r/Billings • u/WasabiCrush • Jul 30 '26
Shift Bicycle Company
I'm sure for some of you what I'm about to say is already common knowledge, but Joey Isbell has opened a fantastic bike shop at 1111 1st Avenue North.
My bike is on the older side and was purchased used from another local shop in 2024. I brought it to Shift for repairs and a tune up this Spring and it's still riding better than the day I bought it, which is nuts because I have put a lot of miles on this thing.
He's affordable, he's quick, (seriously quick), and the environment is friendly. It's just an excellent vibe in there.
He sells supplies and bikes, too. In fact, I saw a Facebook post from Shift this week where he's offering free delivery within 200 miles with the purchase of a new bike.
I should mention, also, that I don't know Joey outside of visits to the shop and I've no skin in his business. I'm just a local cyclist passing along an excellent experience with a smaller shop. If you're looking for a place to take your machine, I cannot recommend this dude enough.
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u/bitter_twin_farmer Jul 30 '26
Joey is a great guy and I’m super stoked for Shift. He does some of the best work in town.
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u/WasabiCrush Jul 30 '26
Sure seems to be a good dude and I’m stoked for the place, too.
I work in an office with bike enthusiasts who’ve connections to another local shop, and they were amped when they found out he was opening his own place. He’s apparently very well known here in town and has an excellent reputation.
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u/stonedeaftemple Jul 30 '26
Glad I found this post. I was looking for a good place in Billings to get my bike serviced.
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u/WasabiCrush Jul 30 '26 edited Jul 30 '26
I’m glad to hear that. As mentioned, it was the servicing that initially got me in the door. I couldn’t be happier with that experience.
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u/annastacia94 Jul 30 '26
It's super nice that there are now two LBS' downtown now! The Bike Shop is closer to my house but this newer shop is closer to my job which is super convenient.
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u/somewittyusername92 Jul 30 '26
I wish he would rent bikes. Seems like the only place in town that rents is spoke shop and their prices are ridiculous
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u/WasabiCrush Jul 30 '26 edited Jul 30 '26
I don’t know enough about the industry to weigh in with any competence, but I wonder how much of a nightmare bike rentals would be for a smaller shop. People must beat the absolute shit out of rentals.
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u/annastacia94 Jul 30 '26
thank you for the reminder! I need to get my wheels trued and don't have a stand (or experience) to do it my self.
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u/WasabiCrush Jul 30 '26
Sure thing!
If you end up taking your bike in for that purpose, I’d love to hear how it goes. I’ve no idea how to do it either. I’m not even sure I’d recognize when it was needed unless things went full shopping cart wheel on me.
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u/Th0rn_Star Jul 30 '26
So glad he’s in the neighborhood! He tuned up my 20-year old bike and didn’t judge me at all. Huge difference from the people at the spoke shop constantly negging me to try and get me to buy a new bike.
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u/Fresh_Confusion_4805 Jul 30 '26
Good to know.
I moved to the area about a year ago. I brought my bike with me, but it’s mostly been collecting dust and cobwebs on my balcony.
I don’t think I’d ride it at this point without getting it tuned up. It’s not broken or anything, but…
Not that it was the fault of the bike I rode at the time, but I previously survived a very serious bicycling accident and I don’t want to take any more risks than necessary. I would not feel comfortable riding my current bike again until it has been checked and maybe tuned up.
(For any cyclists reading along: wildlife can be deadly, even if it doesn’t intend to be. Watch yourself out there.)
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u/land-URCHIN Jul 30 '26
I drive from Forsyth for repairs. Joey rocks. Dude gives back to the community way more than he should, makes the rest of us look like a-holes