Performance Bicycle

As any reader can tell from the comments here, the review of this place is highly dependent on the customer service representative you encounter. I recently bought a bike from P.B. after weeks of comparing different bikes at various bike stores, so I had occasion to meet a number of them on different days, so my review here is an averaging.
My best experiences were talking with Angel and Matt. I’ve been back and talked to Angel a few times, and he’s a very helpful CSR. I never felt like I was being upsold (I bought some new pedals from him), and it seemed like whatever choice I was interested in, he would give me his earnest opinion of the product regardless of the price point. Matt helped me once when I was testing bikes out (which is, of course, an option here) and I really appreciated his suggestions on how to test a bike. In a test ride, you want to glean as much information as possible before making a big investment, and if it’s your first time buying a good bike, you might not know what to look for. Matt gave me some great tips about what to pay attention to in the feeling of the ride (carbon frame vs. aluminum), the posture, and the responsiveness of the turns. I told him the bikes I was interested in and my max price, and he didn’t stray above.
On the other hand, the first few times I visited, I was met with less-​than-​sincere customer service. I went in with a max. price that I had studiously set myself to, and immediately I was being shown bikes that were nearly twice as expensive. After trying a series of successively lesser-​expensive bikes, I found that the least expensive in the array was actually the one I liked the best. Stand firm on your price point, and they’ll find you something in that range, but it may take a few tries. One of the CSRs never actually looked at me when I was asking questions, and the other was noticeably distracted the whole time. Yes, I understand, if it’s a busy time, you can’t give your full attentiveness. But I think managing your customer’s experience when it’s busy is an important skill to learn.
As for bells and whistles, I will say that everyone tries to sell you on getting the 2 year tune-​up package with the bike (which, at other stores in the area, comes free with any bike purchase, but is $ 80 here) and the P.B. membership. I think they’re both good investments. The membership is $ 30 for a year, and you get 10% points (which act like cash) on your purchases. If you buy anything more than a $ 300 bike, you’re getting more money back on the membership than you’re spending. Don’t blame them for suggesting these options, as they’re really pretty reasonable.
As a company, I have found P.B. great to work with for a few reasons:
(1) Price match: I just bought a pair of pedals. Then I saw them on sale 2 weeks later for 40% off. They will match that price within 90 days of purchase. That goes for the bike, too. They’ll match competitor’s prices as well (I don’t think they match amazon or ebay, but competing bike stores or online sellers). There was a guy who had bought $ 1600 tires (yeah), and 2 months later saw them at 25% off, so he walked in and they gave him $ 400. I like that.
(2) Returns up to a year on bikes (still have to be in good condition) for cash, or maybe even longer for store credit. For any reason. I was in the store when I guy came in to return a bike. At first, he said it was something about the handling, they said they could do some adjustments, then he explained that really he just felt like he bought too much bike and spent too much money. So, they refunded him on the spot and took the bike.
(3) Pretty decent prices. I did compare a lot of bikes around the city and the one I bought from them had better components for about the same price point.
(4) They have training sessions. Some Thursdays they have a tech who will show you various technique. One week, it will be how to give your bike a tune-​up. Another week, brake installation. Overall, good extracurricular activities.
(5) This location has biking meetups so you can meet new biking friends.
So in the end, if I could give 4.5 stars, I would. If the customer service uniformly rose to the level of Matt and Angel (the two that I had good experiences with), that would bring them up to a 5 in my book.

$$$
Awesome!
I bought a kids Performance Bike here, based on a Specialized model, for 200 dollars with my discount (MSRP is 410). How cheap of a deal I got! It’s a great bike, with many cool, and even proffesional bikes! The Whole Foods for Bikes!
Prices, generally it depends. Like you could get a cheaper Shinamo or a more expensive Performance at this store, depends!
I would buy a next bike, Specialized Hottrock, here, but they don’t have it D:

The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. When I was choosing a bike, Matthew was responsive to my criteria and took the time to explain things I didn’t understand. He offered helpful advice from his personal riding experience.

I had issues with Performance Bicycle, and to their credit the store manager reached out to me to correct the issue. I’ve been in the shop a couple of times since then and have received very good service. Have to give credit where it’s due, and they righted their wrong.

I had great helpful service when shopping for a bike helmet. Angel was super great and I will happily shop at this location again!

Nice selection of bikes at good prices. The staff killed this place for me. After explaining what I was looking for, the salesperson immediately began talking up a different style of bike that was more expensive. The staff was pushy and condescending. They’ll never get my business.

The first time I went to this store I had a great experience. A nice employee helped me find a helmet and she was very nice and knowledgable.
My helmet turned out to be a little too small after wearing it for a long bike ride, so I took it back to exchange for a different one. This time the employee was rude and had no customer service skills. I was not impressed.
I needed a bike lock as well and while I was looking at locks another employee came over and criticized the bike lock I had picked out. Instead of trying to up sell the lock she thought was a better choice, she was terribly rude and made me feel stupid for picking up the lock I had in my hand.
I have never been so rudely talked to in a store. I will never be back, which is a shame because my first experience was great.

Was referred here to get bike repaired and a tune-​up because supposedly the best place. Was told would be approx 2 weeks until they could get to it. Guy was nice and referred me to a «smaller shop», but if your backlog is that bad where you can’t do an hour job, hire more people. Won’t be back.

Thanks guys for your amazing customer service! I went in straight from work and they had my bike repaired in no time, telling me what I should expect to pay in advance. Also, a BIG shout out to Dan, who has helped me on two separate occasions, both busy beautiful days when there were numerous customers. I appreciate all the care/​attention since it can be very draining working with the public but I was able to try out a few bikes and really figure out what I needed without feeling uncomfortable or rushed. You know your stuff! Thanks for being awesome :) see you guys soon!

I love this bike shop! They have a variety of selections of bikes and bike accessories! The staff are really friendly and helped me picked the rear rack that fits my bike! The accessories are much cheaper than cycle smithy, but the installation fee is higher. I decided to instal myself. It’s not hard anyway.
They have coupon online and they offer bike trip every Saturday morning for bike lovers.

A bought a couple bikes here last Fall, what a great bike shop. we worked with Matt, who was a great salesman. He was very helpful in fitting us with the correct bikes for our use. I was thinking of them, as I visited today, to buy a trainer and schedule a tune-​up. I am excited for the bike season to start up again!

I went into performance bicycle with my boyfriend to find out a little more about the bikes that are available. Dan helped us out and spent a couple hours finding out what we wanted to use the bikes for and finding the perfect match for us! Very happy with our experience and our purchases :)

While I’ve lived here in Chicago for close to a decade, I only recently bought a bike. Admittedly, I was intimidated by the traffic and crazy road conditions in the Windy City. But I’ve always loved biking, and after a sad breakup, decided to treat myself to something fun.
I went into Performance Bikes because it had been recommended as reasonably priced. Dan, who greeted me at the door, was not only knowledgable and super helpful, but down-​to-​earth and friendly. He helped me to pick out a helmet, lock, and bike locks that are all reasonably priced and functional for me. In a world of bike warriors, this guy’s a mensch. I highly recommend this shop!

Since I work with the public on a daily basis, it is very difficult to reach my expectations when shopping. The staff at Performance is WOW! I have not purchased a bike in many years. They take time to educate and get their customer in the bike that is right.
Extra thanks goes out to Matthew! Because of him we purchased two bikes. One for my spouse who had no intention of making a purchase. Matthew spent lots of time explaining what many would think is simple and easy to use.
Matthew did not pressure or hard sell. He would explain the benefits and differences on ALL the products and accessories allowing the customer to make a well educated choice.
I have never given 5 stars in any review!
GREAT JOB… GENUINE THANKS!
Mike & Andrew

My husband and I just purchased bikes and accessories today. Our salesguy, Dan, was so helpful! I learned so much about bikes today. We each took a few bikes for a test ride, Dan spent extra time making sure I was on the correct size frame. Craig chimed in with some more info and was nice enough to help us set up our bike rack that we bought elsewhere onto the car. Additionally, we are thrilled that this place is open on Sundays — seemed like everywhere else we had heard of was closed on our only day off. We are so thankful for finding Performance. Cheers!

Angel — Thank you for your assistance last evening. You listened to what I was looking for and patiently answered my various questions. I ended up ordering the bike we spoke about as soon as I got home!
Looking forward to getting the bike soon! Thanks for the great service!

Great service! Angel helped walk me through purchasing a road bike, giving great insight into a bike that would fit all of my needs. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to buy a bike!

I bought a bike here mid June of 2014. Rode it a few times, loved having it in the summer for getting to the beach, festivals, etc. After a few rides, the right gear shifter stopped working, wouldn’t shift gears no matter what I did. I had only ridden the bike a few times so I brought it in to Performance Bicycle to see what they could do.
They tested it out and told me the gear shifter needed to be replaced. Since the bike was so new, it would be covered under warranty. I was told it would a week until I got it back. I was disappointed to leave my bike there since I was having so much fun riding it, however they assured me it was a quick fix and they’d call when it was done. This was on July 7.
The following week, I hadn’t heard anything, called back, was told the part was still not in yet. Great, no problem. I’ll be patient.
Call back the next week. No news.
Call the next week. Part still isn’t in yet.
Fast forward to today and several phone calls later, including one to a guy named Jacob last week (he said he was the service manager) who promised me he would make this a top priority. When I called today, I was told Jacob was out because he broke his leg, which I get is brutal and I feel for the guy, but I know someone other than Jacob works there so why didn’t someone else call me?
Tonight I was placed on hold for over 20 minutes while they looked for paperwork, and no, the part still isn’t in yet. Ethan promised me that he would have my bike done by 10am tomorrow with a «replacement part»…which I wish would have been available when I brought it in.
I wish they had just communicated better and made this more of a priority. I’m ok to wait for the right parts and service but… come on.

This bike shop is way too rad.
I got my first city bike a few months ago, and was quite apprehensive about the process– I feared (and had some prior experiences) that folks working at bike shops would be intimidating, condescending, and outright rude, but my first visit (and the several subsequent visits) to Performance shattered that paradigm.
The first time I went, Dan Green took a ton of time and care into finding exactly the right bike for me, as well as laying out options and giving me riding/​maintenance tips. I left with a fantastic bike and I’ve been super happy ever since.
On other visits, Mathew Lindsay helped me out, always eager to find out what issues I was having and quick to point out any great specials the shop is having at the moment. On my last visit, both Dan and Mathew reminded me that there’s a 90-​day price match on my bike, where a customer can receive money back if his/​her bike’s price drops. Mathew did some digging and found that I had come in on the last possible day for the special, and I got $ 50 BACK (in real money and not store credit, mind you).
Finally, my fears of feeling like a bike n00b were quelled on my last visit, where I needed a tuneup and checkup on an issue I was having with my freewheel. The dudes in the back of the shop couldn’t have been nicer, which was so reassuring.
All in all, if you’re a veteran cyclist or brand new to the game like I was, Performance Bike is loaded with super helpful people and great prices. Check it out!

Upon walking in after the recommendation from a co-​worker I was immediately greeted with an offer for assistance. I was looking for a bicycle I could commute with because I had recently moved into the city and wanted to have a way to easily travel around the city. The employee, Angel, did an excellent job of making bike recommendations based on my experience and how I’d be riding, and was straight forward when it came to costs of each option. I ended up spending more than I initially wanted because of his recommendation.
He allowed me to test ride it around the block, and they have a 1-​year return policy if I decide it isn’t the bike for me. I was set-​up with the basics, and wasn’t upsold unless I indicated I was willing to spend a little more. He did a great job of showing me the value of the different bikes, and accessories, as well as their service plans.
I fully expect to be back to continue purchasing new equipment or upgrading existing equipment. They truly did an excellent job, and the only criticism I could provide is that they were a little slow once I was ready to purchase, but that seemed to come down to having enough staff to handle the customers in the shop.