Everyone should go to Little Al's just for the experience - albeit a bad one but a ""real"" one to be sure. According to Little Al (that's really his name and for obvious reasons - they become more obvious as your conversation may continue with him). Little Al doesn't own or ride a bike anymore because they are all ""#%&*"". If you're feeling any kind of pride about the bike you own he'll be sure to shoot you down within minutes of meeting you as your brains are tied to the bike you own - according to Little Al - and it seems apparent after a few minutes of conversation that all bike owners have ""$%&* for brains"".\r
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Are there no honest and reasonable bike mechanic shops in Chicago? $25 for a pair of used - that's right, used - mirrors - I later saw them for $19 on the web. $100 for chain - later saw that on the web for $35. Ok, I got taken by Little Al. I guess I wasn't all that clear by how much until I asked how much he'd want for a simple - I can't emphasize ""simple"" enough - tuneup - $225!! I haven't owned a bike for a long time and that seemed quite exorbitant to me. But Little Al explained he would want to spend some time with my bike and get to know it. It was kind of like a dating service the way he made it sound. Well, I left there happy to have parted with my money just to get away from him. I guess it should have been a flag up when there were no other customers, when the only bike in the shop was a Harley up on a jack ripped apart while Little Al spent the better part of 10 minutes ripping to pieces Harley's and their owners. (Thank god I went in with a Suzuki.) I'm happy to have a new chain and some mirrors but beside the monetary price I paid Little Al extracts a lot from customers in other ways. It really is sheer torture to have to listen to him pontificate and then dismiss in its entirety everything you may have to say about your own vehicle. Go see Little Al just for fun but don't let him touch your bike - you'll be sorry.
Pros: Some good pizza nearby
Cons: Little Al
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