Cykel

Nik, Cykel’s owner, runs a small high end boutique. He is very knowledgeable about road bike technology and one of the best mechanics I’ve ever dealt with. He is professional, accessible and friendly. I used him to re-​build a set of light weight wheels and he was totally up on changes in thinking about wider road rims and reduced tire pressures. I spoke to several other shops and drew blank stares when I asked about reducing rolling resistance. He’s reasonably priced and unpressured, unlike many of the new high end shops. He took the time to advise me on wheel maintainance and building, even though it could have taken future work away from him. Having moved to SF he’s just what I need in technical bike shop.

Very friendly & professional. I had bought a bike online and had troubles installing the brakes, and a few other things. The owner himself took the time to fix everything. At reasonable prices. Would highly recommend this company for anything bike-​related!

When you have a professional bike fit with Nik, what you’re getting is a physical therapist, cycling biomechanic expert, experienced rider, exercise physiologist and a humble, all-​around nice dude all rolled into one. I’ve had 3 prior, pro bike fits for Ironman training/​racing so by now I can discriminate between good and bad. Why is Nik like a physical therapist? Yeah, he’ll put you on the trainer and measure your knee angle, dial in your saddle height and foot/​pedal position, then use his laser beams and monitor your pedal stroke mechanics. That’s all standard. What astonished me is that Nik noticed my left knee was tracking differently than my right, wobbling all over, with abnormal pronation of my ankle. Those were almost his words.
I was so impressed he detected a 2-​yr injury I sustained to my left ankle, then he fully broke down my cycling mechanics to me without my uttering a word to him about the injury! No crystal ball or tarot cards needed here at Cykel! Moreover, Nik intuitively knew to compensate for my muscle imbalances by adjusting the cleat on my left shoe and putting 2 inserts under my insole.
If you’re still not impressed, he went on and told me the same things my doctor had just told me a month prior: I likely have weak stabilizer muscles around my ankle/​knee, weak hip adductors, and that single-​leg squats would be a good exercise to start fixing this. THIS IS WHAT I PAID $ 20 FOR MY SPORTS MEDICINE DOCTOR AT KAISER TO TELL ME, and I am getting the same feedback for free at my bike fit, I thought. Nik understands the kinetic chain as it relates to cycling, as he’s had his own fair share of sports injuries.
Finally, I cannot understate how cool, friendly and industrious Nik (and his sweet wife!) were to me. He built my bike from scratch and I must have called his shop with dumb, finicky questions every step of the way. In fact I was certain he would request a restraining order against me at some point to prevent me from bothering him. But that never happened. What I got was unparalleled customer service, unequivocal knowledge of bike components, and the raddest carbon road bike at the best price he could offer, plain and simple. Nik followed up with me within hours of every question I had, he never lagged on responding, and I just felt taken care of every step of the way. That’s saying a lot considering the control freak I can be. SO. STOKED. ON. MY. NEW. BIKE!
Don’t hesitate to have Nik take care of all your cycling-​related needs, be it a new build, repair or bike fit… you’ll be as happy as I am

Wow. Awesome shop. Just came in to fix a flat, but I would go back in a heartbeat. Super friendly and down to earth. Quick, straight forward and super reasonable. After a year away from my trusty bike (after pregnancy and a baby), I ended up getting flats twice in the first four times riding it. Lucky me. :(I was at work downtown and tried these guys because they have such great Unilocal reviews. Well… They deserve it. And yes, the shop IS super clean and family friendly! I got to pet Zoe the dog and talk to Matthew the 9 month old while waiting. What more could you ask for? You guys rock.

the people here are very friendly and helpful! I went in there to ask them about my flat tire because I had no idea how to fix it. they explained how to replace it, did a test to see where the leak was coming from, and changed out my inner tube. All for around $ 10! I’m very pleased with the service and happy that they took the time to check and show me the leak. I’ll definitely come back with more bike problems in the future!

This place is very inspiring! The brands carried and selection are top notch, being Focus and Ritte. I own a Vlaaderen of the later brand and I wanted to see it’s «brothers» as they are sold in retail. Nik confidently sounds like he knows what he’s doing and is an ideal person I would want to deal with as a small but classy bike shop such as this. The art showing on the walls was a very nice bonus for visiting!

These guys are awesome. Down to earth, extremely helpful, knowledgeable and got the job done quick. They sell some sick road bikes and others but I just went in for some repairs/​advice. I’ll definitely return.

Just dropped by, not really looking or anything but a chainring. Ended up having a great combo with the staff there. I ended up not buying anything, but te bikes there were beautiful and the staff was both extremely knowledgable and friendly. If I needed to buy anything for my bike, I’d definitely come back at some point.

The guys who own and run Cykel are very friendly, very helpful, and do a very good job with bike repair.

Just got fitted today with Nik and Chris — What a great experience. The guys are just straight up nice dudes, knowledgeable and honest too. I highly recommend these guys if you’re looking for a bike fit and want to learn a bunch about your body and bike. Awesome stuff!

Excellent service, eliminating a creak on my road bike with a bottom bracket overhaul.

nothing beats real one on one service with people that know their stuff so well and dont look down on you if youre not an expert or veteran cyclist (most shops have this attitude).
awesome

These guys know their stuff. It doesn’t matter if you’re a weathered cyclist or a newbie these guys have a ton of experience and are friendly. I went in and talked to these guys for a bit and was thoroughly impressed.
Thanks and look forward to having a great shop in the neighborhood.

Came here for an art show. It’s a great space. Awesome bikes, cozy and my friend Daniel J. Valadez was showcasing his paintings.
It’s in the heart of Northbeach, so parking is pure hell.

Cykel IS your friendly LBS. Cannot emphasize enough !
These people have always welcomed me and have been accommodating even if I get there just before closing. I go there for all my needs — even small ones like dérailleur adjustments. The place is clean and well organized, with a minimalist touch to it. Also, Chris is phenomenal — very knowledgeable and friendly. I defer to him when it comes to my TREK.
Highly recommended.

Cykel is an awesome shop. The Pearce crew and Chris are phenomenal folks. I got fit on my bike and everything feels great. The whole experience was a lot of fun and I learned a ton. I highly, highly recommend Cykel.

I just bought a Focus bike at Cykel and I am so impressed, & not just with my new bike, but with this particular bike shop. I have bought other bikes in the past and have been fitted for them before — but not like this! These guys have incredible knowledge about fitting the bike just right for every individual. Or as they like to say everyone is a «snowflake» It felt right while I was on the trainer, but the real test is when I rode it home — it was so perfect! They gave me a great price, and they’re right in my neighborhood too!

This is the cutest bike shop ever! You are greeted by the friendly shop dog when you first arrive, they are super helpful in answering all your questions and they have the coolest mash-​up of bikes & local art! I love SF boutique shops and this is a good one!

I will say that this is one of the bike shops in the area that focuses on more obscure brands (like Ritte and Elite bikes). However, that does not mean they are not knowledgeable about all things bike-​related.
I was looking for a certain pump adapter for my disc wheel (lost my old one while riding). I called around to at least 5 different bike shops before I found out about Cykel. They knew exactly what I was talking about over the phone and just so happened to have one. Turns out they had just bought it intending to add it to their bike repair area, but were kind enough to just hand it over to me. They also ended up tightening and slightly realigning my brakes for no extra charge!
Niklas and Chris were in the shop that day (unfortunately no dog), and they are two of the nicest people you could meet. Very knowledgeable, love talking about bikes, and really patient with questions. I’ll definitely go back here in the future.

Big fan! These guys know their shit and get it done. All I needed was a simple quick repair and I got in and out in 15min spending far less money than I had expected. Where else in SF can you say that? Awesome! I’m coming back!