C & O Bicycle

Great bicycle shop right on the C&O canal towpath and Western Maryland Rail Trail. These guys have been taking care of my bikes for the last five years and provide great value and service. Their bunkhouse is a great stop out of the rain and off the floor for those doing ridethroughs. I highly recommend stopping by if you happen to be riding by Hancock.

Nice, clean bike shop, right off the C&O.

I broke 2 spokes on my way to D.C. the shop fixed it right away and the prices were very low. After I left the store, I broke my dérailleur about 1 hour later and got a ride back to the store. They did not carry the one I needed, but were helpful in giving me info on other stores along the trail. Guy behind the counter was very nice and chatted with my wife and I while we waited on the repair.

I was riding the C and O and GAP and stopped for service. They did the job well and sold me some merchandise (panniers) that made the trip much easier. They earned their cash that day.

The staff at C&O Cycles was extremely helpful when I needed a new tire on the Canal Trail. Their prices seem fair, and the staff straightened my wheel free of charge.

This shop couldn’t be better located as it’s 3 store-​fronts from the C&O Canal Towpath, making it a convenient stop for those riding the path. The service, however, was much less convenient. Getting the attention of the guy behind the counter was like pulling teeth, and once I did, he acted like he was doing me a favor rather than providing a basic service. Bottom line: great location, decent inventory, poor customer service.

I’m reviewing C&O Bicycle’s «bunkhouse». I stayed overnight at the bunkhouse during a bicycle trip from Cumberland, MD to Washington, DC along the C&O Canal tow path. Before staying at the bunkhouse I visited their website and saw the photos which made it look great. The photos are completely misleading. The toilets (porta jons) were filthy and smelled terrible. None of the guests used the toilets and instead we all walked over to the public toilets on the other side of the canal run by the park service. The showers were filthy and the shower curtains in threads. There must have been 50 tiny bars of soap in each shower stall. The shed where I was to park my bike smelled like it had been used as a bathroom. The floor of the bunkhouse was filthy and I hated putting anything on the floor. The top bunk had no rails and I feared I might roll off in the middle of the night. The bunks were made with composite wood and were terribly flimsy. The bunks were very narrow (24 inches wide). The small couch in the «commons» area of the bunkhouse was moldy, smelly, and stained. The website photos show a gazebo but there was none. The website also shows a «water feature» (tiny pond) but all that remains now is a big pile of stones. The plastic lawn furniture is falling apart and dirty. Everyone staying at the bunkhouse wondered how the Maryland Health Department allowed the bunkhouse to stay open. The people in the bike shop were nice enough.

The service was awful. There were two guys at the door (who I thought were customers) who ignored me and my friend. After walking through the store for about 5 minutes went out and asked them at which point one guy very begrudgingly came in and helped us. It was like a huge favor to serve us !

The C&O Bicycle shop is located immediately adjacent to the C&O canal trail. Our bikes were filthy after riding in the rain for several days and our chains were starting to rust. Dennis thoroughly lubed our bikes, including the chains, derailleurs, and cables for less than $ 5 each and also pumped up the tires. He is a thoroughly nice guy, and it was a real pleasure to meet him.
He also rents bicycles, including rentals to quite large groups, and runs a hostel ($ 20/​night) next to the shop.
A very sweet cat lives in the shop.

Rented a couple of bikes to ride the WMRT trail near the shop. Prices are excellent at 5.25 per hr. We covered about 10 miles in just over an hour — stopping to take photos of the old orchard plantation, the over look and the old fort. The staff was friendly, but the bike I got was «broken» the seat kept falling down when I sat on it. Finally my friends boyfriend fixed it– not the shop agent who I told several times. Also bike kept losing gears while I was riding– completely annoying. I reported the issue to the shop and they said they would check into it. Overall a fun trip and I would go again.

Super friendly, family owned and run bike shop. The husband-​wife team was manning the shop on a Saturday when I visited. They cheerfully loaned me a floor pump. They told me the best place in town to eat lunch, and offered to hold my bike while I ate.