Stone’s Cyclery

I just found my bike shop!
Came over from the City to ride with some friends and when we were passing through Alameda a spoke broke. When you hear: «Everything happens for a purpose.». Believe it.
John repaired the wheel while I waited and even checked the other spokes tension so it would not happen again. He treated me as if I were some team rider.
…and I got to be in the Disneyland of steel bikes. Yup. Steel bike heaven. Did I mention that I my steed is steel? Boy oh boy is there some seriously beautifully crafted bikes.
…John is patient and generous with his knowledge and I left with much more than a new spoke.
Worth you while

John is awesome. He knows his bikes. He can offer sage advice to the expert rider (I heard him talking to some of his regulars), and has the patience to listen to those of us who are not there yet. He carries very cool bikes if you like classic designs (Waterford, Bob Jackson) and has amazing vintage bikes on display in his shop. He is also very happy to special order whatever you need. When my bicycle seemed irreparable, he was able to bring it back to perfect operation. This is my new favorite bike store. I will return for all of my bike servicing needs and when I’m ready to step up to a new ride, I will definitely be asking John for his help.

I scored a ’73 Schwinn Stingray at the Alameda Antiques Fair. Not a lot of bike shops want to work with a bike this old or know where to source parts for it. Enter Stone’s Cyclery. Great knowledge of bikes of all ages and gets the job done right.
My bike went from riding like a clunker to riding smooth as eggs. Definitely going to be bringing in my second bike for a similar treatment.

The ONLY shop in Alameda you should be going to for bicycle repair, service and parts.

These guys are fabulous. Bought a couple of tubes there a few weeks ago to fix a flat and have a spare. The new tube had a slow leak 25 miles later and I wondered if it might be defective. I took it in and they installed a new tube, gave me a detailed lesson on how to check tires and replace tubes. Even though the «old» new tube had a hole in it that was almost certainly caused by a puncture, there was nothing in the tire so the tube, installation and the lesson were delivered at the unbeatable price of $ 0.

Just had my Bike Friday tuned up. John did a great job – the bike hasn’t worked this well in years!
And he gave me some good tips about riding in my first Century.
Thanks, John!

I am a middle aged woman with balance issues. I came into Stone’s hoping to find a saddle which would enable me to reach the street while seated on my bike. John was exceedingly patient with me. He set me up with the perfect Brooks Saddle. He also gave me some pointers about starting and stopping on my bike, which enabled me to become a more confident rider. I can’t thank John enough. I am a Stone’s fan.

This shop is rad! Bought my bike here today and couldn’t be more excited! Dennis knows what he’s doing. Honest and not much to it. People that have reviewed this shop spend too much time reading in between the lines. He’s got a pretty neat selection of bikes to feast your eyes on. Also he repairs bikes in the back. Looking forward to go in next time.

I have been walking past this bike shop for years. I finally decided to buy a nice steel frame which they specialize in. Dennis helped me out and answered all my questions. I have bought many bikes from many shops here in the Bay Area and this shop was the most pleasant. Unfortunately this place may not be for the new bike rider. You really need to know what you want and understand what they sell. IMO.

Definitely agree that you should come to Dennis with an idea of what you’re looking for, and once you do he’s more than willing to take the time to go over your options. Where else in the East Bay can you test out a million models and sizes of Waterfords, Gunnars, Bob Jacksons, etc? This isn’t a budget shop (and their low end is almost out of my range), but they have some drool-​inspiring frames on the racks.

I had a busted tire. And I know NOTHING about bikes. I walked in with a tube I had bought somewhere else because I (foolishly) thought I could fix the issue at home. The older gentleman working there didn’t miss a step, installed my elsewhere tube, a new tire, and had me out the door with a smile in less than 10 minutes. You won’t get a lot of pomp and circumstance here but you’ll get a lot of knowledge and quick service.

I brought in my cheap-​o «mom» bike I purchased at Sports Authority a couple years ago. The older gentleman was really helpful putting together the upgrades I want (a rack on the back, etc.). He kept me from going totally bananas with stuff I didn’t need and the tune-​up price is the best in town.
Just what I was looking for. A shop with integrity, close to home and helpful.

Terrible business practices. Do not shop here.
In February 2012, we saw a vintage bike for sale in the shop. I said I’d like to buy it (even though it was incredibly overpriced, it’s what we wanted). The guy (who was not very customer service oriented at all) said he needed to replace the tubes and do a couple of other things, which would add to the price, which I agreed to. He made out a receipt, and I asked if he wanted me to pay now or later? He said either, so I said I’d just pay upon pickup. He said it would be ready the following Saturday. Unfortunately, something came up for me Saturday so I didn’t make it in. They are closed Sunday, and Monday was a holiday. So Tuesday morning, we went to get it, and he said it had been sold. What? Really? They never called me (yes they had my number), and sold it –when? During the two days they were closed? And when I asked to speak to the owner to complain despite his feeble apology, he said «it won’t do any good.»
There are two other bike shops in Alameda. Go to one of them instead. Stay away from these people.

Grumpy old man lost a sale today because his poor customer service I wanted info on repairs and to buy an inexpensive lock. With stern voice was told «Only road bikes» proceded to hover over me the like a security guard rather help me shop. Guess he figured didn’t have money or I wasn’t going to buy anything. Had cash in hand but went somewhere else because of him. As I walked out disgusted a passer by suggest I go around the corner to Alameda Bicycle as they were professional, she was right.

Stone’s is great, they tuned up my Klein and were able to save my rear Mavic rim by salvaging parts. This is a great bike shop who really know their stuff, not your typical bike shop. Your not going to find your major name brands in here other than a few Schwinn’s, they deal in custom one off frames from companies like Gunnar and Bob Jackson, all laced up with the finest components. I would label them the likes of an old school Chopper shop, not really the kind of place for tire kickers and weekend warriors, even though the staff is friendly and engaging. They will have my business as long as i live in the area. Thanks again Dennis.
I am sure some of the sour reviews given are by typical know it all’s who do more time talking than listening.

I happened to get a pinch flat just down the block and decided to walk in and get it repaired right away since it seemed to be so convenient. I walked in with my bike and was left just standing there. Dennis was helping another customer when I first entered, but skipped over me to help the next person who had entered 10 minutes after I did. Neither of his two employees acknowledged me.
I ended up taking the bus home and fixing the flat myself.

Visited Stone’s this morning, for the last time. Went in to price out a replacement chain for my bike and the necessary chain breaker to do the job at home. They told me $$ 40 total… which was more than twice what Walmart was charging (i checked with them and and Amazon as a reference point), I then asked how much to do the work themselves… he says $ 40 plus the $ 20 for the chain. So $ 60 to replace a chain on a $ 200 bike. I asked if he was sure that’s how much it would cost because I’ve done the job several times and it takes between 10 – 20 minutes to complete. He had the nerve to tell me to go do it myself. I told him not to be a jerk. When I told him that Walmart had the same items for less than half… he said he wouldn’t compete with Walmart… Whether he makes the decision or not to compete… he is in competition with them. So, even though I would have much rather supported a local company like Stone’s…there is no way I will ever give my money to such a smug arrogant operation.
Stone’s can eat it… and BTW i also went to Alameda Bicycles and they actually had the same prices but I have never had a bad experience in their store. They have always been super cool and helpful.
Don’t give a store like Stones your money… they don’t care about you.

My husband came here to get a bike so that he can ride to the gym while I am at work (we share a car). He went in, told them what he wanted, and came out with the perfect bike for a price he could live with.
He liked the to-​the-​point service and the overall vibe of the place.

As a cyclist of many years now, I’m fully aware of the snobbishness that can go with working at a bike shop.
People tend to just think, «Hey, I work at a bike shop now, that automatically means I’m cool and better than you.»
This seems to be TOTALLY true of Stone’s…
Both times I came in here I was completely ignored (not to mention that each time I stood facing the employees, looking at them in the face, waiting for them to turn around and greet/​help me).
The first time around I noticed the prices are way off the chart (fitting for this snooty bike shop) even for quality bicycles.
The second time [my girlfriend and] I waited for about 2 – 3 minutes (knowing they seem to tend to ignore walk-​in customers), then just left, very annoyed.
Perhaps its because I don’t «look rich»? Meh, F them. No one I know likes this place either, I don’t see what all the high ratings are about. There are much better bikes shops in Alameda, one even on the same street as this place.

When Linda and I found Stone’s in 1997 when thinking of moving to Alameda, we knew we had found our new «bicycle home.» The wonderful smell of English leather (Brooks saddles) permeates the shop, accenting the visual delight of fine lugged steel frames and historic bikes.
Dennis Stone, whose dad started Stone’s in 1943, grew up in the bike business, making his own derailleurs and sponsoring races long ago. He knows bike fit and he knows frame design, so he can set up men and women on a nice road, cyclo-​cross, single-​speed, or commute bike much better than most shops. (He helped immeasurably with support and suggestions when I rode two SF-​LA AIDS rides years ago, and helped Linda achieve a better fit on her top-​line bike.)
If, like me, you like and own older bikes with steel frames, Dennis can help with the expertise, parts, and components to fix them. He recently re-​introduced Schwinn bikes to his collection of mostly higher-​end steel road, track, and fixie frames, components, and accessories. Dennis is a no-​nonsense and straightforward guy with a wealth of knowledge about both modern and historic bikes. Stone’s, while not known as a place to find used or bargain bikes, offers excellent value for the money you spend.
Jason and Paul are learning a lot working for Dennis. I hope they are paying attention to his more gracious and welcoming treatment of shop customers, too. (This is my one negative comment, mostly about Jason: his passion and intelligence are undisputed, but he can be hard to take.)
Stone’s is well worth the trip, just for the eye candy and the smells, but it can make a believer out of you, too – especially in made-​to-​measure steel bikes and in leather saddles.