Back Alley Bikes

I brought in my bike because it needed some serious TLC. They serviced it wonderfully and more cheaply than I expected. Even better, they had it done THAT DAY! I got a call later that day and they said they had even replaced my busted up pedals while they were at it.
They really went above and beyond my expectations. I’m a loyal customer now.

The dudes that work @ Back Alley couldn’t be any more chill. They offered their time to give me solid advice and helped me pick the best bike out by going above and beyond by looking online for it. My new ride is going to be shipped to the store in less than a week. Thanks for hooking it up, guys!
P. s. I respect businesses that are dog-​friendly. When I noticed there was a boxer in thecorner laying on his dog bed, I couldnt have been more in love. Thanks for that.

I rely on a bicycle for transportation, and I rely on the folks at Back Alley Bikes for keeping my bike in shape. They offer quality service, reasonable prices, and most importantly unpretentious customer care. I will be reluctant to take my ride anywhere else.

Great shop, super helpful and knowledgeable staff. I bought a bike from them recently, and Jason was super helpful in selecting the bike and accessories. He even helped me get the bike in my car, which was no small feat. I will continue to buy bike stuff from these guys, and would recommend this shop to anyone!

I have a solid commuter bike that I actually bought from these guys that I use every day. I cannot say enough about how great these guys are. Their rates for repair are solid, their expertise top notch and more importantly they just seem to like working on bikes. I see the owner around town a bunch and he has twice now been persuaded to take a look at my bike just when I bumped into him and he fixed it both times.
Jacob P noted above these guys do not give off the most professional appearance when you encounter them, but I prefer my bike guys rough and friendly over corporate and sterile. Besides, they are always courteous, their prices are competitive and they have great hands on knowledge. They aim to please, plus if you are lucky you might meet the real boss of the shop: a sweetheart of a dog that spends his days on the storeroom couch.

My bike is my primary mode of transportation. Expert service for it is imperative.
When I moved to Carrboro last year, I went with another local bike shop that a colleague and another avid biker recommended. Everyone goes there! But they kept doing me wrong. So wrong. Attitudes, poor communication and social skills, high prices, not backing their work. So, I went on the hunt for an alternative.
Word on the street was that the town’s beloved NicePriceBooks was closing! Oh no, a real loss. Thankfully, though, it was being replaced by BABs, and so there I found myself shortly after their opening. I’ve had four visits, all of them positive and professional.
My first visit was to have them troubleshoot a creaking problem with my crankshaft, and to adjust some top screws as I kept dropping my chain. The problem was spotted immediately: you’re missing a part here, and this needs to be tightened. Wanting to compare, I went back to the other shop. I was given dumbfounded looks, the mechanic rode it and wasn’t sure still. I pointed at the space where BABs had said something was missing, he said, «huh, I’m not sure, I’ve never seen anything there before.» Long story short, I brought it back to BABs, where it was fixed promptly. They even adjusted my index shifters which had been loose for years – did that without my asking and without telling me or charging me for it. Smooth operations.
Second visit was to replace some cables and a housing hub/​nub/​whatever. Done and done, no nonsense.
Third and forth visit were due to a blown tube. I was a ways from home with no gear, so needed it fixed fast. They dropped what they were doing, fixed it for cheap, and I was on my way. The next day, same tire blew. I bring it back in, they drop what they’re doing (rockin’ out), check the tube, ditch it, replace it, replace the stripping (?) on the rim, and I’m back in business, complimentary service even though it blew due to no fault of theirs.
5-​stars pain me to give out, but my visits here offer me no alternative. BABs gives dependable, friendly, superior service. You can expect:
– Good conversation with staff who actually talk with their customers
– Making good on labor, backing what they sell and do
– Honest appraisals and suggestions on what needs or does not need to be fixed
– Bonus points for having a sweet-​natured burly dog who’s either zonked out on the couch or by your side to keep company while you wait.
Between that and being invited to their 7-​yr anniversary party on Saturday (6−10pm, free PBR and light show), BABs is about as perfect a local, homey bike shop can be.

Minus a star for taking a full week to assemble the bike I shipped to Chapel Hill, another for not repairing the tire I asked them to, and another for looking high and smug, if that’s possible, when I arrived.

Helpful with anything and everything. Best place in town to get good quality used bikes and parts. Rob will help you with all things that have to do with riding in the dirt. This shop is honest, fair and friendly!

I went to Back Alley looking for a used hybrid bike, and they really did not have much in the way of used bikes at all… so just an FYI. They did, however have plenty of new stuff and great service.

Back Alley Bikes gives me that awesome feeling I used to get scouring punk rock record shops for Vinyl. every nook and cranny is filled with something interesting. The service is top notch as is the work they provide. I passed like 800 bike shops I could have chosen between Dirtham and Chapel Hell.
I went for a tune up for a Gary Fisher Craigslist find. They offer packages. I figured I’d need the most expensive of the variety and was talked out of it. The mech said it wasn’t necessary which is awesome, the integrity speaks volumes. My bike was finished the day of.
Easy parking, No up-​selling or greater than though attitude. I’ve seen the Crimson skull in some kind of logo and that alone makes the shop cool… Up the Punx!

if you’re looking for a bike shop that is always incredibly honest, fair, inexpensive, and provides expert service this is the place. the guys at back alley will get your bike working as well as possible, at the lowest possible price. they really know their stuff and always seem to put your best interest over their own.
go to back alley-​good for your bike, good for your wallet, good for your karma.

GREAT service! My partner purchased a used bike here recently for an unbelievable price. My partner was given a helmet & told to take the bike for a test drive. The other shops we visited didn’t offer this. They guarantee their workmanship and really wanted to make sure we were pleased & all questions are answered before we left. The thing we appreciated the most was that they arent pushy or trying to sell you a bunch of stuff.
Back Alleys doesnt just sell bikes, they also service bikes & sell other good quality items like locks & helmets.
We really like this place. It will be the ONLY place we take our bikes for service.

One of the best places in town to buy a good used bike or a new and affordable Kona or Surly. Great mechanics, friendly too. Can’t go wrong.

The kind and friendly man at Back Alley Bikes fixed my bicycle and didn’t charge me labor because I had been hit by a car. He called it their «sympathy rate.» But he not only put on a new wheel, he fixed all the problems I’d been having with gears and brakes. Needless to say, I will be back to purchase my next bike, and never take it anywhere but Back Alley. It’s so refreshing to be treated with kindness and respect at a bike shop. Especially since I’m an old woman commuter, not a young fixie hipster.

Friendly, super helpful, honest staff. These people not only want your business, they want you to know that you can run a business with integrity. Came in around the flurry of semester-​bike-​buying-​madness and got some helpful advice and honest answers. If you’re looking for a great, cheap bike here, it’s about luck, and you’re probably best off going at the end of semesters when people don’t want to ride in the cold, or when the school year is over. The potential downside of this place is the limited staff for all the customers who want the great service (that and the metal music blasting in the background when I visited there… ugh). Of all the bike places in the CH/​Carrboro area, this is my place.

These guys are great. They don’t make you feel stupid when you go in for repairs, and they have by far the best prices in town, coupled with the best quality repairs I’ve ever had.
My only complaint would be that they are so busy, sometimes it’s hard to get your bike in to get looked at. Even so, it’s worth the wait. The folks at back alley bikes just clearly love bikes, and want more people to ride them.
They are honest, bullshit free, and if something will save you money, they will tell you. They’re not out to scam you for your money, they just want you on a healthy bike.
I’ll go nowhere else in town.

I have an entry-​level mtb that I use for commuting to school. On recommendation from a friend, I took it in to Back Alley Bikes to get my dérailleur fixed.
They got it done many days before they said they would and charged me less than they originally quoted. I rode it today and sweet mary, it feels like a totally different bicycle. No longer does it kick my feet off the pedals when I change gears. No longer do I have to hold my gear shifter in place with my thumb to keep it from moving when I go bouncing over Durham’s crappy roads.
Thanks to these guys, I arrive at school much happier and less sweaty than I used to.
It is true that they’re not the most warm and friendly people I have ever met. But who cares; I’ll take results over attitude any day.

Sweet selection of consignment bikes.
The BEST place to go to have any work done on your bike, they cater to everyone from people riding 3000k mountain bikes to commuting beaters with flat tires.

Fantastically helpful and knowledgeable.
They have an improved space with an assortment of used bicycles for sale.
Goods and services are well priced. Craftsmanship, workmanship and general niceness are without reproach
They always take a minute to explain things.

Rebuilt my road bike and my mountain bike. Will trust my bikes to no others in the area.
Rob and Jason started up this little hole of a shop, but oh what a glorious hole it is. I heard about it from my neighbor who described them as «my guys». These guys won’t bullshit you. They don’t have a giant store that they need to keep slinging the latest wares of Trek or Specialized, so you can trust what they say. They’re services are well priced and if it’s something that would take like 5 secs to fix, they’ve fixed it for me no money asked.
Rob and Jason used to work at some local bike shops as mechanics and decided to do their own thing. Support these guys as they’re good and just doing it for the love of bikes. They fix up and sell some used bikes and do consignment for others. I usually walk in and check out their wares. They’ve had some sweet bikes in there. Oh if only they were my size!

The service here is amazing, the owner is really down to earth and friendly. If you’re waiting for a fairly quick repair like I was one day, he’ll tell you stories about the locals on the block, which can be quite entertaining. The store has recently moved into the space where The Merch use to be (and they’ve moved down the road a bit). So if you’re use to going down the alley, hold your horses and look closely through the glass & you’ll see Jason or Leo working diligently on someones bike. The prices for repairs etc. can’t be beat by anyone in the area, that I’m aware of at this time. They’ll build a bike for you, with bike parts that they have in the store and sell it to you for a very reasonable price (Cash or Check only). The back wall of the store has posters of MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice & The Nelson’s to name a few. If you love bikes, being entertained while you wait a few minutes and great service then stop by Back Alley Bikes.