Universal Cycles Review: Bicycle Part Stores

Universal Cycles is a long-standing name in the bike parts world, with a flagship 19,000-square-foot retail location in Beaverton, Oregon, and a huge online catalog of over 12,000 products and accessories. At first glance, the scale is impressive, but once you start trying to shop here, the cracks show quickly. From a clunky website to a return policy that feels overly strict, Universal Cycles doesn't hold up well against its top rivals.

Decent selection, subpar online shopping experience

Universal Cycles carries plenty of bike parts, but shopping for them isn't as smooth as it should be. The way their website is set up makes it hard to compare brands and prices in the size or style you want. For example:

• Tubes: There were over 600 options in the general "Tubes" and related products category, but you'll have a hard time comparison shopping (if you want to see what Beady and Michelin have to offer in the needed size, you'll have to scroll back and forth). Prices on the size we used as a sample ranged from $5.99 for Teravail/Q Tubes to $37.90 for Tubolito's S-Tubo.
• Saddles: You'll experience the same irritation when trying to shop for saddles. There are over 400 products in that category, including rain covers and saddle dressing, that you'll have to sift through - and the website makes it more challenging than most. Still, we found options like the Free Agent Race Seat for $19 and the MSW youth saddle for $20, as well as the Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D SF Carbon saddle for $479.90. (Missing were the Fizik Ventos we usually saw at Universal Cycles' rival stores).
• Derailleurs: Universal Cycles carries over 400 products in this category, which includes parts as well as the derailleurs themselves. On the low end, we spotted several Shimano closeout/overstock items priced at $14.99 to $19.99 (not bad for derailleurs with an MSRP over $100); on the high end, the shop carried several models by Shimano, CeramicSpeed, and Sram for $700+.

That kind of variety is good, but the awkward navigation makes it tough to compare everything quickly.

You're not going to love the shipping and returns here

Shipping costs aren't particularly competitive either. Universal Cycles charges $9.99 for ground delivery, with free shipping only available on orders over $150 - higher than most of its competitors. Returns are technically allowed within 30 days as long as items are new, unused, and uninstalled. But many customers say their refunds were denied because they didn't send products back in the exact box they were shipped in, even when the item itself was still factory-sealed. That's a stricter interpretation of "original packaging" than you'll find at most bike shops.

Customer support is during regular business hours (Pacific Time)

If you do want to reach customer service, Universal Cycles offers phone, email, text, and online support Monday through Friday from 10am to 7pm and Saturday from 10am to 6pm (Pacific Time). The retail store in Beaverton is also open during those same hours if you're local.

Reputation is "meh"

On paper, Universal Cycles looks strong, with an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau and no complaints filed there. But feedback elsewhere is more mixed. On Trustpilot, the 15 reviews are split evenly between glowing 5-star experiences and frustrated 1-star ones. Will you get "excellent service and fast responses" or "slow delivery, broken parts, no returns"? Those comments were left in reviews dated within a few days of each other.

Final take? Go with a higher-ranked rival instead

Universal Cycles may look like a strong contender with its enormous inventory and clean BBB record, but the reality is less impressive. Between its clunky online shopping experience, high shipping threshold, and strict return policy, it doesn't measure up to the best bike parts stores out there.

On the Universal Cycles website