In this new series on Top Gear, we’ll be visiting different neighborhood bike shops for our readers who are active transport users and bike commuters. We’ll be sharing the basic bike services they provide for essential bike maintenance along with interesting food spots nearby, so readers can combine errands with food trips or coffee runs.
Kicking off the series, we head to Krebs Cycles, a friendly neighborhood bike shop inside the campus of UP Diliman in Quezon City, which aims to make active transport accessible to all.
The first time I visited the shop last year, they were giving out free reflective vests for better road visibility and a useful quick response guide from AltMobility detailing how cyclists can report road incidents, which we previously wrote about here.
Since then, Krebs Cycles has become one of my go-to bike shops for tune-ups or if I’m looking for random parts. Aside from providing basic bike services, they also accept donations of old bike parts and support bike-to-work commuters.
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Location and parking
Krebs Cycles can be found right outside Gyud Food, the UP Diliman Food Hub along E. Jacinto St. near University Avenue, and across the College of Fine Arts inside the UP Campus. It’s conveniently located for university workers and students who bike commute, as well as leisure cyclists who regularly ride around the Academic Oval.
Parking is not a problem for those who live far and choose to drive to UP Diliman and bring their bikes by car, since Gyud Food has a spacious and convenient parking area.
About the shop
Krebs Cycles is a small shop that opened in October 2023, operating out of a refurbished container van. The bike shop is owned by husband and wife Tony and Inday Dans, both doctors and retired professors from the UP College of Medicine.
In case you’re wondering about the shop’s name, the Krebs cycle is a scientific term that refers to “a biochemical pathway that converts glucose or carbs into energy.”
In an interview with Manila Bulletin, the owners explained that the name reflects what biking is about: “It’s using carbs…instead of carbon [to move about], so one of our stickers says ‘burn carbs, not carbon.’”
Bike services
Like most bike shops, Krebs Cycles offers a range of services for cyclists who need to get their bikes rebuilt, repaired, or cleaned. If you find yourself with a flat tire or broken chain while biking on campus or need to get your bike washed, this is where you can go for a quick fix.
As of September 2025, bike tune-ups cost P100, bike washes cost P300, and bike overhauls (excluding parts) cost P800 in this shop. Check out the full list of services and rates below.
The shop also sells a wide range of bike parts, including wheelsets, inner tubes, tires, forks, stems, saddles, chains, bar tapes, and more. You can find a small selection of unisex cycling shirts and shorts, such as dri-fit bike polos from Courier, and accessories like headwear, bike bags, bike bells, and reflectors.
Community chest and events
In case you have old bikes you no longer use or random bike stuff like seat saddles or helmets gathering dust at home, Krebs Cycles has a community chest where anyone can donate their spare parts. The shop uses donated parts to replace or repair the bikes of students and workers who need help and may not be able to afford brand-new parts.
As part of their advocacy for active transport, they also hold community rides and organize basic biking workshops, including teaching adults (of any age) how to ride a bike.
They occasionally give away refurbished bikes to deserving individuals in need of a bike upgrade through their Bike Aid Program as well. Bike recipients can be nominated through their Facebook Page.
Where to eat nearby
Another thing I like about this bike shop is its convenient location beside a food hall. You can easily grab a bite to eat or hang out al fresco under the shade of trees and wait for your bike to get serviced or washed.
Gyud Food has lots of concessionaires to pick from, offering everything from burgers, lechon meals, Indian comfort food, sushi, Mongolian rice bowls, and Filipino street food. While not all the food stalls have student-friendly prices, there’s a good variety to pick from.
If you need a post-ride coffee fix, Mamonaku Kohi, known for its Tokyo Specialty Cold Coffee, has a stall here. Their popular desserts include the Tres Leches Lohi and Chizu-flavored series like Chizu Matcha and Chizu Caramel Macchiato with salted cheese.
Some newer food stalls I spotted during a recent visit include 1st Colonial Creamery, which serves the famous sili ice cream from Bicol, and Pastil King, which has combo rice meals for under P100. Another nearby food option is the famous Mang Larry’s Isawan, known for its isaw, barbecue, and other street food, just a few steps down the street from the bike shop.
So the next time you want to combine weekend rides and errands with a food trip, or if you're looking to declutter bike parts you no longer use, you might want to drop by this shop.
Krebs Cycles is located at Gyud Food Complex, UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City. The shop is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9am-5pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 8am-6pm.
