What size should I order?
We have a handy size chart to help. If you're in between sizes, we recommend you choose a larger size.

What's your size?
PUBLIC D				PUBLIC M
	S	5′–3″ – 5′–8″			S	4′–11″ – 5′–3″
	M	5′–8″ – 6′–0″			M	5′–3″ – 5′–8″
	L	6′–0″ – 6′–5″			L	5′–8″ – 6′–0″

How much do your bikes weigh?
Our bikes weigh anywhere from 27-32 lbs, depending on the size and number of gears on the bike. Our bikes are designed to be light enough to carry a flight of stairs but durable enough to withstand the bump on the road. Lighter bikes tend to be made by aluminum or carbon, but we've built our bikes from lightweight chromoly steel which will last a lifetime and beyond – and will comfortably absorb the shocks of urban riding significantly better than other materials.

By comparison, here are weights for typical steel bikes:

Track bike: 18-19 lbs
PUBLIC bikes: 27-32 lbs
Dutch bike: >40 lbs

I'm short. Got a bike for me that is not a kid's bike?
Definitely. We specifically designed a bike that would work for people 5'3” and under. We recommend the PUBLIC M, ideal for people between 4'10" and 5'3".

Is assembly required?
If you live in or near San Francisco, you're in luck. We can assemble your bike at no additional cost to you at our warehouse - and of course there is no shipping charge too. 

Usually local orders take 3-4 days (not including weekends) for us to assemble your bike and prepare it for pick-up at our 2125 Harrison Street warehouse in Potrero Hill or at our office at 123 South Park in SoMa. We'll schedule a day and time for your pick-up when we call to confirm your order.

In all cases, we ship a boxed bike where the chain guard and rear fender will already be installed inside the box. The struts will need to be tightened at the dropouts. The front fender will need to be installed, but it is already pre-trimmed and ready to mount up. We will include assembly instructions. 

How do I test ride one of your bikes?
At this time, we have test ride locations in San Francisco and New York City.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay area, you can test ride our bikes at 123 South Park in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. Please click here for test ride locations and schedules. If possible, you should contact us to make an appointment for a test ride.

If you live in or are visiting New York City, you can test ride at the Tretorn Store at 150 Spring Street in New York City's SoHo neighborhood.

We are regularly adding new test ride and showroom locations around the country so make sure to visit here for current partners.

Where else are you selling your bikes?
We are primarily selling online, but you can make arrangements to test ride bikes from our San Francisco headquarters. As we grow, we'll continue to add more test ride and showroom sites around the country.

Where are your bikes made?
This subject is near and dear to our heart. Our bikes are designed in the United States, by us. They are built and assembled in Taiwan, and there is a reason for this. The Taiwanese have become the world-class producers of production bikes, based on decades of hard work. Now it has become part of their modern culture and tradition. They are to bikes as Italy is to Parmesan cheese.

We explored numerous manufacturing sources when we set out to establish PUBLIC. We visited bike makers in the U.S., Holland, and Italy, and all of them directed us to Taiwan. Most (like 99%) of the new bikes you see now are made and assembled in Taiwan or in nearby Asian countries. Legendary bike companies like Schwinn, Bianchi, and Raleigh rely on manufacturers there. And it's likely that newer great US manufacturers like Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized have most of their bikes made there. Taiwanese manufacturers are superb craftsmen working with very sophisticated equipment. We visited these manufactures and met many family businesses that go back 20–30 years. And they are great people with high manufacturing standards and a strong work ethic.

While the U.S. – and Europe – has lost its ability to compete on moderately priced “production” bikes, the U.S. excels internationally at hand made bikes. There are numerous highly skilled-framed builders that we can refer you to for a U.S. made bike. We know many of these craftsmen personally, and their bikes are in fact the inspiration for much of PUBLIC. Their bikes cost more than ours, of course, as well they should. There are also numerous independent bike stores in urban areas in the U.S. that that can build a great custom bike for you. And there are superb high-end limited production manufacturers like Seven Cycles, Independent Fabricators, and Serotta that make some of the best custom bikes in the world. But all of these manufactures will rely on some foreign sourced components. If you are a purist and want a bike that is completely made in the US, you will probably have to settle for a used vintage bike.

When will I get my bike?
If you choose DIY (do it yourself), you will receive a boxed bike for you to assemble within 3-8 business days after your order, depending on your distance from San Francisco.

If you choose PUBLIC Help, it will take 3-8 business days for a bike shop to receive your boxed bike. The bike shop will assemble your bike and have it ready for pick up within 1-3 days after receiving the bike from Public. This entire process from order to shipment to bike assembly should take ~4-10 days.

How are bicycles shipped?

When you order a PUBLIC bike online, we always confirm your order by phone to make sure you've ordered the right bike to fit your needs. If you live in or near San Francisco, you're in luck. We can assemble your bike at no additional cost to you at our warehouse - and of course there is no shipping charge too. 

 

Usually local orders take 3-4 business days (not including weekends) for us to assemble your bike and prepare it for pick-up at our 2125 Harrison Street warehouse in Potrero Hill or at our office at 123 South Park in SoMa. We'll schedule a day and time for your pick-up when we call to confirm your order.

If you live far from San Francisco, we will ship your bike by FedEx. It takes 3-8 business days depending on where you live relative to our San Francisco warehouse. The shipping and handling cost per bike is $55.

In situations when we need to ship a boxed bike, assembly is required by you or a bike shop. You can choose to do the assembly, our DIY option, or you can have the bike professionally assembled at a bike shop. We recommend professional assembly unless you have experience building bicycles. Bike shops normally charge $55-85 to assemble a bike, depending on the competitive labor rates in your community. 

If you have a preferred bike shop, we will work with you to ship the boxed bike to your bike shop of choice. If you don't have a preference, we will identify a bike shop located close to your home that can assemble your bike. We'll confirm the price for bike assembly and notify you before shipping your bike. We will then notify you when your bike is ready for pick-up at the bike shop. A bike shop shouldn't take more than 2-3 business days to assemble your bike. You pay the bike shop directly for assembly when you pick up your bike.

In these cases, we ship a boxed bike where the chain guard and rear fender will already be installed inside the box. The struts will need to be tightened at the dropouts. The front fender will need to be installed, but it is already pre-trimmed and ready to mount up. We will include assembly instructions. 

Do you ship to Alaska? Hawaii?
We ship to Alaska and Hawaii, but we'll need to discuss with you over the phone.

Do you ship internationally?
Not at this time. If you live in Canada near the border and have a U.S. shipping address, we can ship there but you must pick up and take care of all requisite duties. Please sign up to receive our email newsletter to learn the latest news if we eventually ship internationally.

Where do you ship from?
All of our orders shipped from San Francisco, California.

I live in San Francisco, Can I pick up my bike from you?
If you live in or near San Francisco, you can pick up your fully assembled bike at our warehouse at 2125 Harrison Street. Bicycle pick-ups are by appointment only. We will contact you to schedule a pick-up.

 

How do I make changes or cancel my order?
There is a small window after you place your order where we are able to make changes. If you find you do need to make any changes, please call us as soon as possible so we can assist you.

How do I redeem my promotion code?
If you have a promotion code, you can enter it on the shopping cart page during checkout and click “UPDATE” to receive the appropriate discount.

What if I am not happy with my bike?
We'll do our best to make you happy. Please check out our return policy for the details.

Can I ship my order to multiple addresses?
If you need to ship to multiple addresses, please create two separate orders. If you need assistance, please call us and we'll help you place your order.

Can I place an order for a backordered item?
Yes, backordered items will be available to purchase.

Do you charge sales tax?
Taxes are calculated for each shipping address total based on the state to which the item(s) is shipped. We charge sales tax on all orders shipped to California addresses.

Do you offer Gift Certificates?
Not yet. But coming soon.

Do you offer Gift Wrap?
Not yet. But we hope to in the future. But probably not on the bicycles.

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