[digit2]

Hey all,

A friend of mine just moved to Los Angeles this week and needs to know where he should go to have a new Moots 29er built up. He has all of the parts so he is looking for a build only (probably needs some cables and small stuff). Any recommendations of the right wrench to use? I think that he has landed in the Hollyweird Hills.

Also, any primo wheelbuilders to suggest he go to? Maybe there is somebody that can do both the bike build and lace up the hoops?

Thanks in advance! Dave

 

[burner]

NO 29er friendly shops in LA, and no good shops at all of any kind on the westside of LA, nothing that you'd want to call your home LBS. Someone needs to fill this gap and open up a shop up here.

but for a wrench only I like Freddy at the Helen's Cycles in Marina Del Rey on Lincoln (only that location is even tolerable for a Helen's). But that isn't around the corner from Hollywood Hills... nothing great around there that I know of...

Closest would be I.Martin on Beverly Blvd (just east of La Cienega), but I don't know anything about their wrenches, they are part of the Helen's family (which generally caters to the overpriced rich folks crowd and not hard core riders). And just to rant harder on the Helen's shops, they are the local Fisher dealer and will not stock any 29er anything, all the salespeople are totally ignorant and that's after you've waited forever for them to help you. They have an 03 Sugar 293 that's been sitting in their Santa Monica store for literally years, and they still won't mark it down below $2400 or entertain any offers !!

Your buddy might have some luck in the valley, but I wouldn't know where. I've also heard good things about Pasadena Cyclery, but again not close.

Local wheelbuilders? Let me know what you find out.

 

[Oliver]

Tell your buddy to take a 1 hour drive south to The Path Bike Shop. I am sure if he calls in advance, the will build the bike while he waits. I drive 75 miles up from San Deigo to buy from them. The best bike shop in So Cal hands down. www.thepathbikeshop.com

 

[Reedster]

Bicycle Johns in Burbank

If he doesn't want to drive to the Path you might have him check out Bicycle Johns in Burbank. I haven't been, but some buddies speak highly of it.

http://www.bicyclejohns.com/

Good luck.

~R

 

[donkey]

The Path is definitely the right place for him. I can't think of another shop in SoCal that has built as many high end bikes and 29"ers that The Path.

They're great wheel builders as well. I just had Carl build another set for me and they're perfect, as usual.

B

 

[frankenbike]

The only think remotely 29er friendly that I have come across is Helen Cycles in Santa Monica, only because they sell Fisher stuff and seem to always have a Rig or a X-Caliber in stock. But by no means are they a 29er shop.

The Path waaaaay down in Orange County is the best 29er LBS that I have been to. It's a long drive.

I. Martin Imports in Hollywood on Beverly Blvd (part of the Helens family) doesn't sell 29ers, but there is one guy there how knows his sh!t very well and that's Tristan. Call him up and ask if he can build up the 29er for you. He's in sales, but wrenches on request. Tristan recently built up a Seven Ti cyclocross frame with flat bars that is hanging in the window. Since they are in that fancy part of town, their prices are also fancy as well. I brought a bike in for them to run cables (parts and labor) and they wanted $100 do it.