Wheel of Time Bikes

I’ve come to this shop semi-​regularly since it opened up, because I like the idea of shopping local, and I don’t always wanna head east over to Irv’s. But I won’t be returning to Wheel of Time. I dropped off my roadie and spoke with the owner and we made VERY SPECIFIC plans for my bike. We even went through a supplier catalog together to pick out exactly what I wanted. I wanted to replace my track drops with road drops and also add mounted drop brake levers. I also informed them that I’d be back in one week. I put down a $ 50 deposit and I am confident that everything will go swell.
Nope.
Over one week later and I’ve yet to be contacted. I call in to check on the status of my bike. The guy I spoke with on the telephone has no idea what bicycle I’m even referring to, even though he’s worked on it before (also wasn’t a satisfactory repair job that time). When he does realize what bike I’m referring to, I’m informed that the parts still aren’t in yet, they should come in tomorrow and I’ll be good go.
In the meantime, I’d be in a wreck with a car that left my everyday fixed gear bike totaled.
Another week from that, still no contact from the shop. I walk over to the shop. I have to physically point out which bike is mine and reiterate what I was having done to it. I’m told they got the parts and it’ll be done tomorrow.
To my surprise, I get a call 2 hours later. My bike is done. It was for sure a rush job. I pick my bike the next day. I am certain I was overcharged, because I dealt with a different person at every stage of this bogus transaction. The gentleman who helped me last seemed extremely flustered whilst calculating the price of parts and labor, and settled on presenting me a balance that seemed ‘fair’ when he couldn’t come up with a consistent price.
To top things off, the parts that were replaced are nearly identical to what I had before and not at all what I asked for and I wasn’t even offered my old parts back. I chose to forego mentioning this in the shop, for fear that I’d be without a bike for even longer.
I like this shop in theory, but they definitely need more practice on this business logistics side of the operation.

My old bike shop closed and I was looking for a new shop to buy and have repairs done. Angel sold me a bike he constructed for himself originally. I was able to get it back the same day and ride it home. He was extremely helpful and pleasing to be around. Wheel of Time was a quicker, friendlier, and all around amazing experience. Angel truly loves this shop and cares about each individual bike. This is definitely my new go-​to bike shop for purchases and repairs.

do not go there. they sell you pieces that they install into your bike that do not work (with no packaging) and then say that they had no idea when you come back to return it. and they have a no return policy. worst service i’ve ever encountered. i am furious. and they were screaming at me.

I love this place! They are super fast and friendly! The prices are great too and way cheaper then most bike shops in the area. Im definitely going to always bring my bikes here!

I’ve never had this place be anything but good to me. I get popped tires all the time riding around on the city’s humungous potholes (i.e. what Rahm Emanuel refers to as «streets») and when I take them here, they charge me no more than $ 11 to fix it.
And it’s always fast. Other bike shops made me wait a day to get anything fix but these guys usually have flats done in 15 – 20 minutes and repairs done in a few hours.
And it’s seriously the best deal cost-​wise you’ll get in Chicago, it’s even cheaper than the working bike co-​op!
Check em’ out.

I think it’s time to give them a solid review.
I’ve been to the shop a couple of times now; sure it’s not fancy and loaded with a ton of bikes or equipment, as well as multiple employees on site all the time, but I feel like they give quick reliable service with what they are working with.
I stopped in yesterday for a very routine broken valve stem/​new tube purchase and installation. They gave me a break on the price, there were 3 staff members present who all seemed to be helping customers equally as promptly as I was assited. The guy helping me made some small talk while replacing my tube and complimented my bike.
I was in and out of there in probably 10 minutes. Will definitely be going back there again.

I had pretty good experiences here so far. I have been there about three times now and each time I didn’t leave disappointed. The guys that work there really take care of you.

Do not use this bike shop!!! Terrible service + incompetent work = Wheel of Time. I dropped of my bike on a Monday for routine tune up, new bike seat, new hand grips, new front fender, new chain, and new gear shifter. When I dropped it off I informed them that I would need it back next Monday (7 days) as this is my primary mode of transportation to and from work. The owner told me, «No problem, you will have it back on Wednesday (3 days). I did not get a call on Wednesday. I followed up on Friday by going to the shop only to discover that my bike had not been touched. When I asked what was going on the owner told me, «I am still waiting on the gear shifter from my supplier». I reminded him that I would need the bike by Monday at which point he told me, «No problem. You will have it tomorrow» (Saturday). I did not get a call on Saturday. Monday came and I did not have my bike. I followed up with him Tuesday morning and the owner told me the gear shifter still had not come in. I again reminded him that I needed my bike yesterday. He told me, «If the shifter does not come in today I will just take one off another bike in the store and use that. You can pick up your bike tonight». When he did not call, I called him only to be told that the bike was not finished and «it would be finished tomorrow». I was able to pick up the bike on Wednesday night.
When I picked up the bike I asked him if I could take it for a test ride and he said, «There is no need. It works perfectly. I have checked it myself». I noticed that the other gear shifter did not have the caps on it. When I asked him about this he said, «Oh, you’re right. Let put it on for you». It took him five minutes to find the caps and then he put it on incorrectly with one screw missing (I still do not have the screw and it still does not fit securely to the mounting). He also did not have the front fender I requested because he never ordered it. I took the bike home that night.
The next day I took my bike out to ride to work only to discover (in better light) that the gear shifter he installed was a used gear shifter which did not have all the screws to hold it in. Riding to work I discovered that the shifter he installed did not work. The shifter was stuck in gear 3 and would not shift into any other gear no matter how hard you pressed (riding or stationary).
When I called him by telephone he told me «this has never happened before and that I should bring it back in». When I told him I wanted a new gear shifter and he clearly installed a used one he told me, «Right, I said I would get one off another bike and install it on yours». He never told me it would be a used shifter. He went on to say, «I did not charge you for the gear shifter». Again, he never mentioned any of this when I picked up the bike. I would think if a bike shop is giving a free gear shifter they make it a point to tell you that you just got a free gear shifter because of the inconvenience incurred.
I spent $ 214.00 for a tune up (which by his own admission WAS NOT the most expensive tune up which is the Super Deluxe Tune Up costing $ 130.00), bike seat, chain, used shifter (that does not work and he claims he did not charge me for), and foam hand grips (that’s right foam, not rubber). The question is what did this $ 214.00 pay for?
He asked that I bring the bike back in so he can take a look at the shifter which I will. The worst part is that I do not want to bring my bike back to him but I am stuck because he already has my money. I will complete this review when I go back and let you know how it all turns out.

I went here to get my bike tuned up. They did a good job. My bike wasn’t in the best shape to begin with. My brakes were still a little squeaky after the tune up. So I came back and they adjusted them while I waited. Now everything is working perfectly. Plus, it’s a family run place.

I must agree with what is, at this point, the only other reviewer.
I hit a pothole two weeks ago, badly bending my wheel. I was happy to find this place open at the hour I went past it. The staff was at this point pretty accommodating, and I was happy to have another nearby bike shop. I bought a wheel, a nice tire, a tube from them, and also asked for handlebars to be retaped. They charged multiple labor fees, but at this point, I was happy to support a new business.
The next day I picked up my bike but found on the ride to work the next day that the tire had been misinstalled, and was rubbing where it was misplaced and bulging at the rim. Fine, I thought, mistakes happen. The other problem was that the front light had been taken off and reattached, but the strips of rubber keeping it in place were gone. It no longer stays in place. I guess I should have warned them about it, and I wasn’t going to ask any questions.
They replaced it free of charge, leaving me a more or less happy customer, but resolved to think of this place as not necessarily a last resort, but not a first choice.
Five days later, my bike tire is flat. The previous year, I had zero flats, now I have one in the first week? Unlikely, I thought, and brought it by the shop.
This time, they were not nice to me, and told me immediately it wasn’t their fault. They showed me the snakebite puncture and said I need to reinflate my tire every two or three days. They offered to take a look at it though, and five minutes later, after not asking me for a choice on this, offered to waive the labor but charged for a tube. They explained, when I was irritated, how it was my fault.
My tire was flat again the next day. More irritated, I came back in. They again explained it was my fault. When I wasn’t happy with this, they told me not to come back.
Hadn’t planned on it, thanks.

This place is awful! I took my bike here for a flat tire to be fixed — very basic repair. I waited 2 hours at which point I was told that they didn’t know how to put my bike back together and that it could be fixed by a mechanic who came in the next day. I was told it was repaired and when I came to pick it up 2 days later it was the same way I left it — in pieces. I had to drag it back to my work. These people are completely disorganized and incompetent. They also will charge for every little thing. Go to Irv’s Bike shop down the street. They are efficient, know what they’re doing and won’t swindle you. They’ve done simple bike repairs for me for no charge at Irv’s.