Cigi Bicycle Shop

Service and workers do not help you at all. They were going to charge me $ 5 to pump air into my bike and talk amongst themselves about you in the background. Sold me a tiny adapter for air pumps and I asked to confirm the price and the men in the background kept saying «we told her that already» «you sold her that adapter?» «That’s business»
Worst bike shop I’ve been to so far. Waited for 3 minutes for this guy to get off the phone to sell me a tiny adapter so I could just pump my bike.

Can I give negative stars? Crappiest components at stupidly high prices. $ racks, seats, helmets for $$$. Service is so bad it’s like they want to wreck your ride. Couldn’t replace my stem without stripping the bolts, had to drill it off the get it properly replaced. Prices would be bad enough if at least they did it right. Only nearby shop it is only good for the most desperate need.

Very nice customer service, cheap air (you want it free, buy a pump!). Someone in my building keeps taking the caps off my tires and they gave me new ones for free. I’ve had adjustments made on new bikes and small repairs, have always been satisfied. You always have the choice to use the internet for purchases, but let’s support a local business for a change. **update, also if you get service, air is free. Super nice Jeff saw us today to get a new seat for my daughter’s bike, and within 15 minutes we were both ready with full tires and a new bell as well. I spent $ 28 on the seat and bell including installation (no charge to install the bell). It’s much more important to me that there is a place within a block of my house open on a Sunday making our ride possible the same day than to save a few bucks.

Ok. So this shop is super convenient for me as its darn near next door. So I purchased a bike (elsewhere) and had it shipped to my home. I fully assembled it and then carried it to Cigi where I had them ceramic wax the chain, and doublecheck my assembly, adjust the brakes, derailliers, add air to the tires etc… all for $ 30, by all accounts I was pleased. As this was my first bike, I needed a few things — front/​rear light, helmet, water bottle & cage, bike U-​lock, etc. I also had them put the strips inside of my tires that help to prevent flats from punctures (great investment).
My problem with this place is price gouging. Yes, I know this is not Amazon, and the the LBS (local bike shop) needs to turn a profit, with a lower sale volume. Every item I inquired about purchasing while I waited for my bike maintenance to finish, I searched on Google and/​or Amazon. Every single item he had for sale was more than DOUBLE the price in his store. For instance, I bought a Topeak DXG Mini Blaster airpump. He told me the price was $ 45.00 (and the packaging had been opened & 1 of the mounting screws was missing). A quick scan of the UPC barcode on my phone — $ 18.00 on Amazon, with free shipping. The New York «Fuhgettabout it U-​Lock 18mm» is $ 125 at his store, its is available for $ 69 with free shipping on Amazon with free shipping. He charged me $ 12 for a half-​used 4oz bottle of Finish Line Ceramic Wax chain lube, a full bottle is available on Amazon for $ 8.00 with free shipping.
So I «needed» some of these things… helmet, lube, light (NYC law), etc. I leave, and go for my first ride the next day. Now I realize that during a break in period, you may need to slightly adjust things after the first few rides. My brake levers, dang near pulled the whole way into the handle bar, not allowing me to stop safely. The brake pad was tightened and adjusted so that a portion of the pad was actually using the sidewall of the tire as the braking surface. This was after one 5 mile ride, the very next day after he put it together.
So they next day, I took it back to Cigi Bike Shop in Jackson Heights. The old man behind the counter legitmately had no idea or recollection of who I was. I reminded him that I spent $ 150 in his store the day before; I repeated back some of his stories that he told me about how he smokes dope and rides his cruiser around on the boardwalk in Coney Island??? Sorry, I’m digressing (but totally serious). He told me that he didn’t remember me, and that I must have spoken to the owner (who he told me the day prior was spending the day at the new Cigi Bike shop somewhere else in Queens)… I just sighed, and told him that he had assembled bike the day before and the brakes had not been adjusted, and the pads were using the tire sidewalls as the braking surface. He quickly dropped the chain going into the back, and the gentleman working in the back got to work fixing the problems. 10 minutes later, I was good to go… I was pleased. He then said, that will be $ 10.00. I looked at him and said, are you serious? I’m not overly frugal… but I don’t know that I should have been charged, when they failed to check, and make the adjustments that I had paid them for the day prior. So I was charged for a dual wheel brake adjustment. I was charged, because they incorrectly aligned the brake bads… on the tire (not the rim).
I was pleased at the $ 30 fee to grease, adjust, and make adjustments… Very dissapointed that because of their oversight, I was charged. It’s not about the money, its about the principle of good business, and perhaps earning a returning customer. In that sense of that matter — they failed miserabley, as I will never go back.

I can’t say I’ve yet had extensive experience, but here’s what I can report on.
1) I bought my bike there, and my husband also recently bought his there. They have a decent selection (that’s why the small shop is so packed) and the guy up front helped me understand which one I should get, along with all of the extras I wanted (basket, water bottle holder, helmet, etc.) The prices seemed reasonable, about what I would expect to pay.
2) I’ve had my bike for about four months now and am completely happy. The one time there was an issue — the chain jumped and I didn’t know how to get it back on – I took it in and they fixed that for me free of charge. With new bikes, I was told, this sometimes happens until they get broken in.
The experience is a little old-​school, but if you bring up any issues you might have with their approach or anything else, you might get a percentage discount — also the old-​school way. This is one of the reasons I like using non-​chain stores, you get a personal feeling about a place.
I’ll report back if anything changes, or if I have a big enough problem with the bike that I have to have it back in for repairs. Meanwhile, CIGI is worth giving a chance.

Trust the negative reviews, folks. I’m a long-​time rider and racer with shop experience, so I thought I could handle practically anything that came my way… Nothing prepared me for what happened to me at Ciji. My advice: Walk your non-​working bike to another shop.
On Sunday, 7÷1÷12, I went to CIGI for what I thought was a routine dérailleur adjustment. The shop manager (who reminded me of a less freaky-​looking Ted Nugent and talked disparagingly about «latins” – this in a nabe with a high concentration of residents of South American or Latin America extraction.) told me that my rear dropout was out of alignment. I expressed surprise, since I had never crashed my bike, nor had I dropped it nor have I even left it unattended (it’s a Bike Friday folder). A few moment later, «Ted,» tells me that the shifter cable is frayed, and that it’ll have to be replaced – but that the dropout is fine. Then, a few more moments later, he says, «we’ve got problems – the flange end of the cable broke off and fell into the shifting mechanism; I’ll have to pick up the bike tomorrow.» I agreed, and asked for an estimate; he said «$ 40; maybe more, maybe less»; I left my phone number and asked to have someone call me if the bike isn’t going to be ready the next day, or if the cost exceeded $ 40.
Next day, I show up and «Ted» then informs me that the shifter is destroyed, and that I can either take the bike as-​is, or buy a new shifter (Shimano Tiagra 9sp – retail cost: $ 200). I told him that I came in for an adjustment; that he TWICE had misdiagnosed the problem; and that the additional damage happened in the shop. Furthermore, I reminded him that I left explicit instructions for the shop to notify me if there were changes to the repair cost or delivery date, which he had failed to do. In short, I did just about everything that could be expected of a customer.
Ted (who heretofore seemed like a nice guy, despite his old-​school ways) got defensive and a bit aggressive; then he started talking some kind of bike-​store lawyer– arguing that the bike was damaged when I brought it into the shop, etc (duh – it was damaged, which is WHY I brought to the shop…). It turned out that the shifter COULD be repaired, but that Ted determined that it would take too much time. He instead decided that it was more worth his while to have me to purchase a new shifter, and that I could either have them install it, or I could take it with me. His final word in this discussion was, «sometimes things happen.» I said, «yes, I agree, but this «thing» happened here, so you’re going to repair my bicycle.»
The discussion went nowhere until my friend, who’s fluent in Spanish, spoke directly to the mechanic. The mechanic was far more reasonable, and confirmed that the damage occurred in the shop, and that I should speak to the owner, because the manager («Ted») was sometimes difficult to deal with. (The owner would not be available to speak with me till the following Monday.) Fast forward to the following Monday: My friend spoke to the owner (in Spanish) and ironed things out. My bike was repaired, for the $ 40 I was initially quoted; I was able to pick it up on Friday, the 13^th – nearly two weeks later. (Annoyingly, it still does not shift properly…)
Had I not been knowledgable about bicycles and been VERY persistent, the shop manager would have cheated me out of at least $ 200 parts and several hours’ labor. Because of this, I have to warn anybody who’s reading this Unilocal profile to stay away from Cigi Jackson Heights. Every day the owners keep Ted behind the counter, is another day that their reputation and business are suffering. Like I said, Trust the negative reviews, folks; do not trust Cigi Bicycle Shop in Jackson Heights.

A bit expensive compared to other bike shops in the area.

I had a tune up and the tubes replaces on my Bicycle, when I went to take the bike out for ride 2 days later both tires were flat. I called the shop and was told that they could not do anything to help me. I would highly reccommend people use another bike shop as the customer service and quality of the work was awful.

For those who have had a bad experience, just know you cant judge a place off of one visit. This place is usually pack during the day and it isnt a surprise if one over-​whelmed person make mistakes.
In my experience, i have been coming to this shop for 10 years now and always get a regular tune up. I have also bought some products and i am very satisfied with them. They are fast and reliable and the prices are reasonable.
Customer service is great and they carry some neat bikes i wish i had the money to own.
If only they changed they replaced their business sign, people wouldn’t judge them so quickly.

Apparently this guy isn’t in the business of selling bicycles because I went in there with the intention of buying one and didn’t leave with one. He seemed pretty aloof and not really interested in selling a bike as he casually smoked his electronic cigarette during his half-​ass sales delivery. Not only that but I do believe this gentleman is price gouging as he gave me two different prices on the same bike (first time I asked he said 350 later on he said 400) Unfortunately it’s the only option in town, I went with amazon myself, do yourself a favor and keep moving when you see this place.

really is great! when i had first gone there, i had needed to fix a wheel and to get a chain to lock the bike. they really fixed the bike up at a cheap price and it was su a warrantper quick! as for the chain, it doesnt come with a warranty but i had lost my keys and tthe chain and the man was sooo sweet, that he offered a new one FOR FREE! plus, they have a really great selection of bikes for a GREAT price. two thumbs up! ~mori

It is what it is. One of the only Bicycle shops in Corona/​Jackson Heights.
They have a pretty good selection of bikes and accessories. one time we rode there to get some pedals that my friend had purchased there for what he said was $ 60. When I got to the store the guy told me he had them and they were $ 200.I dont know if he was joking or what but I rode away and went the next day to speak with someone else at the store and they were $ 60.I dont know if the dude was just trying to pull a fast one on me or what

I was referred to CIGI by a couple of guys with mountain bikes who told me to go see Carlos at CIGI. I needed to buy a couple road tires and tubes for my mountain bike. Jeff sold me a pair of top rated Michelin Pilot City tires with Giant tubes for a reasonable price. I could have saved ten dollars buying online, but I wanted to support my local bike shop and felt that the advice and personal service was worth the extra few dollars. They have a serious bike shop look and feel. I will go back when I need parts or accessories.

I liked it here because the old guy was cool. He seemed smart, estranged due to 20 years of immigration to Corona, and I loved his voice. They once sold a used dream bike of mine that I missed out on, and it’s across the street from one of my favorite places to get lunch — Tropifood.
But I realized it’s too expensive and the tools are old. The only competition in the area is another Cigi’s, so it’s basically a monopoly on bikes. For new bikes or service, maybe it’s worth it. But I am doing my own stuff, and it’s apparent that it’s not up to my standards. This used to be my LBS, but I am officially in the market for a new one.

I went in, not knowing what I wanted, other than a bike that fits my frame (I’m 5’1″) and will give me a cardio workout. I walked out with a Raleigh Mojave mountain bike, with a kickstand, a water bottle holder, a matching helmet, and a hefty chain. All bikes comes with a year guarantee at the place so whatever problems you have, bring it back! I’m not going to be happy to see my credit card bill but I’m planning on keeping this bike for a another 4 years. Apparently, Cigi has been around for 40 years now. Nice!