7. LOCAL BICYCLE SHOPS in Monterey County—and Tips on New and Used Bikes

This guide, provided as a public service, was first published in 2009, with many subsequent updates. For additional updates, or if you have questions, please contact us. To return to the portal page of the Tips for Bicycling Monterey County 20-section guide, click here.

This local bike shops section includes:

  1. Complete list, in alphabetical order, of “Local bike shops of Monterey County.” Nearly all sell new bikes and also offer maintenance and repair services. A few sell used bikes too.
  2. Some bike shops have Spanish speakers on staff—¿Habla usted español? 
  3. A partial history of some of Monterey County’s bike shops.
  4. Tips on purchasing new and used bikes.
  5. Bikes for people unable to buy their own.

1. Local bike shops of Monterey County

This list of local bike shops was last confirmed as current on April 13, 2023. (Either their websites are still active or, for those without websites, we contacted them directly to confirm that their info below remains current.) For any future changes, as usual, please check with each bike shop directly. Below this list are some bicycle chains with Monterey County locations.
Looking for bicycle rentals? Click here. More about bicycle maintenance and repair? Click here.
  1. AMG Cyclery, 805 Broadway Avenue, Seaside; (831) 215-1784. Located in Seaside’s West Broadway Urban Village.
  2. Bobcat Bicycles, 141 Monterey Street, Salinas; 831-753-RIDE (7433). Located in Oldtown/downtown Salinas, parallel to and one block east of Main; not far from Amtrak station and MST’s Salinas Transit Plaza.
  3. Carmel Bicycle, 26543 Carmel Rancho Boulevard, Carmel; 831-625-2211. Located just off Hwy 1 at the mouth of Carmel Valley, and just off Class I path; look up for nearby windmill.
  4. CSUMB Otter Cycle Center. Located on California State University Monterey Bay campus. (Primarily accessories, parts, and repairs—not bike sales—intended for CSUMB students and staff. Check with them for any updates and available services.)
  5. Doug Chandler Performance(a.k.a. DC-10), 517 Abbott Street, Salinas; 831-422-3270. 
  6. Hopkins – As of 5/19/23, no website. For info, contact Dave Hopkins, owner/proprietor — 831-241-0042 – davehopkins@mac.com to inquire about ebike design, sales, repairs, and rentals.
  7. Monterey Peninsula Bike Shop, inside Monterey Peninsula Power Sports sports-center.com, 1020 Auto Center Parkway, Seaside; 831-899-7433. (“Selling Specialized turbo e-bike and servicing any of your bicycle needs,” per their 12/9/20 announcement, confirmed as current 4/13/23.)
  8. Pedego Electric Bikes, 143 Crossroads Boulevard, Carmel; 831-293-7063. https://pedegoelectricbikes.com/dealers/carmel-ca/ Locally owned by Joaquin Sullivan. 
  9. Peninsula Bike Works,1271 10th Street, Suite C, Monterey; 831-643-BIKE (2453). In 2024 PBW changed to a focus on repairs and maintenance, no inventory of bicycles for sale. Located just off Hwy 1, very near Naval Postgraduate School’s 10th Street gate and not far from El Estero Lake and Monterey Peninsula College.
  10. Rooster Wheels, 831-582-BIKE (2453). No website as of April 13, 2023. To inquire about available services, please phone them; there is currently no on-site service address. (This business began as Rooster Wheels & Coffee in Marina on January 1, 2016.)
  11. Toro Grind, 22750 Portola Drive, Salinas; 831-484-9747. Located off Hwy 68, south Salinas.  
  12. Valley Bikes, 64 West Alisal Street, Salinas; 831-422-3453. Located in Oldtown/downtown Salinas.
  13. Work Horse Bicycles, 486 Washington Street, Monterey; 831-375-2144. Located in Old Monterey / downtown Monterey, on Griffin Plaza; near MST’s Monterey Transit Plaza / Simoneau Plaza.
Bicycle chains with Monterey County locations
  1. Epicenter Cycling opened  their Monterey shop in July 2020. As of June 2023, their website lists an online store as well as shops in Gilroy (Santa Clara County), Pacifica (San Mateo County), Aptos and Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz County), and Monterey (Monterey County).
  2.  Mad Dogs & Englishmen opened their Carmel-by-the-Sea shop in March 2018. In 2019 Mad Dogs announced they were adding an online store and a Marin County shop. By 2021 their website listed locations in three counties, and as of June 2023, their website still lists all of those: Mill Valley (Marin County), Montecito (Santa Barbara County), Carmel and Monterey (Monterey County).
Planning to purchase an e-bike?

Research what the e-bike regulations are where you plan to ride. E-bike regulations vary by type of e-bike (e.g., California law defines e-bikes into three types, based on speed and power control) as well as varying by location. Some Monterey County-specific info is included in e-bike regs.

Recently closed Monterey County local bike shops:

Þ Bay Bikes (two Monterey and one Carmel location) closed, with their rental business becoming part of Adventures by the Sea in 2018.

Þ Bear Bikes (in North Salinas) closed July 20, 2018.

Þ Joselyns Bicycles (in Monterey) closed January 2012.

Þ Marina Cycle & Skate in Marina closed June 2024.

Þ Sports Center Bicycles in Seaside closed in 2019.

Þ Tony’s Bike Shop & Skateboards in Castroville closed in 2015.

Þ Winning Wheels in Pacific Grove closed in 2024.

Why support local bike shops?

2. ¿Habla usted español? Spanish-speaking bike shop professionals

Who are Monterey County’s most fluently bilingual bicycle shop professionals? 
Click here for some Bilingual Spanish-English bike shop professionals in Monterey County.

3. Tidbits: Partial history about some of Monterey County’s local bike shops

Seaside bicycle shop: AMG Cyclery

Following a soft opening on July 19, 2024, AMG Cyclery held its grand opening July 26, 2024. Their West Broadway Urban Village neighborhood is tops in Monterey County for the number of bike racks and benches aka rest stops per block.

Carmel’s first bicycle shop: Carmel Bicycle

Established in 1988, Carmel Bicycle relocated in October 2010 from mid-valley to 26543 Carmel Rancho Boulevard, Carmel. That address is in Carmel Rancho II, next to the Barnyard (look for the windmill), at the mouth of Carmel Valley.

Since March 31, 2018, Carmel has a second bicycle shop: Mad Dogs & Englishmen, on the southwest corner of Ocean Avenue and Mission Street.

For 38 Years: Winning Wheels, Pacific Grove

This popular and multiple award-winning bicycle shop—family owned and operated by Hector, Ophie, and Erick Chavez— announced January 17, 2024 that they planned to be open a few more weeks before closing the business. Indeed they closed, and are sorely missed by many.
 Patty at Winning Wheels in Pacific Grove

Oldtown Salinas bike shops

Two bike shops — Bobcat Bicycles and Valley Bikes — are located in Oldtown/downtown Salinas.

Bobcat was founded in 1994 by the late Robert “Bobcat” Bradfield. Since November 2019, carrying on his work at the shop are Craig Tucker and other longtime staff of Bobcat Bicycles.

Valley Bikes was founded by Kenny Trammel in 2014. Shop mechanics—in addition to Kenny—include Robby, a popular mechanic from Bear Bikes (now closed). Looking for Valley on West Market Street? In April 2015, Valley moved to 64 W. Alisal Street.

Below: Bobcat Bicycles

Doug Chandler Performance, Salinas

MO Interview: Catching Up with Racer Doug Chandler tells some history of Doug and Sherry Chandler, and how they support youth and others who bicycle.

Peninsula Bike Works, Monterey

The Monterey County Weekly’s readers said, “Best Bike Shop of 2019!” http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/best/2019/shopping-and-services/best-bike-shop/article_3620afd8-5009-11e9-b639-5b7016282922.html

And Peninsula Bike Works was honored with that same award in 2018: http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/best/2018/shopping-and-services/best-bike-shop/article_4401abac-2e13-11e8-9c27-2b8e363a904f.html

Work Horse Bicycles, Downtown Monterey

A new bike shop opened in 2017, Work Horse Bicycles, but the owner is not new to the local bike community! Work Horse is owned by Frank Pinto, who was previously the owner of Joselyns Bicycles, which closed in January 2012. (Joselyns was voted best bike shop by Monterey County Weekly’s 2011 and 2010 readers polls, e.g., http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/cover/readers-recognize-these-heros-for-doing-their-job-smoothly-and/article_3a29c007-6ccc-5b9e-8c91-524bd6ec947e.html) Frank was later a manager for Bay Bikes, which formerly had a shop at this address and repeatedly won the same award, including in 2016 http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/best/2016/shopping-and-services/best-bike-shop/article_0bb1f222-f07e-11e5-b933-ef58f2f1c04c.html.

Work Horse Bicycles is located on Monterey’s Griffin Plaza, at 486 Washington Street, which puts this bike shop next door to East Village Coffee Lounge. You’ll often see Velo Club Monterey members among the many people who socialize on this plaza. (Direx tip: Head to the corner of Washington and Pearl. But note that Munras becomes Abrego at Eldorado; and Abrego becomes Washington at Pearl.  If you’re confused about our streets, it’s not you, it’s Old Monterey!)

 

(More local history: Our photo below is from when this popular bike shop location, 486 Washington Street, Monterey, was Aquarian Bicycles. It later became Bay Bikes, then in July 2017 became Work Horse Bicycles.)

Toro Grind, Salinas

Toro Grind, 22750 Portola Drive, Salinas, opened as a “Bikes and Coffee” shop on September 2, 2019. In addition, owner Steve Benes organized a small nonprofit in March 2013, Gears 4 Good.  For people who cannot afford a bike, Gears 4 Good is sometimes able to provide bicycles for transportation to work or school, or simply if driving is not an option for them. The Gears 4 Good website, as of 4/13/23, is  http://www.torogrind.com/gears4good/ . Email Steve with your questions if you or someone you know needs help obtaining a bike.

4. Tips on Purchasing

Click here for tips on selecting a bike, tips provided on San Francisco’s 511.org.

4a) New bikes

Investing in a new bicycle from a local shop–where clerks are knowledgeable and can find the right bike for your body and your needs–is first choice.

Check those 511.org tips on selecting a bike, then ask local bike shop staff for more guidance.

If you find yourself with a new bike from a “big box” store, see tips from Ray Hosler–click here, then scroll down to subheading “…bike quality.”  As Ray cautions, in his experience on assembling such a bike for a charity, “These bikes need tuning by a pro….What of the poor person buying this bike and trying to assemble with no experience? It’s a frightening thought.”

4b) Used bikes

If your budget doesn’t permit a new bike, or if you aren’t really sure if you’ll bike much and just want to test out an inexpensive used bike for awhile, what to do?

First, although local bike shops primarily sell new bikes, some also sell used bikes.   It never hurts to ask. Some shops have used bikes in their inventory on on a regular basis. If you’re lucky enough to get a used bike from a local bike shop, you not only save money while buying a quality bike, you also have the well-founded confidence that the bike is in safe operating condition–because a local bike shop mechanic has gone over it!

Next, check with local bike rental stores. For instance, at least one of them typically sells their used bikes in October. Another  scheduled a used bike sale for January. They had purchased the bikes new at wholesale prices, maintained them well throughout their rental life, and are now ready to sell them to prepare for purchasing new ones again for next season. What does this mean to you?  The possibility of finding a sweet deal on a used bike!

Check the “Used Bikes” post for more info.

You may also want to consider Craigslist or yard sales.  However, if you are not mechanically savvy, it’s wise to take a used bike for a safety check-up and maintenance recommendations at a local maintenance/repair shop. Discounted bike safety checks sometimes happen in April and May, e.g., to help celebrate Bike Month. And year-round, simply ask a local bike shop for their best price on safety inspections.

What’s the dollar value of that used bike? You may want to refer to the bicycle blue book.

These tips on “How to buy a great used bicycle” may also be helpful to you.

5. Bikes for people unable to buy their own

Gears 4 Good is a small organization organized on the Monterey Peninsula by Steve Benes, and as resources and time allow, Steve is happy to serve locals throughout Monterey County. For people who cannot afford a bike, Gears 4 Good provides bicycles for transportation to work or school, or simply if driving is not an option for them.

Gears 4 Good is a 501 (3) (c) nonprofit, since March 2013. Please visit http://www.gears4good.com/ and email Steve with your questions if you or someone you know needs help obtaining a bike.

Steve also welcomes people to contact him with offers to help in this philanthropic endeavor.

For related Monterey County opportunities, also see: How to help: Bikes, gear, skills for youth and others without.

In our neighboring Santa Cruz County…

The Bike Church of Santa Cruz helped get the Bike Shack in Watsonville started. Now Bike Shack is able to offer not only a DIY bike repair space and repair/maintenance skill sharing, they’ve also been able to sell affordable bikes–$20 to $100, sliding scale.

Short link to this page: https://bit.ly/BicycleShops