Bespoke Bicycles Now Open on Lafayette
Bespoke Bicycles, the new store at 64B Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene that we wrote up back in February, is now open for business, reports Clinton Hill Blog. Our focus is on commuting, errands and city bikes, so most of what we offer is on the practical, every-day end of the spectrum,” says owner Cassidy…
Bespoke Bicycles, the new store at 64B Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene that we wrote up back in February, is now open for business, reports Clinton Hill Blog. Our focus is on commuting, errands and city bikes, so most of what we offer is on the practical, every-day end of the spectrum,” says owner Cassidy Vare. Check out CHB for an interior photo. Their website is not up yet. GMAP
Let’s try that again.
“Bike geeks like me and the other authors of CBB often snicker about the “Bike Shaped Objects†(BSO) sold at the mass retail discount stores for less than $200. They’re heavy, ugly, inefficient, poorly engineered, poorly designed, and poorly assembled by the same guy who scoops the the dead fish out of the tanks in the pet department. These types of bikes are recalled every year, and, in fact, the CPSC recently announced a recall of 34,000 Dynacraft BSOs sold at Target over the past year.”
See,
They have bicycles for under $500!
I’m sure if I go in there and ask for something they don’t carry they can order it for me.
I considered one of the semi-folding tricycles from Workman’s which are made in NYC (I think Queens) but we never made it over there to their store and then I kind of lost interest. Plus, I think they are very heavy from what I hear. I manage with the “granny” cart.
My friend Pattie who passed away just after Easter in 2002 (she lived on the Cape) had tried to get me to take her tricycle when we spent Christmas together. She wasn’t doing terribly well at that point but was managing and getting around. We had no idea that she would pass away just 5 months later or so. I guess I was in denial. I was hoping she would get back on that tricycle and get through that tough spot. She had breast cancer years before that came back. She was in her 70s.
Poor Pattie.
Well, I couldn’t take the trike or anything else she wanted me to leave with. It just seemed so horrible, sad, a bad omen, almost revolting, something you know you’re allergic too, like when someone tries, with good intentions, to get you to eat something you’re allergic too and can put you in the hospital…all those mixed up feelings…things that many of you on Brownstoner will end up going through as you get older.
God she was a great singer! Pattie Mendenhall. She sang and was her own accompanist on the piano from the late 40’s into the 80’s in New York.
She really did up the trike thing: big sun hat with fake flowers and flags on the trike to make it visible. I was thinking I’d do the same in tribute to her.
there is a reason to pay good money for a good bike.
http://commutebybike.com/2007/03/30/commuting-101-bike-shaped-objects/
Stopped by yesterday to buy a bike for one of my kids – $170. I had bought at least two small bikes from Target which were much cheaper but fell apart quickly.
You get what you pay for. No complaints from me. And if my kid’s bike does fall apart they are right there. Target isn’t going to help me.
i highly recommend recycle-a-bicyle…it’s actually quite a good cause. they’re not the cheapest bikes but i did buy an awesome vintage dutch bike there once for about $200 that i used for local errands. There’s a store in Dumbo.
http://www.recycleabicycle.org/shops
BrooklynGreene,
That’s a great idea! (“I would love a tricycle that kind of collapses so I can cart it into the ground floor at home. I know it’s kind of “retirement village” of me but I would feel MUCH safer on a tricycle and could have large baskets for shopping.”)
I’m gonna ask some of my bike builder friends about it.
this place seems to be a raleigh dealership, not much more than that. Why specialize in the average that you can get anywhere? I don’t get it.
Rob,what happened to your $60 bike — why are you getting another one I mean? Definitely look at used-bike outlets. Does brooklyn Flea have a used bike stall?
I got my bike for $80. I then put in another few hundred for new wheels, saddle, crank, pedals, etc . . . Rob, nice components can make a lot of difference, I think it’s worth investing, but you can pace yourself and do it on your own time, and budget, specifically to your needs. Customizing your bike can totally make you fall in love with the experience of riding, and bring it 30 notches up from just “A stupid piece of metal with 2 wheels”. You don’t need to spend $3000 but you can put in some thought. A smart piece of metal with 2 wheels is a whole different experience.
If you do get that $100 bike, check this place out for replacing some of the old crappy components you’ll end up with.
http://www.rivbike.com/
Well, I have to mention that it is rather amusing (even ironic?) that this bicycle shop opened where a CAR service used to be. My goodness…that car service was there for ages…and the drivers often used that area as a kind of parking lot since they would come in to their dispatcher and have to sit around for a while.
I would love a tricycle that kind of collapses so I can cart it into the ground floor at home. I know it’s kind of “retirement village” of me but I would feel MUCH safer on a tricycle and could have large baskets for shopping.
Anyway, I encourage Rob and those looking for not-to-expensive bicycle to look at:
http://www.recycleabicycle.org/shops
There’s a used bike store on down on the LES below the Williamsburg bridge on… Grand Street, maybe? I haven’t bought a bike there but they look to have a good selection and have been there forever. I’d suspect their prices might be better than one of the new Brooklyn places.
Good to know there’s more bike stores popping up. Hopefully more competition will improve the pricing situation. Though Transportation Alternatives runs free classes to teach people how to maintain bikes themselves. Tuneups are horrifically expensive.
Rob – $100 won’t get you a new bike at a store. Seems like there are good and bad bikes on craigslist. For $100, you should be able to get something decent. Just be wary of people who mis-price their bikes. If you’re going to use it for commuting, it’s important to make sure the major parts are functioning and in decent condition. If you’re just using it for fun on the weekends, probably not as big an issue.