Roberts Cycle

Pleasantly surprised when I found this place down the street. I needed a few repairs on my bicycle. Rusty chain, sticky brakes, etc.
Steve was amazing and even noticed other issues with my bike. The front wheel was on backwards! He is very experienced and this is now my go to bike place. He even installed a cup holder on my handlebars! Also very very inexpensive! So obsessed with my cup holder! Thanks Steve!

Made a bad decision to try these guys out instead of going to my trusted bike shop in my old neighborhood that’s now 8 miles away. My right shifter stopped working, basically rendering my bike a single speed, and figured the cable had either broken or come loose, possibly a part broke. Took it to Robert’s and got a bad feeling right away. My 2009 Jamis road bike was apparently beyond their skill level. Got some story about how they only have one mechanic who works on my type of bike, a road bike. Any bike mechanic at any shop in the city should be able to work on the shifting cable of my type of bike. Took the bike in on Thursday, was told they’d look at it Saturday, called on Tuesday and they said they hadn’t looked at it because the ONE mechanic who is apparently skilled enough would not be in until Thursday. I called Thursday and was quoted $ 260 for replacement parts. I asked them not to work on the bike, I was coming in to pick it up after work. When I picked it up the guy started telling me some ridiculous story about going to a bike repair seminar a few years back and somehow that’s where the $ 260 quote came from. I have no idea what he was talking about, but I don’t even think they looked at my bike to see what was wrong. Felt like I was being scammed.
Ended up going to my regular shop (even though it’s 8 miles from where I live now), dropped it off on Sunday, they called next day Monday to tell me my bike was ready, went in and they charged me $ 12 for the repair. Lesson learned. Should have gone somewhere I know does quality work and that has the best interests of me and my bike in mind.
I think the majority of this place’s customers must be people who really don’t know any better about pricing and service, or just need flats fixed because they don’t know how to do it themselves. I don’t even want to think about what they would have done to my bike or how much it would have cost me.

These guys are great. Old school. Busy, but will take the time to explain things.
My experience here has been with parts and sales.
They don’t surprise you with the bill, but let you know the cost up front.
Also, they stand by their work. If something goes wrong withing 30 days on anything they did, or you just need something adjusted, they do not whine about it. They just fix it.
This is a real-​old-​time-​Chicago-​neighborhood-​joint where outside of the actual work they do, they will take the time to B. S with you, really bad puns included.
Love this place. And the wheel men who work there. You guys ROCK!

A real bike shop like you remember going to as a kid! They don’t try up sell you, the prices are reasonable (labor is a bit high) and they stand by the work. The guys working there are bike guys! All around a good experience and will definitely come back again!

Really great find. Great service at a very reasonable cost. Glad they’re in the neighborhood.

I have been to Roberts several times, and my experience is consistently great. I have a cross-​bike that’s about 20 years old; I use it to bike for fun, but the last year, I started commuting more and more, so, more miles. Summer 2013 I got the tune-​up special, which was precipitated by a broken spoke. The tune-​up transformed my bike, shifting and braking, most notably.
Summer 2014, the left crank arm fell off on the Lakefront Trail, and I limped home with one pedal (more possible that you can imagine). They put it back on (no charge) and asked me to come after 100 miles so they could retighten. We did this three times; they said this was typical (never a charge; they did it while I waited).
Fall 2014 my click shifters went; it turns out that, while lifting my bike to use my building’s vertical bike rack, I’d unknowingly cracked them. They found a used one, gave me a good price and fixed it while I waited. I was grateful as it was a gorgeous late fall day, and I’d planned a trek. The week afterwards, though, had to take it back in because it wouldn’t shift. The guy that repaired it took more time and said that the shifter and derailleurs were so old that they didn’t communicate well; I also needed another dérailleur to go with the new shifter. I was bummed about that, but it made sense, so I had them fix it for a reasonable price, using a used one that was in the store, so I didn’t have to wait.
Overall, they are resourceful and honest, and I’ve always had the greatest service. Every time, I feel that they’re committed to help keep me on the road! #kudos

They repaired a flat tire on my bike in just 15 minutes and it only cost $ 15. I couldn’t ask for any better service.

An overall very solid experience with some serious work done on a vintage bike. The initial aim was to just get the bike to work again, and aside from a totally unforeseen issue (pedal broke off from rust damage), they were able to work through everything that needed to be done.
— Their level of craft is impeccable.
— Initial timeframe given to me was 2 – 4 days, but they had it done the next day. No promises on if that’s common, but it certainly helped my own experience.
— They went beyond the initial scope to fix a few other things that weren’t estimated out. The total was about the amount of a car payment by the time it was all said and done, but significant work was required. Labor costs are fair for the work, especially at their level.
— They sold me on some components that were a bit more expensive, but always for a very good reason. Rust-​proof chain and thicker-​material tubes – all easily justifiable. The prices themselves have a slight profit creep, but they’re a repair shop, and that’s to be expected.
My own use case was for repair/​reform rather than for sales, so I can’t comment on that. They’re not pushy; they’re honest. Definitely not a hipster spot, which is fantastic. These are totally the kind of people you want to fix your bike in the first place – they care about their craft.

This is a nice place to get a bike. You can all ways work a deal with them. The best tip i can give any one is BRING CASH!

Brought my bike in for a much needed tuneup. After being out in the elements all winter they were still able to save my chain which in turned cost me less money than what I expected. It took them a week and it was ready for pick up! I definitely think they are inexpensive, nice, and just overall knowledgeable about everything that had to do with bikes. I have already recommended them to friends.

I brought my bike here last year and they did a great job with it so I brought it right back. See, I was bad in taking care of my bike and left it outside all winter long because I didn’t have any room for it anywhere. I thought the wheels were gone since they were pretty rusted, however Richard took the time and said that he would take care of this for me along with other miscellaneous repairs.
My bike is finally in top shape for riding this summer.

It was a fast and great quality service! I highly recommend it to everyone!

With the plethora of bike shops in Chicago, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Without writing a lengthy review, I’ll say I was quoted a different price when I dropped the bike off than when I picked it up. I left the shop agreeing to $ 30 less than the amount they told me when they called. When they called (three days after it was supposed to be done) to tell me it was complete and charge me more money, they also suggested I get more work, something to do with the hub. I asked what the part did, why it needed $ 20 worth of oiling and the gentlemen couldn’t really explain, he compared it to a car (which I know less about than bikes) and left me still kind of confused, so I just left it alone. No fun.

Quality, long-​enduring independent business still very devoted to quality service and product. The owner and his staff work hard to keep their doors open despite being taken advantage of by big media or overshadowed by large and less accountable franchises like Kozy’s. I recommend patronizing this Roberts bike shop.

Robert sometimes suggests the wrong thing… and you find out later on.

This is a small shop with an old-​school ambiance around the store. Let me explain. Many customers are spoiled by big corporation customer service, fake smile when you walk in the door and someone following you around the shop asking if you need any assistance. You will not get that at Roberts.
The times I’ve been at the shop, I have had to wait my turn, sometimes 10 or more minutes. There are not a lot of sales people on the floor. If you talk to someone other than Rich, it’s usually a shop guy that comes out of the back from working on the bikes. When you do get to speak to Rich (the owner), he will give you his undivided attention. He is extremely knowledgeable. He’s not going to kiss your ass to make a sale, he’s not going to talk you into anything that you do not need. He can be brash and quirky and he likes to talk a lot, but if you can get past that you are golden. Remember you’re not going in there him to stroke your ego, he’s just trying to fix your bike.
Rich told me the philosophy of the shop is not to try and sell new bikes, but to help you utilize and fix your current bike. Therefore, he will help you find an economical solution to your bike problem. I was sold a Trek bike that was too big for me. But instead of trying to pressure me into buying a new bike, he modified what I had to make it rideable and more comfortable until I can afford something new. And the modifications he made to my existing bike were extremely affordable.
This is a great shop. It’s been around for over 25 years. I think that says something about the quality of work they provide. Don’t go there for high-​end bike boutique feel, go there know that there are several experienced, hard working men that work like hell to make your bike great.

I came in today and had such a great experience. The back tire was stolen off of my friend’s bike, and I decided to surprise him and get it fixed. At first they quoted me $ 160, and I was freaking out a bit because that is a lot more then I expected (I don’t know a lot about bikes and apparently I had to buy so many different pieces for the back tire/​wheel since it is a 7speed bike). They knew I was in a sticky situation (especially since the bike would just be used for leisurely activities like riding on the lakefront) so the associates must have talked to the owner, and he dropped the price down to $ 100. He was running around the shop finding used parts for me to make it work at that price! It was so nice of him, and that price was more reasonable to me and a little closer to what I had expected.
In addition to price, they were very patient and understanding with me, and all of the associates were very knowledgeable and were more than willing to teach me more about bikes and the parts I was purchasing.
Even though this place is a hole in the wall and the associates don’t look like what you’d would expect walking into a bike shop, it is certainly a gem and a great place to go if you need a fixing.

Old cranky man and overpriced parts! Never had my bike serviced there and perhaps never would.
I know it’s sorta neighborhood place that has been there forever, but the old man has to learn how to be nice to customers.
I wouldn’t go there. Uptown bikes has much better prices and WAAAAAAY more friendly staff members!

Great shop. They really care about helping bikers out. If they don’t have the right bike or part for you, they will help you find it either by ordering it or referring you to other great shops. The guys and gal that work there are knowledgeable and avid cyclists. I go here for parts, tips & advice, and minor tuning, but they also have a pretty good selection of used bikes with some character (older frames, single speed conversions, etc.)
I bought a Roadmaster converted single speed here a little under a year ago, got into an accident with it. They guys at Roberts Cycle helped me put together a claim at no charge, and they even ended up doing the repairs below the cost of the estimate! I came to them looking to buy a new bike, and they have a good selection, just none that fit me. They recommended another shop and were very helpful.
I come in and know the guys by name and they remember me. You can’t easily find that in a shop: genuine friendliness. I feel comfortable asking for advice and tips, and I feel thanks to them I’ve gone from a recreational no nothing rider to an avid cyclist who can do minor repairs and even convert/​fix up my old bikes.
Head here if you want a positive bike shop experience, or if you’re looking to get more into city cycling!

Brought a recently-​immigrated friend over to get his bike fixed. They were no-​nonsense and very fairly priced. Did good work.
I wouldn’t bring a $ 7,000 road pixie here, but for your around-​town beater, it’s the place to go.
Also, there was a good-​looking young woman working there, as I recall. That always spruces a place up.