Glenview Cycle

Needed my brakes adjusted on my wheelchair… Alan came out to my car since I couldn’t go inside. He was quick, efficient, and very awesome! So much gratitude for his compassion and the amazing service he provided!!!

Went there to get a simple repair for my bike last month. The guy was not friendly when he greeted me. Also I felt he was not totally open with me as he charged me extra for service charge, he quoted me a price that sounded like the final price at the time, but when it came time to pay, an extra 8 dollars was added, asked him why the charge, he said oh it’s service charge. That left a bad taste. For that and the greeting, I am deducting 2 stars. I live close to 2 other bike shops all about same driving time, I will check the other ones out before going back to this one.

I bought a road bike from then in spring of 2014. They are very friendly and knowledgeable. My bike had a free tuneup a couple months after purchase as well as a year later. I brought the bike in late for all the tuneups and they still did it free for me!
They are always willing to take the time to explain what’s needed and fast! I highly recommend taking your bike to them.

This is the place I had to when I have any issues with my bike. They got me set up with my first pair of bike shorts which helps my chafing so much. They put on new tires and inner tubes on my bike. They wrapped up my handlebars with compression tape. They put a mirror on my handlebars. They replaced my girlfriends broken mirror. The employees are always friendly. The manager/​owner is also very helpful with any needs or questions that you might have. Beyond that they go above and beyond to share personal knowledge and helpful advice to novice bikers like myself. If ever you find yourself on the North Branch Trail in Glenview definitely make it a point to stop by if you are in need of any assistance with your bike. There is an ice cream parlor next door should you feel like indulging your sweet tooth on a hot summer day while your bike is being taken care of.

I’ve only gone here a couple times to get an inner tube and bike lubricant. The place is small but I like how friendly they are to the customer they have never seen before. I would definitely will keep coming here if i need anything.

Awesome shop. Best in the area. Dan and the rest of the guys are knowledgeable and super friendly. I’ve been seriously cycling since 1992, and this is the best shop I’ve encountered.

I took my bike in for a tune up in late March. The first in about 15 years. I met Alan and Dan who were helpful and friendly and I knew I picked the right place. Shortly after I picked up my bike I started having issues. I took it back and they graciously took a look and fixed the issue… for free. Not caring whether the issue was their fault or not. Just wanting to get my bike back in working order. I ran into two more issues. I couldn’t believe my bad luck. Thankfully they quickly and expertly helped me with these as well. Not for free, but that’s understandable. Basically, these guys know their stuff and are great to work with to boot.

I took my multispeed road bike in, I had bought it online, and it was not completely built. I live in Chicago and it takes 2 – 3 weeks to get a shop to build and tune a bike because all the shops are really busy, but these guys told me they could have it ready in a few days so I brought my bike here. I received my bike 2 days later. I brought the bike home and as soon as I started riding my bike I noticed my left hand shifter was off but I don’t shift too much, I tend to ride fast so I didn’t think much about. About 125 miles later my shift/​brake lever breaks and I have to get a new crank, chain, along with shift/​brake lever. I wish I had waited longer, and it would’ve also been cheaper in the city. Live and learn I guess.

The guys here are so friendly and helpful. Their prices are very reasonable and they will stop what they are doing to help with even small issues. Definitely recommend them for buying a bike or getting repairs done.

I am a serious and competitive cyclist (triathlete). I’ve had myriad bad experiences with other shops doing sloppy work on my bike — the team here is the only one that I’ll let work on my bicycles.
Shop is passionate about service, tends to recognize repeat customers, and can typically get you ANYTHING if they don’t have what you need in their current stock. Alan and the shop are good supporters of local events.
LOVE these guys.

Glenview Cycle is fantastic. I have stopped in for a quick repair and they always have a solution. Had spring tune ups and always happy. Great suggestions. Not pushy. Bought two bikes there. I would go out of my way to buy another bike or have one serviced there.

I live in the Chicago neighborhood of Edgebrook and have a bike shop within walking distance which, due to past experience, I chose to avoid. In searching Unilocal I came across Glenview Cycles. They were great. Dan stopped what he was doing to look at my carbon fiber bike, figured out the occasional clicking sound and made the fix on the spot. I will be back. We need more bike shops that combine higher end bike know how and great customer service.

New Bikes, new tune ups, this place is great. It’s right near my sisters house and that is where we lived for the summer while our house was under construction. Anyway, bought bikes here two years ago for my husband and myself and since the place was so far away, we never got back to get our free after new purchase tune up. And here 25 months later, I figure it was too late. And it was… but they did the two tune ups regardless. What’s more, when it was done you would have thought they would be trying to make some money off me with the muct replace spokes speech… or the grooved gears speech… but nothing. They said thanks for the business, everything is free of charge. Just like they said, I knew I chose this place for a reason. I took off a star only because they couldn’t find my purchase anywhere. I though they should be automated by now. Either way, they more than took care of me.
thanks folks.

Chris and team at Glenview Cycle are awesome. I bought a bike online and needed some new tires, pedals, and lights. Stopped in late one evening after getting off train and they installed right there in under 15 minutes. Prices are very reasonable and service is excellent. Would highly recommend for your cycle needs.

These guys are terrific! Brought my bike in at the very last second for a tune up before the Chicago Triathlon. They got the tune up done and made some incredibly helpful suggestions… the best being changing to narrower tires what a difference! I’m a very amateur triathlete (read middle age and overweight) and these guys spent time with me like I was a pro. AND I knocked 4 minutes off my bike time! LOVE THEM!!!

If you read anything about places online where you can buy a bicycle, you’ll read about «big box» stores, like Wal-​mart and Costco, or you’ll see the acronym LBS, which stands for local bike shop.
Glenview Cycle is the epitome of an LBS. You could buy a bike at Target and bring it here for service, or you could just get a better quality bicycle here for the same ballpark, and have them service it as well; just less often. The components will be better quality, and it will be assembled by someone who works on nothing but bikes, and (most importantly) it will be properly sized for the rider as part of the sale.
The owner, Alan Rubin, has not only a love of cycling, but a love of being a bike store owner, and a Glenview resident. If you’ve been there before, he’ll know you, and odds are, he’ll remember your name. All of the people who work there are friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. If Alan doesn’t stock what you want (it isn’t the largest location) he will gladly special order anything, or tell you where you can go for the best price locally if you need it right away.
Most of his staff rides to work year round; some from 20 miles away, so for them, it’s a way of life.
They’re not the largest, but they’re always the first place I go. You’re not going to develop the same relationship with someone at a place like REI or Performace Bicycle. That relationship will, in the end, give you a better cycling experience and save you money.
As an example, I ride using my iPhone (via a device called an ANT+ key in a case made by Wahoo) as a cycling computer. I track my heart rate, as well as speed and cadence, through sensors, and the phone tracks my location via GPS. Similar to what Garmin offers for $ 400 more than I spent, but I get a larger screen. Alan knows this, helped me make the choice, and has asked me about it for other customers.
I also brought my dog into the store until she passed away, as I have a bike that I got specifically to run her. After that, she was always welcome and happy to visit (though I wouldn’t bring her in if they were crowded) versus being told I couldn’t bring my dog into an REI just outside Las Vegas when a rack I purchased needed warranty replacement on the road, and the outside temperature was over 100 degrees! I brought my dog into the REI anyway, telling the unhappy manager I’d stay near the front door. Now I only buy bike products at REI when Alan sends me there.
Glenview Cycle is probably the best single bike store I’ve been in. This from someone who can’t pass any bike shop without going inside, and tries to buy at least something from every locally-​owned store. It’s the perfect blend of neighbor and knowledge.
While I trust any of the friendly staff to adjust my bike, and they have a lot of overlap in skills, here’s a primer on getting to know them. There are more; I just haven’t seen them as much lately. As I acquire more stories, I will share more, so that you too, can better get to know your LBS staff.
Chris: He’s the guy with the tattoos. He used to have a beard. I think of him as the guy who’s keeps Alan up-​to-​date on who ordered what and where. Probably rides the least of anyone in the store, but when he opens his mouth, you’ll learn something. Like Alan, he seems to be gifted at remembering people, and he always makes you feel welcome. If you get a call saying a special order is in, odds are it’s Chris, as Alan’s often out doing a delivery, pickup, or getting his daughter from school.
Brent: He’s the shop guru; the cyclist that no matter how you strive, you will never never attain his level of cycle-​zen. He can handle discussions regarding people’s nether regions with the cool detachment of a professional; essential for fitting. Says he’s a vegan, but I’ve never seen a vegan half as muscular. Women swoon when they see the bastard. You just know he’s gotta be getting animal protein somewhere. Maybe he eats puppies.
Dan: The epitome of passion and good cheer. In addition to his work at the store, and commuting by bike in condition where I would think twice about driving my car, this maniac is also becoming a serious triathlon aficionado. He also puts his skill where his heart is, and additionally works for an organization that repairs and ships bicycles to those in need. Dan is also their media guy, responsible for their Facebook page. I think he probably sleeps in January and is awake the rest of the year.
Frank: You know the bus driver who scared the crap out of you in grade school? The one who says «Sit down and shut up!» and you rode in terror for years, lest you upset the guy? Frank looks just like that. He even comes complete with a semi-​permanent scowl. But like a lot of people, it’s just his crusty, quiet exterior. He’s a man of sensitivity; a poet who loves the feel of two-​wheels moving underneath him, driven by his own power. He’s really a gooey creampuff, who always talks kindly to children. Give him a hug!

Alan Rubin clearly loves bikes and biking, he loves to serve people and he’s got a great little business. I’ve bought both my boys’ bikes here and both times we’ve been served by Alan and his staff with patience and knowledge and followup that I’ve fully appreciated. I could have paid less online or elsewhere, but the difference isn’t so great and the added service and security knowing they are so accessible just makes sense to me.

I like these guys.
I bike a lot, so I’ve had reason to frequent a few of the bike shops in the near north shore area… Turin’s, Pony Shop, that place in Wilmette. And those were good enough, but sort of missed that «something».
Glenview Cycle has that «something». They’re not super-​crowded the times I’ve been there, but they also don’t have that «ready to turn over and die» feel. (I also went VERY early spring, before people started realizing biking season was coming, so that could be it.) Their people are knowledgeable and friendly. Oh, and they are EASY to get to, even if you dislike riding in the streets. That’s one thing that bugged me about the Wilmette and Evanston bike shops… they’re squished into storefronts in areas that aren’t 100% bike-​friendly to get to. But Glenview Cycle has long stretches of clean, easy-​to-​ride streets and sidewalk all around. So getting to them in a hurry after work or whatever isn’t difficult. You don’t groan at the idea of all the turns and jostles over curbs or whatever. You just get there.
They also have air for your tires out the front by a hanging tube, which is available all year round they told me (aside from the super-​cold weather which might cause the rubber tube to crack. They disable it/​bring it inside on those days. Every other day it’s out there though, day or night. So if you need air in your tires at 2am, it’s there and free.)
They’re not as big as Turin in Evanston, they don’t sell as many varieties of bikes (for example, no Treks and mine is a Trek and I’ve been faithful to Trek bikes for 10 years), but if you have a bike already and need it tuned up or repaired, they are there for you.

Really great bike shop. I made quite a few visits here while in Chicago for a few months, including purchasing a bike for my wife and getting some refurb work done on a used bike. Prices are very reasonable and the service was always excellent. Enough good things cannot be said about these guys.
After I moved back to Oregon, I had to leave two bikes behind in a parking garage due to space constraints. They picked them up, packed and shipped them to me, thus saving my local friends and I a ton of hassle.
While you’re waiting, be sure to stop by the Dairy Bar next door if it’s in season.

Went into Glenview Cycle today with my girlfriend to upgrade her bicycle seat, and purchase a basket for a bike rack. The service was great. Glenview Cycle rep Chris helped us find a bicycle seat, installed it, and adjusted the basket so it wouldn’t wobble. The shop is stocked with bicycles, clothing, and plenty of accessories for adults and children.
During the install we grabbed ice cream at the Dairy Bar next door!