FAQ
Table of Contents:
Why are you called "Bicycle Roots"?
The name "Bicycle Roots" means many things to us. First of all, it alludes to our passion for cycling and our roots in the cycling lifestyle. At Bicycle Roots, we live and breathe bicycles, so cycling is in our roots. The terms "Roots" also refers to our family roots in the neighborhood. Owner Joe Lawler is a born and bred New Yorker who's grandparents were born and raised in Brooklyn not far from the store. And lastly, "Bicycle Roots" is a pun on the terms bicycle routes. We strive to be a source of knowledge and direction for our customers. They often come in asking us to recommend some bicycle routes, and we are happy to oblige.
What's unique about Bicycle Roots?
Bicycle Roots is a friendly neighborhood bike shop offering professional service and a thoughtful selection of bikes and gear for cycling. We care about you and we do everything we can to improve your cycling experience.
Who works at Bicycle Roots?
Joe works at Bicycle Roots year-round. We have a few more seasonal mechanics and salespeople on staff in the Spring and Summer. For more information, see Our Staff
Can I work at Bicycle Roots?
You are welcome to send a cover letter and resume to info@bicycleroots.com at any time. Even if we don't have any open positions, we will keep your resume on file if you are qualified. Please note February through August is the best time to apply for a position. In most cases, we require applicants to have 2 years of relevant experience.
What brands of bikes do you sell?
We sell bikes from Giant, Opus, Gunnar, Surly, All-City, Origin8, Yuba, and Brompton. To learn more about the different brands of bikes we sell, see our Shop by Brand page.
What types of bikes do you sell?
We sell road bikes, cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, track and single speed bikes, cargo bikes, folding bikes, and kid's bikes. To learn more about the different types of bikes we sell, see our Shop by Type page.
How much do your bikes cost?
Our bikes start at around $300 and go up to, well, the sky's the limit.
Why should I buy a bike from you?
We will work with you to find a bike that suits your riding goals. Whether that bike costs $500 or $5,000, you will receive the highest level of service and care. When you buy a bike from us, we provide free mechanical adjustments for as long as you own it. When you buy a road or cyclocross bike from us, we provide a free basic fit session at the time of purchase. We will adjust the height, angle, and position of your new bike's seat and handlebars so that your ride is as efficient and comfortable as possible.
Free adjustments? Wow! Could you be more specific?
When we say we offer "free adjustments" to our customers, here is exactly what we mean: If you have purchased a new bicycle from Bicycle Roots, you can bring it back to us at any time, and we will perform the following adjustments at no charge:
- Brake adjustments
- Gear adjustments
- Seat position and angle adjustments
- Cockpit angle adjustments
- Bolt tightening
- Chain lubrication
We do not replace parts (such as inner tubes, tires, cables, brake pads, chains, etc.) at no charge. If you need a part replaced, then you will be charged for the part and regular installation charges.
This offer applies only to the original purchaser of the bicycle. Bicycles with defaced serial numbers are not eligible for free adjustments.
Do you sell used bikes or vintage bikes?
No, we only sell new bikes.
Why don't you sell used bikes?
Are you ready for a rant? Well here goes.
In New York City, everyone wants a bike. This drives up the price of used bikes to the point where they are not a good deal anymore. Let's say you're buying a bike. You could buy a vintage Murray three speed cruiser bike, built in the 1970's, which sold for $25 at Sears when it was NEW. Since the 70's, this bike has not been maintained or refurbished in any way. It's literally falling apart; it has many dangerous mechanical defects. Today, this bike might cost you $10 at a yard sale in Delaware, but if you buy it on Craigslist in New York City the market price is more like $300. This bike doesn't fit you, it doesn't work, and it's too heavy to carry upstairs to your walk-up apartment. This bike is a waste of money!
Now, as an alternative, you could spend $600 on a new hybrid bike at a bike shop. You would get a bike that fits you, works perfectly, and has 27 speeds instead of just three. It's light enough to carry inside, and since you can keep it inside, it will be less likely to get stolen or damaged by the elements. The point is, while a new hybrid bike might cost twice as much as a vintage cruiser, it's more than twice as good. It's one hundred times better, one thousand times better, infinitely better than the average used bike you might find on the second hand market in New York City.
So our decision to sell new bikes is all about value. We truly believe that you are going to get a MUCH better deal when you buy a new bike than when you buy a vintage bike in New York City. We can't sell vintage bikes for what they are "worth" (that hypothetical Murray cruiser, it's worth $10), and we'd be ripping you off if we sold them for the going market price (which is really $200 to $400). So we're sticking to new bikes, and we hope you like them.
Do you sell e-bikes?
We only sell pedal-assist e-bikes from Giant, Liv, Momentum, Surly, and Yuba.
Why don't you sell throttle powered e-bikes?
We only sell pedal-assist e-bikes that are legal to operate on the streets of New York City. We want to sell you a bike you can enjoy right away… so why would we sell you something that you can't even legally ride? Besides, most of the benefits provided by electric power, such as making a bike easier to ride up hills, are also present when you ride a lightweight, high-performance pedal powered bike. When your bike weighs 17 lb. you will have no difficulty getting it up a steep hill, we assure you.
Can I test ride a bike at your store?
Yes! We strongly encourage you to take a test ride before you buy any bike. Our store is situated between two lovely bike lanes- one on Bergen Street and one on Dean Street. So as soon as you exit our store, you can get right onto a safe bike lane for your test ride. Should you desire a longer test ride, we are only about a mile away from Prospect Park, which contains a 3 mile bike loop. We encourage you to take a test ride around the park and really get a feel for how your new bike performs.
I'm a woman. Should I get a woman's bike? What is a woman's specific bike?
The concept of Women's Bicycles is part hype and part reality. Bicycle manufacturers have been making "women's" bikes for as long as they have been making bikes at all, but it's only since the 1980's that they have started to incorporate a deep knowledge of ergonomics and fit into the process. Time was, a "Women's" bike was just a "Step-Through" bike, meaning, a bike with a low top tube. The purpose of the low top tube is to allow the rider to wear a dress or a skirt without this piece of clothing getting pushed up immodestly by the bicycle top tube. That's it. So if you don't see yourself riding in a dress, or if you're willing to make minor wardrobe accommodations (e.g. leggings underneath the dress) then you don't need a step through bike. Conversely, if you're a man and you do want to ride in a dress, you might prefer a step through bike to protect your modesty.
Now, since Georgina Terry introduced the first mass market, women's specific bicycle in the 1980's, bicycle manufacturers have been making women's specific bikes that are not necessarily step through models. These bikes take into account that fact that women and men differ in more than just dress. They actually have different body shapes! If you take a man and a woman of the same height, most of the time, the woman will have several key differences, such as longer legs, a higher ratio of femur length to length length, a shorter torso, shorter arms, narrower shoulders, smaller hands, and wider hips. These differences all effect bike fit and comfort. A Women's Specific Bike is built to accommodate these differences, offering a more comfortable and ergonomic fit to most women, right out of the box.
That said, unless you are very petite, you probably don't *need* a woman's specific bicycle. If you purchase the proper size unisex bicycle, and work with a competent bicycle fitter to customize the components which have the greatest effect on fit, such as the stem, handlebars, cranks, and saddle, then you will be comfortable on that bike.
Why do your kid's bikes cost so much more than the kid's bikes at Target/Walmart/K-Mart/Amazon.com?
We know that department stores and mass-market retailers sell kid's bikes for less than the price of kid's bike at a bike shop. That's because their kids bikes are extremely low quality, heavy, poorly designed, and incorrectly assembled. Simply put, your kids won't like riding them!
The kids bikes we sell have been painstakingly designed to offer your kids a really fun ride at a fair price. They have the same features and technology as many adult bikes, just shrunk to kid-friendly sizes. These bikes are light enough for kids to ride without getting tired, they are manufactured according to a high standard of quality so they will be able to take a lifetime of abuse, and they are designed to make it easy and fun to become a better bike rider. Our professional mechanics put them together with care. Just like the adult bikes we sell, when we sell a kid's bike we provide free adjustments for as long as you own the bike.
Department store kids bikes are NOT the way to instill a love of cycling in your child. When you start your child off on a quality bicycle, you are giving that child an opportunity to love cycling from the very beginning.
What happens when I buy a bike on your website?
When you buy a bike on our website, you will be asked to select a shipping method. You have to select In-Store Pickup in order to complete the Check Out process. After you complete the order, we will pull the bike from storage and assemble it according to our exacting standards. While we will try to assemble the bike right away, please allow up to 24 hours for bike assembly- sometimes our service department gets very busy! When the bike is ready to ride, one of our mechanics will give you a call. Then you can come into the store and pick it up!
When you arrive at our store, it's time to take a test ride. We'll make sure that the bike you've selected is the proper size and that all of the components are dialed in to their most ergonomic positions. If the bike is the wrong size or if it's uncomfortable, you don't have to buy it. You can choose a different size, or even a different bike- anything that we have in the store. We will make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase before you roll out the door.
Can you ship me a bike?
We don't ship bikes. Instead, we offer In-Store Pickup for the bikes we sell on our website. While this might seem kind of weird for an online store, it's actually very common for premium bike brands to insist that their products are only sold to customers in a "fully assembled" condition, and never shipped. This is because In-Store Pickup is only way for us to give you a bike that's 100% tuned up and ready to ride. If we shipped you a bike, we would be shipping it in a disassembled state, and when you received it you would have to put it together yourself, or bring it to a local bike shop for assembly.
Do you buy bikes or take Trade-Ins?
No.
Do you fix bikes?
Yes. Bike repair is at the heart of our business. We have a full service repair workshop staffed by professional mechanics who are there to help you with your repair. When you come to us for a repair, you will see that our store has an "open" workshop. We don't want to keep any secrets from you and we don't want bike repair to have a mysterious aura.
What is your service policy?
When you drop a bike off for a repair, we will ask you to sign a copy of the following Service Agreement:
Service quotes represent our best estimates. They are subject to change. If the price of service exceeds our quote by less than $15, we will proceed with the repair and you will be liable for these overages. If the price of service exceeds our quote by $15 or more, we will seek your consent before completing the repair. We are not liable for any delays in service caused by your failure to provide this consent. You must retrieve your bicycle within 30 days of us completing your repair, or within 30 days of your failure to consent to the above mentioned overages, whichever is applicable. If you fail to do so, you bike will become our property. We reserve the right to deny future service to any customer who does not adhere to the terms of this agreement.
Pretty simple and, hopefully, fair. When you drop off your bike we'll give you a quote and an ETA. If the quote goes up by more than $15, you'll be informed before we complete the repair. When the repair is complete we will call you at the phone number you have given us. If you do not answer your phone we will attempt to leave a voicemail. If you do not pick up your bike within 30 days of the completion of the repair, we will conclude that you have abandoned it.
If your bicycle repair includes brake or gear cable installation, you can come back to the store within two weeks in order to get those cables tightened up. If we build you a new wheel, you can come back to the store within a month to get the spokes tightened up.
If we fix your bike, and you ride it away, and it doesn't seem fixed to you, or anything doesn't "feel right," you can bring it back and we will diagnose and fix the problem. Our reputation for high-quality bike repairs is VERY important to us and we want our repair customers to be satisfied.
Why should I bring my bike to you for a repair instead of bringing it somewhere else?
We believe that our work should speak for itself, so ask around! We have thousands of customers who have had their bikes fixed by us at Bicycle Roots. Ask them if they are satisfied, and the chances are, they will say "Yes."
We strive to provide professional work at fair prices. In addition, our work is guaranteed for seven days after pick up, so if you are dissatisfied with your bike repair, you can bring it back and we'll make the situation right.
Do you do bike fitting?
We provide basic fit services but we do not have a full-service fit studio. During a basic fit session, one of our mechanics will watch you ride on an indoor trainer, while that mechanic makes adjustments or substitutions as needed. We charge $120 for a one hour basic fit session.
Do you offer repair classes?
Not currently.
Do you offer bike riding lessons?
No.
Do you offer bike storage?
No.
Do you have free air?
Yes. We have an air compressor in front of our store where anyone can come inflate his or her tires while our store is open. The air compressor is set at 60 psi. If you need more pressure, you can come inside and use our floor pump. Both options are free of charge.
Do you have a layaway plan?
Yes and no. You can open a store account and make a non-refundable deposit to that account at any time. However this account does not allow you to hold any merchandise or lock in any prices. You need to have sufficient money on your store account before you can make a purchase.
What is your return policy for in store purchases?
For purchases made in our store, we do not accept returns or exchanges on bicycles, helmets, inner tubes, second hand parts, or on any part or accessory that has been installed. We do accept returns and exchanges on all other merchandise in complete and like-new condition, within 7 days of in-store purchase. In order to receive a refund, you must present the original receipt. If do not have the original receipt, you may return the merchandise for store credit, provided you present government-issued photo ID.
Do you have any other store policies I should know about?
We do not refund store deposits. Special Order or Layaway merchandise left in the store for 30 days becomes property of Bicycle Roots.
Do you offer any discounts?
Not currently. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the cost of goods skyrocket! Pre-pandemic we offered a discount to members of the following organizations:
Thanks for making New York City a better place to ride a bike!
Do you offer a discount to bike racers?
We sponsored an amazing Women's Development bike racing team called Bicycle Roots p/b Hatchmap Racing. Check out an article we wrote about the team on our blog. We only offer a discount to members of our shop sponsored team, not to all bike racers.
Is your website secure? Is my personal information safe?
Yes, most definitely. We process payments securely using a trusted credit card processor and all of our data is hosted on secure servers. Our website is PCI Compliant and SSL certified in order to protect your data.
Do you ship internationally?
No, we only ship to locations in the United States at this time.
What shipping method do you use?
When you place an order on our website, you can choose In-Store Pickup or UPS Shipping for your order. If you choose UPS Shipping, we offer UPS Ground, 2 Day, or Overnight shipping options. UPS Ground reaches most customers in 1-5 business days.
How much do I pay for shipping?
Shipping on orders over $50 is free, with exceptions. We cannot offer free shipping on oversized items, such as auto racks, baby seats, baskets, bike racks, non-folding tires, and wheels. If your order is under $50, or if it includes an oversized item, we charge the UPS "calculated rate" for shipping. This is to say, we charge you what UPS charges us.
How quickly will you ship my order?
Typically within 24-48 hours.
How does In-Store Pickup work?
When you place an order on our website, and you choose In-Store Pickup for the delivery option, you can choose a time to pick up your order. If you order parts, accessories, or apparel, we can have your order ready for pick up in as little as thirty minutes! If you order a bicycle, it may take us up to 24 hours to assemble that bicycle for you. This depends on how busy our service department is at that time. Feel free to give us a call at 718-668-5224 for the most up-to-date information about your order.
What's your return policy for online purchases?
Our return policy is simple. In order to refund or credit the price of your purchase, your return or exchange must meet the following criteria:
- We must receive it within 14 days of your initial order.
- It must be in Like New condition.
- It must be in its complete and intact packaging.
We do not accept returns or exchanges on bicycles, inner tubes, on any part or accessory that has been installed, or on any item that shows signs of wear or use. We do not accept returns or exchanges on items that are not returned to us in their complete and intact packaging. If a customer sends merchandise to the Bicycle Roots Returns Department for a return or exchange, and it does not meet the criteria listed above, it will be returned to the customer at his or her expense.
When we ship you an order, we include a return shipping label in the package. You may use this label to send the package back to us. When we receive your return shipment, we will refund the purchase price of the item onto your credit card, minus the price of return shipping. If you indicate that you desire an exchange instead of a return, we will ship you the exchange merchandise and refund or charge any difference in price between the two items. For exchanges, you will not be charged for inbound or outbound shipping.
For more details on how to return or exchange an item, see our Return and Exchange Policy.
What happens when I buy a bike on your website?
When you buy a bike on our website, you will be asked to select a shipping method. You have to select In-Store Pickup in order to complete the Check Out process. After you complete the order, we will pull the bike from storage and assemble it according to our exacting standards. While we will try to assemble the bike right away, please allow up to 24 hours for bike assembly- sometimes our service department gets very busy! When the bike is ready to ride, one of our mechanics will give you a call. Then you can come into the store and pick it up!
When you arrive at our store, it's time to take a test ride. We'll make sure that the bike you've selected is the proper size and that all of the components are dialed in to their most ergonomic positions. If the bike is the wrong size or if it's uncomfortable, you don't have to buy it. You can choose a different size, or even a different bike- anything that we have in the store. We will make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase before you roll out the door.
Can you ship me a bike?
We don't ship bikes. Instead, we offer In-Store Pickup for the bikes we sell on our website. While this might seem kind of weird for an online store, it's actually very common for premium bike brands to insist that their products are only sold to customers in a "fully assembled" condition, and never shipped. This is because In-Store Pickup is only way for us to give you a bike that's 100% tuned up and ready to ride. If we shipped you a bike, we would be shipping it in a disassembled state, and when you received it you would have to put it together yourself, or bring it to a local bike shop for assembly.
What else do you sell on your website?
We sell bicycle parts, accessories, and cycling clothing from specialty brands such as Blackburn, Brooks England, Continental, Fi'zi:k, Giro, Knog, Kryptonite, Mission Workshop, Ortlieb, Park Tool USA, Pearl Izumi, Pinhead, Schwalbe, Shimano, Speedplay, SRAM, Sunlite, Topeak, Velo Orange, Vespertine, Vittoria, Wheel Master, Yepp GMG- and many more! We specialize in products that will make your bike more useful for urban transportation.
I want to start riding a bike in NYC, but I'm so intimidated! How do I get started without killing myself?
That's a very good question. It IS intimidating to begin riding a bike in a big metropolis like New York City. However there are steps you can take that will shorten the learning curve.
- Buy and wear a helmet. If you wear a bike helmet, your chances of death or serious injury on a bike fall to almost zero. All bicycle helmets sold in the US are required to meet the same Consumer Product Safety Commission standards for safety. But that doesn't mean you don't get what you pay for. More expensive helmets are lighter, more comfortable, better ventilated, and less bulky than entry level models. Bike helmets are good for one crash only, so don't buy a helmet secondhand- you don't know where it's been. If your helmet is more than five years old, you should also replace it. Exposure to the elements causes the foam in the helmet to degrade over time, and after five years of use it may become brittle and offer less protection in a crash.
- Make sure your bike is in tip top shape. If your bike is not safe to operate, you will not be confident riding it on city streets. Take your bike to a trusted local bike shop for a tune up. It's especially important to check the condition of the headset, brakes, and chain in order to avoid panicky moments on the street later. If you're in the market for a bike repair, check out our Service Menu.
- Start small. You don't need to tackle the busiest street in the city on your first ride. Instead, gain confidence by riding in a safe place, such as in a park, on a separated bike path, or on a bike lane. You can view a map of New York City's bike paths, bike lanes, and greenways at www.nycbikemaps.com/.
- Join a group ride.There are lots of great clubs dedicated organizing safe, confidence-building group rides for newbies. Here's an incomplete list of groups in New York City:
- WE Bike NYC: www.webikenyc.org
- Times Up!: www.times-up.org
- NYC Bike Train: www.bikeapolis.us
- Five Borough Bike Club: www.5bbc.org
- New York Cycle Club: www.nycc.org
- Fast and Fabulous: www.fastnfab.org
- Map your ride. Before you attempt to ride a new route, map it out using Google Maps or Ride The City. Ride The City even has a great smart phone app for Android or iPhone, so you can get cycling directions on the go. Try different routes until you find the one you like best. You will often find that by going just a couple blocks out of your way, you can find a peaceful, quiet street to ride on.
- Hang out at your neighborhood bike shop. If you're a new cyclist, your local bike should provide a friendly and knowledgable staff to answer all of your questions about getting into cycling. If your local bike shop is NOT a chill place to hang out, well, it should be! At Bicycle Roots we're dedicated to providing a welcoming space for cyclists of all levels. We have a bar and barstools in our service area where our customers can relax. (No we don't sell beer, but you can BYOB.) We also have a lovely back yard where you can hang out in nice weather. The result? Our store is a great place for cyclists to gather and mingle, as well as a place to buy gear or get your bike fixed.
- Sign up on an online message board.Post your questions there and get other riders' opinions. Here are just a few busy message boards for cyclists:
How can I keep my bike from getting stolen?
Unfortunately, bike theft is a fact of life in New York and any other major U.S. city. Thankfully, we can recommend some common sense precautions to protect your investment.
- Buy a good lock. A good rule of thumb is to spend 10% to 15% of the purchase price of your bike on a lock. You can use a U-Lock or a Chain to lock up your frame. U-Locks are usually easier to carry, but chains provide more flexibility in terms of where you can lock your bike, and you can even use a chain to lock up two bikes. Not all locks are created equal! Pay attention to the features and security rating of the lock you are purchasing. All bike lock manufacturers provide some sort of rating system to let you know where each lock stands in their product line.
- Lock up your components, too. At a minimum, you need to lock your frame, your wheels, and your seat. You can use Pinhead locks to replace your bike's quick release skewers and/or wheel axle nuts. Pinheads provide great security and peace of mind, and when you use them they greatly decrease the likelihood of your components being stolen. A less expensive alternative is to use a flexible cable lock to loop through your wheels and fasten to your U-Lock when you are locking your bike. While the cable could be cut, in practice most thieves will move on to an easier target. Similarly, you can secure your seat by looping a cable lock through the seat rails, or by asking your local bike shop to make you a bike chain seat lock. At Bicycle Roots, we sell bike chain seat locks for $10- or if you're buying a bike or a saddle over $100 from us, we'll throw in the bike chain seat lock for free at the point of purchase.
- Lock your bike to something secure. The best thing to lock your bike to is a municipal bicycle rack, but sometimes you can't find one when you need it. Iron gates are also very secure, but watch out for signs indicating "No Bikes". Many property owners do not want bikes locked to their gates. You can lock your bike to a street sign or a bus stop pole. These are the most easily available form of bike parking in New York City. Of course, bike thieves have been known to steal bikes by removing the sign from the top of the pole and sliding the bike over the top, so park with care. Do not ever lock to construction scaffolding (it can be disassembled easily) or to trees (they can be cut).
- Keep your bike inside. We all have to lock up our bikes from time to time, but the less time your bike spends locked up outside, the less likely it is to be stolen. Keep your bike at home when you're at home, at work when you're at work, at your friend's house when you are visiting your friend, etc. Some apartment buildings and office buildings have indoor bike storage rooms as well. If one is available- use it!
- Consider a folding bike. Folding bikes are easy to take with you wherever you go, and since you never have to leave them in the street, they won't get stolen.
- Get renters or homeowners insurance. Itemize your bicycle on your insurance policy. Depending on the terms of your policy, you can be reimbursed if you need to repair or replace your bicycle as a result of theft, mischief, or any type of accident, wherever your bicycle is when the damage or theft occurs.
Where should I keep my bike?
When you are not riding it, your bike should in a secure, indoor space. Not on the street, not on your front porch, and not in the hall of your apartment building. If your bike is not indoors, it's vulnerable to theft, and it will also be exposed to the elements, which causes accelerated wear on the frame and components. Got storage woes? Check out our selection of home bicycle storage products.
What are the laws governing cycling in NYC?
Cyclists in New York City are required to follow the following rules:
- Ride in the direction of traffic
- Ride in the street, not on the sidewalk
- Respect traffic lights, stop signs, and yield signs.*
- Use powered bicycle lights (not passive reflectors) if you ride between dusk and dawn
- Use a bicycle bell, horn, or whistle**
- Wear a bicycle helmet if you are a working cyclist (that is to say, if you are making deliveries) or if you are 14 years of age or younger
*We'll be the first to admit that this is not always practical. However, at a minimum, you should always yield to the road user who has the legal right of way. Do not bomb intersections.
**Also not always sufficient to pierce through New York City din. Don't be too shy to yell if you need to get someone's attention urgently. Your safety comes first!
Do you have more questions? Contact Us and we will do our best to answer them!
