The Illiterate Cyclist
Kooky Bicycle Service/Repair, Parts, Accessories, and SAG Support.
Building our area a better bike shop and cycling community one rickety step at a time.
Hours
Come Visit
(Calls Taken During Hours Listed, ONLY)
Mon-Tues-Thurs-Fri (10-8)
Wed (Closed)
Sat (10-5)
Sun (11-5)
*Closed Saturday, Sept. 18 for Lake Erie Fall Ride (Monroe Cycling Club). Proceeds go towards ALS of Michigan funding.
**Note: Motorized Bikes (Gas/Electric) are not welcome at the shop in regards to anything. No trikes/recumbents for size limits and quality concerns.
A Little Background Noise
17 year Veteran of the Bike Industry going it alone to offer the Detroit Metro area and beyond the best and most comprehensive bike service I can. I have run many bike shops across the country, lead multi-store service departments, been a Rep in the Recumbent world (we're not talking about it), a wheel builder, suspension tech, Inside and Outside Territory Manager for a few bicycle parts distributors, a Dealer Account Coordinator for helping shops globally build their repertoire for their local consumer needs, a multi-time organizer of Cranksgiving events, and highly proud to be a SAG Mechanic and Donor for Make-A-Wish Michigan and the WAM300 ride. I have been across the country quite a bit, but the Detroit area is where I want to lay the groundwork for supporting our bike community with the best mechanical support they deserve. Please see my Services section to get a better grasp. Also, please follow my often maniacal ramblings on Instaham
Highlander
There Can Be Only One
Balthazar Impresario
What's in a name?
Seem's people are either offended by the company name, or find it goofy and get a bit confused. But, there's a story in it all. I had an idea about 10 or 11 years ago that if I were to open my own shop one day, it would more-so be in a larger urban area, catering to the Commuters and Fixter types (Bipster?). A hip, eclectic shop that was at its core a 100% reliable service driven shop, with the parts and accessories an actual cyclist would want. And maybe carry a small, unique bike brand or two, like State, Fairdale, or Pure Cycles. At the same time, I read a book every other month. So, why not incorporate a used book store into it? Hence, The Illiterate Cyclist. A place an every-person could come and get their mental and physical fix! Where are books? Hey, things cost money!
As Balthazar Impresario, one of the last of the great Stage Show Runners; here comes the curtain call, time to rattle the boards one last time.
Brands We Carry
Traveling With Freinds! Yay!
Soma Fab
Illiterate Cyclist approved! Amazingly adaptable Tange steel frames for custom built gravel, cx, bike-packing, commuting, road racing, fixed gear, monstercrossing, and hardcore hardtail wants and desires. Plus, a genuinly excellent parts and accs. catalog.
Velo Orange
Elegant steel frames for custom B-Road, Gravel, Sportif, Commuting, and Bike-Packer's boutique build dreams. Plus, a huge line of amazingly crafted and well curated parts and accessories to spice up any bike.
FYXATION
Milwaukee based. Hip urban Single Speed and geared steel bikes, as well as one heck of a Gravel/Bike-Packing rig and Velodrome/Street-Shark Track Bike. And plenty more accessories.
Boyd Cycling
A handcrafted revolution in cycling wheels. South Carolina made, premium level carbon and alloy wheels for every venture and race scenario at killer prices. Tinker Juarez and Gravel Cyclist approved!
Rolf Prima/Astral
Crazy light and strong paired spoke carbon and alloy wheels, and even more bestoke creations through Astral Cycling. Handmade in Oregon, on White Industry hubs. Gravel, Road, Track, Tri, Tandem, MTB...all with customizable color combos!
Summer of WAM Tune
Benefiting Make-A-Wish MI
- Meat N' Potatoes Tune w/ A Side of Good
- $100 (Split 50/50 with MAW through Aug)
With the Wish-A-Mile 300 Bike Tour cancelled for the second year in its 34 year span, due to Covid related precautions...the thousands of us Doaners, Sponsors, and Wish granting riders are doing what we can to work within a "Virtual" context instead of a massive 3 day tour. Holding solo rides, small group rides, or holding our own 500 mile Team events on WAM Week in July, to garner donations for kids across the country that are fighting insurmountable health issues. I'd typically, be the SAG Mechanic for this crazy grouping of cyclists, normally raising over $2 million a year...and then the World came apart.
Need a Tune-Up, but want to help me make Wishes come true?
Repair Menu
Be it a proper bike tune-up, more singular and basic tweeks, custom wheel builds, suspension overhauls, and beyond; The Illiterate Cyclist has you covered. Taking the Middle-Man out of the equation and by dedicating to the origins of a bike shop, The Service, allows me to offer you a better price, faster turn-around, and guaranteed, better results...because that's what I am known for.
Disclaimer: No support any motorized bikes, in regards to service or even general parts. No warranties, refunds, guarantees of safety or functionality, and we retain the right to refuse work on any/all Dept Store/Wish/Amazon/Ebay/Alibaba Bicycle Styled Products. Fake/Knock-Off Amazon/Wish style components will not be installed...TIC Bike Shop supports the actual Bike Industry.
* 6/14/21: No Dept Store/Amazon/Wish/Alibaba/Ebay "Bikes" are not being accepted for service. Only bikes purchased from bike shops (GT/Diamondback/Raliegh included) or actual bike companies that are consumer direct (Poseidon/State/Bikes Direct/Intense/Pure/Canyon/YT/Retrospec/Etc) will be serviced.
Meat N' Potatoes Tune ($70)
Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't
Gear Adjustments, Brake Adjustments, Wheel Truing, Bearing Adjustments Where Applicable, Bike Cleaning, Cable and Housing Lubrication, Lite Chain Cleaning and Lubrication, Greasing Of Touch-Points, and General Safety Check and Bolt Torque. Parts extra.
Kitchen Sink Services
Ala-Carte Labor
Tire/Tube Change ($10),
Front and Rear Gear or Brake Adjustment ($20)
New Cable and Housing Install with Adjustment ($15 per Brake/Shifter)
Hub Overhaul Clean N' Grease ($20)
Bottom Bracket Overhaul or Install ($20)
Wheel True ($20)
Custom Wheel Build ($60 per Wheel)
Hydraulic Brake Bleed ($20 per Brake)
Suspension Overhaul ($25Rear/$50Front)
Custom Bike/Frame Build ($140)
Accessory Install ($10 per)
* Ask about anything else not listed.
Bits N' Bobs
Parts/Accessories/Etc.
Bought a bike online, and need to get it built, tuned, and prepped to be safe and secure...($60/Boxed Bike Build).
The Illiterate Cyclist is a new and growing business on a thread-bare budget. We will be bringing in a good mix of parts and accessories to fill out the shop and offer the what's and wears you and your bike needs for your adventures. As an actual cyclist myself, I assuredly stock products I can stand behind, and have product catalogs to get you so much more than you see.
SAG Support
Make-A-Wish Michigan's WAM300 Bike Tour
The Illiterate Cyclist's Cranksgiving
Monroe Cycling Club's Lake Erie Fall Classic
and beyond! Contact me about your cycling event...if the cause is good, I'm likely interested!
Hip Hop Anonymous, Hiphopopotamus?
We've Gone To Thing Doing
Event stories, now that I've figured out how not to break the website, again.
WAM 300
Make-A-Wish MI: Wish-A-Mile 300 Bike Tour (Rider Sponsor, Tour Mechanic, Donor).
For the past 34 years, Make-A-Wish Michigan has had a Wish-A-Mile Bike Tour across Michigan the final full weekend of July. Started as a challenge among a few riders in the 80's to raise funds to grant Wishes for children born with life threatening conditions; has now grown to a near 2000 rider strong group of people from across the country, raising on average $2.25 Million Dollars each year. Normally, I would be the SAG Mechanic for the three day 300 mile tour from TC to Marshall, MI. But, the World got flipped upside-down in 20'/21'.... Most riders have done smaller solo/virtual riders, or more singular rides with their respective Teams. Not to be undone, Monroe Wish Riders and local Gym Rats devised an advanced route to do the ride as planned, in legacy of the original riders and to keep the flame burning for the kids. Adding two extra days with a Mackinaw starting point, we traversed MI to the Ohio boarder for near 500 miles in '20. Unplanned, my new SAG Vehicle for the business blew up right before reaching Traverse City (picture of me catching the group riding into TC, and their first mechanicals). Butts rubbed raw from heat and hills. Shaky interactions with gun and knife toting Rednecks in otherworldly parts of the Country, getting runoff the road by reckless motorists and truck drivers, and Satanists with time to kill...this was the darkest of timelines. I was even asked to hop on my bike and join the Team as we shot to the OH boarder. In the end, Monroe Wish Riders neared $40,000 in donations to Make-A-Wish; and through my tune-up specials and Go-Fund-Me, I got to $1230 of my $1500 goal.
For '21, we are bringing more of the WAM Family together, riding the more traditional route WAM Week. And, a larger Heroes Hurrah event in Monroe Aug. 7 to recreate a semblance of what we wish would come back, and build on donations to offer real Wishes for the kids in need.
Cranksgiving
Global Bike Based Scavenger Hunt: To Collect Food To Feed Those In Need.
Sunday Nov. 22 (10-12:30): You (Yes, You!) are going to be rippin' up the streets on your bike and best portaging device. Riders will be given a multi-choice list of non-perishables and essentials to help fight hunger and help those in need. All goods will be donated to Gleaner's Food Bank of Michigan the week of Thanksgiving. This is now a 20 year strong Gobal event, doing a heck of a lot of good as we come into the more trying time of the year, especially with all that's transpired in 2020.
Where: Well, the bike shop, of course, at 10 am. We only had eight riders last year, without the shop, and under the new guise of The Illiterate Cyclist...but we collected 430lbs of food by bike in two hours! I want thirty people on bikes this year. Costumes welcomed...prizes at the end?!
More details to follow on Facebook.
FB4K Detroit
Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) is a non-profit organization running in a handful of major cities across the US. The main objective is to collect and refurbish children's bikes (12-24" wheeled bikes) from Oct-Dec; and then donate those bikes through partner organizations to help provide bikes to those families and kids most in need for a healthier and happier childhood....right around the Holidays!
Bring your gently used kids bikes (or those needing a slight touch of TLC) between Oct-Nov. I'll do what I can with sprucing them up, and then deliver them to FB4K on the day's I'm closed (Wed). Very petite 26in bike's are OK, too. I brought in 28 fully ready bikes with me this year, volunteer while I'm there over the three months, and we work as a collective to make them ready for the holidays. Some 1700 were sent off to kids in need by the end of December 2020. If you can change a tube, turn a wrench, or do some tlc; come join us at the historic Ford Piquette Plant.
Click the logo to bounce to their site.
Gulable? More of a Gula-Calf: The Things I Get Roped Into.
Lake Erie Fall Ride (Sept. 18): Hosted by Monroe Cyling Club. An awesome "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" around Michigan's Cornerstone, Monroe. Proceeds go towards ALS of Michigan (Lou Gehrig's Disease). 100 Mile Road/100K Road/100K Gravel/50K Road. Great food, SAG Support (Me!), and free beer from Pavlov's Brewing.
Watermoo Gravel Race: A 112 Mile Gravel and B-Road Bike Race through some of the Dexter/Pinckney/Chelsea area's most scenic and forgotten backroads. TIC was there to offer whatever tweeks, flat changes, and other mechanical support riders needed on a long and dusty journey. In collaboration with FitMi! (Pro Bike Fitting), Ann Arbor Velo Club, Ann Arbor Running Co, and Jolly Pumpkin Artisanal Ales.