After pumping the brakes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UCLA Bike Shop is rolling again.
Once an entirely do-it-yourself operation, the shop, located on the north side of the John Wooden Center, has reopened as a full-service facility for the two-wheeled community.
The shop, which is operated by UCLA Recreation, now offers a large selection of bike parts and accessories for sale — including tires and tubes for wheelchairs — and affordably priced services like flat tire repairs and building new wheels for gravel bikes.
Plus, shop staff can offer advice on safe bike routes to campus, tips on what to look for when buying a new bike, expert instructions for working on your own brakes and even suggestions for finding a cycling community to link up with.
“We’re here for all of it,” said Nate Woiwode, the shop’s new supervisor. “We’re here to encourage cycling, which is so much nicer than paying for gas and a permit, sitting in traffic and looking for parking, and lets you enjoy sunshine, fresh air and exercise.”
The shop has loaner bikes available to keep Bruins in motion while their preferred cycles are being repaired, and do-it-yourself hours — a staple of the pre-pandemic Bike Shop — will be back for cyclists interested in sharpening their mechanical skills.
“Having a reliable bike in proper working order is essential to the safety of Bruins who commute and get around campus by bicycle,” Woiwode said. “We’re here to keep you rolling and provide resources.”
Woiwode said the shop aims to be a second home for cyclists; staff are planning to hold events including, for example, workshops where members of the local cycling community would share their expertise on navigating Los Angeles life on two wheels.
The UCLA Bike Shop is open year-round, Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.