Red Lantern Cycles

This place is night and day compared to some shops in the bay like trek bikes staff. Walked in having no expectations walked out with self respect. Matt is very knowledgeable and helpful whether you come in with a 10k bike or a piece of junk you’re trying to convert into a single speed. I picked up a crank remover which given the size of his shop he had it. I really enjoyed the small shop which gave you a sense of trust and reliability. I’m going to pick up all the parts for my single speed build and future builds or improvements at this shop. Also I like Matt didn’t try to sell you or pressure you into buying anything you didn’t need. I asked about a chain and he told me to double check which chainring I would go with to avoid selling me the incorrect chain. Really impressed with this shop and the way it’s being run.

You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone as knowledgeable, thoughtful, and friendly as Matt. He’s clearly doing this for a love of the sport and its community. All through the shop you can see the care and attention to detail that has gone into his inventory. He clearly cares about quality both in craftsmanship and bicycling as a form of art.
My bike needed a lot of drivetrain work and Matt was very willing to accommodate my crazy schedule and need for a quick turn around. His repairs to my shifting were spot on. The bike is in dramatically better condition now and my ride-​happiness factor went way up.
It’s just so nice to be able to go to a bike shop that has the «small town» feel to it, and where I know my bike will be handled with care and courtesy.

The owner Matt is super knowledgeable and approachable. Brought my bike to him for a tune-​up and they did a great job. While the shop is small compared to others in the area, it really has just about everything you might need for your road bike.

Very friendly and accommodating owner. Made it possible for me to rent and go for a ride over the weekend even though they are closed on Sundays in January.

They have nice bikes

Red Lantern Cycles is a breath of fresh air among Silicon Valley bicycle shops. Proprietor Matt Barkley has quite possibly the best understanding of the complete cycling experience of anyone I have ever worked with. I say «worked with» as his entire style is as your extremely knowledgeable partner, for fit, frames, frames ideal for your fit, clothing, shoes, tires, you name it, the complete experience. Highly recommended.

This is a small yet inviting local bike shop with an emphasis on quality over quantity. Matt took my measurements and worked within my budget to build a beautiful bike that fits perfectly and is tremendously fun to ride. He also ordered several pairs of cycling shoes for me to try on to confirm the right support for my feet. This place is tops!

Matt did a great job cleaning up my hybrid bike that was sitting for much too long in the closet. When I first came in he adjusted the front brake pull since he was so worried for my safety (no charge!) He later ended up charging me less than his original quote for the tune-​up since my bike was apparently in pretty good shape!
He’s got lots of interesting gear for bikes and will work with you to make sure you get what you need and not necessarily just to make another buck. Great guy to work with and a great little shop.

I purchased my first road bike from Matt. I wanted something that would last for years to come and also look good because, well, it’s like purchasing a car to me, you want something that fits your tastes. I ended up getting a Ridley Damocles custom colored paint job straight from Belgium and am very satisfied with it. Matt was really helpful during the whole process and I’ll definitely be stopping in more often.

I’m not a hard-​core cyclist. I mostly bike to commute or for fun. My bike cost less than $ 1,000. Nonetheless, Red Lantern makes me feel totally comfortable. There’s not much in the shop, but they will order anything for you, get it in quick and their prices are often better than even REI. And if you like to look at cycling «porn», there’s plenty here to ogle :-)

Well it took me a good 6 months to pick a frame, have it ordered and handmade for me in Italy (I visited their shop in Milan when I was there) and Matt assembled a beautiful bike on the new frame. He even had no qualms with using my own groupset off my current bike since I didn’t have the money to buy a new one.
I have had the bike now for a year and Matt has already had to fix it up for me after a small crash with a bent dérailleur hanger. I consider him a friend at this point and still would recommend him to anybody.

As an SF inhabitant, I’m not too familiar with bike shops in Menlo, but was stoked to see one on Gmaps that was so close to the Caltrain.
I had gotten a flat tire, and then difficulties getting the effing tire back on! I got to the shop and although the store manager was just about to close up, he checked it out and fixed up my situation at no cost.
He even taught me how to not get myself in this predicament again, although I think I’m a useless case :)
Two excellent thumbs up, and for all you Caltrain commuters, this place is the business

I’m not a huge biker but anytime I want an honest opinion about a bike purchase I go to Red Lantern. It’s nice to see that there are still boutique bike places that focus on quality and not quantity.

This review fits into my general small-&-personal-is-better ethos.
First off, tho, I need to say that I know bikes and biking. My family ran a leading bike wholesaler on the East Coast. And in the mid-​70s, I was co-​founder of a major & successful bike racing team. I still take a deep pleasure at the smell of a bike store…
Matt, the proprietor is (I think) the only guy you will find working at Red Lantern. Its a very small shop, with an equally small selection of bikes and parts. But everything in the store is a gem. If you want to be dazzled by gobs of amazing bikes, there are other shops that you can indulge. but, If you ‘d like to take the time to thoughtfully appreciate a few special bikes, carefully chosen, then Red Lantern is a match.
Also, this is more a place to discuss bikes with the most well-​meaning bike junkie you can find. Here, you can discuss what you want (ego) and separate that from what you need (performance). You can leave the shop without buying a thing and feel totally satisfied. Or you can work with Matt to spec a custom ride that you are almost certain to treasure for years to come.
At a typical shop you could walk out with a $ 4,000 bike that is not at all matched to your needs and only to your spending limit and fad of the day. That’s not going to lead to great biking. Before you buy, check out Red Lantern.

A great shop and if you love bike a must visit store! Matt stocks a lot of different items to so unlike many high-​end «studio» type shops there is actually a ton of stuff to check out. If you’re a bike nut than this place is perfect for you.

woot. .. *finally* a high end quality shop in Menlo…
Service. .. is the key…
And all those lovely bits…
c’mon are you serious? the loop? Skyline?
thank god. ..

I was recommended to go to this bike store by a coworker. I was looking for some bike shoes and pedals for my new road bike. Matt the owner was able to spend ample time with me discussing the right pedals and shoes. Matt sells quality stuff at his store and he is willing to spend the time to ensure that all your equipment and bike fits optimally. Matt was able to make adjustments to the fit of my bike that have significantly improved the ride of my bike. I never knew this store existed but it is right next to Su Hong to Go and across the parking lot from the back of The Left Bank in downtown Menlo Park.