The folks at 718 take the century-old tradition of cycling very seriously, almost reverentially, and yet their staff is that rarest of things in a bike shop: friendly and informative. As their website says, "our shop is a place where arrogance and attitude have no place." Other bike shops should take note!
Owned by former bike messenger Joseph Nocella, an architect by day and full-time cycle geek, this community-minded Gowanus enterprise serves up two-wheelers from Brooklyn Cruiser, Public, Torker and other hard-to-track-down makers in an open layout kitted out with living room–type furniture; enthusiasts can ride over for tune-ups or sign up for a collaborative-build experience, creating custom...