I got great service, and a very friendly ear. It may not have the largest selection, but it has very good bikes. I showed up 30 minutes before closing to buy a bike. They let me test ride two in the rain, and made recommendations, steering me towards a more affordable bike. They stayed an hour after closing to make sure I had everything I needed. Definitely coming back here in the future.‎

I have only one thing to add: this is a great shop to RENT a bicycle for a day (or more) if you need (or want) one. With some GREAT lake front (paved) trails, Chicago offers a super day trip experience for even the occasional (and even the out of shape) cyclist. With virtually NO hills, a day trip (with or without picnic) either north or south of downtown is - especially with a multi-geared, lightweight cycle, such as those this shop rents out - is an experience you should not deny yourself. Believe me, there's no better way to see Chicago (including boat and bus tours). Don't even consider a Segway tour unless you have serious, debilitating medical problems. If you can walk a couple of blocks withtout getting winded, you'll do FINE. Plus, you'll get some truly FUN exercise in the bargain. The people at (Re)Cycle adjusted my (rental) bike so I'd get the most out of it... something many shops wouldn't bother doing. They even offered my friend and me leftover treats from a weekend barbecue... the moment we walked in the door! This is the kind of business that deserves the support of both "serious" and "casual" cyclists.

This shop is crowded with equipment, somewhat dark, and hard to find. Find it anyway, because they know their stuff better than anyone. Carmichael the owner is the smartest mechanic in town. Even when he doesn't do something himself (and he often does) his assistants are great too. They have have a surprising variety of bikes given their size, and back up what they sell with no fuss.

There's a big black dog -- very calm and almost always emulating a floor mat.

I am an avid cyclist and have used many of Chicago's shops for the last 13 years. My ranking is:
1. (Re) Cycle Bike Shop
2. Rapid Transit
3. <No 3 because others are not really close>
4. Kozy's downtown
5. Trek (Michigan Ave)
6. Village
7. Performance