Thread started by plastik at 09.28.06 - 2:44 pm

greetings,

I've relocated to LA a while ago via Chicago and now i'm in need of a quality bike shop/mechanic to do some work on my road bike.

can anyone recommend a good shop? I live downtown LA so i'd lke to find something in the downtown/surrounding area vicinity.

thnx

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there's one on Venice blvd near crenshaw that's supposed to be good.... I think it's called LA bikes or something



Roadblock
09.28.06 - 2:50 pm

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try this spot i bought a couple of bikes here. service is great friendly owner operated shop . about 15 minutes away from downtown. 4400 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, 91505 - (818) 848-6177



kish mir in tuchis
09.28.06 - 2:52 pm

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forgot to mention, I don't drive a car so i'll need to be able to bike to the shop, leave it and then hop public transit to get back downtown.

I'd prefer a noncorp owned shop, mom and pop or biker owned would be great.

thanks for the help, the one on venice ain't to far maybe i'll cruize over and check it, and maybe if i'm feeling ambitious this weekend i'll ride up to the burbank one and give it a look.

are their any messengers on the list? where do you hit downtown for your bike needs. I've been to this shop on main st "el maestro" to get tubes and patchkits but they look more mountain oriented has anyone had any work done by them?



plastik
09.28.06 - 3:16 pm

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Funny, I use the same shop. He's pretty good with service, though the "being closed Mondays" part is less good, and there are some things he'll pass on, like custom wheel building.

Great prices on simple repairs, though.



okreally
10.5.06 - 11:43 pm

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hey, if you want, you can try...the Bicycle Station...it's in Highland Park...

6433 N Figueroa Street
Los Angeles CA 90042-2802

http://www.bicyclestationinla.net/index.html

It's probably just a little over a mile from the Highland Park Gold Line Station...so if that works, it might be good for you...

I took my fixie bike here...and they realigned an old wheel to put the chain line in its proper alignment...and they also got the proper chain for me also

they carry road bikes, kids bikes, mountain bikes, and even a few fixies...

I've also seen lowrider bikes in there...so I'm pretty sure they can work on pretty much anything...and they're pretty friendly too...

hope that helps



adrian
10.12.06 - 3:00 pm

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el maestro...real good people...i'm mostly in downtown, so whenever i need anything, i always go there...there not just mountain oriented...there also road...



kamboski
10.18.06 - 9:26 am

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Hey..go to Orange 20..it's on Heliotrope and Melrose and like a 2 min. bike ride from the red line and it's SUPER AWESOME!..if you can't find what you need there then go across the street to the Bicycle Kitchen and rent a space for 7 bucks then fix your bike yourself..they are non profit and will help you do anything you need ..they have all the tools and used parts etc...Check it out..its soooooo fun!





miaou.distruktion
10.18.06 - 8:30 pm

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yeah, i also got a chance to check out orange 20. real cool people also. i've been wanting to go back, but i havn't had the time. but definitely melrose & heliotrope. u can't beat 2 bikeshops in one street.



kamboski
10.21.06 - 4:57 am

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my roadbike has been locked up at Wheel World for almost two weeks now... :( waiting for them to respoke the back rim as per specialized warantee. been riding my mountain bike. it's like driving a caddy lol.



Roadblock
10.21.06 - 5:18 am

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EL MAESTRO BIKE SHOP located 8th St & MAIN st IN DTLA. nice little family owned bike spot in downtown Los Angelinos



independentchronikridazz
10.21.06 - 11:44 pm

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ahhhhh..... FINALLY got my roadbike back from Wheel World. :)



Roadblock
10.23.06 - 11:16 am

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Glad to hear you got your bike back Roadblock



kish mir in tuchis
10.23.06 - 11:33 am

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yo el maestro is the best and only spot in or near downtown. jorge and jorge jr will do ya right. tell em eric w/ the silver fixie/eric the schwinn rebuilder sent ya. good peeps.



eric
10.24.06 - 3:00 pm

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thats a nice bike^



kamboski
10.25.06 - 1:38 am

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that's the Mighty B-1. she's a flyer:)



eric
10.25.06 - 8:32 am

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She's purdy...



panic
10.25.06 - 8:51 am

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Hi all... I was wondering if you guys have any good recommendations on any good wheel builders in the SFV, Eagle Rock, Pasadena, area. Or even in L.A. if they're that good.

I need to build a rear wheel to handle my weight. Freaking breaking spokes left and right and just recently almost taco'd it so it's gone.

Any other "Clydesdale's" out there? How about any recommendations on a set up that you guys put together that's holding up?

I do road... I'm 250 (the losing part I know I gotta do) only started losing pounds after getting the road bike this year and riding getting my inspiration from the Cubbies (ARRRrrroooo!). Thanks in advance...





digablesoul
07.11.07 - 1:47 am

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Al I would go with Open Pro's on any hub you like. A lot of cyclocross people seem to pair it with Ultegra hubs, I have CXP 21's (not made anymore) on Ultegras and they hold up pretty well considering how hard I punish them jumping my fat ass all the time. If you don't want anymore busted wheels go with a 36h rim and I'm sure you'll be set. Getting them hand built or coming into the bikerowave to learn yourself would probably be helpful as well. Or you could go with Aerospokes if they are anything like the old spin's they would be pretty damn tough.



franz
07.11.07 - 2:19 am

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Or, go with some deep v's in a 36h 3cross pattern. Deep V's are some of the most bomb proof rims when it comes to lateral forces (due to their depth) and this is a large part of what breaks spokes (also, keep an eye on your spokes, check em every few rides, be sure they are at the correct tension, also a true wheel spins nicer/smoother). A good alternative to Deep V's are the Sun Swift SL1's, however, I've used velocity rims before (my front is a velocity aero, one of their earlier models) and I'm a pretty big guy too, havent had any problems with em, havent tried the sun's yet, but they're supposed to be pretty good and a little cheaper.



FuzzBeast
07.11.07 - 3:35 am

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Oh yeah, and the open pro's/sports are good rims too if you prefer a boxy shaped rim, however, I have both an open sport and a velocity aero on my orange fixie, and well, the velocity is much harder to detrue, and i'm not exactly nice to my wheels... but both are good, and I havent broken a spoke yet *knocks on wood*.



FuzzBeast
07.11.07 - 3:37 am

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Thanks for the advice Franz and Fuzz. I was debating over the Mavic CXP 33’s vs. Velocity Deep V’s… with both 36 spokes/3x pattern… with an Ultegra hub. I think that would pretty solid. I was thinking about learning to build a wheel but I’d leave this part to a pro. I was reading Sheldon Brown’s page on wheels and working on the tension… I’d be too scared to jack up the rim. Maybe Bicycle Johns in Burbank would be a good choice. They are pretty busy and they seem cool. I’ll buy the hub and rim… and let them supply the spokes. DT or Wheelsmith.

On the spokes… should I go double butted or straight? Brass or Alloy?

Thanks again!





digablesoul
07.11.07 - 12:44 pm

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option 3 - if you're building a rear wheel consider an asymmetric rim, especially if you're running a 9 or 10 speed cassette. Reason - with 9 or 10 speeds the dish is so severe that the non drive side (left) only carries 65% or less tension than the drive side. A hard wheel breaks less spokes, and if you can't get the non drive side hard (use viagra) then you'll have problems. Asymmetric rims reduce the dish and supposedly they're solid. 14/15/14 double butted spokes are the way to go.

Me - I like the Mavic CXP33s - I built my current set on those and they're awesome . . . but I only weigh 165.

Alex



Alex Thompson
07.11.07 - 4:09 pm

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Thanks for the reply Alex. Asymmetric... the Velocity Aerohead OC was something I was looking at too.


Should I shell out the cash for a really good hub? I don't wanna spend too much. Shimano Ultegra 6600 should support me?


Or should I spend more on a better hub. Like the DT Swiss stuff.


All this with 36 spoke 14g - double butted - 3x of course.







digablesoul
07.12.07 - 1:00 am

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Hmm... I just noticed the DT hubs don't take 36 holes... just up to 32. Maybe go up to a Dura-Ace w/ it's oversized hub shell? I don't know much about hubs but I remember reading 'oversized' was a good thing. Thanks again for the help everyone.





digablesoul
07.12.07 - 1:14 am

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well, the hub shouldn't be a problem, pretty much any 36h high flange hub should work, hell a regular flange should be fine, unless you're cracking the regular one you have right now. But you may want to consider a bolt on rear wheel.
When I started riding I was probably about the same weight you are now, throwing an axle (most q/r axles are hollow, bolt ons are solid) is not a good thing.



FuzzBeast
07.12.07 - 12:36 pm

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