The owner fixed up my bike after it sat and rusted for a long time during lockdowns. It looked and rode like new. When someone stole my seat, he turned it around in minutes with a very competitive price, which was invaluable to me as I use my bike to commute to work. He also did not try to upsell me a fancy new seat, but convinced me to stick with an older but sound one, even though he could have easily convinced me to spend a lot of money on a new one. He has never been anything but professional and courteous to me and other customers Ive seen in his shop. I would highly recommend this shop as a nice local business to visit and support.

I’ve come in looking for accessories, for repairs/ adjustments, and for parts and installation when I was building up a bike from the frame, and every time Josh has provided fantastic service. He explains different options (like when I wanted a rack/basket, how each setup would fit on the bike), is super knowledgeable about everything he sells in the shop, has very reasonable prices, and is always up front with quotes for labor and time estimates.Turnaround time has been quick and Josh has been super precise setting up brakes/derailleurs and the like.Would recommend!

I just had my shifters and grips replaced here. My bike now shifts so smooth its like fresh churned butter. Service was professional and quick, and the prices were competitive and fair. I will return here for future bike repairs and upgrades. Thank you, Josh, for the great work!

Called and left a message for Josh during the period of time where hes closed during winter. I knew it was a shot in the dark, but I needed a headset spacer urgently. Josh returned my call very quickly and told me to stop by to see what he has. In the (short) time between my voicemail to Josh and his return call to me, I managed to find another shop owner who could accommodate quickly so I didnt end up using Joshs shop. BUT, it was very nice that Josh called me back with the offer to help even though he was closed. Thanks Josh.

Came in for a tune up on my single speed and it feels like a brand new bike. Owner was super nice and helpful with any questions I had and gave a great recommendation for new handle grips. For replacement brake pads, a new tire tube, grips and a chain repair it didnt break the bank and was done in about 24 hours. Definitely recommend heading here for any bike needs.

Dropped my bike at another shop off across town hoping for a budget experience. they quoted me 250 bucks before even test riding my bike, none of which addresses the actual issue with the bike (bottom bracket) AND a week and a half to get the job done.by chance, saw joshs shop and gave him a call. he looked at my bike, diagnosed the problem and had the bottom bracket fixed and the bike tuned up by the end of the day. for less than 200 total.my bike is now super slippery and quiet as a ninja.faster, cheaper, more professional. do yourself a favor and call josh today.btw, sorry josh for the 2 week delay with this review... been too busy riding :)

Super surprised there are negative review for this shop, or the owner Josh.I called ahead before my first visit; and he offered to do a quick repair while I wait for a reasonable charge. Came in and he started in right away, and offered an opinion on some additional issues. We chatted about accessories and he never seemed rushed, super friendly.Second visit today went great. He dropped what he was doing to give me a quote and poke at my bicycle; even though I forgot to call first. Even with a small line forming, he never rushed me and was very amicable.As someone who works two restaurant jobs, I think a lot of these negative reviews are from people not used to mutual respect among workers, solidarity, and respect for small business owners whom juggle a lot to provide excellent mechanical services — not necessarily doing backflips with people being rude or disrespectful.I’ve done a lot of graphic design and I.T. consulting with clients who didn’t respect the decades of experience I invested in, and I suspect some of the one star reviews are from jerks who don’t understand that skills are hard won, valuable, and Madison business owners have to charge what they’re worth. No one will look at your car, computer, or bicycle and start fixing it for free. Sorry y’all.Have been recommending the shop to lots of friends.

Best bike shop in town! The owner is so nice. I called on a sunday when he was closed to ask about a tune up thinking i would hear back in a couple days. I was called back within an hour! Brought my bike in on a monday for a tune up and gears fixed and it was done n ready for me to pickup the next day! I couldnt believe it! Every other shop wanted 2-3 weeks for a tune up. My bike runs perfect now and i will never take it anywhere else. Great service!!

Josh is fantastic! Hes helped me twice and both times its been incredibly quick

If I could find a car mechanic like Josh, Id probably drive more, but I ended up with a phenomenal bike mechanic instead. Seriously, hes no BS, tells you exactly what you need, doesnt push anything you dont and stands by his work (even when he probably didnt need to - I still think it was my fault.) Ive been taking my bike there for tune-ups for two years now and Ill probably never go to another bike shop.

Old Town Cycles tuned up my bike in 24 hours while other shops around town are 2 weeks+ at the moment. It rides better than new. Plus there is a wonderful black cat that also works there.

Friendly service

The owner is such a NICE person!! Hes very professional and passionate, I dont know much about bycicles but he seemed to be a very wise man and knew exactly what to do, he stopped doing what he was doing to fix my bycicle and made everything on time record and made sure every little thing was perfect, he asked for all of my preferences and made sure it was accomplished. Also the price was soooo affordable! I thought it was going to be at least $50 but it was not even $20. Cant believe he has bad reviews, they lie, he is very profesional, the store is also a very cute classic place. I will definitely recommend everyone. :)

I love my bike and will only take it here to be repaired. Josh is a master of his craft and regularly gives me excellent advice and service. He has absolutely never over charged me or been rude as other people claim. Thank you Josh!!!!

Great bike repair shop! I came in for a tune up and new tires and the service was quick (I picked up my bike a day or two later), honest and priced fairly. The shop is locally owned and has a your dads workshop vibe to it.

My local store. Its great.

Great service, friendly, great price. Ill be going here with any further bike issues I have.

Cheap prices. Reasonably well stocked. He got me rolling with a new chain ring that was in stock, even talked me through sizes etc. to make sure it was the right part. Best part, the price of the chain ring, and quality bike lights was reasonable! Worth it.

I completely trust this guy. Hes always been nice to me and even smiles when we pass on the bike trail. Hes always talks me through every repair, only replaces or fixes whats needed to keep me safe, and the price is always fair.Ive never thought of him as rude. Hes always been super cool with me and at times talkative.Ill be dropping my bike off this afternoon for a Tune - up.

Always the best service. Always does solid work and tells me what doesnt need to be done. Tries to save me money. Im an all year/all weather bike commuter. So lucky to have him in my neighborhood.

Did a great job - bike is so much nicer to ride, bottom bracket replacement was far less than other shops, no up-selling. Got my back back tuned up, cleaned, and working better than when I bought it. Their base tune-up is better and more thorough than any other shop Ive been to, and at a better price. End cost was even slightly less than up-front estimate.

Quality and quick service. The complementary tire and lube check was a great bonus as well!

I used to like going to this place because I was happy to support the smaller bike shops as opposed to the big glitzy ones. One thing I liked was when Josh said, I appreciate your business, at the end of every transaction.I was looking forward to my recent need for service to help solve an issue. It was suggested that I get a new part which I was willing to get. However, I wasnt getting an answer to exactly why I needed this or what the benefits would be with this new part. (I had to find the answer online.) Josh was obviously getting mad at me when I just wanted clarification. Still, I didnt do anything wrong.If youre going to get mad at customers then why run a business?Isnt the customer always right? I guess not when in this day and age customer service is no longer relevant even to small shops.So forget it. I am never going back there again. Even if the next bike shop I support is less convenient and may cost more it will be worth it than to put up with a mad munchkin.And needless to say there was no, I appreciate your business at the end of this transaction.

We love this place! Every year we bring our bikes in for a check up, and the owner fills our bikes with air, oils them up, and checks them out as a courtesy. We know we can trust him to tell us if we need maintenance (or not) on our bikes for the year. Highly recommend!

Fast and excellent service on a derailler tune, winter tire installation, and new bar tape. The shop also carries all manner of accessories, lights, bungees, racks, etc. at competitive prices. Ive been in Madison for a year and this shop is the first one where I had an all around good experience. I will return and highly recommend.

I do a lot of work on my own bikes but when i dont have the time or the tools, i always bring them here. josh (owner/mechanic) is the best in town. his repairs stand up and he replaces parts with the appropriate parts for the bike. ive never had issues, but if i did he stands by his work. he also has an eye for aesthetics. other places in town either over charge, under-deliver or both.

Great Service. Very helpful.I have read the negative reviews for this shop and understand why some people are upset, but this is honest-to-god what the small-town feel is. This is supporting local business. Yes, its unpleasant to have someone cut you off or yell and I understand why a person would react negatively to that - but if you have ever lived in a small town - if there is only one bike shop in town, you will go there. You will go there and get to know the owner well. You will know their good side and their bad. You will like things about them and dislike others -because they are human. And we all have faults. Small-town businesses are run by few employees who are not let go for their mistakes (especially when they are the owner :) or taught to plaster on fake smiles to make barely above minimum wage as in some chain stores. So, in response to everyones comments I say: if you truly believe in supporting local stores - support them! If you dont, go somewhere else. Either way, dont let it ruin your day, and never forget we are all human!

My bike lock jammed up (combo lock) and I couldnt get it open. Not sure what happened here. It was a few blocks down from Old Town Cycles and I stopped in there to see if they could help. The owner was nice and talked me through how to get it cut and which tools I would need. Once I got my bike free I stopped back and thanked him and purchased a new lock. He even put air in my tires while I was deciding on a lock because he noticed they were a bit low. I appreciate the kindness!! Thanks for helping me out!

This bike shop has a very strange mix of very very positive or very very negative reviews. My experience: definitely wasnt rude to me. He seemed like a really nice guy who doesnt deal well with aggressive personality types. But his job is to fix bikes, not deal with difficult people. One things for certain: he wont try and push you to buy things you dont need. And as a college student with not a ton of money to spare, I like that.

Kind man, great service. Was able to fix my bicycle at a reasonable rate. I would definitely go back to for maintenance and bicycle purchases in the future.

Ive had Josh put together two bikes for me over the past year or so, and he did an excellent job with both of them. I was impressed at how quick the turnover was given the high quality work, and how I didnt need to make an appointment. The price was also reasonable, especially given all of the tune-up work he does on the bike. Ive also had him help me with adding parts/accessories, and that process usually went very well. He was short with me at my last visit, and Im not entirely sure what I did to prompt that. Perhaps a miscommunication or misunderstanding? Another friend of mine has also had mixed experiences in terms of Joshs interactions with him and has decided not to return to the shop. Im sure its stressful running a shop like that on his own, but I dont come in expecting to have him treat me like that... unfortunately on my birthday of all days. Was a bit of a downer. What I can gather from the other reviews and my experience is that Josh does not like to be talked to while hes working on your bike, and if you are doing several smaller repairs or additions to your bike he may begin to lose patience with you (Im guessing those arent money makers?). Im sorry if this was his experience of me, because at times I have spent money on accessories from his shop that I didnt need but bought any way because I wanted to find a way to support him and his business. If he doesnt want the business from small repairs, I would suggest he advertise his services as such. Sad to say I wont be returning. Ill be looking for a shop that is more patient with me making decisions that are best for me in terms of purchases, adjustments, etc., and is willing to work with me on a continual basis over the course of my bikes life and my slowly growing needs as a beginning biker.

Josh is a quiet guy but he knows his stuff. His prices are good, especially for the full tune up. I come here for pretty much all my cycling repairs and accessories!

I am a career cyclist, and in a day of work its not at all uncommon for me to put on forty miles or so a day. That puts a lot of wear and tear on my bike, and Im happy to say that throughout my many trips to this shop Ive been nothing but pleased with the service. I work nearly every day, and Im happy to say that Ive never had to take a day off of work to wait on repairs since I started coming here.

Top-notch service, fair prices, speedy fixes and the place exudes a passion for bicycling. Go nowhere else to repair your bike. Worth the trip out there, every time.

Upfront estimates. Good prices. Fair prices. Quality work. Incredibly fast service.

Ive been in a handful of times for some basic things -- tubes mostly, maybe I bought a chain. Every time Ive been treated with kindness. Great local shop and I recommend it whenever I can.

Been twice and had an excellent experience both times. Fast service, high quality, and completely transparent with pricing -- came in under the projected cost both times. Read Julia Garretts review below, she nails it.

I was referred to Old Town by a friend of mine who--like many of the reviews below--mentioned Josh offers a 3 day wait period for tune ups but then has it done within 24 hours. Sure enough, the phone call came the next day. He was straight forward and factual about the fixes and offered pricing for each individual adjustment up-front.I have a different friend whose dad has done business with Josh, and she mentioned he isnt much of a people person but truly knows his craft.As for other reviews mentioning friendly service at other bike shops in Madison, as a woman I have been treated condescendingly at each one of them and felt many associates (less so mechanics) have an air of cyclist superiority which I refuse to support.I digress--Old Town Cycles is where its at.

Knowledgeable, friendly, great service, and very fair

Went in with a coworker to get her flat fixed. The guy put in a new tube and then proceeded by telling my coworker that she needed new rear brakes. My coworker told him that she was aware of that and before she could say anything more, the guy angrily said can you let me talk. I was very shocked at such a rude attitude towards a customer. I have been to several bike shops in Madison and I have always had friendly service. My coworker and I wont be going to old town cycles anymore.

Hard to put to words, but my partner and I just had a terrible interaction with the employee (owner?) here. He was incredibly rude taking a look at an old zombie bike of mine and we walked out feeling just awful. Fine that he refused to work on it, but this dude has zero customer relations chops.But dont take my word for it. ⬇️

Josh is just too high strung to be dealing with customers. Honestly read the negative reviews below and just go somewhere else. Ive had him snap at me twice now; once in person in his shop the other time on the phone where he literally hung up on me.I cant imagine anyone being treated that way when they are trying to work with a business owner. There are FAR too many bike mechanics in this town and most are priced the same or cheaper. Dont risk the guy ruining your day when you can easily go somewhere else.

Great service, reasonable prices.

Every time we have gone there, we have been delighted with the speed and the quality of the work and the friendliness of the service.

Great service. Quick too. Madison has a lot of bike stores, but I wont go anywhere else.

Just had my bike fixed there and couldnt be happier with the result. Available the next day. Everything working better than it has in years. Charged me less than he could have. Ill be back.

Josh is the best. I have brought in my two bikes (both pretty old) on over a dozen occasions during the past few years and always found him completely professional and incredibly quick. Nearly every repair was finished within 30 minutes, and I feel completely confident than any other bikeshop would have charged me way more (Ive checked). He has always treated me respectfully and he has never tried to upsell me a thing. . . and he has certainly had plenty of opportunities to do that.For my last repair, he noticed something else on my mountain bike that needed a quick adjustment (I actually meant to ask him to look at it and I forgot) and he simply took care of it, didnt charge me for the labor, oiled up my chain and had my bike back in excellent working order.I live on my commuter bike and I have another road bike that I use for training. I really rely on Joshs excellent workmanship. When I was moving out of my apt. last summer I was honestly trying not to move too far away from the neighborhood because of this bikeshop!Im not quite sure what to say about other peoples less happy interactions with him. Here is my guess: if you simply treat him respectfully, let him explain things, and stay out of his workspace behind the counter, everything should be fine. Some people are just less social, or find some interactions with others more challenging. Its true that he is pretty formal, perhaps a bit shy, but in his own way, I think he is actually a very kind person. I hope others continue to support his business (oh also: I usually try to pay in cash -- thats a significant issue for any small local business).

Josh is very helpful. Great doing business here.

Proprietor is rude, I went in to have a bike I purchased looked at and he smirkingly muttered at me about how how I should learn what its like to really work for a living while repairing a bicycle. Not sure why. Sorry my own job doesnt rise to the challenge of fixing bikes! Keep it up, if youre that rude to every customer, you might be required to try real work yourself.Go to a different bikeshop.

Second time dropping my bike off at Old Town Cycles near my house on Johnson St within 2 years, and I must say I am still very pleased so far!First time around I stopped in for a derailer replacement, and a general full tune-up. The visit was fast and cheap, and my bike was finished within a day. My bike worked flawlessly for a year after (right until I messed it up.)Now Im bringing it in for a front derailer tune and tension cord replacement since I was playing with the tension and snapped the cord myself.Josh (guy at the shop) listed what everything would cost separately and then added the price together for me(which he did the last time as well), and when I asked if he could have it finished by Thursday Morning he replied with Oh yeah, I plan on having your bike finished within the next hour. But you can pick it up at your convenience!A half hour later my bike was finished, and it only costed $27.00 after tax, and great service. Right before I left he even informed me of other potential issues that I may see in the future, and what he did for free to help prevent the issues from arriving while adding in extra information about the cost to fix the future issues as well.My bike works beautifully now once again, and Josh (as always) treated me with perfect customer service, and point-perfect work on my bike.Ladies and Gentlemen, the only bike shop in Madison I fully trust with my baby.

JB is awesome! Attention to detail and service expertise.Top notch!

Good prices, good service. Cant ask for more from your local bike shop.

Great little place, great service

Friendly, fast, convenient, inexpensive

Delightfully competent and superb service

Go to shop for repair parts and supplies + general bike repair advice.

Neat shop!