Chain Reaction Bicycles

I have to give a shout out to the mechanics. Having bought my bike at CR, they are always quick to make adjustments and make fast turn arounds on major repairs. I don’t hesitate to drop by when I need little tweaks for which I don’t have tools. It has saved me money.

My dad had some store credit here that he was willing to gift to me so I could gets some cleats for a pair of road shoes I bought on Amazon. When I called originally looking for road shoes for my spin class (Not a road bike) I explained I don’t have a lot of money to spend and was told the cheapest pair of shoes they had was $ 100. Fine, I get it bike equipment is expensive. But for my spin class I take 3 times a week I didn’t want to spend more than $ 75.
Found a pair of lower grade shimano road shoes on amazon for $ 59.99 with 2 day free shipping, of course I bought them. They were perfect for what I needed. I did my homework and thats that.
Went back to CR to get the cleats and some socks on my dads store credit and the dude who installed them whoever he is, turned his nose up at my shoes and made me feel cheap for buying «Low quality» shimanos and that he didn’t recommend them for spin.
Listen, I know what I need and I didn’t ask for an opinion. Way to make me feel like a poor person. Bike people are super snooty!
The only reason why this place is getting 2 stars vs 1 is because they didn’t keep me there long.
Never coming here again! Id rather give my business to REI

I bought a Trek 1.2 here and the buying experience was pretty good. What’s better is their after sale.
I brought in my bike 2 weeks after my purchase to buy a new computer. The store owner Mike Jacoubowsky before asking if I wanted to buy anything, tuned up my bike right after I came into the store. He pumped the tires, rewrapped my handle bars, lubricated the chains for free and reminded me to do my 30 day check up when the time comes. WOW.
He truly has a passion for cycling and his knowledge on the subject is vast. A minor thing is that like other reviewers have mentioned, the lady manager isn’t the nicest, but I would still give 5 starts because of the quality customer service provided by Mike J.

After moving here from the an east coast winter my commuter bike chain was rusted and breaks off. I brought it in assuming I needed a full tune up and new chain. A mechanic (I think his name was Mike) looked at it and instead of taking advantage of my assumptions told me it just needed oil and a brake adjustment. I will definitely be bringing my road bike back here for a full tune up and anything else I need biking. Very knowledgable and great customer service.

I received a great price on my bike, after that the service and so called fitting was a major disappointment. Put the bar tape on backwards and the cleats half-​ass. The lack of detail was only apparent after visiting another shop. As a newbie rider I had no idea and felt they just wanted the sale.

These guys are the best. I’ve been doing business with them for five years. Mike J is as smart and knowledgable a person as you’ll ever meet about bikes. I bought my Trek Domane there this year and he took the extra time to fit me right with the best bike I’ll ever own. Also, they stand behind their stuff and they are meticulous about getting things right. You cannot go wrong with Chain Reaction Redwood City. Buy your next bike here!

Came here to shop for a bike and the service was horrible. First of all, we walk in and the people at the cash register just stare at us with no greeting. I greet them amicably and the guy just stares for a few seconds and says hi. Then the lady asks what we were looking for, I told her we just wanted to check out the bikes. So we walk along to the back where the bikes are, and then the lady follows us and asks if we have any questions or need help. I tell her no thank you we are just looking. And then she kinda walks away, but stays in the corner just watching over us with her arms crossed the whole time. She made it seem like we were going to steal one of the bikes (yeah sure because it can fit so easily in my purse).
We really wanted to buy a bike and there was one I really liked, but the whole experience was uncomfortable and the vibe of the employees was a big turn off. I just ended up really annoyed so we left.
Never coming back to this place. I will buy one elsewhere.

Since buying my Trek MADONE 5.2 Road Bike it has been a joy to ride and own. This past week I asked for their guidance on supplying me with some additional gearing options for hills and to continue flat roads efficiency and production.
Not to my surprise, my bike is awesome for it does everything I wanted it to do with the gearing upgrade and it works flawlessly. My friends were even impressed with my hill climbing improvements since the previous week. Thank You Chain Reaction.

I’ve only been to the store a few times, and the service is very inconsistent. On my latest visit this week, I was looking for a replacement bolt that tightens the clamp which connects the bike seat to the stem, as the one I had sheared off. The guy at the counter said they don’t have replacements, that there are too many variations on bolt size, length, pitch thread, etc., and that I would have to buy a new stem for ~$ 25. This seemed odd that a place that repairs hundreds of bikes wouldn’t have a basic part, or wouldn’t spend anytime looking for it.
I ended up going to Talbot’s, where they were very helpful, and they spent about 5 minutes going through their bolt selection to find the proper size. Charged me $ 2 (extremely fair), and I left their a happy camper.

I purchased my first bike from Chain Reactions back in 2000, Mike helped me build a custom Klein Attitude Race. The bike ended up being awesome, what an uphill machine it was. Owned it for over ten years and sold it to a friend.
In 2012, I went back to Mike back for a dual-​suspension Trek Fuel EX 9.7…what a comfy ride going downhills!
One thing I learned buying bikes from Chain Reaction is the ‘after-​sale’ relationship they build with you is pretty nice, they truly have a passion for bikes and it shows.
Thanks guys!

Bought a Trek Marlin 5 since that was the only one in my price range, but overall great people very friendly will be back soon for sure.

I purchased my Trek 1.5 bike from this location back in 2011 and with the lifetime tune ups and servicing my ride has been in tip top shape for years.
The staff at this location are very knowledgeable and offer great advice for you riding styles and how you can improve. They have some of the latest gear and have good prices on the necessities of the sport.
I had a major crash a few years back in 2012 and they were able to swap my damaged helmet with a new one and take care of any issues with my bike.
The last time I was in I was having a few problems with the deraileurs on my bike and they were able to adjust and tune all of the gears to perfection with a 1 day turn around. The cool part was Mike remembered me because of the crash and all of the things he had to replace and fix!
I would definitely recommend this location if you are in the market for a new bike for just need the any of the soft goods or services to keep you riding on.

This review is very much overdue. I’ve been a customer of Chain Reaction since shortly after I moved to the Bay in 1998. I bought both my Klein bikes from them back when I had stock that was worth something. It’s been that long!
I went back in today because despite fiddling around and trying time and again to get my rear dérailleur adjusted correctly (after a different bike shop closer to my office had installed a new cassette and cables but neglected to adjust the dérailleur before giving my bike back), I just couldn’t seem to get it exactly right… if I got it right in the small chain ring, it was off in the big ring, and vice-​versa.
So I went in expecting to pay some labor cost to adjust the dérailleur or to pay for a whole new dérailleur. I met with their bike tech in front right away (and I’m sorry that I forgot to note his name, but I’m sure he knows who he is!) who listened to my explanation of the symptoms, took the time to explain to me exactly what adjustments he was making, and then took my bike out for a test run to make sure it shifted correctly (or as close to correctly as it was going to) on the road as well as it did in the shop.
(He went on to explain that the root cause is probably having a dérailleur that’s still original equipment on a bike from 1998 – 99, with a spring that is starting to feel its age; they don’t stay as «springy» as they were when they were new forever. We discussed options if I still can’t get it to behave well and an approximate cost for replacing it if it comes to that.)
Total cost for the time spent: nil! It was a quick adjustment, and as I’d bought the bike there, even though it was around 16 years ago, the tweak was complimentary. I felt totally fine about buying a pair of long-​fingered gloves with gel pads on my way out. (They’re hard to find!)
Many moons ago when I was looking at bike shops in the area, long before anybody ever heard of Unilocal,I had come across the Chain Reaction web site and read a short posting by Mike that argued that when you’re in the market for a bike, you’re also in the market for a bike *shop*. And while I sometimes allow another shop that’s more convenient to my workplace do other minor work, when I have a complex problem or issue that really requires that techs definitely know what they’re doing, and will definitely do it right, I come back to Chain Reaction.
It makes me feel good to see a shop that actually cares about its customers and tries to always do right by them still doing so well. I’m pretty sure Mike still recognized me and my bike today, even though it’s been a long while since I’ve been in to the shop. That’s just the kind of business he runs and the kind of person he is. So kudos to you, Chain Reaction!

I purchased a Trek Emonda SLR 9 bicycle last month along with Speedplay pedals. This is my absolutely FAVORITE bicycle shop for many reasons:
* The owners and staff make strong efforts to get to know you and work feverishly to sell you the bike that specifically is tailored towards your individual needs.
* The staff is relentless in assuring that all aspects of the bike fit you perfectly. The owner Mike has replaced standard handlebars, stems, seat, and pedal spindles to tailor the bike specifically towards me.
* Mike and staff will show you how to work all of the equipment. Both Mike and his son Kevin have spent more than an hour showing me how to work my bike computer and how to clip into and out of my Speedplay pedals.
* The staff at both stores are very diverse with a strong expertise in all aspects of cycling and cycling repair. Mike’s daughter Becky was in charge of approving my bike color choice. LOL
* The owner, Mike has ridden practically every street in this area and is a phenomenal resource in providing you with fun and safe routes to ride. You’ll likely run into him and his son if you enjoy climbing the hills.
* Mike and staff have always been incredibly responsive whenever I have had problems such as needed adjustments, faulty equipment, and parts replacement.
* Lastly, Mike and his staff have a tremendous passion for the joy of cycling which is clearly evident by the highest level of customer service.
I strongly recommend this bike shop for the purchase of any bike or bike repair.
This entire family defines what customer service is SUPPOSED to be.
Enjoy your cycling everyone. Be safe out there.

I brought my bike in with a flat, and they fixed it easily. But, when I took my bike out the next day, it had the same issue again. Although it took me over a month to return to CR to get it checked out, they took it in & fixed again without charge. Very friendly & informative, too. Although, I haven’t compared prices to other stores because of their service, I’d return to CR again. TY!

You will see me here often as this is my local bike shop of choice. I have bought a Alpha 1.2 from their sister store in Los Altos, a Domane, a FX and a Skye WSD at the RWC store.
I have had endless minor adjustments on my bikes done here, and brought in my Domane for its 30 day tune up after 2 weeks because of the miles I put on it, and the staff here have always took care things, no questions. Mike, the family, and the staff have always been helpful even with all the questions I have asked, the endless number of gear swaps (pedals, computers, cages, stems, etc.), and the crazy number of test rides I have done. They put up with me all the time, and that’s saying a lot.
I love Treks and I will continue to be a loyal customer as long as the Jacoubowsky family runs this place. Also, follow Mike on his Strava to see what rides he and Kevin are currently riding, just be warned that they usually climb lots of hills…

They say a GREAT company not only stands behind their product during point-​of-​sale, but also *AFTER* they have sold you the product. It’s been about 10 months since I purchased my Project One Domane and earlier today I noticed that there were some blisters on the rear tire. Brought it back to Chain Reaction and the staff (Becky & Kevin) pleasantly greeted me and asked me how things have been. I showed them my tire and without hesitation they identified the problem and were able to replace it for me under warranty.
It was great that they handled the problem quickly, *AND* just as important to me was how they treat their customers — Friendly and Helpful.
Buy from them for their products *AND* for the high quality of service!

My fiancé and I call this place: A Chain of Negative Reactions
Have you ever encountered someone SO rude that you 1.) look around to see if anyone else in the universe is experiencing this person as such or 2.) laugh out loud because it’s just THAT shocking?
Our salesperson allowed us to try a few road bikes for our cycling trip through Montana and Idaho. Whenever we asked questions, she would cut us off mid-​sentence and answer everything verbosely and with a strong tinge of condescension. For example —
Me: «I’ve had Sciatica for three years, so I am looking for…» (cut off)
Salesperson: «Well, with all Sciaticas it is either the blah, blah, blah.»
Me: «Oh, but I was wondering about the seats and…» (cut off jab)
Salesperson: «You don’t really need to blah, blah, blah.»
To add insult to injury, another employee walks by, looks at the bike that I had just tried, and yells, «Gee, _​_​_​_​_​ (name of Salesperson), I wish we could sell these pretty bikes as quickly as the 5,000-dollar ones.» He then smiles at me and saunters away.
Am I supposed to gravitate toward this bike, because this dude had just called it pretty? And because I’m a woman, is my only preference the aesthetics?
After 30 minutes, I thanked the Salesperson and told her I would think about it. Her response: «Oh, well, let me check our system to see if any of these are available…(checks computer while I wait on the side with no purpose). It looks like there are only a few of these in stock at this price. Remember, this sale is ending soon. They’re selling quickly!»
Uhhhh. Are you fo real? Who sells bikes like this? My fiancé equates our experience to shopping at a used car lot. I had reviewed the previous Unilocal posts and had come into the store excited… bummer.
In short: I consulted my cycling friends and ended up at Motostrano in Redwood. Then spent the next 30 days cycling in comfort through rural America. (
)
Everytime my fiancé and I drive by this establishment, we cringe — sometimes more out of embarrassment for them.
I give this place two stars, because I’m sure there are some poor employees at this shop who are amazing and have to endure the Salesperson and the «Pretty Bike» dude.

Love the inventory.
Prices are like any other cyclery.
But I’m always w my son so wherever I go he goes. And sometimes my nephew.
There’s this one old lady that really deters me from wanting to go in there.
I walked in once lookin for bike service and my boys each had a partially peeled banana. As I began to communicate w her, she cut me off and asked me to come back in after my boys finish their bananas outside. I thought to myself, «WTF! They’re 9 year olds w fruit. Not 2 year olds w melting ice cream!» And I don’t allow my kids to make messes unlike a lotta other parents that make me wanna put both them and their undisciplined kids in time out.
Today, I go in for an inner tube and my son was simply looking at a set of metal handlebars and she just stands there watching him wanting to say something I could tell. I summoned him to my side and told him, «Put them back cuz you’re making that old lady nervous!» I told her as I walked by, «He’s not gonna break them, they’re metal.» I paid, thanked the young man for his help, and left a lil irritated.
Everything else is great.
My kid isn’t rambunctious. He was just curious. What’s the worst that would’ve happened to those metal handlebars?! They would’ve made a loud thump as they hit the carpeted floor should he had dropped them!
That doesn’t mean they’re not 5stars.

I am a loyal customer of Chain Reaction Bicycles. They always go the extra mile. Something breaks before it should… it’s warranty. Need to know why something happened, they usually know. Great rides? They absolutely have them.
Their expertise and attention to customer detail is unsurpassed. Their products are of the highest quality.
Also, Chain Reaction is a fun place… there’s a good sense of humor emanating from everyone.
This is a great bike store, and I can’t imagine a better one.