The COVID-19 situation is fluid, but last weekend the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia worked with Bike Pittsburgh and others to make sure bike shops were included on the list of essential businesses in Pennsylvania, and, therefore, allowed to stay open. We reached out to all bike shops in the area, again, for updates on their current services and how to get to your local bike shop. We reached out to every bike shop, again, to see how they were doing and what protocols they have in place to keep customers safe. Here’s what they said.
Bicycle Therapy:
Perkiomen Bicycles:
Joe Laird wrote to us to say that customers can call and set up an appointment, drop off their bikes for service, get invoiced through the internet to minimize contact. When the bikes are ready we notify them and they come to the back door and we put their bike out for them.
Our hours for now are: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10 to 3. Sunday and Tuesday closed.
Trophy Bikes: 611 N. 2nd St. The front door is locked until further notice. The shop is open.
At 611 N. 2nd St., our most experienced mech, Zach T., is often on duty and handling repairs, assisted by Dan M. • • • Zach, along with staff at Christini Motorcycles, has worked out a routine to lower risk.
Here’s how it works: Cust. email: SALES@christini.com and sets up service appt.
They leave bike outside the door and split, gloved staffer comes out and applies CDC-approved disinfectant, brings bike in, it sits overnight and gets worked on next day.
Gets another spray on the way out the door; customer pays electronically.
Customer never enters the shop. Distancing maintained.
Please provide lots of info in your first email/call, (pics are very helpful) when making an appointment, to make sure the mechs can complete the work and are prepared to tackle your problem. Please please, give your bike a little wash before bringing it. • • •
BE CAREFUL WHEN CLEANING BIKES (and anything else) don’t splash or otherwise “aerosolize” stuff into breathable mists. Gently does it, make sure others aren’t nearby.
TIME IS YOUR DISINFECTANT FRIEND. Whatever agent you’re using (Bleach solution, iso alcohol, ammonia, hyd. peroxide) give it at least 1 minute on surfaces to work. Old newspaper can be used to catch drips, help dry stuff to save rags/paper towels.
AND NEVER EVER let bleach and ammonia mix–that creates a WWI-style poison gas! Bleach solution can only be used by itself. READ ALL LABELS on cleaning stuff, wear gloves/goggles/some sort of mask/bandana.
ALSO ALSO:
1) Before you schedule a repair in these times, make sure it’s necessary/practical.
2) If you’re good/comfortable with removing/replacing your own wheel, let us know and we might be able to clean just the wheel, fix the flat on the wheel you leave by our door, and get you the wheel back that much quicker.
3) If you have any new or nearly new parts that don’t fit your current bikes, donations will be gratefully accepted at the same time you’re dropping off/picking up your repair.
NEXT WEEK IN NEWS FROM TROPHY: How to purchase a BIKE – if you really need one. (in the meantime, kindly email any bike purchase questions to info (at) trophybikes (dot) com , with the brand/model(s) you’re interested in in the Subject line.
Via Bicycles – 622 South Broad Street
We are currently open Tues 10-5, Weds 1-8, Thurs, Fri & Sat 10-5 . ** We are greeting People and helping them at the Door & Outside and trying to limit shopping and waiting within the Store as much as possible
Cadence – 3740 Main Street
We have downsized to one location to keep things more manageable. We closed the CC location and I plan to meet people there 2x a week for pick up and drop off of repairs. Unfortunately, we had to lay off all but 2 of our mechanics. One of us owners covers the entrance. The door is locked and signs are everywhere asking that only bikes are allowed inside. Before a bike hits a mechanics stand or after they are done the bike is wiped down. Credit Cards are wiped down before and after use or payment is done over the phone, even if they are on the other side of the glass.
Firehouse – 701 South 50th Street
Firehouse Bicycles is open for essential repairs only. No sales unless related to repairs. Essential means you need your bike to get to work, doctor, grocery store or exercise while practicing social distancing. We are encouraging pickup and drop off only. If you are waiting outside please keep a 6 foot distance from other customers and consider the safety of our employees and their families while they help you.
Please wait outside and call for service.
215-727-9692
Tuesdays-Saturday 11-7
Sunday 12-5
From the shop owner: “First off I am being very open with my employees and not asking them to do anything they don’t feel comfortable with. We’ve come up with the current plan together and some of my employees chose to not work at this time but will certainly be invited back after. We only have one shop open, it’s Firehouse Bicycles. We have customers call from outside. A staff member goes out and talks with them out there and if it’s decided that they will leave the bike they bring it in but we’re not really letting anyone in. We found that we can do most communicating outside and even call them to get the payment over the phone. We are asking people to leave bikes even for small repairs and mostly not wait outside. We put up signs asking everyone to stand at a 6 foot distance while waiting outside. We only have two employees working at a time. They have hand sanitizers at the counter and Clorox wipes. We have spray bottles of alcohol to spray down shared tools. We are only selling parts related to repairs.”
Neighborhood Bike Works – 3939 Lancaster Avenue
Closed.
“Our bike repair shop operates as a DIY community bike shop and a retail bike shop. I didn’t feel we could safely operate under that community repair shop model given the safety guidelines and CDC protocols that are required. We cannot open just our retail side of the shop. The board, staff and I discussed the option of temporarily operating under a traditional repair shop model but are still not confident we can do so safely and are running into staffing challenges. Unfortunately, right now we are closed to the public. NBW needs your help! Please consider making a donation to help them defray the loss of revenue from closing their shop.”
Transport Cycles – 1315 N. Howard Street
Our Kensington shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4. Since this schedule could change please call first.
Our south Philadelphia shop is closed.
We are open for repairs but have made some changes as to how we are operating right now.
First of all we are taking credit card payments only, over the phone.
No customers will be allowed in the shop. If you are dropping your bike off with a repair please call ahead and when out front. We will come out to take your bike in. Flat fixes, in most cases, can be done why you wait outside. All other repairs will be put in the repair schedule. Once your bike is brought in we will wipe it off with disinfectant wipes. For repairs in the schedule we will call with an estimate before doing work unless otherwise agreed on. Most repairs dropped off we can finish within a couple days. When your repair is finished we will call to take payment over the phone with credit card. When you pick up the bike we will wipe down with disinfectant wipes prior to handing off to you.
Please call or email with any questions. Simon & David
South Philly Bikes – 1901 South 13th Street
I have limited our hours. We normally run the shop from 11-7 M-F and Saturday 10-5
I have adjusted that from 1-7 M-F and kept Saturday the same.
We are only allowing 2 customers in at a time.
We also clean all surfaces every 2 hours and door handles.
Wear rubber gloves all day long and keep our distance when at all possible by telling customers even for flats just lean the bike against the wall and stop back in 15 min to keep the shop open for others.
Pete Weniger
We are currently open for repairs and maintenance, we are only allowing 3 people in the store at a time. We are operating with a reduced staff since any employee that feels uncomfortable at the store has the option to remain at home.
Bikesport – 325 W Main St, Trappe, PA 19426
Bikesport is working on repairs and bicycle builds, and accepting online orders, all of which can be picked up outside our door by appointment (between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day).
Drexel Hill Cyclery – 703 Burmont Rd, Drexel Hill, PA 19026
only 2 people in store @ one time.
Velojawn – 3946 Lancaster Avenue
We are actually coping during this very difficult period. Thankfully, we were very fast to roll out delivery service though bike messenger and also the ability to take in bikes for service utilizing the most sanitary procedures.
Our customers have been awesome. Many understand how difficult this crisis is for small businesses. As such, they are loyal to us and we are providing exceptional service. We are hopeful that our customers will appreciate our shop taking care of their critical needs during such a stressful and troubling time.
On a longer term basis, I actually believe that our shop will not only survive, but will prosper. We expect that many will turn to bikes as a way to cope with stress, enjoy the outside, get exercise and commute. I believe we will sell and service a lot of community level bikes, once our customers feel a little safer.
Fairmount Bicycles – 2015 Fairmount Avenue
Open for “take-out” sales only. “We’re not taking in any services, but we have a decent amount of home mechanic tools available.” Fairmount Bikes’ doors are locked, and no customers are allowed in.
“We have one mechanic working at a time, and they are there during our normal business hours.” The mechanic is tuning up used bikes, assembling new bikes, and are available to get sales ready and place them outside for customers. Communication with the owner can be done via email, phone and social media, for coordinating sales. Invoices are being sent online, which the shop mechanic gets ready for the customer.
Kayuh Bicycles & Cafe- 1900 Girard Avenue
Cafe is closed. This reduces the amount of customers we have coming to the shop and potentially touching door handles, etc.
Common touch surfaces (door handles, countertops, tools) are being cleaned hourly.
Bicycle repairs are done by appointment only, and we’re restricting having customers in store to one at a time.
We’re doing free pick-up and delivery on bicycle repairs and parts. This prevents customers coming to the shop as a whole, and greatly reduces the amount of contact with other people.
All customers are required to use hand sanitizer before touching anything in store.
Bicycles are sanitized before and after repairs are completed.
Mechanics are required to wash their hands after every repair.
Customers and mechanics must maintain a six feet distance.