Review Date
February 19, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Customer Service Rating
 5 of 5

Technical Expertise Rating
 5 of 5

I visit this shop:
Been there once

Reviewed by: Dutchy rider ,  Cross Country Rider

Shop Summary:
I visited Austin for first time and was looking to rent a bike on trails in the area. I was recommended by the Hotel to visit 'Bicycle Sport Shop' on Lamar Blvd and I must say, a VERY friendly welcome and great service! Everyone I spoke to was willing to help, inform and answer any question I had, no pushing around and no aggravating sales pitches. They gave me the most expensive full suspension mountain bike they had to try on the Barton Creek Green belt trail. I went back the next day and even had a nicer bike that day ('09 Ibis MOJO = GREAT BIKE). Any adjustment I asked for was taken care off. I bought a helmet and some other stuff. Their assortment is phenomenal, prices very reasonable. I am in the market for a new mountain bike and I will certainly consider going back to Austin and do my purchase @ Bicycle Sport Shop. Thank you guys.

Customer Service:
Great.

Other Comments:
Large variety of bikes and prices for all levels.

Review Date
December 15, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Customer Service Rating
 5 of 5

Technical Expertise Rating
 5 of 5

I visit this shop:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Mtc ,  Cross Country Rider

Shop Summary:
Clean and well stocked

Customer Service:
Everyone is nice, they try to help, not hound.

Other Comments:
Service dept anxious to help. Even though it can be a mad house they go out of the way to help.

Review Date
November 8, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Customer Service Rating
 5 of 5

Technical Expertise Rating
 5 of 5

I visit this shop:
Once a month

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: doismellbacon ,  Cross Country Rider

Shop Summary:
Lots and lots of gear at every price point. Great selection of high end mountain bikes & parts, as well as road, and lots of commuter/townie bikes and gear. Professional services available: fitting, custom builds, repair, wheel builds. They've even got a nice cafe in there and bike events rolling on the big screen... nice place to hang out. They've also been long time supporters of the community.... leading local rides, sponsoring teams, events, trail building days, the jingle bell ride. I bought my first bike from them in '89 when they were on Barton Springs where Flipnotics is now....how many of you remember that? I have a hard time imagining Austin without BSS.

Customer Service:
I've always been thoroughly impressed with the staff's attention and customer service. I ALWAYS get asked many times if I need any help, even if I'm just geeking out and kicking tires. You never have to walk around looking for somebody to help you there. Service staff has been excellent.... did a bottom bracket overhaul for me while I waited when it seemed to me like they were totally slammed... lots of customers at the counter, and lots of techs there taking care of everybody. Contrary to some other posts I've gotten great help from them on small, no profit, little doodads that I needed to salvage an old part....etc.

Other Comments:
I'm baffled by people complaining about not getting parts and/or service done for free at BSS....What do you expect? Do you want them to be there in the future? It seems like a large percentage of cyclists expect shops to do professional service for them for free just because... I dunno....they're "cool", they're broke, they bought something there before.... It takes a lot of money to maintain that location, amount of inventory, large attentive staff, trained mechanics, support of local events / races / trail building days. BSS is a business that gives a lot back to the community... they always have been. If you don't want to pay them for their time/parts/expertise, then quit whining and go to Barnett's school and learn how to do all this stuff yourself.....Oh, btw, that will probably cost you a few thousand dollars.

Review Date
September 29, 2008

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Customer Service Rating
 2 of 5

Technical Expertise Rating
 2 of 5

I visit this shop:
Once a month

Reviewed by: AustinBiker ,  Cross Country Rider

Shop Summary:
Bought my new Fisher Paragon here, and took it in for some maintenance. They have been responsive enough to questions and tried to help with special orders, but have generally been disorganized and confused over what to do to find the right materials to convert my Rhythm wheels over to tubeless. I've found (on this website) hot to do it, but you'd think a shop where about 40% of their showroom mountainbikes have Bontrager rims would already know this.

Customer Service:
They did call back when the parts were supposedly in, but when I came in to the store and dropped my bike off, I was told they had ordered the wrong parts. No compensation for my wasted time- just an apology.

They removed my front tire on another trip when they had supposedly finally gotten the materials in (Bontrager rim strips for tubeless conversion) - and replaced the rim strip so badly that I ended up with a flat on the first ride out- from the edge of the spoke hole I suppose, as it was on the inner side of the tube. When I looked at it- the rim strip had actually squirmed out under the bead so that there would have been nothing under the tube.

Review Date
September 14, 2008

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Customer Service Rating
 2 of 5

Technical Expertise Rating
 3 of 5

I visit this shop:
Every few months

Reviewed by: rivertranced ,  Weekend Warrior

Shop Summary:
I agree with most of that which people have said in this thread. I think the shop has a good selection and if you know what you are looking for it would be a great place to try to find it. One of the best features of this shop is the fact that they have a huge rental inventory - and while it sucks to have to pay to test ride one of their bikes outside of the parking lot, at least you can.

Customer Service:
I had a pretty poor customer service experience in both of my recent trips. The first time I took my mid-range hardtail bike for a tune and was told my shock sucked, which is not what you want to hear when you go in for a tune.

Last weekend I went to check out new bikes. I told the employee that I wanted a hardtail around $1,000 (certainly not a lot for a mountain bike, but enough that I'd like to get some sort of assistance with my purchase). The guy proceeded to tell me that people over 25 shouldn't ride hardtails and showed me exclusively full-suspensions at $2,000-$2,500. I was not sold.

Other Comments:
If you know what you are looking for, I'd check here. If you don't, look somewhere else where they won't push you for something you don't need.