Davis Bike Exchange

Location

Hours

Tuesday thru Saturday 10am to 6pm

Closed Sunday and Monday

Phone

(530)753-4600

Davis Bike Exchange (DBE) is an amazingly versatile bike shop . The owner, Rich, has been working on bikes for over 25 years. He parts out old bikes, builds new-to-you bikes out of them (selling them at very reasonable prices), and stocks many interesting new models. Rich is very dependable and the services you receive are of high quality and at a reasonable low cost. DBE stocks parts not found anywhere else in Davis such as springer forks, banana seats, ape hangers, etc. If he doesn't have it in stock, he'll pick you up any part he doesn't have.

The Davis Bike Exchange specializes in the used market. Used bikes include any brands once sold new in other shops since their inventory is based on donations. On any given day, you might find Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Cervelo, Colonago, BMC, Schwinn, Fuji, Raleigh, Bianchi, Giant, Gary Fisher, KHS, K2, Jamis, Klein, Scott, Santacruz, Intense, Electra and other classic/vintage brands in their doors.

Be careful though, as with buying anything used. The DBE is not an authorized dealer for these brands and cannot help you with any future warranty issues, and they do not offer warranties on the bikes they sell.

You have to be willing to dicker and deal with Rich if you want to buy at the lowest price. Before you go, do your research and know both the value of what you're buying and how much you're willing to pay. That is, of course, if he's willing to deal with you. As the comments below indicate, he often makes it clear to customers that they're wasting his time. He makes up prices off the top of his head. A number of customers have found the shop closed when they showed up during business hours.

Several people have bought used bikes or parts here only to have them fail within hours or days. Upon trying to return them, some have been refused, while Rich has offered to buy others back at half price. If you don't know enough about bikes to give yours a thorough inspection before buying, you might want to think twice about buying it here—there's a pretty good chance you're going to get ripped off, and then verbally harangued when you try to get the owner to make good.

What was your experience at the Bike Exchange?

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October 17th 2017 I have been going into the store off and on for many years and have always known that Rich the owner is a little grumpy and took it for granted as he was always cordial to me... but Today, he was like Dr. Jeckel-Mr Hyde and insulted me. I come up from South America ever other year to work in the States and go strickly to Rich for my bike needs while I am in California. Today, I dropped my bike (which I bought from him last time I was here), to do some minor repairs and put some different tires and toe clips on, fix a replace a spoke and true a tire slighting out of true. I had expected $45 bucks or so and was billed $72 and was taken aback as I would have to walk downtown to get more cash to pay. I exclaimed, "Wow!" and quickly Rich goes of the deep end and starts ranting and yells, "What?, that's cheap!". "Fuck you!", "I'll cut off that spoke and tear off those tires", "Get out of here!, Get out of here, now! I stood outside and told him, I was only thinking of the bank trip and I would never think you were ripping me off Rich, I been coming here for years and telling all my friends to do so as well." He was like, "Yeah Right!, I do not need your business". "Go back to Chile or go paint a barn!" At any rate, reading all of you other guys and gals accounts of this guy's behaviour has led me to conclude he is a few bricks shy a load and hates life and everybody around him that comes in out of his shop that do not bend to his brutishness. I was thinking it was something I did wrong but I see from the many negative posts that he is loco. I will forever talk dirt about his place and never point anybody in his direction again. I bet perhaps he was just dying for another beer and was cranky for it and or actually crazy with hate and hates anybody that does not fit into his fascist little thick mind skull. Or both?! He came off as a real horrible person Today and was boarder line violent in his rhetoric, one day his karma will catch up with his ugly self and it will be even more ugly than his personality that is Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde.

2005-04-26 10:04:41 Shadiness factor definitely high - he quoted me a price on a bike that was $50 higher than he'd told my husband a few days before. Admittedly, this is a small sample size, and there may have been a valid reason for the price difference. I'd recommend paying attention to the condition of the bike rather than what he tells you about how little it has been used, because the two don't always seem to match up in our experience. He has a nice dog, though. —JessicaLuedtke

If he just makes up prices on the spot for things (like you might at a garage sale), this might explain it. I expect he'd give the cheaper price if you asked. Just a guess. (Historical note: The non-negotiable pricing we are accustomed to came about when retail grew beyond sole proprietorship. The price stickers were for the benefit of the cashier, who lacked the knowledge and authority to adjust the price.) —SteveDavison

2005-04-26 20:28:06 Probably the only bike shop in Davis where you can haggle, not that you'll get very far... —ArlenAbraham

2005-07-05 01:03:49 The guy who owns this place seems like he could give a shit if he sells you a bike or not. I think he probably launders money and that the bike shop is just a front. —BenTaylor

2005-09-27 5:17:55 Two days before classes start and the guy is still backed up with stuff. The comment above saying the guy "is there when he feels like it" is definitely true. I came by today at 1:45 and there was a sign on the door that said "will be back at 2:30." Sigh, I just want my bike back.... —AndrewLeonard

2005-10-21 23:05:33 I was quite pleased with the service here. I had two bicycles that were damaged. Both of the frames and three of the wheels were bent. The bike exchange was one of only two shops in town that showed any interest in fixing them at all. He also gave me a much better price than the competitor. This is because he actually fixes bicycles and doesn't just trade out damaged parts for new ones. Every other shop told me that three of my wheels were damaged so bad that they would have to replace them. The bike exchange only replaced one and that was only because I asked for a little better quality wheel. He ended up getting both my bikes back in great shape and I didn't have to fork over loads of cash. He does seem to slip off sometimes when he should be open, but just give him a call before you go so you know he is there. So if you would like a decent used bike or to actually have your bicycle repaired give the Bike Exchange a visit. —JasonMoore

Jason stated a different opinion on 2011-10-09 —Art

2006-05-31 20:00:38 I thought this place was awesome: a dank shop with some sweet antiques as well as some real junkers, and some kick-ass low-riders for good measure. The place is virtually always empty, but they have EVERYTHING, unlike any other bike shop in Davis. Before I found this place, I was convinced that no shop in town stocked chain-rings or chain-ring bolts, or ANY used parts at all for that matter. And the mechanic Trey is really cool, and appreciates customer interest in his work. I don't know about anyone else who works there, but they all seem pretty cool to me. In short: if you want to pay way too much and get parts that are spiffier than you need, go somewhere else; but I'm sure as heck sticking to this place. And the bike church, which is also pretty neat. —CatherineCallaway

2007-01-02 17:10:01 I've always had good luck with Rich's Shop. He's pretty cool and does an excellent job building wheels. He'll also build you a bicycle if you have special needs. (He built my wife a nice small mixte) —RichardJacobsen

2007-01-29 15:48:59 I love this place. Granted, I've only had flats and other minor problems fixed. But he always seems to do it in good time, and charge me very reasonably. A few days ago (1.25.07) he fixed a back tire flat and replaced a broken spoke, for a total of $14. He has always seemed friendly and easy-going. I think he must just work for the fun of it, since he clearly doesn't go out of his way to act professional or make tons of money. Anyway, I like it and I highly recommend him to anyone who needs their bike fixed up. —NaBarry

2007-03-10 19:37:05 Pretty bad service, I don't plan on ever going here again. My roommate and I went in looking for a part but didn't know exactly what we wanted. So we asked him a few questions. He responded in an annoyed time and said "you are wasting my time". Also, when my roommate went to check and make sure that a part was the right size he angrily asked if we were "calling him a liar". As someone else said, he doesn't seem to give a shit whether or not he sells you anything. I literally felt like he was only one step away from kicking us out of the store for trying to buy a part. Terrible Customer Service. —ZackFrederick

2007-03-10 20:33:38 I have bought two bikes here plus various parts and have always had good experiences. An awesome place. —NickSchmalenberger

2007-03-11 00:37:49 My dad swears by this place —StevenDaubert

2007-07-05 20:21:16 I talked to the owner on the third and the landlord is trying to evict the shop. I am deeply saddened by the potential closing of yet another long standing downtown business. I am also angered at the landlord, those of us who wish Davis to remain the bike capital of the US should take notice. —Chadsharply

2007-09-25 01:21:31 Worst bike shop experience ever. Extremely rude and didn't care if anyone bought anything or not. I hope they go out of business so they don't turn people off to biking! I went in there to get a used front wheel for my bike. The guy showed me a wheel that was old and crappy though he said it is a damn good wheel that is easily worth $90. I said that was too much for my old crappy bike. He was told by the owner to promptly put the wheel back. They then said that I was wasting their time and they had too much to do. Businesses who think they can treat people like this should not get any customers. I'm surprised they have persisted this long. —Tmai

2007-09-25 02:25:56 Tmai: You have mistaken your preconceived notion of what a business is (no doubt you were educated as to dealing with corporate clones in your previous South Bay Silicon existence: i.e., Wal-Mart, etc.) for reality. Fyi: Rich is the guy who runs the Bike Exchange; a friend of mine. Let me tell you he's used to dealing with human beings secure in who they are, not insecure clones like you tried to be, Tmai. Go back, be a man, deal with Rich like the human being you really are, not a clone. Then see what happens. You might be surprised out of your clone self into actually getting a good deal. Respect goes a long way among humans, my naive friend. —WilyFerret

2007-09-25 22:28:35 This place is shady and very rude i suggest not ever going there bad news!!!!!! —Brians

2007-09-30 14:48:31 Owner was rude as hell, refused to even speak to me because "he hired someone to do it for him" as he told his friend he was talking to, so he yelled at one of his employees who was outside 100ft away (yelled rudely, like a total prick, to come help me, even though he was standing right there) and when the guy came to help me, he didn't have a damn clue what the hell i was talking about anyway (apparently a 700c wheel is a "special" size these days, wtf?) and the owner refused to speak to me so what the hell was i supposed to do? He also refused to discuss the sale of a couple things he had on display, it's not a showroom, its a bike shop. The frames/bikes I was interested in were rare, but not insanely so, and they need to be built and ridden and loved, instead of sitting there. That crusty frame will sit in the back never being used because the owner is a rude asshole. Bikes are meant to be ridden, not looked at. —GarrettGallegos

2007-10-14 03:46:03 This was the only shop that would fix a wheel for me. It was an odd wheel from an old Austrian bike, a Steyhr, with broken spokes, etc. Kens, B & L said they'd have to buy new hub and rim- too dangerous otherwise! This dude did it fine and polished it up for 25.00, which I was happy with considering I'd been riding on it anyway. Rumor has it the shop is moving next to Aggie Liquor, which I'm kind of happy about. I actually think it will improve his business. —JeffShaw

I too have a very bad experience at this place. The guy is one of the rudest persons that i have ever come across. —SoumenRoy

2007-10-27 12:26:15 The worst bike store. Thought it would be a great place for used parts and repairs, but the owner was a total prick each time I visited...EACH TIME. The first time, one of his employees handed over two rusty screws to me and said, "no charge," but the owner wanted $2. I just turned around and walked right out the door with screws in hand. Not that I like it, but that's just the sort of way I deal with them now. It should be called the bike dump. I think they've recently relocated to 5th and L. —Manlaw

2008-01-08 13:16:13 I went there for a set of front cones — he seemed highly uninterested in helping me, and told he couldn't give a shit looking for individual cones in his drawer of cones+axles, and that I'd need to buy a set. Fair enough, I suppose. His assistant takes a look at the old cones I brought in, and finds a supposedly compatible axle/cone set. I take it home, realize it's the wrong size, and come back the next day to return it. Holy crap, what a dick. He starts bitching about me to another customer, about how I'm wasting his time because I don't know anything, etc etc. He spends more time whining than the time it takes to actually open the cash drawer and give me my $5. —StewartShearer

2008-03-01 17:58:57 Rich fix my daughters flat tire in minutes not hours like the other snobbish bike shops in town. Rich and I had a good conversation about the old days of bikes. His impressive collection of old tricycles and bikes is to not be missed. With the smell of WD40 in the air my daughter smiled when she got on that bike again. He make look like an intimidating Marine but Rich is a soulful character fixing bike in Davis one at a time. —kswanson

2008-03-14 16:25:40 This is the only place I trust with my bike. Both of them know a great deal about all kinds of bikes and have been really helpful. And Court TV is always on in the shop, so there's an added bonus. —elliottpollard

2008-03-20 16:43:42 I took my bike here for a tune up recently. They were helpful and answered all of my questions. They didn't even get annoyed when I said I wanted new tires then changed my mind at the last minute. The tune up itself was inexpensive and my bike was ready when promised. So far the bike is running smoothly and I have no complaints. I would recommend this shop to anyone. —GabeDavis

2008-06-05 15:05:23 Overall a bizarre store. One time you go in there and he is nice as can be, other times he is ultra surly. If you can deal with the curmudgeon of an owner they have some neat vintage parts and bikes. I was going to get my girlfriend a bike here but his attitude totally turned me off and I took my business elsewhere. —schester

2008-06-20 13:20:29 HORRIBLE SERVICE!! I bought a bike from them and it broke in about 5 minutes, when I took it back they were VERY rude and not at all happy about repairing it. They gave me a really crappy, bent chain and NEVER had the bike ready on time. Rich is a lot nicer and more reliable than the little guy, so if you do go here, deal with him. Overall, I'd advise people to go elsewhere. —littlelove

2008-06-26 02:31:18 Don't waste your time. Poor service...actually none. Not a bike in the store worth 5 bucks. Nice Motobecane sign out front, I'm sure they are an official dealer!?! —Helikid

2008-06-26 11:37:57 This is the only place in town that was willing to work on my 1966 BSA bike with a Sturmy Archer 3-speed and front drum brake. Fixed everything up and charged reasonably. No, the guy didn't go to charm school, but he was interested and able to work on my old bike that no one else would touch. —Annamaria

2008-07-29 19:34:21 One time I didn't have enough money and Rich let me slide. Walk in there with confidence and you'll survive. Overall not a bad experience. —AvidSpots

2008-07-30 01:18:29 My Sturmey Archer trumps Rich, it's to old and to rare —StevenDaubert

2008-09-12 10:43:02 haha I like this store a lot.

I was in there checking out some frames and a freshman came in with his dad. he asked if he could get a fixie and i heard something along the lines of

I don't waste good frames on things like that. just put it in a gear and dont change it

RESPECT —aechanio

Actually, they are now building fixed gear and single speed bikes since there is a lot of demand for them. —KellyM

2008-10-03 17:27:29 Basically a thrift store full of junk parts. Mediocre service (customer service, not their work) at best, although the older guy didn't seem to bad, the mechanic was not friendly at all. Come here if you looking for a cheap junker to ride around town. —jcoffman98

2008-10-08 18:26:13 Definitely not everybody's cup of tea. not the shiny, bling, bling modern day shop. rather, think auto mechanic for bikes. best shop for those going low budget or those interested in keeping old favorites going strong. rich is a walking bike encyclopedia, so the older, the gnarlier the better. he loves bikes. people, he can do with or without. I recommend knowing what you want, or want to ask, before you head in. don't get all hoity-toity on him, 'cause he knows his shit even if he doesn't sound like your average collegiate staffer. if you catch him in a mood, ask him how the fish have been bitin', because that's where he goes off to do when you can't find him. and, no, not a huge new bike inventory. —dockao

2008-10-18 16:54:04 Don't go to there! Rich is a total asshole that couldn't be reasoned with at all. In my whole life, I have never been so intimidated by a business owner. —v99erik

2008-10-19 13:39:15 I was not really happy with the shop. I bought a 2nd hand Mongoose XR-200 and it cost me $125. The bike broke down frequently, and I need to bring it back to them to have it fixed. I feel that the shop owner doesn't really care about me because I am a new customer I guess, and I feel that the employee was quite rude sometimes. The paddle was actually not the same pair! I guess he thought I am annoying. Finally I sold back the bike to them at half price, and I bought a new bike (Trek 7.2FX) from Free Wheeler. Even though I lost $62.5, I am glad that I don't have to use that damn bike anymore. —edwin2005hk

2008-10-20 11:38:19 Although it can be a stressful experience dealing with the staff, this place is really tho only place in Davis that will work on a vintage bike. I had a wheel built here and I have to admit it's served me well the last few months. Reasonable pricing on service, but it's usually cheaper to get the parts you need online. Beware crankiness and prepare to be shunned when you walk in the door. I probably wont be going in anytime soon because they seem pretty sick of me asking questions but not buying anything. —TheWigglyWizard

2008-12-07 18:28:30 I found my stolen bike on a rack here. I had receipts for the parts so they gave it back to me. Still isn't clear how it got there... —AndrewPeake

Wow, that doesn't sound shady at all. I think I might avoid this place, unless my bike gets stolen...—JoePomidor
True, but it must be hard for any used bike shop to avoid this problem unless they were to run every bike's serial number and description by the police before buying it (and if there were a cost effective way to implement such a system, I'd be all for it).

2009-01-17 17:38:50 I love bikes, all sorts of bikes, know bike culture, and know great bike stores low rent and high rent all over the world — and this one is a bottom feeder. The "character" (Rich? or plain "Dick?") presiding over this expensive crap actually knows next to nothing about bikes ("what's a quill stem?"), which he tries to cover up with the abuse and general weirdness. We are chumps if we think that this is some sort of "authentic" "soulful" "Olde Tyme" experience that tests manhood. If you want to talk about fishing bait, try a fish store. This store can only get away with it in a college town too polite to tell anyone to f— off. So no, this place isn't the alternative to chain stores, and probably Davis still needs a friendly place dealing in beater bikes and old stock. In the meanwhile, go to your local independent bike stores for new stuff, check CraigsList for old stuff, get advice and parts from http://www.sheldonbrown.com/, see if local thrift stores or the Bike Barn or auctions on campus have a used bike for you, support local builders for fixies (a fixed wheel isn't riding a bike in one gear, boom boom), and see if mending your own flats is quicker and cheaper in the long term. —Biggins

If they rebuild wheels and frames, and the customers are happy with that work I'd say they are probably at least as competent as the other bike shops that mostly sell new bikes. Several comments say he did work other shops wouldn't do and he did it well (JasonMoore, JeffShaw). Also RichardJacobsen says he does build bikes, so if he doesn't like fixed gear bikes oh well. Apex Cycles does build fixed gear, but I think I'll still go here if they are open... —NickSchmalenberger

2009-01-20 14:49:14 I bought a new cruiser from Richard that was too high. He personally adjusted it for me free of charge. Also, every time I would get a flat tire, he would pump it up and add the green slime so that I wouldn't have anymore problems. When my bike lock was stuck, he put WD-40 in it and fixed it for free. —Aiphi

2009-01-24 12:44:50 This guy was the biggest self important dick I have met in a while. I went in to his store to buy a tube and adapter for a bike I was selling. I asked him for some information about the bikes value and he responded with an opinion that was so low as to be ridiculous. No matter, I put the tube in and met the buyer out in the parking lot so if they needed any parts for the bike we could get them right there. I'm talking with the person and Rich comes outside with some serious attitude and says what are you doing in my parking lot. He said you need a business license to sell bikes in this town and he was going to call the police on me for selling a bike without a license. I politely refuted his assertion and said we were there so if we needed parts to complete the sale we could just buy them right then. He threatened me again with the police and said he owned this parking lot and asked me to leave. It was amazing how angry he got when I told him to just call the police, but I wanted to continue the transaction so just went across the street. I was not doing this as a business, just my own personal bike. I will make it my personal mission to tell everyone I know just what a bad experience I had. In all my years, I have had very very few business experiences like this. I hope he goes out of business soon. —demoman

2009-02-03 15:24:44 I agree about the Shadiness factor. I came in looking for a bike, they told me they would put in "$100 dollars worth of tune ups and repairs" and sold me the bike for 175. Since then I have had to put a lot more money having the wheels trued, the breaks redone, gears adjusted and tightened, etc. Basically, they sold me a lemon. When I confronted them about it, they blamed all the problems on myself and how I take care of the bike, and wouldn't fix the bike or refund me part of the money. This place sucks! —ari-p

2009-03-22 11:28:06 A good shop with dogs. A friend was having trouble with a bike from there and also with the staff. After a hard haggle the transaction was reversed. That was really sympathetic. I can't wait to see how Rich handles these darn cotter pins on my dad's old bike. :-) —lilmonstu

2009-04-23 12:01:39 Went there a couple of months ago, but forgot to leave a comment. The place was really shady, and neither of the two guys who were there seemed to know anything. I was looking for a pair of new 26" tires (standard mountain bike size). They said they've never heard of the size and asked me what it was in cm (which is used usually, only to measure road tires such as the standard 700cm). I don't understand reading all these comments and judging through my personal experience how these guys manage to stay in business. —Oleg.Lokhvitsky

2009-05-24 22:08:09 I've never had anything but excellent service here since buying my bike from Rich several years ago. I was lured away to another shop briefly (I'm a sucker for coupons) but when I came back to DBE for a flat fix, Rich noticed a problem that was obviously a result of recent service (I couldn't say what it was—I'm a complete dilettante about bike stuff and am never made to feel like I'm wasting their time by my questions.) He fixed it and I renewed my loyalty and was off. (He even worked on the brake on my mom's four-wheeled walker and didn't charge anything for it.) —CathyYoung

2009-06-30 15:58:12 Brought in my bike with a flat back tire. Told to come back in 2 hours. Returned after 2 hours and my tire was still flat. But the guy fixed it up right in front of me in like 2 minutes. Rather impressive, actually. Cost around $12. I'll return if I ever get another flat. —JustinAi

2009-10-22 12:17:19 I will never go to this bike shop EVER again. The two guys that run this place do not belong in any kind of industry dealing with customer service. The owner made me feel like I was an A-hole for wanting to take a bike off the rack so I could take a look at it. They made me feel like I was putting them out just for being in their store. —trevorchreid

2010-03-11 20:01:31 Not only the worst bike shop but the worst place to visit in Davis. Asked me to show him the cash before he would take out a $20 used part from the display window. I had cash but seriously who would actually show him the cash and buy from this shitty man. —FUDBE

Wow, I just read the comments about this place, and... wow. Sounds incredibly shady and unbelievably rude. Why does anyone still shop here? —TomGarberson

2010-04-23 15:25:09 A-holes. I called to ask about tune-ups and the guy was incredibly rude!!!! I asked him what was included in a tune-up and he said the list too fast, so I asked if it included brakes and he yelled at me saying that he already said that. Thinking he was joking I laughed at him and asked what time they were open til and he hung up on me. I was so angry. I would never ever take my business here. —Ilovetacos

2010-05-27 11:58:00 I will never spend money in this shop. Yesterday I witnessed a shouting match between the employees/hangers-on of the Bike Exchange and an African-American guy they accused of panhandling at the other end of the shopping center. The four Bike Exchange dudes stood on the sidewalk and traded racially-charged insults with the man, then threatened to "stomp" him. When the man left, they laughed at him and called him a "p_ssy," then patted each other on the backs and traded high-fives.

It was like watching a group of teenage jocks bully some kid in the high school hallway. I grew up in the south, where this sort of thing is more common. It was sickening there, and I won't support it in Davis.

I'm a Davis cyclist, and the Bike Exchange is the closest bike shop to my house. I can say with 100% determination that the Davis Bike Exchange will never get a dime from me, and I hope others take into consideration where there money goes as well. —MupDup

2010-07-26 14:44:18 I got into an accident and my poor bike looked like a mess. The handlebars were bent out of shape and the brakes broke. Rich fixed her up in a about 20 minutes or so and even re wrapped my handlebar tape while talking about the old days when he worked at the Schwinn factory. Plus, this was done free! I don't understand why so many people are writing bad reviews about this place. You just have to know what you want and do your research beforehand! =)

Also, I've brought my bike here for an overhaul and now she runs like she just came out of the factory. —hyangdan

2010-11-01 22:24:09 While I will agree that this bike shop, or at least the idea of it, is a good concept, it need some kind of control or system of checks and balances. Just last week a blond haired kid (18-mid 20's) was riding a bike and stole another one from my apartment complex just down the street and took it over to the shop. No doubt he was using the Bike Exchange as a pseudo chop-shop which I think is not good for the community at large nor for the shop specifically. —Wes-P

2011-04-26 16:29:37 If you have an old bike that needs some fixing up, come here. Rich and co seem to know what they're talking about when it comes to older bikes especially. I took in an old bike that needed its frame welded, and they took care of it very fast. they're customer service isn't great, but as far as I'm concerned that doesn't matter if they do a good job, which they did. they didn't call me when my bike was finished, and they were slightly unfriendly on the phone when I called, but when I arrived to pick up my bike they were nice and the repair was pretty cheap. also, APEX bikes did a tune-up on my bike a few weeks prior to this, and I didn't think they did a very good job—Rich confirmed, and laughed when I told him I took it to APEX.. turns out, APEX didn't even grease my bike up or do several other small things that should certainly be included in a $90 tune up. will definitely return to this bike shop over APEX. While they might not be the most friendly people here, and they may not provide the best customer service, they do a good job at what they do and that's all that matters in my book. —rcrane

2011-05-15 11:03:19 I don't know why some of these people write negative remarks about a bike exchange that happens to have tons of parts ive never seen, handlebars from 5$ and up, and cheap bikes. Yeah they may ignore you if you are asking too much of them, because Rich knows what he is talking about when it comes to bikes, and has been in sales, and bike manufacturing for over 20 years. You guys all give him crap, because you compare his business to Cycleworks, B&L Bike shop, and Apex.. We'll if you want to get talked down upon for only having 800$ to drop on a road bike at Cycleworks, then go for it. But here, he talks to you regardless and if you buy a good bike, he will make sure you get a good deal/price for it. I bought a Trek 1000 there yesterday with Ultegra Crank, F. Derailleur, and the rest of the bike's Shimano Components (Tiagra, Sora) for $400.00, which for the quality of the bike, was a good buy for a Road bike. While the bar tape was worn down a little bit when I left before picking up the bike, Rich and his coworkers tuned up the bike completely and made it look brand new. It was beautiful!

I will definitely return to the Davis Bike Exchange! —RonaldMegeath

2011-07-06 18:30:54 This is the only place I will go to for bikes/bike parts. Everywhere else is ridiculously overpriced. Staff was very friendly and helpful to me. I bought a Schwinn Women's comfort bike here back in April and they gave me a 4 month gurantee that if anything goes wrong with the bike to just bring it back and they'll fix it free. Have never had a problem with this bike and loved the smooth ride and comfortable seat. I was recently hit by a car and the bike was banged up pretty good so the first place I thought to bring it to was here. They greeted me upon my entering the store and said they'd have my bike fixed and ready to go by Friday and gave me a good estimate on what the repairs would be and even said that if for some reason I couldn't fit the bike in my car or ride it home that they'd put it in their pickup truck and bring it to my place. No its not your fancy downtown bike store but it is a good place to buy a bike or have it repaired. They have good used bikes, unlike the ucd bike auction that sells bikes that are broken down impounds. —KathrynAzarvand

2011-08-24 22:30:25 I won't go back to this bike shop... I bought a used bike for a day and when I brought it back the next day for a refund (personal reasons... aka I can't ride a bike to save my life) the manager told me that he would buy it back for half price. AFTER A DAY! No reasoning with this guy.... —RobinTrevor

2011-09-17 19:33:28 Bunch of unhelpful, grumpy, unprofessional workers behind the counter. Would not recommend. They are slow, and they dont do the job right. They are very rude. —EthanHall

2011-10-08 19:29:37 If you have come onto Daviswiki looking for reviews of Davis Bike Exchange, then I implore you to listen to me. Right off the bat, DO NOT under any circumstances, give this shop your business. Avoid them like the plague. Allow me to explain. I am not a single-time disgruntled customer. I have purchased a whole bike and several parts here over the past years. In those times, my experiences were unfavorable, but were never enough to dissuade me from a bargain. However, my perspective of this business has changed permanently. The shop is owned by Rich and he employs three to four employees who seem to work there daily. I use the word "work" very loosely. Today, I went into the shop to check out steel forks for a bike I was building up. I made the mistake of picking up a fork from their "sorry" excuse of a bike rack. I was instantly scolded by one of the employees who said, "Do you just pick up things that don't belong to you". I apologized as I was aware of their attitude prior to entering the store and rubbed it off. I later asked the owner, Rich, if the crown race I had would fit on the fork. He proceeded to remove the previous race and attempt to install mine. He gave it back to me.....crooked. I told him I would buy a fork anyway and think about the installation later. I noticed several deep scratches on the side of the fork. So I asked if I could get another one I spotted that seem to be in better condition. In an instant, he went from bearable to outright hostile. He told me I was wasting his time and that it was close to closing. The shop closes at 6 pm, it was 5:11...I was initially shocked. I told him I didn't mean to waste his time, I just wanted the fork I wanted. He told me to "get out of his store". I simply retorted with "ok" and left feeling insulted and furious. I apologize if this is lengthy. However, I could not, in good consciousness and being a decent human being, allow this injustice to go unnoticed. I do not want anyone else to experience this. No one deserves that kind of rude service. I sincerely implore you to never EVER shop here. I concede that they sell cheap bikes and parts; but many of which are suspect to being stolen. I am slightly suspicious of the positive reviews. I cannot comprehend why they would hold them a good light. At the same time, give some weight to the negative reviews, I can vouch because I have either seen or had similar experiences when I was a patron there. If you want good service, go to the "other" various bikes shops in town. At the very least, they will treat you with dignity. Read the reviews, do your research, and ask yourself...How much is my self-respect worth? —JonathanLuong

2011-10-09 10:06:56 Jonathan, I know the feeling when you go into this shop to purchase something and are asked to leave. Obviously the reason I was asked to leave was because I had commented at a gas station to Rich about a dog that that he had previously taken car of in his shop. I later learned that people associated with the dog had ripped Rich off. Still that was not a valid reason to insult me. I suggest to all that rather go into the shop to be insulted, let Rich have what he maybe wants: everyone stay away from the shop. —Art

I am sorry you were treated in such a manner. His behavior towards others is outright negative, if not an oddity. It is a good thing that discourse is growing and that we can warn people. Still, you did not deserve to be spoken to like that and I wish you only the best.—JonathanLuong

2011-10-09 15:07:01 I wrote a favorable comment about this shop on 2005-10-21 23:05:33 not too long after I first moved to Davis. This was after my first experience at the shop where I fortunately did find someone in Davis willing to fix my bicycles for a reasonable price. I went back to the shop two more times within the next year or so looking for odd parts and was subsequently treated like crap by the owner, Rich, for no apparent reason. I unfortunately never rectified my original favorable comment about the shop and after reading so many comments about the poor business practices and attitudes of the shop employees, I wanted to chime in that I completely agree. After I was treated bad, I have refused to return or to recommend anyone to go to this shop. I can only imagine that he is able to stay in business because Davis has a transient population that is always in need of bicycles. The new folks in town have always gone to the only bike shop in town that sells somewhat inexpensive used bikes unknowing that these guys are jerks. I can't imagine that he actually has any returning customers. I recommend avoiding this shop especially since there are at least four relatively new bicycle shops (The Bike People, Blisworks Bikes, Apex Cycles, and Bike Forth) in town that can help you purchase a used bicycle and actually be friendly and helpful when interacting with you. I want to note that I am certainly biased, as I co-founded the Davis Bike Church/Davis Bike Collective and that I am also posting this comment because Rich recently called the cops on both the Davis Bike Collective and The Bike People because he assumed we were practicing without business licenses. That certainly is not a very neighborly thing to do, but fits well with all of the other descriptions of him on this page. —JasonMoore

I would also like to add upon Jason's comments. He appears to hold much animosity to other bicycle shops and organizations within Davis. I know for sure that he spoke very ill of the Davis Bike Collective and called them, "beatnik hippies". I find it humorous that he doesn't realize how outdated his choice of words were. Secondly, I found the volunteers at DBC to be kind, helpful, and patient. I am not surprised that Rich called the police on DBC and The Bike People. Although, I wish it could have been the other way around... —JonathanLuong

2011-10-09 16:59:19 If Rich wants to start with sone customer service, he could ask Chris to help him get in touch with me. —Art

2011-12-08 15:04:44 Price of new 27" inch tires here: 9.95. CVS has them at 12.99, Ace only has folding tires now. Cheapest at the bike shops with friendly people I could find was 14.99. —JeffShaw

2012-02-07 18:44:13 This is a great bike shop. There are good bikes at good prices and the guys know what they are doing. I bought a bike there that was actually big enough to fit me (which is hard to find because I'm very tall) and it was in great condition. I'm very happy with it. I brought it back a couple weeks later with a problem and they fixed it up for me free of charge. —KevinKraft

2012-02-09 15:37:22 I'm sure like all of us, these folks have their good days and bad days. Treating people with dignity and respect no matter their appearance and giving them a chance is helpful here. Have had some experiences that people have described, but have borne through them and actually rec'd some very helpful, truthful information and great service on my bikes. If you are a townie versus a student you are probably better off here. —omrob

2012-03-04 17:36:25 HORRIBLE. Apparently, I'm "wasting his time" (the guy working on the bikes, who I assume is Rich). I think a lot of people have been "wasting his time." I DO NOT RECOMMEND. —WredMarc

2012-04-04 18:11:41 This place was perfect. My road bike was completely messed up, front and back wheels were bent, frame was bent, and the pedals were twisted. (the reason my bike was so banged up was because it was hit by a car). Before I went to them I went to Ken's Bike and Ski's and they told me I may as well get a new bike. However when I went to the Bike Exchange they told me they could fix everything at a price below one hundred dollars and do it within three hours.I was doubtful at first but when when I came back three hours later my bike as good as new. I could not notice any damage that had occurred to it previous. I highly recommend this place to everyone. Cool people and excellent service. I am definitely going there from now on. —DeanPernas

2012-06-16 16:35:53 If for some reason you like being insulted and inexplicably thrown out of the store by an erratic and aggressive individual, then this is the place for you. Otherwise, avoid at all costs. To be honest, I still don't completely understand what happened when I went in the other day - walked in, asked a question about a product I wanted to buy, then found myself a few minutes later thrown out on the street, stunned. Wowza.

The only thing I can think of how this guy is still in business is that there is a warp in our time-space consumer continuum there. Or that he’s a money-laundering front. Or a fence for stolen merchandise. Or a very long-running punk’d skit. Pick one! —BettyWashington

2012-07-05 10:08:37 i always bring my bikes here. he is a fantastic wheelsmith and whenever he trues my wheels he gives me a 2 for one price, because i come there all the time, i am respectful because he knows what he's doing, and im the customer, who needs to talk to someone who knows what they are doing. so i think through this mentality i have always had good experiences here. once i even traded him a real nice, new mountain bike for one of those badass lowrider cruisers he's got. anyway, great place, if youre not a jackass. —mynameisGIL

2012-08-29 10:56:08 Do not deal with this guy. Last week my daughter and I picked out one of his used bikes to buy. An employee told us a price and said he would have the agreed upon handle bar change and kick stand added by an agreed upon time a few days later. I offered to pay at that time but was told to pay when we picked it up. When we returned nothing had been done and the owner was obstinate and abusively said many others were in front of us. He also said he didn't ever do anything unless he already had been paid. My daughter had bused over from Sac. and he said our problems weren't his problems and to get out of his store. We were so amazed and frustrated we couldn't believe he was in business. Please don't do business with this unreasonable, abusive and frightening character. He really shouldn't be dealing with the public. —chuckroe

2012-08-30 11:07:01 I will never use this bike repair shop. This shop may be inexpensive but they have no customer service skills and could care less[I believe what AnnieDavisowitz actually means is "could NOT care less] if you were satisfied with the repair. The owner hung-up on me for no reason other then not wanting to hear what I was explaining to him. I brought my bike in for a simple flat tire. I had my bike outside my back door, so I know it went no-where and today, about two and a half weeks later I went to ride it and it is completely flat! I asked if the tire really was replaced (the inner tube) or what was I to do or think? He said I can tell you if that is what it needed then that's what was done and hung up on me. Real customer service. Strange that it went flat without ever taking it out for a spin? I can not trust this shop and their work, and I would never recommend them to anyone. There are several bike shops in Davis that actually care about their customers and stand behind the work that they do, then to wast time on a burnt-out shop owner who does not give a damn about his work or reputation or curiosity to customers. Save a big head-ache, and your hard earned cash, and go somewhere where they care about you and the service they offer!

—AnnieDavisowitz

2013-07-02 15:41:37 Today the owner exhibited the most rude, nasty, angry behavior I've ever experienced in a Davis shop. My guest and I had gone into the shop to buy a bike for one month after which he would buy it back for 50%. For visitors here 1-3 months only, it's been a win-win deal to provide them with transportation at a reasonable cost. However, today I tried to talk to him about a brake problem with the last bike, and he simply blew up and told us to "get out!" I'm a mature woman and felt completely blind-sided by this attack. Never will we return to this bike shop - take your business to The Bike People down the street. You'll pay a bit more, but the peace of mind - and quality - are worth it! Davis Bike Exchange may have a long history in town, but the owner has progressed from grouchy to downright scarey. His temper is the stuff of nightmares. Stay away! —SusanTrigilio

2013-12-01 21:29:56 Great prices for parts, buy NEW tires for 12 bucks. I've spent a couple hundred bucks here over the years buying brakepads, tubes and tires for bike builds. Nice local business that i will continue to support. —BradyCorcoran

2014-04-26 17:46:18 How is this guy even still in business? Someone should call the BBB. —Ilovetacos

2014-07-10 16:49:51 Is this place still open? Just like many other, I had bad experiences here, never go back there for service; I would rather go to an expensive place and get reliable service, not to mention there are still other cheap and fair place that still gives reliable service. Anyway, I passed by that location couple times on my way to the bank and other location, the door is firm shut, for sometime I assume they're out of business, but if they're still open...man, people now a day —Cyclonus

2014-07-28 10:56:18 Highly satisfied customer! I went to the bike exchange 7/22/14 around one in the afternoon. I asked to look at a bike, I received prompt assistance.I was quoted an affordable price.I had to go home and then come back, when I returned and hour later, the bike was still there and the quote I was given had not changed. I was given the opportunity to ride the bike around the parking lot, everything worked well.The owner and his employee was very attentive, I was struggling putting my bike on my car and they came out to help me! —sheerah

2014-10-24 17:30:07 Just bought a used rebuilt bike from the Bike Exchange. Didn't know exactly what I was looking for but Derrick pointed me in the right direction. Fantastic now like new mountain bike! Thank you Derrick, Tony and Rich for a great experience and great deal!!!! —AngelaGerould

2015-08-04 19:47:20 Though their shop is not the brightest and shiniest in town, they do good work for very reasonable prices. I have taken 3 of my bikes to them over the past 6 years, and they always do a good job. They are willing to double check and adjust any work when you pick it up, and though they may look a bit gruff, they have always been polite to me. Other bike shops in Davis laugh at my older bike and aggressively upsell on things I don't need. For instance, I took my bike to one shop in Davis to replace a broken spoke and that shop insisted I needed to completely new wheels...what?!? I took that same bike to the Davis Bike Exchange and they happily fixed it for me for $4, and I am still riding on the same old wheels 2 years later. These guys are great. —stcastle

2016-08-25 20:06:23 loving bikes and help this is a sad bike shop! Every person including Rich was drunk! How is that safe for the people of Davis to commute on bikes. It's very sad that such a bike shop in this town remains. We can only hope for the safety, of our community that he will retire, drink his beers somewhere else. Very Very bad experience...to say the least! —katalinablanca

2016-12-19 18:01:07 I have bought 3 bikes from Rich and always been satisfied. Yes, this place is a little low budget - but I have always found him to be an honest guy. 2 of the 3 bikes worked wonderfully. The 3rd we weren't happy with and exchanged for another - which he gladly did. I always recommend DBE as a first place to stop in town for bikes. —JosephBiello

2017-05-18 13:57:09 I went into the Davis Bike Exchange about 40 minutes ago and was cursed at and accosted. I guess, the owner, an older husky man in a baseball cap, didn't like that I asked him questions on the price of a bike. After he disparaged an owner of another bike shop, he then told me to "get the fuck out", proceeded to curse more, followed out the store onto the sidewalk, threatening me and asking to to come back to fight him. I have contacted David PD over this. Really ? What a joke ! —Frederick17

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