December 6/17 19:20 pm - 2017 Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops - The Winners

Posted by Editor on 12/6/17
 

We are pleased to announce the winners in our sixth 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 - over 6,000! Votes came in from every province and the Yukon.

We have gone through the ballots and broken them down by region to determine the 2017 Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops. Thirty three (33) shops from across the country have been selected, and they will each receive a certificate identifying them as the local bike shops most respected by their customers.

Twenty (20) shops repeated as winners, meaning over a third are newcomers to these awards. The two shops that won in the previous five years - The Cyclery in Ottawa and Pedalhead Road Works in Edmonton - are on our list again, making them the only six-time winners.

Over 200 shops received nominations, with many shops tweeting about the competition, or including 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. [Note: There were also numerous mentions of great coffee...]

Congratulations to all our winners.
Here are the 2017 Canadian Cyclist Best Bike Shops. We have included a quote from a voter for each shop.

Atlantic Region

Cycle Solutions - Corner Brook, Newfoundland Coffee and bikes together; friendly helpful staff; local gem bringing cycling to an NL city that is all hills!

Mike's Bike Shop - Dieppe, New Brunswick It's a great atmosphere, they sell excellent quality products. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable about the product they sell. You feel like you belong there. They also educate by offering clinics and educational social nights. If you buy a bike or skis, they share with you local groups to ride with and ski with!

My Bike Shop - Moncton, New Brunswick When I go to this shop I am treated like a friend instead of a client. The owner, Jim Goguen, bends over backwards to ensure that our bikes are in top condition and is always helping with community events such as Ride For Refuge and Legs for Literacy to name just a couple. It is because of him that I am even involved in cycling.

Savage's Bicycle Center - Fredericton, New Brunswick Friendly staff, they don't try to upsell you stuff you don't need. They contribute to the community by supporting various causes and sponsoring charity rides, such as Bike For Breath or Bikes For Kids. They also lend their support to local cyclists who participated in Wounded Warriors Canada Battlefield Bike Ride.

Cyclesmith - Halifax, Nova Scotia They know my name! And they're always friendly and quick to come chat and help me, and very knowledgeable.

Hub Cycle - Truro, Nova Scotia Big supporter of the local bike family, always giving back and people are not treated like customers but like fellow enthusiasts.

Quebec - Greater Montréal Region (GMR)

Boutique Velozone - St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Friendly and dedicated service staff. Very professional and always there to help and guide you on many interesting subjects to bike riding (training, new product and many more...). Always a very warm welcome and happy to see you. Many discussion concerning special event like Le Grand Defi Pierre Lavoie . Wishing them All the Best ! Go Pascal Go "The winning Team".

Maglia Rosa Velo Shop - Montréal Awesome staff, always ready to do a walk-in repair. They treat all customers super, from the guy with the $8,000 Cervelo to the kid with a $100 beater.

Quebéc - East

Mathieu Performance - Quebéc City Great service (fast to fix a problem) and special orders. I have to drive 75km but it's worth it.


Quebéc - West

Polo Velo - Gatineau Going there since I was a little boy. The military moved me away for 25 years and upon returning, the choice was easy.

Centre du Velo La Shop - Gatineau Friendly and very knowledgeable staff. Even as a beginner cyclist, they don't make you feel uncomfortable. Plus, you can drool on the expensive stuff and they'll still offer you a great cup of espresso!

Ontario - Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

D'Ornellas Bike Shop - Scarborough The owner Eon D'Ornellas took me outside and around the block on the various bikes I was trying out. Neil the store manager spent so much time with me getting my bike fitted! Personal service at its best. I even picked up an item that was the most expensive item and Neil told me that to hold off and see how I felt on my bike as it was before I made changes to it! Service!!

Evolution Cycles - Richmond Hill Mike is always there to help and to answer any question. Jamie is amazing with his mechanic skills, any problem/question I bring him he will be able to fix it no problem. Tim always going the extra mile to make sure I'm happy.

Hammer City Cycle - Hamilton This is a small shop but it really provides the best service and has a great selection. Shop owner Jason really knows what's going on in the industry and has great product knowledge and friendly service.

Via Ciclante - Mississauga They take the time to ensure everything is perfect. I was struggling with my fit and JP spend over 3 hours getting it right and followed up later to see how it was. They will also try to help you out financially when they can with large purchases.

Ontario - East

The Cyclery - Ottawa Knowledgeable and friendly staff who go out of their way to ensure you have the right product for you. The owner, Vince, is a huge supporter of the cycling community and his support of women in cycling with big dreams is making big changes for women in cycling in Canada.

Velofix Ottawa - Ottawa I know little about bikes and, not only is Adam a good mechanic, he makes every effort to speak at my level and make me feel comfortable with the service he provides. I recommend him to everyone.

Ontario - North

Algoma Bicycle Co. - Sault Ste Marie I was in the market for a new bike and I came and talked to these guys. They asked me a lot to figure out what I may want and throughout the conversation I mentioned how I had an older bike that might be worth fixing. These guys didn't try and push a sale on me but instead recommended that I bring in my old bike for them to check out first and then I could make my decision from there. I ended up fixing my old bike for waaaaaay cheaper and it was a great way for me to get back into riding. When I am in the market for a new bike I know where I will be going!!

The Crank & Sprocket Bicycle Co. - Orillia The staff are extremely caring and always take the time to help me with my bike. Tristan got my bike fitted perfectly so I don't experience any more pain while I ride. They definitely deserve this recognition!

Parry Sound Bikes - Parry Sound Aleesha has worked tirelessly to create a community around the bike shop. When you walk in, you feel like you're part of the family. Her products, knowledge and services are incredible. She's helped grow the cycling community in our area, and she's so incredibly passionate about what she does.

Velofix Simcoe - Collingwood I ordered a new fat bike from Mike at Velofix Simcoe. He did a great job talking me through the whole process which made me confident in my decision. He delivered it in 2 days and tuned up my family's bikes at the same time. I did this all in the comfort of my house. Velofix Simcoe is #1

Ontario - Southwest

Forks Bicycle Shop - Erin Brian (owner) is a great representative for the cycling community. He is a small shop in a small town with a big love for cycling and cyclists. Regardless of your skill level or your experience level, he will take time to help you.

Liberty! Bicycles - St Catharines In 1998 I bought my first bicycle from Liberty with a $50 deposit while I worked all summer with my uncle's catering business to pay down my balance. Kurt, the owner then / now and I still talk and are closer than ever... Kurt is a reflection of his entire team; caring, passionate, and a constant attention to detail with human and bicycle needs. Couldn't think of any place more focused on rider and cycling success than Liberty!

Manitoba/Saskatchewan

Woodcock Cycle Works - Winnipeg, Manitoba Great service and friendly staff. Even more important is the owner, who built it all. It is more than a bike shop. Tim is a believer in the cycling community and works to support it. He is also part of the community and we do group rides year round in Winnipeg. He has had my business for 27 years and counting.....

Dutch Cycle - Regina, Saskatchewan It has been family owned since the beginning and continues to - they are always friendly, courteous and helpful. They know me by name and I see them helping out in my community. A great success story - owned by the Vandelinden family.

Alberta

BikeBike - Calgary I discovered Bike Bike ~4 years ago when I needed to get back into riding so my son and I could do it together. I also needed to figure out how to ride to work and errands so I could drive less. From the minute I walked in this shop I knew I had found my people. I had been laughed at at other shops for wanting a kid seat for my bike. I had been ignored. I had people try to sell me bikes that weren't right for me at all. Sean and Nadia listened to what I wanted, taught me about other options out there, and ultimately found a great setup for my son and I. We've been hooked ever since. And we will keep going back because these two are just awesome.

Bike Bros. - Cochrane The staff is very knowledgeable and great! Son had bought a bike from them with a lock last Nov (2016) which ended up being stolen 2 weeks later. His sister set up a Gofundme page and I emailed to ask how much a bike was. The owner said it must have been fate that I emailed as they were planning on donating a bike to him. My son has Cerebral Palsy and bikes from Cochrane to Calgary everyday (even during the snowy cold winter months) to work. We were able to take the Gofundme money and outfit his bike with some pretty neat accessories due the the generous donation from Bike Bros. This was Matt's surprise Christmas gift last year and he was even more impressed by them than he already was. It is a store that both Matt and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a bike.

Hardcore Bikes - Edmonton The staff is amazing - Super helpful and friendly! Hardcore has a great atmosphere. Not just a shop for guys either. As a woman, I feel very comfortable both buying bikes from here and bringing them in when they need any TLC!

Pedalhead Road Works - Edmonton What more can you say other than it's uniquely specialized. All the guys are awesome and so is Chantell. It's the best shop ever - we drive from Calgary to get what we need. The PRW racing team is an amazing group to be a part of.

Shift Happens - Devon Excellent, honest service. Owned by a former pro racer with a love of fun and dedication to cycling like no other. This shop is like a second home. They will never pull the wool over your eyes and will go out of their way to provide the best experience possible. It's also a mom and daughter business.

British Columbia

La Bicicletta Pro Shop - Vancouver High quality products - great service and staff - fantastic environment in the shop - they contribute to the local bike scene by organizing and leading rides throughout the summer.

Veloholics Cycles - Vancouver The mechanical servicing is outstanding! Phil puts so much care into his work and he is so meticulous! I highly recommend this shop. It also has very unique and original items.

Wentings Cycle & Mountain Shop - Mission Personal attention. They take the time to know you and your bike. They know what kind of riding you do and will steer you to the things that you can benefit from, whether it's upgrades or apparel.