to support!

I love me a sexy bike and this downtown cycle boutique is the place to head if you’re in the market for some two-​wheeled transportation.
You can find many different types of bikes that have been salvaged and transformed, often from non-​functioning hunks of junk into sleek, fresh rides ready for you to saddle up and hit the streets.
I’ve ventured into this shop on many occasions, but usually shy away from purchasing because of the prices. I know that the price tag denotes the amount of craftsmanship that has gone into restoring the bikes, but I can’t help but wonder that if I look a little deeper elsewhere, I’ll find better deals.
The old man has purchased a couple of bikes here and has often been impressed. I’d say the funniest purchase he made was when he bought back a bike he had brought into Ideal a couple of years prior. When he sent his favorite bike of all time on its merry way, it was fit for the trash. Ideal took it in on a trade and obviously spent some time fixing it up. When Andrew bought it back, he paid a hefty price but was so happy to be reunited with his love that he looked past the ding to his bank account.
This is a great independent shop to peruse if you’re in the market for a new velo. I know many a person who have been pleased with their investments from Ideal and have gone on to own their cycles for a number of years. Go check it out. I think they also sell some new bikes too, but I could be wrong on that one.

I was walking along Barrington and spotted this shop. I will be in the market for a bike soon and did not want to buy an outrageous priced one. I figure for all I am going to do, I should go second hand.
This store has a great selection and the new ones are not over the top in price either. The staff here is great and I trust they know how
to put these together. After all it seems a lot of people shop here and it is for good reason.
I will be back to purchase from here.

I have been narrowing down my bike options for the last month or so now and yesterday, I finally decided to head to ‘Idealbikes’ with the intention of purchasing one!
I was told by the proprietor that I could take any of them out on test rides but based on the fact that I’m a girl, and wanted to ride through the winter he made two recommendations in particular. After test riding I ended up deciding on a well-​loved ‘Velo Sport’ road bike with numerous modifications. The bike was on for $ 100 and after adding fenders and a bell my bike came to $ 155 (tax in). I took it on quite the test ride yesterday and so far I’ve been very happy! I can exchange the bike within the next week and I also have a 90-​day warranty. (excluding anything that might break)
Heads up to those with bikes, there’s a $ 45 fine in Halifax if you don’t have a working bell and light installed on your bike so I recommend splurging. Mine came to $ 10.
Great bike purchasing experience at ‘Ideal’!