November 18/14 14:36 pm - Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops - The Winners

Posted by Editor on 11/18/14
 

We are pleased to announce the winners in our third annual search for the Best Shops in Canada, as chosen by you, the readers of Canadian Cyclist. We were amazed by the number of ballots cast - a staggering 5954 in 10 days, which is over 50% more than as last year! Votes came in from every province plus the Yukon and Nunavut.

We have gone through the ballots and broken them down by region to determine the 2014 Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops. Twenty-four (24) shops from across the country have been selected (up from 16 last year), and they will each receive a certificate identifying them as the bike shops most respected by their customers.

As the number of votes from each province and region have expanded we have broken up the regions. Now we have separate winners for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the Yukon. Quebec has also been split into the Montreal region and the rest of the province.

Last year, only two shops repeated. This year, almost all of the shops chosen by our readers are repeat winners - a testament to the continued loyalty these shops have engendered. The two shops that won in both previous years - The Cyclery in Ottawa and Pedalhead Road Works in Edmonton - are on our list again, making them the only three time winners.

The sheer number of shops nominated also exploded, with over 200 shops receiving nominations. Many shops tweeted about the competition, or included a link to it in their newsletters and Facebook pages.

Two things shone through for all of the top ranked stores: customer service and passion for cycling. Congratulations to all our winners.

Here are the 2014 Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops. We have included a quote from a voter for each shop.

Atlantic Region

Cycle Solutions - Corner Brook, Newfoundland I'm from St John's, yet I'll go 850km to Cycle Solutions as they are involved in almost all sport communities in our province and dedicate a lot of time to developing cycling in the province. More than any other shop. Heck, their mtn bike trail system is amazing. They have organized trail building at the municipal level and have people who don't even ride coming out for builds. It's great!

Consolvo Bikes - Moncton, New Brunswick Best guys in the business. All go out of their way open or closed to make sure someone gets riding. Even when it means donating a bike to children that can't afford one. Shop and souls beyond compare!!

Mike's Bike Shop - Dieppe, New Brunswick It has everything that I need. The staff is friendly. It is close to home and it feels like home.

Cyclesmith - Halifax, Nova Scotia They have it all, for everyone. No pretension on the elite sales, supportive selling for the needs of beginners!

Quebec - Greater Montréal Region (GMR)

Maglia Rosa Vélo Shop - Montréal Service is great, it's a no fuss shop that helps you get the best out of your bike, the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and they serve great coffee!

Momentum Solutions Vélo - Montréal Excellent service, les tech. trouve toujours une solution à nos problèmes de bike. Le staff est sensationnel

Quebéc - (outside GMR)

Boutique Vélozone - Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Service, attention, customer care, kindness. Workmanship. Thank you to boutique vélozone..
Mathieu Performance - Quebéc City Leur service est plus qu'excellent. J'ai beaucoup magasiné avant d'acheter mon premier vélo de route et c'est chez Mathieu Performance que j'ai été le mieux reçue et le mieux conseillée. Par la suite, j'ai apprécié leur service personnalisé. Je n'ai jamais eu l'impression de les déranger.

Ontario - Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

D'Ornellas Bike Shop - Scarborough The owner, Eon D'Ornellas, has a passion for cycling that is infectious amongst both his staff and his clients. He won't always sell you what you want but instead what you need.

Rock & Road Cycle - Burlington Scott (the owner) is an awesome guy. Not only does he care about getting you the best product, but he's also willing to help out if you're in deep riding out somewhere in the countryside.

Ontario (outside GTA)

Black Tooth Grin Bike Shop - Barrie This shop really cares about the biking, they never sell a product just to sell, they fit the bikes and parks and equipment for you! Best bike shop by far!

Parry Sound Bikes - Parry Sound This shop has engaged the youth of Parry Sound. They were part of the team to improve the skate board/bike park and are part of the Healthy Active movement in town. They rock!

The Cyclery - Ottawa The staff are very knowledgeable, and they always put time aside to deal with ANY questions I may have regardless of how complex or novice they are. I would never go to any other bike shop!

Manitoba/Saskatchewan

Alter Ego Sports - Winnipeg, Manitoba The staff is amazing and they always have what I am looking for. Their cycling club is also great and they have the best Kids of Mud program!!

Bruce's Cycle Works - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan The Staff are fun. Honest. Knowledgeable. And I never doubt that their priorities are aligned with mine.

Alberta

BikeBike - Calgary BikeBike is a warm and welcoming shop that always provides great service, advice, and products. The owners are very engaged in the community, and have worked hard to promote cycling for transportation for individuals and families. They have helped me and my expanding family incorporate my love of cycling into our everyday lives, and we are all happier as a result!

Bike Bros. - Cochrane They ALWAYS provide great service, have amazing products and cater to my love of orange! When I was training for Ironman Canada in 2012, my bike went in for a last check the day before I was leaving for the race. The team discovered an irreparable crack in my frame and worked for the next 6 hours to build me a new bike to take to the race, as there was no other frame/bike available to get in Canada before I had to leave. I was so stressed out about the additional cost and not having the exact bike I had trained on for the past 2 years. The guys told me to take the bike, do the race and if I liked the new build, we would work out a price when I got home or we would work to order me a new bike after....who does this??? Bike Bros does. I also purchased my mountain bike from them that enabled me to do the Great Divide Tour in 2014. They keep all my bikes in excellent running condition and always want to help me get the most from my cycling goals. LOVE LOVE LOVE the guys and gals of Bike Bros.

Pedalhead Road Works - Edmonton Great range, great service, excellent attention to detail, and Guri goes that extra mile to make sure the customers are set up properly and leave with the product is right for them. No short cuts.

British Columbia - Mainland

The Bicycle Cafe -Kamloops They are a ton of fun to be around and know their stuff. They will also give away a sale if it is not the best option for a person but only after they have explained what the better option would be and where to get it.

Fanatyk Co Ski & Bike -Whistler They remember me by name. I feel like they are all my friends - and I only go there twice a year. In other words - outstanding customer service.

Wentings Cycle & Mountain Shop -Mission Knowledgeable; go out of their way to help out - often at no charge; community oriented; not only sells products but also repairs bikes, will bring in special orders, provides and gets involved in local events and has a bike club you can join for both learning and friendship.

British Columbia - Island

Dodge City Cycles - Cumberland Rider owned and operated by awesome dudes and awesome riders who care about their community.

Russ Hay's The Bicycle Shop - Victoria They were friendly and helpful when I was shopping for my bike - they didn't make me feel stupid because I didn't know anything about what I wanted.

Yukon

Icycle Sport - Whitehorse They are always willing to help. They have excellent amount of stock and are super supportive of community events!