Davis is the UC school known for bikes, so of course bike shops are a top concern for students here. And this year B&L Bike shop won first place in its Best of Davis category.
B&L has been in Davis for 48 years and has provided consistently friendly service and helpful advice to the commuters of Davis, and now they have been awarded the title of best bike shop. They have a range of quality bikes and accessories for the incoming first-years and newcomers, as well as a large arsenal of advice for professionals.
Of course, Milo, the shop’s grey and very furry cat, is also a part of the staff, and he is quite a popular part of the business too. He is just as friendly as the staff members, but maybe not as helpful with bike problems as the others.
After being in business for such a long time the staff is full of advice. “We are a commuter’s bike shop,” Grundman said. “We try to give helpful advice … especially to freshmen, about bikes — things like what type of bike to buy and [how] to use a U-lock can make a big difference for them.”
This business understands most of their customers are college students who do not have money to spend on bike repairs.
“It’s always fun to see the different generations come through, like a father bringing his kid to the shop for his first bike when he also bought his first bike from B&L,” Grundman said. “It makes you feel like the shop is really helping people and is a big part of the community.”
Coming in second place for the Best Bike Shop was the Bike Barn, followed by APEX Cycles in third.
— Kelly Mitchell
