Tapped Out Cycles

What to ask a repair shop in Raleigh, NC

• Do you work on my make and year? A shop that mostly sees late-model Japanese bikes may not want a 1978 twin, and it is better to hear that on the phone than at the counter.
• Will you mount tires I bring in, and what does that cost? Many shops will, some will not, and the ones that do usually charge more per tire than for rubber they sold you.
• What is the diagnostic fee, and does it come off the repair if I go ahead? Ask before the bike is on the lift.
• Appointment or walk-in, and what is the turnaround right now? In season a good shop can be two or three weeks out.
• Can you collect a bike that will not run, or do I need to arrange a tow? Some service shops have a trailer; most do not.

Humidity and heat are the maintenance story here. Corrosion on electrical connectors and fasteners shows up early, tires age in the sun even when they are not being ridden, and summer afternoons are for shade, not long stints. Riding season is long, so service intervals come around faster than the calendar suggests.

Worth the ride from Raleigh, NC

• Jubala Coffee

  Coffee

  Weekday coffee from 7am with its own lot, then north on the run toward Falls Lake and Wake Forest.

• Raven Rock State Park

  Viewpoint

  Ride the pine backroads up through Lillington, park easily, and walk a short way to the overlook.

• Big Ed's City Market Restaurant

  Breakfast

  Arrive by 2pm any day but Monday, then ride out toward Falls Lake or Jordan Lake on biscuits and ham.

All 4 places worth the ride near Raleigh, NC →

Riding here?

Make Tapped Out Cycles a stop on your next ride. Find a route that passes by, schedule a group ride with it as the stop, or see how 2 Wheels in Common works for riders.