Tip Top Cycles

These guys do a great job on your bike, if they feel like it.

These guys did a great job on my bike! Although there are many shops closer to me, I will make this my regular place to go for service! The prices were great in comparison to what I paid in Arizona, and the service was better. Instead of just doing half the job, cables were replaced where needed without an additional charge. Great place!

I love the concept — consignment bikes, and no-​nonsense repair shop. And I was very excited to drop in and see the stock on my bike store tour. When we arrived, Colin was busy working on a bike in the front room, and gave us a quick hello. I started looking over bikes on the right-​hand wall (I didn’t notice a small hand-​written sign, until leaving, that indicated those bikes were ‘in repair’). Colin didn’t offer to help or guide us away from the customers’ bikes. After a minute or two of us browsing in the wrong area, the co-​owner came out from the back room and asked if she could be of help. We told her we were interested in seeing used commuter bikes, and she indicated their very small bikes-​for-​sale section (maybe 6 bikes?). Unfortunately, the ones available that met our needs were in cosmetically poor condition (rusty, scratched). A previous reviewer here mentioned they special order parts, and wanting to support our neighborhood bike shop, we asked if that was true of bikes too; but unfortunately it’s not. I was definitely underwhelmed by our visit, but I know inventory would probably vary greatly each time you come in. Shop is cozy, owners are young, and place seems to have a good reputation for repairs. So perhaps I’ll be back.

Been to here twice in the last month or so. FIrst off, very close to East Campus and not too far from West Campus making it ideal and suitable to a lot of Duke students who need assistance with their bikes. They didn’t have a huge selection of bikes when I went looking to purchase one but they did kindly redirect me towards other venues that would have used bikes. The second time I visited Tip Top Cycles was when I had already purchased a bicycle and wanted to get it tuned up to ensure everything was working properly. One of the guys promptly took my bike and looked over my tires, brakes (tightened them for me) and adjusted my gears within around 10 – 15 minutes and the other two employees were plenty friendly. They did this free of charge too and I’m happy to have this LBS around Duke

I am changing my review. I had my bike fixed and then I’m out here to Seattle, they replaced my shifters and gears– but the crank must’ve been used because they are threaded poorly on both sides and I can’t get any pedals in them.

Usually when you go to a small, bicycle culture, independent bike shop you get greeted with blank stares about your stupid questions and a dismissive attitude because you occasionally opt to drive to work instead of bike. The bicycle culture can be very exclusive and arrogant.
Yes, Tip Top Cycles is filled with twenty somethings with beards, monochromatic tattoos, and stretched ear lobes. However these particular twenty somethings don’t treat you like an idiot. I had a great experience with the customer service. They were friendly, eager to help me, and excited about answering my questions… both on drop off and pick up.
It cost me $ 65 to get a tune up and to get the tension redone on my rear spokes. That seems like a pretty fair price to me. I’ve been charged over $ 100 for a tune up alone in the past.
I would definitely recommend Tip Top Cycles to anyone who needs bike work in the Durham area.

I think the most important thing I can say about Tip Top Cycles is that I *trust* them. Colin+Sarah are really genuine people — they are going to recommend what is best for you and your needs, not what’s going to make them the most money. SO and I have both had our bikes repaired here and have been really happy with the craftsmanship and the experience.
A great place to go if you don’t know a lot of technical stuf about your bike (i.e., don’t know what things «should» cost, or «should» be fixed). I’m sure it’s just as great of an experience if you are a bike connoisseur as well.

Jess hit the nail on the head. TipTop brings a refreshing business model to the Durham — and North Carolina — bicycle scene. When we moved to town it was alarming that the Chain stores were a dime a dozen. Simply put, TipTop’s got soul.
The shop offers three things that give it five stars: 1) Colin is an absolute first rate mechanic and genuine straight shooter, 2) they offer re-​used and adapted bicycles at an affordable cost, and 3) they can get just about anything available anywhere else at a fair price and quick time.
This is the kind of place where you leave your bike with them for a few days and come back to pick it up only to find that, here, tune-​up is code word for spectacular. Colin’s attention to detail is truly remarkable.
Keep on it you guys…

This place is exactly my kind of bike shop.
The atmosphere of the shop really feels great in a bike shop semi-​hip semi-​grunge kinda way. The staff are seriously great at what they do. The prices are simply unbeatable (I’ve never seen lower, ever!) — we are talking $ 5 – 15 for general individual repairs, or $ 50 for a full tune up. Quotes I get at other shops around the triangle (including the B Chain) for simple repairs are always $ 70+, and they try to tell you that your bike needs things it doesn’t. At Tip Top Cycles, there is none of this. The owner even did some minor tune ups when I just stopped by to look at helmets.
When I lived in Carrboro I loved back alley bikes, but this place is a perfect (and perhaps even better?) option in Durham. Kind of looking forward to the next time I need to go to a bike shop because now I’ll know where to go!

Great shop. Quality selection of parts/​accessories and happy to special order whatever you want – in my case a real nice Brooks saddle. Can’t speak to their bike selection, but it looked proper. Laid back approach but clearly knowledgable of their domain. The shop has a certain «joie de vivre» thing going on. Big fan. Will be back.

I came here to get a wobbly back wheel fixed, left with what felt like a completely new bike. I took the owner’s advice and had the wheel replaced instead of fixing the axle and the few spokes that it broke as well. I gave him carte blanche to make other repairs as he saw fit, and he ended up replacing the back gears, replacing some cables, adjusting the brakes and derailleurs, greasing the seat post and chain, fixing my U-​lock holder, cleaning the wheels and frame, and doing I don’t know what else. Whatever he did, he did a great job, and I was happy to pay $ 60 ($ 30 for the wheel and $ 30 for the tune-​up, which included all the parts).
I’ll also note that he called me after I dropped it off to tell me about the new wheel issue, and responded to a later email of mine in less than three minutes. Customer service ftw. Lastly, when I leave Duke after graduation, I’m definitely dropping my bike off here for a consignment sale. They’ve certainly earned my trust.
NB: I believe the tune-​up is normally $ 50, but he had a sale at the time.

What a great little shop! I’m so glad these folks are open. I live in Carrboro and am a loyal Back Alley Bikes customer, but I stopped by Tip Top the other day looking for a specific kind of bike (vintage English 3 speed). They didn’t have one, but promised to get in touch if one came through. I pretty much figured they wouldn’t remember me, but to my surprise I got a nice email a few days later from the owner (Sarah, I think) saying that they just got the type bike I’d been looking for in on consignment. How’s that for personal service? They are still fixing up the bike so I haven’t ridden it yet, but they have been great about communicating with me.
I agree with Mohamed N: a welcome addition to Durham! An independent, repair-​based shop that sells very affordable used bikes. Forget the big chain bicycle stores and get a better bike from these folks at a better price (and support your local cycling scene).

«New bike sales/​repair shop on Ninth Street»
The move of Bicycle Chain from this area to the least bike-​friendly spot in the city left many in Old West Durham and the Duke area in a lurch. In to fill this gap now is Tip Top Cycles.
Open barely a week, this place is still getting started and set up. But they made a very positive impression on me– affordable used bikes and bike accessories inside, fair-​priced repairs (see price sheet in pictures), and very friendly staff. I asked for an inner tube for a bike tire, and they immediately offered to install it at no extra cost.
This is a good complement to the Bike Coop, and a good replacement for the loss of the Bicycle Chain. A welcome addition– I hope they get a good customer base soon.