Owner Joe Nocella started the bike shop in his backyard.
Immerse yourself in elbow grease
“How does the Collaborative Build experience differs from an online “bike build” site? Short answer…it’s the smell of grease, the grit under your fingernails and a sense of accomplishment,” Owner Joe Nocella says. “There are a few slickly produced websites that allow a user to create a bike build (mostly revolving around colour), place it in an online shopping cart, pay a few hundred bucks and get a bike delivered in a few short weeks. I am not in the business of disparaging these sites, as they seem quite successful, and anything that gets more people on bikes is ultimately a good thing. And there seems to be no shortage of folks who want these bikes.”
Despite that, this is a completely unique approach to bike building, putting your needs as a consumer first and going a step further, putting you at the centre of the design process. This allows you to access an online design centre where you can make modifications to your bike and once you’re happy it is time for you to get to work.
Entering the world of nuts and bolts
“The build experience we offer at 718 Cyclery is quite different from pointing and clicking your way to a color-coded bike. What we offer is a chance to pick components based on you needs and budget. We work closely with each client and discuss each part choice and its implications (functional and otherwise)…using shared online documents, we track each build for cost and completeness, all the while allowing the client to make modifications. Then, instead of “adding this bike to your cart”, you come on over to the shop and build side by side with our mechanics. You can sit back and take notes, or get as dirty as you want, all the while in an environment that is based on teaching and collaboration. The bike you roll off with has a 100% lifetime guarantee on the workmanship, no questions asked.”
Learn to become a master of your bike
Nocella started off in his backyard building bikes but now his unique business plan has seen him migrate to a fantastic store in Brooklyn. It seems his unique offering is already catching on with the city’s cycling fans.
“What I am proposing is the ability to learn to become the master of your bike,” Nocella says. “No more trips to the bike store for a flat tire or loose pedal. The knowledge gained will pay for itself after a few skipped visits. We deal in steel vintage road frames from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, but also do alot of work with new frames. If you don’t have a frame, select from our many choices in stock. Or, we can assist you in locating and purchasing that perfect frame.”
