Thank for your continued support! Here’s the latest in how service and sales are unfolding here as the pandemic continues…
Please wait outside for assistance: We’re a small shop, so we have one customer inside at a time to maintain social distancing. The service manager will come out and call folks in one by one, or one of our staff will greet you outside.
You can purchase a bicycle through our partners listed above and they will be shipped to and assembled at Broadway, then you will be able to pick up your new bicycle from Broadway directly. (All sales through this option are final.) For custom builds or orders from other brands, such as Surly, All-City, or Crust – please email the shop directly at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call 617.868.3392.
In Stock
We have a few of the long-time-favorite Surly Cross-Check left in stock. This complete-bike build is no longer being offered, so once these are gone – that’s it. (Surly is still offering frame-only sales.) Please call with inquiries, 617.868.3392.
Starting April 6, new public health recommendations ask everyone to wear a mask in public. For everyone’s safety, when you come to the shop please wear a mask (or similar face covering). If you’re unable to do so, we may ask you to wait outside while we look at your bicycle.
If you have specific questions and you’re not sure if this kind of appointment is what you need, please email us at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call the shop at 617.868.3392 with your questions.
If you have specific questions and you’re not sure if this kind of appointment is what you need, please email us at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call the shop at 617.868.3392 with your questions.
Why appointments? Prior to COVID19, Broadway was always a walk-in service shop. In order to prioritize the health of our staff, customers, and community we will be offering appointment-based services for the duration of the pandemic. Appointments allow for proper social distancing between customers and with staff. We will continue to only have one customer in the shop at a time. When COVID19 restrictions come to an end, we will revisit the walk-in services we have always utilized. If you’re stranded with a flat, knock on the door and we’ll do our best for you.
Appointments are for diagnostic and discussion of bicycle repair services. After taking a look at your bicycle, we’ll go over anything that is of concern to you and any work we might recommend. After you decide if you’d like to utilize our services, we will provide a timeline for those services and ask you to leave your bike with us. We’ll take great care of your bicycle! Please do not leave bicycles locked outside overnight, we cannot guarantee their safety. All repair services need to be booked in person.
If you have specific questions and you’re not sure if this kind of appointment is what you need, please email us at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call the shop at 617.868.3392 with your questions.
Thank you for your patience during these difficult times. Please keep safe out there!
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March 24, 2020 12pm
Cambridge, MA has declared bicycle repair an essential service for transportation. Broadway will remain open for bicycle repair services. We will not be offering classes, stand time, or instruction for the foreseeable future. General sales are also not permitted at this time by the city of Cambridge.
We will continue to update this page as the COVID19 situation evolves.
Thank you for your continued support. We hope you’re all staying safe and healthy and wish the same for all those you care about.
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March 23, 2020
As our friends have started to lose hours at work, as our favorite restaurants have had to close, and our kids have had to stay home from school, the reality of COVID19 has really started to sink in. As a shop, we’ve already changed to a one-at-a-time customer model, only allowing one patron in at a time to best allow for social distancing in the interest of public health.
While we seek clarification from state and local government, we want to keep you up to date. To meet the requirements of this state order, Broadway will have to close by noon tomorrow March 24, until at least April 7 (the dates of the order, as of this writing). We have applied to be listed as an essential business, as are many bicycle repair businesses.
If you need to pick up your bicycle please contact the shop directly.
We will endeavor to stay open to the extent it is healthy and possible to do so. We will continue to make sure that our community’s bicycle transportation needs are supported during this difficult time. We ask for your patience in these rapidly changing circumstances. We would also like to thank you for your continued support of Broadway.
We hope you’re all staying safe and healthy and wish the same for all those you care about.
A: Starting April 6, new public health recommendations ask everyone to wear a mask in public. For everyone’s safety, when you come to the shop please wear a mask (or similar face covering). If you’re unable to do so, we may ask you to wait outside while we look at your bicycle.
Q: Are you open?
A: We are open. The city of Cambridge and the state of Massachusetts have deemed bicycle repair an essential service during the pandemic.
A: If you’re looking to purchase a bicycle, while we cannot show new bicycles out of our shop due to public health regulations, we can help with our “buy and ride” purchasing option. You can purchase bicycles through our partners at Brooklyn Bicycle,Marin, or Brompton, and they will be shipped to and assembled at Broadway, then you will be able to pick up your new bicycle from Broadway directly. (All sales through this option are final.) For custom builds or orders from other brands, such as Surly, All City, or Crust – please email the shop directly at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call 617.868.3392.
Q: Can you help with my electric bike?
A: We are currently unable to service electric bicycles.
Q: How can I help support the business during this time?
A: We’d like to thank the community for the continued support, all is appreciated beyond words. If you’d like to purchase a gift card, you can call the shop during regular business hours at 617.868.3392.
Q: What about classes?
A: Classes are being suspended during the pandemic. We’ll start offering them again as soon as it is safe to do so.
Q: What about stand time and teaching time?
A: Stand time rental and one-on-one teaching time are being suspended during the pandemic. We’ll start offering them again as soon as it is safe to do so.
Q: What about bike rental?
A: Bike rentals are being suspended during the pandemic. We’ll start offering them again as soon as it is safe to do so.
Q: My question isn’t answered here – where do I go?
A: We’ve started putting common questions up here, but in case you haven’t found an answer yet, more information is on our COVID19 updates page. You can also email the shop directly at broadway@broadwaybicycleschool.com or call 617.868.3392 with your questions.
We’re a collectively run and locally owned bicycle shop that has been in operation since 1972. We are a worker-owner cooperative, meaning a subset of workers own and democratically manage the business, and all employees are on track to become eligible to do so. As a full-service bike shop, we both repair and sell new and used bikes. Our tools and space are also made available for rent, so folks can come in and fix their own bikes by themselves or with one-on-one assistance from a mechanic. In the evenings we offer classes on the topic of bicycle maintenance and repair. We are proud to offer a $15 per hour starting wage with a clear path to advancement as well as wage transparency.
Job Description:
All mechanic positions at Broadway Bicycle include mechanic training, mechanic work, customer service and sales. Full-time positions (~40 hours per week) are available from April through mid October 2020, with part-time work available earlier in the spring and during the winter. Part-time positions during the summer season may be available for mechanics with prior shop experience. Mechanics need to be available to work Saturday. We have a clearly laid out “Path of Advancement” that allows workers to take on additional roles and increase their wage according to their skill level, availability and commitment. Employees are hired “at-will”.
For full-time positions, it is NOT a prerequisite that you have previous shop experience, only that you have a passion for bicycles and working on them. We will provide the necessary training in all aspects of the position. We are looking for excellent team players, good communicators and reliable workers. We encourage people of color, LGBTQIA folks, and women and gender minorities to apply.
If you are interested in applying please fill out 2020 Broadway Bicycle Application and drop it by the shop or email it to broadway [ at ] broadwaybicycleschool [ dot ] com. Resumes encouraged as well.
September 20-27 is Global Climate Strike action week! On Friday, September 20, Broadway Bicycle will kick off these days packed with climate activism by taking over the parking surface in front of our shop. Advocating for the car-free city we are dreaming of, we will turn the parking space into a neighborhood gathering and bike enthusiast zone.
We invite everyone to experience with us how recreational space opens up with just a little less car infrastructure in town. Please stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee or juice, read one of our many bike mechanic and activism related books, chat with friends and strangers and — special offer — take a free flat repair class! Our space is open from 10am to 4pm, the classes take place at 11am and 2pm.
Students attending the Youth Climate Strike that day will get free snacks and drinks, free bike assessments and air and oil service! Extra: Free sparkling valve caps (home-made, limited edition).
As a shop that’s been continuously operating for forty-five years in one location, we’ve got some dusty piles of old parts in the basement. While we have a self-serve used section in the back corner of the shop that can be a treasure trove, I wanted to share some of the fun new old stock (NOS) stuff I found hidden away in the basement, out of browsing eyes, while doing year-end inventory.
Many of these are long out of production, and service or compatible parts are no longer available. Surprisingly, I also found a few modern parts that wriggled their way into the piles, parts we ordered by accident, or for wheel builds that just never happened.
I found the most interesting to be the pile of old hubs from bygone eras, including the fixed gear craze from a decade ago and the internally geared hub craze from several decades ago. Well before my time, somewhere in between those phases, the shop did an enormous number of wheel builds as part of modernising and selling old English 3-speeds. While we are long out of classic Sturmey 3speed hubs, we remain with piles of front hubs from that project.
Some of the highlights:
– Phil Wood FX/FW Rear Track Hub: OLD 120, High Polish, 36h
– Sturmey Archer S30 S-RF3 3-Speed Rear Hub: OLD 127mm, 175mm axle. Still available at retail for $125, Sturmey’s modern three-speed internally geared hub from after redesign that eliminated the neutral gear. 175mm axle is plenty long to allow for it to be spaced out for a wider frame.
– All-City New Sheriff Hub: 32h Front, High Polish. Discontinued several years ago, All-City’s BMX-inspired designed-in-house fixed-gear hub originally retailed for $95.
– SRAM 716 X7 Front Hub: 6-Bolt Disc, 32h, black. 15mm x 100 front thru-axles do not roll through Broadway very often, so you can imagine my surprise to find such a hub under the dust in the basement.
– Shimano Nexus 7 SG-7R46 for roller brake (2): no brake, no shifter (and likely no shifter available)
– SRAM Dual Drive 3×9 rear internal/external hub (4): 36h with hardware but no shifters (and no shifter available)
– Sachs 3-sp rear hub with drum brake: 118 OLD, with shifter and hardware kit
– Sachs Super 7: 36h
– Raleigh, Phillips, assorted 3sp front hubs (lots)
– NOS and used Suntour sealed, assorted (mostly front) hubs (lots)
As a 26″ diehard, I personally put a huge dent in the overstock rims in the shop. Nonetheless, we still unearthed a dozen or so NOS rims in the corners of the shop:
– Mavic XM317: 26″, 32h (2) and 36h (1), silver
– Mavic EX721: 26″, 32h, black (2)
– Velocity Aerohead: 26″, 32h, white MSW
– Mavic Open Sport: 700c, 32h, silver (3)
– Velocity Dyad: 700c, 48h, silver MSW
– Velocity Chukker: 700c, 36h, black MSW
– Velocity Synergy: 700c, 32h, silver
I’ll save the chainrings for another rainy day. In the meantime, drop us a line if you’re interested in picking up any of these gems. And as always, swing by the shop, give the used section a look, and say hello.
The walls of our store beam of beautiful bike parts and accessories. There is such plenty (and, admittedly, so little space) that one can easily miss one or two details. This week, we would like to direct your attention to the upper left corner of the wall behind our counter: There is a new sign in town!
We at Broadway Bicycle consider ourselves very fortunate to have people of all kind of genders work at our store. All of us identify in different ways. Some of our mechanics feel at home within the better known categories of female and male. Others like to live outside this binary and define themselves as trans, genderqueer, non-binary … we are always excited to expand the list. Whoever passes through our doors, becomes part of our inclusive and gender-fluid community. This includes an invitation to play with language. She? He? Her? Him? Nevermind! Simply use “they” and “the mechanic” or whatever designation comes to mind. This may feel unusual in the beginning. But the joys of getting rid of singular and gendered boxes are well worth the effort!
Curious to learn more? There is tons of information out there on the web. On changing the world with words: Feministing. For those who like standard references and history: Merriam Webster. And the Washington Post seems to reserve a special place in its heart for the pronoun “they”, lots of articleshere … SF
In the spirit of reflecting on the end of the year, I posed to the staff to name their favorite album to play at work, and one noteworthy track off that album. As anyone who has been in the shop knows, we have music playing pretty much all the time. We often get questions and comments about what is playing. Sometimes, we listen to MIT’s campus radio station, WMBR, but often whoever is working just choose album after album of new releases, old favorites, and other curiosities. For most, it was a struggle to pick just one favorite. And unlike every other ‘end of year music list’ you’ve likely read so far, no one picked albums that were actually released in 2018.
Broadway’s Year End Staff Picks
in alphabetical order
HB: Emotion, Carly Rae Jepsen (2015)
“It’s impossible not to bop along to this entire album. Just try to fix a flat tire without singing along, I dare you.”
HK: They Sell Doomsday, Ryan Power (2017)
“This album is great when you kind of want to listen to Mac DeMarco without the implications. I think it’s calming and it reminds me of the summertime. I always want to move around a little when listening to this, but not full-on dance or sing along… Justin liked this album so much he went to Ryan’s show last month in Somerville and reported jam band vibes… A customer recognized this album at least once.”
Jace: Bury Me at Makeout Creek, Mitski (2014)
“I’m the kind of person who listens to the same album on repeat 50-100 times, and then often, moves on. So, while there are a number of extremely strong contenders from the last year (boygenius self-titled, Puppy Problems’ Sunday Feeling, Mitski’s Be the Cowboy) and my perennial too-sad-for-work favorites (Julien Baker’s Sprained Ankle, Frightened Rabbit’s Midnight Organ Fight) the fact that this album came out in 2014 and I keep playing it is a testament to its place in my heart.”
Jessie: Rumors, Fleetwood Mac (1977)
This album is a classic and usually a good choice on any given day. More specifically, one of my parents didn’t like Fleetwood Mac so I very rarely heard them growing up, despite this genre being a staple in my household. I got into Fleetwood Mac as an adult, I love everything about this album, especially all the ways it conveys raw expression of emotion in a time of struggle.
Runners up: Breakfast in America, Supertramp (1979) and Emotion, Carly Rae Jepsen (2015).
Justin: Trout Mask Replica, Captain Beefheart (1969)
“An artist I’d been introduced to at age 19, & as a matter of fact it was that particular album I’m about to highlight. But back then, as much as it cracked my skull, it didn’t absorb beyond my frontal lobe, & never made its way through my veins into my heart. It was cool, too cool maybe, but didn’t soak into my skin & sweat out the way all other albums I fell in love with did. At some point in my mid-twenties I listened to it a bunch, but still it remained as an odd refreshing background flavor needed to cleanse my palette between savory pop albums. But don’t mistake me, I was quite fluent in free jazz; just more jazz than art-noise-rock. As I approached 30 I decided to expand beyond this artist’s critically acclaimed best album & introduce myself to his debut & accessible Safe As Milk (1967). This came at the right time & instantly caught fire. I guess so much so that I didn’t bother venturing further. Then … I went back & fell in absolute love with his 1978 album Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). Then I hopped over to Doc at the Radar Station & skipped stones back to Lick my Decals. The mood was destined & the desire was unbuckled, this night was finally time to return to the album that started this tale… If you want to know how I feel about Trout Mask Replica come talk to me about it. But I recommend you take 19 years on your own first if needed.”
Kate: Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), Digable Planets (1993)
“It’s an album that has it all; the Boom Bap styling of the nineties, feminist messaging and it’s nostalgic (for a thirty-something like myself).”
Saskia: 1992, Princess Nokia (2016)
“Solid hip hop album that’s gender empowering and celebrates individuality. It’s a great album to ride along to while biking to work but also keeps your energy up once you’ve started a work day. I’ve played it in the shop and I think my coworkers liked it.”
Susanne: Stoosh, Skunk Anansie (1996)
“I bought this album in a second-hand store in Paris more ten years ago and just re-discovered it on funky Napster. Great variety of rhythms and moods: whenever a song gets too intense, the music turns around 180 degrees and surprises you with something completely different. None of my coworkers have complained yet.”
Suzanne: Cosmic Thing, B-52’s (1989)
“I’m always excited to listen to Cosmic Thing by the B-52’s at work. There isn’t a song on the entire CD that I don’t love. If I happened to run into the B-52’s around town, I’d just say ‘Thanks for increasing the quality of my life’ and I’d walk away.”
