About Us
Your Local Bike Shop
We’re passionate about bicycles. We believe that bikes offer a simple solution to many of our communities’ complex problems. Bikes are great for your personal health and for the health of our environment. Bikes can help you save money on transportation, and bikes can provide you with endless miles of fun with your family and friends.
We proudly serve all types of cyclists, including new and veteran riders, road and mountain aficionados, and recreation and transportation cyclists. Whether you prefer to shop on our website or to come visit us, we’re here to help you with all of your cycling needs. Learn more about what makes us unique, and visit us today to meet our friendly staff and experience our incredible product selection.
Our History
Handy Bikes, LLC was originally established in 2013 as a side hobby in the corner of a studio apartment in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington DC. The business expanded into a small cargo trailer the following year, and finally into an old USPS truck -- think a food truck, but for bikes! In 2018, the business relocated from the Navy Yard to Alexandria, VA due to the owner's ongoing military service. In 2020 due to overwhelming demand and to minimize COVID-19 exposure, the shop moved to a drive-up storage unit and pop-up service was suspended. Finally in late 2020 Handy Bikes opened its first brick & mortar retail location. We have since expanded twice more, most recently to open a dedicated service center at 3919 Wheeler Avenue, west of our retail showroom at 3800 Wheeler Ave.
Handy Bikes is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business which has been recognized by City Paper's "Best of DC" and is proud to have earned dozens of 5-star reviews on Google and Yelp. We like helping people adventure by bike, whether that means a commute down the street, a bikepacking trip around the world, a local gravel race, or a Tour Divide FKT attempt (we've had customers do all of the above).
Why Shop With Us?
From professional bike repair and fitting services to top cycling products at exceptional prices, we've got you covered. We use what we sell, and that's why we're confident in our products. If you're sick of ending up with cheap junk from Amazon, it's time to come check out our selection of reasonably priced items. And guess what? We'll even price match if you find an identical product for sale online somewhere (this only applies to items at regular price; we're not always able to match sale or clearance prices from the internet).
Our service department is the most efficient in the area. Why? Because service was all we did for 6+ years, and we got really good at it. Other shops focus more on sales than service, and when the service department is an afterthought, it shows in the form of long wait times, poor communication, and surprises at the checkout counter. Our owner is a mechanic, not a salesperson - and our shop is set up to operate accordingly. If your current bike is uncomfortable, slow, squeaky, or doesn't work the way you know it should, give us a try. We love keeping good bikes on the road, and because we're mechanics at heart we're not looking to upsell you on things you don't need.
Quality & Value
We sell products from the best bicycle brands in the world. We offer great value to our customers through competitive pricing, quality products, and superior customer service.
Friendly Staff
We aren't your average bike shop. Our staff is helpful and crazy about cycling. We listen to your needs and work hard to help you find precisely the right products for you.
Low Price Promise
Yup, we'll price match. If you find the same exact product online or elsewhere for a lower price, let us know and we'll match it.
The owner. Handy Bikes is owned and operated by Peter Buck, an entrepreneur, microbusiness consultant, cycling enthusiast, and retired Navy Chief Petty Officer. After a short-lived attempt at a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he enlisted in the US Navy in July 2002 as a Hospital Corpsman. During the course of his career, he served two tours with the United States Marine Corps as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, and worked in clinics and hospitals in Newport RI, Washington DC, and Fort Belvoir, VA. While attached to the Marine Corps he deployed to Iraq as a casualty evacuation flight medic (2005, Al Anbar province), and to Afghanistan with a USMC infantry battalion (2010, Helmand province). He was medically retired in 2019, allowing him to pursue his passion as a full-time job. He holds a Bachelor's degree of Science in Emergency Management, and a Master's of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship. You can learn more about his microbusiness-focused support program, the Microbusiness Help Desk, at https://microbizhelpdesk.com or https://microbizmentors.com.