The Chainlink

Andersonville Bikes & Fitness is asking for your help...

Andersonville Bikes & Fitness is the unassuming, practical, family friendly, spacious and well located shop at 5517 N Clark.

http://www.chicagobikeshops.info/shopDetails.php?id=218

Re-posting from Marty's Martini Bar's newsletter:

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As reported in the Aville Daily.  Andersonville Bikes & Fitness is asking for your help...

After  speaking with Jessica @ Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, I thought  that this might be a last gasp effort to keep another storefront from  becoming vacant. 

"I am the owner of Andersonville Bikes & Fitness and  the future of this business  is not looking good. Rather than talk about  what is wrong or bad about the economy, if you have a "SOLUTION" that  will allow us to keep our doors open please advise me. We opened our  doors July 16, 2010 anticipating a major opportunity to provide quality  repair sevices and bikes to the Andersonville community. I still believe  there is a great opportunity that exists, but I will need a MAJOR  infusion of cash to make it through the coming months. The landlord is  not greedy, he has worked with me and been very patient. For those of  you who are reading this, if you are interested in becoming a partner,  investor or owner I welcome your ideas and input.

Please call me on my  cell phone 512 0036 to schedule a meeting.

- Robert Vaughters"

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on December 3, 2011 at 12:22am

Note sure how much we can help.  Its probably too big and expensive a spot, and northside is rich with bike shops, but it'd sure be nice to keep 'em.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 3, 2011 at 8:57am

This shop is owned by the same guy who owns Shinning Bikes and Things about which I will present some facts:

  • They are well known for being willing to buy almost any bike that comes in off the street.
  • They kicked me out when I tried to cross reference their bikes S/Ns with the stolen bike registry
  • They sell and have on their floor bikes that are in an unsafe condition.
  • They had a bike listed for sale with the fork on backwards
  • They are known Craigslist spammers often posting the same item with multiple stories and phone numbers.
  • The owner, Robert, has sent me threats of violence over a bad yelp review.
  • They employ a man who is at best a moron and at worst a crack head as a mechanic.
  • They regularly lost customers parts or were unable to fix bikes.
  • They were, for a time, unable to true wheels due to a lack of equipment and just sold people used ones.

Both of these shops are horrible; from the bikes they sell to the incompetent service they offer.  I knew a person who was employed there as a mechanic and they, at that time, had no real bike tools and were unable to service bottom brackets because they lacked the tools to do so. 

Permalink Reply by Ken Gray on December 3, 2011 at 9:33am

Wow! All can can say is wow!

Permalink Reply by Justin Villar on December 3, 2011 at 9:57am

Someone started a discussion about this a couple of weeks ago that I responded to but no one else did. I'll just copy and paste to the more popular thread...

"I bought a patch kit from there once, about a year ago. They didn't know where the kits were at first (turned out to be directly behind the person at the register -- wish I had spotted them BEFORE standing around waiting for them to find them), the guy was having trouble with the credit card machine and was being loudly berated by another guy for it (in front of a couple customers), and the woman who was waiting in front of me had been there for awhile too while they searched for grips. Their inventory looked almost haphazardly arranged on the floor and walls, it didn't seem grouped by any real system. The impression I got (this might be totally off-base) was that the owner wasn't really that into bikes and more into having a business, which, fine, but I'd rather go to a shop like Roscoe Village Bikes where you can tell everyone there is super stoked on bicycles and actually rides a lot. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not that surprised that this place isn't doing very well, and I don't think it really has anything to do with the bad economy."

I've also been to Shining Bikes, and while I did not spend much time in there because I was in a hurry and just popping in to check it out, the impression I got is now wholly reinforced by DUG's post. Also, did not know they were owned by the same guy.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 3, 2011 at 9:59am

Nice catch on "Robert Vaughters," Doug. My suspicion is that any investment in this business would fall into the "high risk" category, and that once this closes, a new storefront will open somewhere else in the city with a new name. 

Permalink Reply by Duppie on December 3, 2011 at 12:22pm

This is literally one block from my house. Before it opened, I was all excited: Finally A'ville has its own bikeshop! After it opened I've been there once and walked right out. Their store is messy, unorganized nad has very little attractive merchandise. Bad, clueless sales folks. No investment in the neighborhood or bike community (ie. presence at street fair, sponsoring of local activities, etc.). No clear idea about what they try to do.

I would not mind one bit if this one folds.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on December 3, 2011 at 2:07pm

I have to agree with the other posters negative reviews of this place- I live near Shiny Bikes & Things and know that Andersonville Bikes & Fitness is owned by the same Robert since I have talked to him at both locations. I have bought tubes and such from them since they are so close to my home, but both bike shops are a mess.  The staff there are not knowledgeable about the inventory or product (I am talking about new parts), and the bicycles they sell are generally used and in fair to poor condition. They sometimes offer new Origin8 and Puma bikes, which is the ONLY new bikes I have ever seen there. Also, at the Andersonville location they had massage equipment set up in a corner, candles, and other non-cycling stuff for sale as well, and the cashier guy was playing basketball and completely ignored us until we interrupted him. I think the owner just has his kids or nephews running the place for him and they just don't care.

As far as bikes are concerned, my husband and I once looked at a an older used touring bike they had for sale- and we noticed the serial numbers were filed off (btw, the guy helping us seemed completely clueless as to where the serial numbers would be located or maybe he just didn't want us to notice they had been filed off) and since that time, I haven't been back.  I have to say, though, that I have spoke with the owner and he has always been nice but seemed very uninterested in actually selling anything. 

When Shiny Bikes first opened up, I was excited that there was a bike shop within 3 blocks of my apartment, but it was a true let-down and it is no wonder the man is going out of business. When I saw Andersonville Bikes, and saw the same man from Shiny running it in the same way, I was also disappointed.  I now go to Gary's on North Clark or On the Route on Lawrence, which are both farther from me, but they know what they are doing, know what they are selling, and seem genuinely interested in cycling. 

Permalink Reply by Mary Ralph on December 3, 2011 at 10:21pm

i went to Shining Bikes when i was at a doctor's appointment near-by, and i left wondering how that place could stay in business. the woman working there needed my assistance when i asked to purchase a tube and everything was overpriced, especially the low-quality used bikes. No-name road bikes with pricetags near $200? No thank you!

Permalink Reply by Paul Fitz, Scrabblor on December 4, 2011 at 8:38pm

is shining bikes still even open? 

SHINING BIKES MUST BE SAVED Due date 11/11/11
WE ARE ACCEPTING ALL DONATIONS
KIDS BIKES AS LOW AS $20
ADULT BIKES AS $50
DON’T FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD
... 5600 N. Western
Chicago IL, 60659
773-944-0449
THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY BIKE SHOP
EVERYTHING MUST GO 30%-70% off
2/$7 Intertubes 2/$20 Tires
Keep us from
LOSING OUR LEASE

hmmmm....

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 4, 2011 at 9:13pm

I think it is funny they refer to themselves as a 'community bike shop' when they do nothing for the cycling community.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on December 4, 2011 at 9:45pm

I posted a bit about both of these places in the Comrade Cycles thread. 

notoriousDUG is pretty much spot on with everything. I live in Andersonville and I wholly believe that the neighborhood deserves a shop that is super knowledgeable and passionate. Like I mentioned in the other thread, it's going to be tough to break in around here due to other great shops within striking distance. Johnny Sprockets is pretty much my go to place (and also an easy three and a half blocks from A'Ville B&F). I've also used Turin and Robert's, too. 

The north-side is a super competitive place to have a bike shop set up. There aren't too many places that I'd flat out avoid - I've had super service and advice from Johnny Sprockets, Uptown Bikes, On the Route, Turin, Village Cycle and probably more that I'm forgetting right now.

Permalink Reply by 2wheels4eyes on December 7, 2011 at 11:11am

I've been in this shop too--was very excited when they opened (a bike store in Andersonville! In such a busy, visible location!). The employee could not locate the chain lube sitting behind the counter, didn't have, nor even appear to know what I meant, when I asked if they had replacement chain pins. Thinking maybe they'd just had a disorganized store opening and a few poorly trained employees, I went back several times over the summer and fall to browse and see if things had improved.

The merchandise, such as it is, remains in complete disarray around the shop, the inventory is haphazard, mislabelled, and in some cases includes very old/out-of-date stock. The condition of the bikes in there makes me shudder. It's clearly a fencing operation--if all they're dealing in is stolen bikes, I'd be surprised, given the volume of activity in the alley behind the store. Please stay away.

FWIW, Johnny Sprockets has been simply excellent, completely converted my non-biking spouse to the sport with their attitude-free enthusiasm and professionalism. I've also never felt they were "up-selling" us or trying to get us to buy more bike than we needed. Their service policies are excellent and the mechanics do solid work. And they're just a couple of blocks off the lakefront path!

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