Local Bike Shops Will Tune Up Your Two-Wheeler for Spring

With the official start of spring just ahead, it’s time to wheel the bicycle out of the basement and get it ready for the season. 

Several local bicycle shops can help. A basic tune-up, which consists mainly of adjusting bike parts, costs between $50 and $75. A more extensive tune-up, which usually requires taking apart the bicycle, can cost between $85 and $235.

, 4266 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, has been around for eight years and offers several different levels of service. For $45, the shop offers a race/tune service that checks every nut and bolt on the bike and adjusts the brakes and tires.

For $65, the bike is also cleaned; for $125, the drivetrain, consisting of the bike chain and other parts, is removed and cleaned as well. For $235, the bike is also stripped, and the bottom bracket, wheel hubs and headset (which connects the handlebars to the bike frame) are overhauled to address any bearing issues.

The store's Jason Montano said that cycling has become downright fashionable over the last decade and new bike shops have opened nearby to cater to the demand.

Among the newest is 3-year-old Manifesto Bicycles, located at 421 40th S. at Webster in Oakland.

A standard tune-up at Manifesto is $60, which includes adjusting the gears, brakes and the spokes on the wheels, also known as truing. For $85, you get a bike overhaul, which consists of the standard tune-up plus taking apart the bike to regrease both the wheel hubs (which connect the wheels to the axles), and the bottom bracket (where the pedal arms attach to the frame). Small spherical or disc-shaped bearings, which are integral to smooth bicycle-parts movement, are repacked or replaced.

Manifesto specializes in rehabbing vintage bikes from the mid-20th century, said shop co-owner Macay Gibbs. The shop does not fix more high-end mountain or road bikes. “We’re a commuter-neighborhood type of shop,” Gibbs said.

, 2042 Mountain Blvd, Oakland (in Montclair Village), offers a general tune-up for $135 that adjusts the wheel hubs and pedal arms, brakes and the front and rear derailleurs, which control bike shifting. The bolts are calibrated to manufacturer specs and a safety check is conducted, said bicycle mechanic Jordan Morrison.

For $225, the all brake and derailleur cables will be replaced. The eight-year-old shop offers free evaluations prior to doing any repair and will do a free tune-up on bicycles that are purchased there.

Now in its 20th year, 3530 Grand Ave, offers a safety check for $50, which is an inspection of the frame and some adjustments to the brakes and derailleurs to make sure the bike is in safe condition, said shop manager Chris Blease. For $175, the drivetrain is removed and the bike is stripped so the parts can be cleaned.

Pioneer Bike Shop, 11 Rio Vista Ave (off Piedmont Avenue), offers a full tune-up for $69 covering all exterior adjustments to gears, brakes and wheels as well as cleaning and lubricating the drivetrain. For $40, a bike check-up provides the adjustments without the cleaning, said owner Edmond Gee.

Pioneer has been around since 1973 and has an a la carte menu of services if there’s a specific problem, Gee said. “We’re more service oriented, rather than sales,” Gee said.

Hank & Frank Bicycles, 6030 College Ave (in Oakland's Rockridge district), offers a basic tune-up for about $75, which includes adjusting the shifting and brakes as well as truing the wheels. In a deluxe tune-up, the mechanic takes the bike apart to regrease the wheel bearings and do other work; prices vary according to the work.

Hank & Frank was established more than 80 years ago and has another store at 3377 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette.

Tip Top Bike Shop, 4800 Telegraph Ave (at 48th Street in Oakland Temescal district) offers a standard tune-up with a wide variety of adjustments for $75, said co-owner Richard Oelerich. However, most customers need parts fixed or replaced, which are priced on an a la carte basis, he said.  

Like other bike shops in the area, 4-year-old Tip Top also sells bikes and cycling gear. “We have a good reputation,” Oelerich said “and I’m proud of the work we do.”