Runnings — Attraction in Redwood City

Overall, all my experiences at the RWC Sports Basement have been positive but this review is specifically for the bike shop.

My friend who lives in Mountain View drives down to the RWC store for all his bike shop needs, even though there are 2 other Sports Basement locations that are closer. His reason was that the RWC bike shop consistently provided amazing service. I was a bit skeptical about this opinion because I felt such service could only be found at a small independent bike shop. I was so wrong. After going through the process of buying a bike here and getting another one repaired here, I am a believer now!

I demoed an Ibis DV9 and then a Ibis Hakka here. Halfway through the 10-day Hakka rental, I realized that this was the bike to buy. Unfortunately, these bikes were heavily back ordered and the estimate was in a few months. So they relaxed the 30-day limit for demo credit and I extended my rental to a month-long rental. In the middle of my rental I decided to move up a size and they were able to make it happen. I took the rental bike back to the store several times for different adjustments and I always came out with a great experience. I decided to buy the Hakka and they were able to get me one within 2 months. I am on a Hakka Faccebook group and the general wait time on some of the recent orders by members there seemed to be 6+ months! I was able to buy the bike and I got the full demo credit!

In general, I have received great service from all the bike shop employees but am going to name a few employees who were standouts.

Tyler Hansen(the shop manager): He navigated a special internal system to talk to the Ibis representative and put me on the line for a bike that was coming out in 1-2 months. Before I spoke to Tyler, I happened to talk to other Sports Basement bike shops and they said there is no wait list that I could get on and their suggestion was to check the website daily for availability. Tyler was not only able to get me a bike, he was even able to get me the upgraded wheels on them. When the bike came, Tyler made several trips to the rental counter to make sure that I got the full demo credit in spite of the all the complications(past 30 days, rental extension, change in bike etc). Tyler also was very helpful with answering questions about the bike/order over email and in person.

Colin: My bike was ready for pickup on a Friday but I was not able to pick it up until Sunday. On Sunday, I walked in at 5:50 and asked Colin(only person in the shop) if I could pickup my bike. The closing time was 6 PM. I told Colin that if it was too late to checkout my bike (put pedals on, navigate the complicated demo credit) I was happy to come the next day. Without missing a beat, he said that he would help me out because he had enough time to make it to an event at 8. He then worked with Tyler and sorted all my demo credit issues and installed pedals on my bikes. Fantastic customer service, I would say! Not only me, there was another person checking out a new bike at 5:55 and when they mentioned that they wished the seat went lower, Colin, without any hesitation, offered to take it inside and have the seat post sawed!

Tyler/Alex (bike shop mechanics): I took my road bike with a creaking bottom bracket. Within a day they were able to identify the problem and fix it. Not only that, they did something to my bike that make it much smoother and faster. Since I purchased it 7 years ago, I have taken it to a few mechanics for general service and I have never had it ride so smoothly! I improved my PR on many of the local climbs by 5% or greater!

Note to other customers: Don't be like me and show up at closing for checking out a bike! Get there with a good amount of...

Sports Basement has truly impressed me with their exceptional service and wide selection of off-season snowboards and gear. As an avid snowboarding enthusiast, I understand the importance of finding the right equipment to enhance my performance on the slopes, and Sports Basement has exceeded my expectations in every way.

First and foremost, the staff at Sports Basement are knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely passionate about winter sports. They eagerly provided me with expert advice and guidance, ensuring I made the perfect choices for my off-season snowboarding needs. Their expertise was invaluable in helping me select the ideal snowboard, bindings, and accessories to suit my style and skill level.

What truly sets Sports Basement apart is their impressive range of off-season snowboarding gear. Despite it being out of season, they maintain a vast inventory of high-quality boards from renowned brands, ensuring that snowboarders like myself can find the latest models and designs. I was delighted to discover an extensive collection of discounted items, making it possible to get top-notch equipment at a fraction of the original price.

Moreover, Sports Basement's commitment to customer satisfaction is second to none. The store provides ample space to try out the equipment, allowing me to test different snowboards and find the one that felt perfect for me. The staff was patient and accommodating throughout the process, offering their insights while giving me the freedom to make my own decisions.

Another aspect that impressed me about Sports Basement was their attention to detail and dedication to customer convenience. The store was well-organized, making it easy to browse through their wide selection of snowboards, boots, helmets, and other gear. Additionally, their online platform was user-friendly, enabling me to explore their inventory from the comfort of my home and make an informed decision before visiting the store.

Lastly, the prices at Sports Basement were incredibly competitive, especially considering the high quality of their products. Not only did I find the snowboard of my dreams, but I also managed to snag some incredible deals on accompanying gear, allowing me to save a significant amount of money without compromising on performance or durability.

In conclusion, Sports Basement is a snowboarding enthusiast's paradise even during the off-season. Their knowledgeable staff, extensive range of off-season snowboarding gear, commitment to customer satisfaction, and competitive prices make them the go-to destination for all snowboarding needs. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner, Sports Basement will equip you with everything you need to conquer the slopes in style. I highly recommend their services to anyone seeking top-notch snowboarding gear, and I look forward to returning to Sports Basement for all my future winter...

The prices here are great, way better prices than REI, but their customer service is consistently bad. I have had three bad experiences, and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt after the first two experiences but the third time makes it a systemic issue.

The first poor experience - I brought a jacket to return because it wasn't the right fit after I bought it online. The associate helping me was multitasking using her walkie talkie to speak with someone in the back, which is fine in a busy store when there are a shortage of workers. She was pretty much going back and forth trying to process the return and speaking to the person on the other end of the walkie talkies about a completely different issue. But she ended up charging me the price of the jacket instead of returning it. I was on my way out the door before I realized the mistake. I went back and luckily she didn't give me a problem and she had to process two returns. It was incredibly frustrating to have to be charged $120+ to my credit card when if she would have paid attention the error would not have happened.

The second bad experience - I brought my snowboard in to have the bindings switched to a new board. The price was good to have it done and I am new to snowboarding so I didn't want to screw up the bindings by trying to do it myself. I dropped it off for service and they said it'll be done the next day. So I show up the next day and it was not done. I wouldn't have minded it taking more than a day but don't tell me to come back the next day if it's not going to be done by the next day. Luckily the gentleman was able to quickly get it done, but it did mean having to wait a while.

The third bad experience - I brought my same snowboard as above to get waxed after using it all weekend. I dropped it off and they said it'll be ready by the next day. I didn't expect such a quick turnaround, expecting it to take a couple days. But I show up the next day and guess what, it was not done! I would not have minded if it took two or more days as long as they would have told me it would take that long. But don't tell me it'll be done the next day when it won't be. Luckily again the associate was able to do it at that moment, but it did mean having to wait around for about half an hour.

So all in all, pretty bad service here. But the prices are good, otherwise I would jump ship and head back to REI down the street in San Carlos. So come here to expect good sales but if you are wanting service and are on a time crunch...