Wheel build special is on! We can help you drop some weight off your race bike, bomb-proofify the wheel set you work on, or set up a dynamo lighting wheel for your commuter. We’ve got the knowledge base and the experience to help you up your wheel game.
Buy your spokes, rim, and hub from us and get $60 off a single wheel build or $100 off a set. Call or stop by for pricing regarding rebuilding to existing parts. The special is on until March 1st.
Here at Comrade Cycles we find ourselves in a unique position. We spent the past 28 months since opening the shop (and many more leading up to it) working long hours and eschewing rest & relaxation in favor of our dream of self-employment within a bicycle shop that empowers its workers through shared equity in the business and empowers its customers to go further on two wheels than they ever imagined. Be it cross country bicycle touring, cross town commuting, or getting on the podium in the Chi Cross Cup, we’ve been here to keep you rolling. In this time we’ve learned quite a bit about what it takes to make this ideal possible and sustainable for ourselves, our customers, and the cycling community. One of the most important things we’ve learned is that you can only burn the candle at both ends for so long. In order to ensure that we maintain the same quality of work and customer service, maintain our passion for bicycles by getting saddle time ourselves, and (most importantly) maintain relationships with our friends and loved ones, we will be cutting back our hours. Beginning tomorrow, July 1st, we will be open the following hours:
10am-8pm Monday
10am-7pm Tuesday through Thursday
10am-6pm Friday and Saturday
11-5 on Sunday
We will also continue to close as necessary for bike races and general quality of life time, though not without sufficient notice to you, our wonderful customers, whom we are eternally grateful towards for allowing us the ability to live a dream of ours. This coming holiday weekend we will be closed Friday and Saturday, the 4th and 5th. Additionally we will be closing the following weekend on Saturday and Sunday, the 12 and 13th, during West Fest on Chicago Ave. Once again, to anyone who this may reach, we thank you for your love and support over the past two years. We certainly would not be here today if it were not for each and every one of you.
Who says you can’t braze while wearing a purple cast?
With Rusty moving on to mountain biking country in New Mexico, we’ve added Rosanna to the staff at the shop. Not only is she an accomplished bicycle mechanic with nearly a decade of shop experience, she is also a licensed race mechanic and a studied frame builder. So basically, you want her to work on your bike as soon as possible. She has been a great friend of the Comrades for many a year and we’re excited to have her helping out.
Spring is here and we’re swimming in repairs, but we’ve been able to keep the turnaround time to a minimum. We always have time for a same-day quick repair on simpler jobs to get you back on your bike. On bigger jobs like a tune-up or wheel rebuild, we’re never more than a week away from having your bike back to you. You can also schedule a drop off time if you can’t be without your bike for more than a day. Come by for a free assessment and we’ll figure out what you need and get you scheduled for a time.
As always, airing your tires, lubing your chain, and assessing what repairs your bike needs are free services. If you’re not sure if you need a tune up or not, we’re happy to sort out what you need and go over it with you.
New products
We’re extremely excited to have picked up Kona Bikes this spring. The Kona line up of bikes is extremely diverse and has opened up quite a few bike options for us where we wanted to be able to offer more. We’re focusing on their commuter friendly and road line and have a size run of Honky Tonks, Paddy Wagons, and Dews with plans to bring in some of their cyclocross bikes closer to fall. And of course, we can special order any of their bikes, so check out their offerings on the Kona website.
Need some fly kicks but can’t stand the thought of not clipping in? Problem solved, comrades. Giro Republic shoes have a walk friendly sole for looking good, and a recessed cleat area for clipping in. We’ve got a size run of these puppies in the shop, and they’re available in black, gray, and white (our three favorite colors). We also have a good stock of Giro road and mud friendly shoes as well, so come by and have a look.
Gilles Berthoud saddles are another addition to the shop. Berthoud saddles are handmade in France and offer the feel and look of a hand made leather saddle with a few added benefits. The hardware on the Berthoud is recessed into the leather and positioned away from the seating area of the saddle — this can be a great option for riders who ride further back on the saddle and have problems with the rivets on other leather saddles. They are also purportedly waterproof, making them a great option for Chicago’s weather. The saddles are expected in early next week. We have also expanded our stock of Brooks saddles and accessories, if you don’t see it in the shop just ask (we don’t have room to display them all!).
We’re amping up our stock of dynamo lighting components. We’re stocking a few different dynamo hubs including the Schmidt SON hub and the Sanyo H27, and can have a SRAM or Shimano hub in stock within a day. We’re also now stocking the Supernova E3 Pro and Busch & Mueller light sets. Maybe you haven’t heard but we’re pretty geeked on dynamo lighting and we think you should be too. They’re definitely worth the investment — they’re as bright as any battery powered option without the chance of the batteries dying or needing to recharge them.
We continue to increase stock of our gravel tires and accessories. Come on by and check out tires from Challenge, Clement, Continental, and others.