Frankenstein Bike Worx

I had heard this place was under new ownership, so after avoiding it for years I stopped by after I got in a crash and needed replacement brake calipers on my very old and beat up Schwinn. Bob was super chill and helpful and fixed my bike up, replaced the break line, and did it for a super reasonable price. So happy to have another bike shop owned by cool, helpful people in the neighborhood now!

This past week I had some last minute work that needed to be done on my bike before a big race. I brought my bike in and the staff were extremely helpful and accommodating!!! Went above and beyond to clean my bike and give it a tune up, insisting it be free (I paid anyways). No frills here, just people doing their job really well. Would highly recommend coming here for all your cycling needs!

You have GOT to check this place out!! I loved this place!! You got a customer for life my guy! The prices are super afforable, the service is VERY fast, and the guy that owns the place is very personable! I feel like most cyclists get very emotionally attached to their bikes. I'm that kind of person. I also get very attached to my bike shop I'll drive 20 miles for a good bike shop. Like my bike is my baby and my main form of transportation I ain't just gonna let anyone fix him up! I have several shops in my neighborhood that are walkable. I will ALWAYS be coming back to this place after this even though it takes me 2 buses to get here! Honestly I usually leave goofy funny google reviews (go read my previous posts people if you want a good laugh) but I wanted to leave a serious one for this business.

Great Experience! I had a few technical (almost niche) questions and they had answers + solutions (surprisingly rare in this industry) The stereotype of a grumpy, gatekeeping, reclusive bike technician is so played out. Grateful to connect with the complete opposite. This shop and its riders are core AF. Gets me stoked to ride! Compassion, empathy, respect, integrity, and principle go a very long way. Wish I lived in the area so I could support this shop every chance I get! * industry employee approved review *

wonderful shop run by kind, knowledgeable people. i’ve blown a tube in every single neighborhood of philadelphia but i will never learn to fix a flat on my own because i love giving money to local bike mechanics at small shops like this. you can count on them for excellent service & to keep you safe on the road.

Much like facing your fears after being hurt by your dad but realizing his new boyfriend Doug is actually a great guy and has helped him work on himself, and you decide to give the relationship another shot after 10 years, I decided to revisit this bike shop. The last time I was there the owner treated me like absolute garbage, talked about me and everyone I knew in the bike scene like we were idiots, then proceeded to do a crap job on my bike, which I had to get fixed at Firehouse Bikes (shoutout!). I left thinking "well, I can cross this place off my list, forever." As I shared my story later, I heard many others about him, *all of them worse* than mine. I relayed my past experience in a recent review of the shop and was informed that it is under new ownership and would I mind giving them a new review? My first thought: "And they didn't change the name of the most toxic bike shop brand in Philadelphia...bold choice." I revisited, with a transaction that wound up being an unintentional stress test: a low-money, high-annoyance "I just need a few bolts...no not those bolts...those bolts, wait do you have one a little shorter....oh can I borrow your tools for a second?" type deal, and had a great experience. Bob (the "new" guy) was super helpful with my little piddling need, while also fielding real questions about real purchases from real customers. When I was all done getting my rear rack properly attached again, he tried to refuse payment. Frankenstein has been reborn, proof that the world can get better and that we should try our best to keep our hearts open, even if (especially if) we've been hurt. If you have made it this far down in this review of a tiny basement bike shop, you have problems. Also HMU you're probably my kind of people.

Literally the nicest guy. Took the time to fix my loose axel for free and swapped out a nut with bearings in it in exchange for my old one that didn’t quite fit. Could not ask for better service. And he didn’t charge me a penny! Definitely my go-to spot now. 10/10

I've been delivering food full time in Philadelphia for years. I've been to virtually every bike shop in the city. I used to bounce around from shop to shop for my bike repairs. Ironically, that's because they were all alike. Anytime I went into a bike shop looking to have something fixed, the bike shop workers would try to sell me a new bike. They were always trying to make the most money possible while doing the least amount of work possible. I don't want to be chastised for not having a nice enough bike. I don't want a sales pitch. I just want my bike fixed. That's why Frankenstein Bike Worx is the best. There's only been one guy there anytime I've been. His name is Bob, and he's great. His goal is always to help us get the most out of our equipment while spending the least amount of money possible. He does a great job, too. I had a broken axel last week. He happened to have the part laying around, and he fixed it in front of me. He wouldn't take more than $20. Who does that? Any other work I've had done has always been completed quickly. The work has always been done professionally. This place is by far the best bike shop in the city. Both in price and customer experience. I can't recommend it enough.

What an interesting place. It was a little hard to find with the walking directions, as it is located under a staircase. The older gentlemen who I assume is the owner is quite a quirky guy. I spun the wheel of my bike to show him the hole in the tire and got a bunch of oil and grime on my hand, when I reacted to the mess he teased me. Then he continued to do so for the rest of my visit in the store as he repaired my bike. It was a little annoying as I had only just said 1 thing and then he went on and on about it, but it seems like that is his personality type that rough philly guy. The store also has a very low ceiling, I'm about 5'6" and the ceiling felt really close for me. It was pretty affordable less then 20 for a new tube installed. Check out the pictures for a better feel for the store.

Came in because I'd bought a tire online and couldn't get it on my wheel (700x25c tire on a 700x25c wheel). Yes, slightly obnoxious of me, but boy did the owner let me know it. He couldn't get it on either, and he suggested he try putting on a different tire from the shop, to see if the problem was the wheel or the tire. He's just railing on me the whole time. He put his tire on, and then proceeded to charge me for the new tire, which I never asked for and wasn't the kind I wanted. FWIW, some bike messengers came in while he was helping me, and he couldn't have been nicer to them. He clearly has a preferred clientele.

I rented to bikes from Jeff last weekend and I did so for two reasons A) closest bike shop to downtown that I could find on yelp B) lowest 24 hour rental rate, just under $1.00/hour We spent $54.00 for two bikes for 24 hours with tax, the next closest shop wanted to charge almost $50 per bike for 24 hours, so this was the clear choice. He gave us two cruisers that had the nice padded butt seats, which were great for long term riding. Yes this place is kind hard to find because it is hidden under a large building and in the basement and yes the owner is a bit quirky and opinionated, however he came across like an average Philly guy to me. He loses one star for the pain in the ass it is to get the bikes out of his little door-way and up the narrow staircase to the street. The same one star lost is also for the low bridge in the store, I had to duck to make sure I did not hit my head. The other star is gone because I think he could do a bit better job of keeping his store clean and less cluttered. I do not know anything about his retail prices on bikes and hardware, nor do I know anything about the quality of the bikes he builds; this review is mainly on the owner and the rental experience. After all said and done, I enjoyed my experience in the store and Jeff was very nice to us and even gave us several suggestions of places to bike to and eat at. He did a great job adjusting our bikes to fit us without us asking, which I thought was nice. I would rent from him again!

Affordable city bikes BUT owner is all about making a buck. Repairs over priced. After initial meeting, service was terrible. Was sold a defective wheel where the spokes were snapping and he charged me $50 to fix it - wheel cost $90. The wheel then broke a few weeks later. I am done with this place and the lack of dedication to the customer.

Here's the deal: I know fuck-all about bikes. I know I ride one every day as my means of transportation, I know that upgrading to better parts is always a good idea, I know that lighter frames are way more comfortable to ride, but that's seriously about it. I also could really care less about brands of bikes as long as what I'm riding gets me to and from my destinations in a comfortable matter. That's how I found myself at FBW. At the recommendation of a friend, I popped into FBW in hopes of finding a lighter bike than my super old yet reliable Raleigh. I was almost dismayed because the place is a hole in the ground with very litle selection. He really only sells one brand of bike, and while it's probably not as "cool" or as "hip" as the Masi's or Bianchi's sold in some other bike shops, I'm basically broke all the time so the road bike I bought was well within my price range AND it had the light frame that I wanted. Plus he took the time to kind of customize it for me: I walked out with thicker tubes and pink wheels :D The only thing I have to say about this place though is that the owner is definitely a character. I get the feeling that he's lonely because what should've been a 30-minute job turned into an hour's work because he kept stopping to talk to me about his music selections. Which was fine, although I was a bit late to meet a friend, but slightly unnecessary. He seems to keep it on the real side despite clearly having an obvious ego about what he does. This place probably doesn't have the street cred that most of the other bike shops in the city have but really, who am I trying to impress when I'm sweaty and gross from biking to Temple from South Philly? It got me exactly what I wanted at a price that was well within my budget. I can certainly get down with that :D

The owner is unbalanced and the cringe-inducing Alpha bicycles are overpriced and of extremely poor quality. Go to trophy bikes garage or bicycle therapy. If you are the owner of Frankenstein Bike Worx - I am totally kidding, and you should not track me down and kill me.

I've been here once before with no issues, but last night I went to just get a flat fixed, which I did for $20 but within 2 miles my bike chain fell off and my tire wasn't tightened enough or something so my tire turned so it was rubbing against the frame and therefore un-rideable and this happened in a sketchy spot at night in the point breeze grays ferry area under the overpass. I had to walk alone in the dark under a sketchy semi isolated overpass with a bike I JUST HAD FIXED UP. This had never happened before. I will not be going back there.

Yeah, this place is sort of hard to find. And, yeah, the guys can be a mixed bag of meek and really, really opinionated and jerky. And, yeah, sometimes the parts they sell aren't a cut above Kmart. But, make no bones, they know what they're talking about and they are super, super cheap. This is awesome when you buy a bike for close to nothing and aren't looking to eclipse the price of a bike with purchasing a new seat.

As I was riding down Broad Street this morning I popped my front tire. Completely flustered & annoyed I rolled my bike over to Frankenstein. i had stopped in here once before when I was in the market for a bike. I had remembered that the owner was very bi-polar. Nothing had really changed. I walked up to the shop & started to lock my bike when all of a sudden he appeared outside the door on the phone. I felt like he was about to tell me to eff off if I wasn't coming into the store. Luckily I was. He told me to bring my bike down and took a look. All I wanted was my tire fixed but of course got more of a lecture. He told me the bike was to tall for me, it needed a tune-up, my tires were crap, & estimated how old it was like one of those ridiculous carnival people. I only had an hour & all I wanted was for him to fix my flat. He fixed it and was actually pretty nice about it. I felt awkward & dorky not knowing all of the bicycle terminology he threw around but I got what I wanted & at an affordable price. I told him I would come back in for a tune-up & he doubtfully said "Yeah, we'll see about that." I guess this guy gets a lot of empty promises from window shoppers & whatnot which explains his sour attitude. All in all, if you have a bike issue (particularly flats) definitely go straight to Frankenstein. He fixed my baby right up for me in 15 minutes. But you factor in all the lecturing & non-sense it was about 30.

I came in for a rear fix-flat and it NEARLY COSTED ME MY LIFE. I was stupid to not check the chain tension when I left (it took 20 mins for him to change a flat mind you, with no other customers ahead of me) and a few blocks later VIOLA the chain jumped off and i ted-shredded my shoes to save my life. Pick your bike mechanic like you pick a car mechanic, reliable and thorough. This shop is neither of those and I will never go back nor will I recommend anyone else does if they value their life.

Going to Frankenstein Bike Worx is an experience. It's a little hole in the ground on Spruce Street with an owner that is out of his mind. You'll get a little bike service, and a bit of verbal assault. But Hey, if you're into that, go for it! I know I enjoy going there just to butt heads. They make there own series of bikes called "Alphas" and are quick to shoot down any other brand. The good thing is that the bikes are cheap. The bad thing is that there cheap. Not really wonderful for a long ride, and cheap components.

Overpriced, terrible service. I went here because it was very near my house, but would now go across town to go elsewhere. Selection is very limited and overpriced. Old guy there will talk your ear off for ages without actually listening to what you want. Keep you waiting for a really long time, not very helpful.

Sales prevention at its finest. The shop owner is extremly rude and downright nasty. I entered the "shop"which is a filthy mess in a hole in the ground was greeted and asked what I was interested in for my visit. I politely stated that I was looking for bicycle accessories, helmets, locks, baskets etc...He informed me that if I wanted cheap to "go online" and he was quality only. I can afford whatever I want in terms of bicycles and accessories. What an a-H=*&%. In, fact what he sells new is really junk. I am assuming most high end bike companies and manufacturers do not want to work with him. I had a similar experience about 10 yrs ago and just walked in hoping to buy a nice helmet or lock. The shop is disheveled and messy like the owner. Thank Jeff.

Before traveling to this shop for a tire repair, I read many of the reviews and was hesitant to bring my bike over for service. I can and will say I was not only pleasantly surprised by the level of service, the engagement and very positive exchange I had with the owner of the shop, but also his willingness to get me in and out in under 20 minutes. He was very informative about the repair and gave choices so that I felt comfortable about what I wanted to pay. That rarely happens in todays environment. Most are out to increase the bill and make more profit. That was NOT the case today. He gave valuable advice and was extremely courteous. I will definitely be back and hope others try this shop out. Its a definite gem in the neighborhood.

The guy that works there is completely nutty, I took my bike for a tune up once, and then again when my back tire got jacked. Everyone in the store just laughed at me. They found it amusing that I didn't lock up the back tire and some crackhead took it. Let that be a lesson kids, lock up both tires, or you might have to carry your bike for a few miles. I guess i'll have to give it three stars, cause the guy from the shop called up my radio show once and made a request, and I saw him at some show at the Troc once. So I guess he's alright. Oh yea, my friend was getting his rims adjusted there once or something, and Rodney Anonymous stopped by to hang out, and he was like If you go out and bring me and Rodney some coffee, I'll fix these rims for free.

I rolled in here with my work clothes on and my mother's ancient bright turquoise rust roller and was amazingly not treated like a naieve nerd. It took maybe 10 minutes to change my flat, and it cost eleven dollars. I'll be back.

Despite the dimly lit store and sad reviews posted on here I give Jeff a THUMBS UP. I had a price in mind and I mostly knew what I wanted but I was hung up on what type of brake to get, I wanted something safe and he suggested I try a coaster brake bike. I wasn't convinced so he sent me on the street to test a bike. Still not convinced. Then he surprised me by allowing me to ride his personal bike. Who does that?? Then believe it or not I was convinced. In short, I spent afew hours there chatting up a storm. Jeff can be a lot to handle for some but to me his crude remarks and entertaining comments on life and living were a nice change to an otherwise average day. He took care of me, built me a bike to fit my price range, customed it, called to find the parts I needed and was extremely helpful before and after. If you go with an open heart he's really great company! Happy bike hunting

I have lived around the corner from the shop for almost 6 years now. I have been in here multiple times to have work done to my machines. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Great selection of unique bikes that the owner has actually built. He truly knows his craft. Would recommend this location again and again

A lot of these posters have drinkin on that Hater-ade. But seriously folks, this guy seems alright to me. Only had the one encounter with him where he replaced my back tire and went above the call of duty in fine tuning the adjustment in the chain because it was 'just bothering him'. I am not really a knowledgeable bike guy but he seems like he really does know what he's doing. (And most of the posts on here are criticizing his personality rather than his actual skill level). Give him a shot, you might like him.

Best bike shop in Philly, with the best personality. Jeff always has me laughing at his awesome stories. He is a gem, and Philly bike owners are blessed to have him around all these years. Way to go Frankenstein's!!

I stopped by here during my lunch break to pick up a cable cutter and a tensioner. After looking a Breakaway bikes (which is my favorite bike shop in the city) and online, I knew I didn't want to pay $45 for a tensioner that I'd use infrequently. The owner was outside on the steps and greeted me immediately. I was the only one in the shop, so he talked with me throughout my purchase and browsing. He's clearly very opinionated about each item that he carries, but I personally think that's a good thing because he carries certain brands for a reason and is clearly knowledgeable. One of the first things he said to me was that hipsters hate him (it's probably a good thing I was in my business casual work attire), and he dogged other bike shops in the city. Although this is a general bad practice and I probably wouldn't hang out with him in my spare time, he was very nice about my purchase and offered to help if I messed up with my cable exchange process. All in all, the owner is quirky. But he had a $15 tensioner that was exactly the price and quality I was looking for. Their prices in general seemed pretty competitive, and he had a good selection of used and affordable bikes.

Jeff, the owner, is a good guy. He knows what he's doing. Don't drink the hator-ade. I bought my "Street Cred" bike here (and while I think the brand name is horrible), it was awesome. Solid as a rock. Super light. Super fast. Very nimble. I would take it out for rides and keep up with bikers on $2000 carbon bikes, no problem. The shop can also fix stuff super fast. Worth your time. And your money.

Truly useless. I came in with my registration, my receipt, and my keys because my u-lock was jammed less than a block away. The owner was rude and dismissive and then refused to even loan me a flat-head screwdriver because I hadn't purchased the bike from him. Wish I could give zero reviews really.

The day I came in, Frankenstein was supposed to open at 11, but apparently that is a code that means "11-ish or when we feel like it." I sat outside waiting, and when the staff arrived, they weren't in a hurry to help me and kept acting like I was in the way. I explained that I was in a hurry, but the quickest they were willing to fix my flat was in an hour. And they just kind of shrugged and laughed about their laziness and apathy. You are running a business here people- how about a little motivation?

This is a place to avoid at all costs. The owner is just miserable and openly badmouths everybody in the biking business in Philly. He even had pictures of people up on the wall with nasty names under the pictures. The store is cramped and dingy. I am all for quirky but with so many good bike shops in the city this place is to be kept away from.

beware!!! this place IS a basement, if your afraid of basements you will not feel safe here! if your a snob and/or don't like people talking to you or you only like dealing with plastic smile carsalesmen, you probably wont like the owner. His a nice guy and has always treated me and other customers (when i stopped by) with respect Frankenstein Bike Worx has good prices, bikes, and they wont rip you off like most places in philly I bought a bike here and have brought it back twice for a tune-up in the past few years and rode away feeling and looking like new. thanks guys my baby feels nice :D

The guy that owns this place is out of his mind. I heard word that he's moving to Canada, so maybe there will be a new owner? I don't think they sell used bikes here, so if you're looking for something cheap, this isn't going to be your place to go. They sell their own line of bikes called Alphas, which I've never ridden, so I can't speak on. With the few small things I've bought here (cages, straps), prices have been reasonable. Sometimes they sell used parts outside when the weather is nice, so keep your eyes out for that.

Jeff is amazing! First of all, I'm a newbie to cycling. I have a used bike that is constantly making noises because of the gears. I've taken it to another store before that didn't completely fix the problem. Jeff took a look at the bike, played with the gear switches, turned some screws, and it was fixed! The whole process took 5 seconds and zero dollar! Yeah, his shop is cluttered and in the basement, but he is experienced and gets the job done, without charging the customer (especially someone who knows very little about bikes) for unnecessary "tune ups". I'll definitely go back again if I need to get work done on my bike.

Jeff is definitely hard work and the stories about him on Yelp and elsewhere are accurate. That said, he is a knowledgeable, extremely experienced guy who knows his trade very well and won't rip you off. Depending on your patience threshold, he'll be one of the best or worst bike guys you'll ever deal with.

Frankinstein keeps things simple- they have affordable bikes with solid components, and all the repair parts and services you needed. Every time I need my bike fixed, Frankinstein makes my bike ride like a champ all over again. I'll take this no-frills bike basement over any of its affected Center City competitors any day of the week. If you want to spend more than a grand to keep up with the trends, please go somewhere else. And if you can't take Jeff's personality, then you probably need to grow some thicker skin or get a sense of humor.

Little dungeon of a bike shop. Prices way over priced. I bought a bike lock there because mine was stolen. The cost of the lock was $60 at Frankensteins and $25 at Dicks Sporting goods. He sold me a used bike for $150 that was in rough shape. I had no choice but to buy because mine was stolen.

I've been here before and the guy who owns it run very hot or cold. This time I was getting my rear tire fixed and he was really nice. The prices aren't that bad and he's really no worse than the guy at Via Bikes.

I think I met Frankenstein's lost brother 2 days ago.. I read all the reviews on this site before going... and a lot of people had some weird things to say about that man... he's too old to be in the basement of a nasty bike shop... I do not recommend this place..

This place is convenient and inexpensive, ive been going there for years and have always had fun hanging out, Jeff is a charcter and they guys that work there know what they are doing. As long as your not a spandex wearing roadie snob they have most everything you could need.

WARNING DO NOT GO DOWN THERE! Came in for a full tune up...told me i needed lots of work done. I expressed concern over pricing and we landed on $120 (I did not fix everything he recommended). Bike ran great for 4 days and gears started slipping. Brought bike back in and he said my bike was vandalized (not sure when that could of happened). Owner was annoyed with me and lazy when attempting to tighten the tension on my chain. I left there and took it over to VIA Bicycle on Broad and they fixed me up in 10 minutes for $10-- and showed me the MANY areas my bike was neglected during recent said tune-up.

Bike older is a grumpy, pretentious man who seems to look down on anyone who doesn't practice cycling as their main religion, Also, he shows complete disrespect an disgust in any customer who isn't in there to make a purchase of $100 or more. I came in one day just to get a new tire and check out what other parts he had for sale that I might need to come back for in the future, and after selling me the tire he immediately rushed me out of the store telling me 'loitering' [ie, inspecting the inventory] as not allowed. On my second, and to be last visit I will ever make, I came in to pick up some tape for my handlebars and he first told me in a snide tone "that tape is only for 'such-and-such- bikes, not yours [even though it was essentially the same, performed exactly the same, and was $2 cheaper]. Then, when I tried to pay by debit he told me there was a minimum purchase of $20 when using debit[which is illegal, according to the agreement all retailers haves with the credit card companies] and told me to come back when I have some money. I guess if you only have $9 cash left in you wallet, than must mean you are homeless and a well all know bank accounts- especially checking via debit transactions- are just just modern day IOUs. I will never shop here again, and I honestly don't know how this place stays in business- unless it's entire clientele consists of hipsters who's parents pay their way through college, allowing them to spend outrageous amounts of money on poorly revamped 'classics' bicycles just so they can show everyone how retro they are and concerned with the environment because they ride a bicycles[and not because they were too stoned to passed their driver's license test, of course!]. The one positive I can say, though, is they did have some interesting bikes and parts- as long as you aren't the one who has to worry about paying for them[or you ego forces you to].

I would leave no stars if possible. This place is horrible! The owner is the biggest duche bag. I went there to get my bike tuned and all he kept doing was telling me I need a new bike. I didn't want a new bike! I just wanted my bike tuned. But apparently he didn't understand. Then he has the balls to tell me I'm wasting his time! Stay away from this shit hole!

I'm not going back. I read all the reviews and figured I could handle an unusual shop owner but they were unable to fix a simple flat tire. I didn't even make it home before it was just as flat as before I took it in. I wasted 2 hours listening to the owners bullshit for nothing.

I went to Frankenstein a little over 2 years ago and didn't know much of anything about bikes. The owner was friendly enough and said he had a bike just my size. I left with what I thought, at this point, was a great bike. After i started riding more regularly i realized that my back always hurt after i went for a ride. Shortly after this I moved and got an entry level job at a very reputable bicycle shop on the west coast and found out that the 57cm bike he sold me was way too big (suitable for someone around 6' tall, i'm 5'8") and this is why my back hurt all the time. Basically I was stretched out and over reaching and putting strain on my back especially when i was carrying a bag. I now ride between a 50 and 53cm depending on geometry. This guy either doesn't know how to size someone on a bike at all or he's your typical elitist bike shop owner who doesn't want to take the time to really help new people get into biking. A bike shops goal should be to make riders of all levels feel welcome and that they are all getting the same service and advise regardless of their experience.

Terrible selection of overpriced bikes, with very few options. While the owner seemed to know bikes well, it was impossible to overlook his extremely obvious racist, rude, and demeaning mannerisms. I was outraged! It's difficult to believe anyone would actually buy something from this place...

I have not stepped into the basement shop in over 8 years. Now working back in Center City and had a flat, I decided to pop on down. Brought me back. The owner as I remembered was intense, but also friendly and courteous. I will go back when I am in a jam downtown. Product is well priced and stocked.

Today I went to this shop because my tire seemed to be a bit flat. After reading the prior reviews I was a bit skeptical of the owner as he seemed to be somewhat "mean". However, as soon as I walked in I was greeted by a cheerful smile from the proprietor. He was quick to diagnose my problem and fixed it right in front of me very quickly! We chatted about numerous topics and I was definitely converted into a life long patron! Jeff, the owner, was both kind and skilled at his craft and I was absolutely satisfied with my experience. If you ever have a problem with your bike be sure to stop in!

Bike shop? Maybe. Located in the basement of a multi-story house, this might be more like a workshop, but it is still awesome. They don't carry much in the way of inventory but they do have the essentials. Stop in if you need the usuals, heck just stop by because you feel like chatting with the owner; he is down to earth and will guide you in the right direction.

My bike broke down about two blocks from his place, as my pannier strap got caught in the gear area of the rear wheel. The rear wheel would no longer turn, even if I were just walking the bike. I got out my phone to look for a bike shop. I came across this bike shop, which I saw got mediocre reviews on Yelp. Nonetheless, it was the closest, so I picked up my bike and walked it there. Past reviewers are right about having to walk the bike down a narrow staircase into the basement and make a turn. When I got to the door, the guy running the shop was, well, honest. He emphatically told me that I had a serious problem and that I needed to take it to a Specialized dealer. I appreciate the honesty, though it wasn't what I wanted to hear after I had to pick up the bike and walk it 2+ blocks. He then said, "We could do it here, but it'll take a week to get the parts in." Finally, he said that I could take it to Bicycle Therapy on 22nd and South. So, he was frank and helpful. He just could have delivered the message to me in a different manner. He could have just framed it as a choice: "We could fix it here, and it'll take a week, or you could take it to a Specialized dealer and have it fixed faster." I might have chosen the first option had he not been so persuasive in getting me out the door, as I didn't want to continue carrying the bike. Basically, he seems okay, but he can be a bit short, and again, I also have to dock for the bike-unfriendly entrance into his place.

Was a repeat customer at Frankenstein's (2x for tune up) mainly due to proximity. Returned to have derailleur fixed but was told it was bent and had to be replaced. I left my bike at shop to await a call for price quote and length of time for repair. Did not receive call when promised so i called and got response that the particular guy doing my repair would call next day, which never happened. Next day, i stopped by shop to see what is going on, and found my bike laying againt wall with other various bicycle junk leaning on it. Owner said its gonna take a while for parts to come in, so i decided to take my bike to Bicycle therapy for the repair. Waited 5 minutes at bicycle therapy. Mechanic takes my bike, puts it on a pedastal and immediately tells me it only needs aligned. Bike is repaired in 10 minutes.....less than $20, and im out the door. Later that night, i go out for an evening evening ride, and notice my (quality state of the art led) rear red light is gone. My assumption is someone swiped it at Frankenstein's while my bike was carelessly left in highly disorganized public area. I would highly recommend some comparative shopping before purchasing or having bicycle issues assessed and repaired here. I learned the hard way. Never again.

I stopped in here today for a new tire, tube, and to get my brakes fixed. The prices were fantastic and the owner really knows what he's doing and is dedicated to doing it right. I know a lot of people are turned off by the owner, but he's really not that bad. He's been doing this for years (and I mean -years-), so I can't blame him for being straight up about the bikes he's looking at and not dealing with bullshit. He won't wait on you hand and foot, but you'll get the best deal around and an earful of experience based advice. This is my bike shop of choice from now on.

Awesome bike shop, great prices, funny knowledgeable owner, and unique in house designed bikes. HIGHLY recommend, ignore the appearance of the shop, quality products are in every nook.

I read all the reviews, and I think alot of the comments are from kids that are too sensitive and havent been living in philly or any other major city for too long. I like the owner. and no, Im not on a personal basis with him. He's real. He's Philly. He knows about bikes. I've got to say that I'm not a bike messenger or anyone that knows everything bout bikes. But, the "ALPHA" bike that he makes is rad, in my opinion. I rode one in the city for three years and it was a great experience. Unfortunately my dumbass got it stollen.. And you know what? Im gonna buy another one!! And I cant wait!

The owner is indeed a character....but he knows his stuff inside out. His bike mechanic, a enigmatic bike genius named "Joe", knows his shit too. But make no mistake...the owner is a character but otherwise a harmless and a decent guy. I have been going there for years.

It's a great bike shop. Period. You get a good deal on a commuter bike You also get the best repairs around. I wouldn't go Anywhere else. It's so convenient. What's wrong students? Spending a little money making you surly? Or is it That your just not used to being away from Your suburban mall chain? Either grow up or go home Jeff gives good bike!