Chari & Co NYC

A destination for serious bike fetishists, this hole-in-the-wall haven specializes in Keiren frames, the discarded (but not damaged) models used by professional track racers in Japan (charinco means "bike" in casual Japanese). While there are occasionally complete bikes (starting at $950) in the ever-changing stock, the shop mainly deals with custom creations, including Italian racer frames by Cinelli and French ones by Look (starting at $1,600). If the bikes themselves are too pricey, you might want to check out the collection of first-rate accessories, like Castelli gloves ($40) and sleek Catlike helmets ($275–$280).