Bilenky Cycle Works was founded by Stephen Bilenky in 1983, located in North Philadelphia, at 5319 N. 2nd St.
Stephen Bilenky has been in the bike industry for 44 years, and has gone from brazing bikes together in the basement of his repair shop to owning a shop that provides fully custom built bikes to accommodate every city rider’s needs.
The shop’s most unusual custom bike, a semi-recumbent tandem, is called the Viewpoint (above). The bike allows for different skill levels with an independent drivetrain for the stoker and captain. The low position of the stoker seat enables both riders to view the road, with a customizable stoker position for children, special-needs riders, hand cranks and more.
The bike’s small front wheels allow for tight turns while keeping both riders as comfortable as possible.
In addition to custom frames, BCW does custom repairs and restorations, as well as sells a variety of new bikes like Habanero cycles, Soma and Surly Bikes.
Bilenky helps foster the city’s biking community by hosting the annual Philly Bike Expo every November since 2010.
The event brings in over 4,000 attendees for a weekend of seminars, cycling skills classes, rides, and demonstrations. The expo began as a small grassroots effort to bring the cycling community together each year, and has since grown to become the largest gathering of bicycle frame builders in the north east with more than 150 companies and 35 custom frame builders represented at the event.
The shop offers also discounts for Coalition members, along with a lifetime warranty that usually offers free tune-ups. Bilenky has received numerous awards, Best lugs at NAHBS in 2011 and 2013, Best Road bike in 2010, and Best Road Bike at Cirque du Cyclisme in 2013.