OUR LOCAL CLUBHOUSE
By Scott Kelly, Owner of the Dundas Speed Shop, Assistant Mechanic for the Norco Factory Team, Program Manager for the Canadian Cyclo-Cross Team and Director-at-Large on Cycling Canada’s Board of Directors.
Do you remember the excitement you felt when you walked into your local bike shop when you were a kid? The smell of the rubber and oil and grease and the glimmer of all the anodized parts nestled in the glass counters. Rows upon rows of shiny new bikes and displays filled with every accessory you could ever need, hope for, imagine or want. I still remember visiting my local bike store; John’s Cycle Shop in Orangeville, Ontario when I was young, and picking out my very first proper mountain bike. It was a 1998 Norco Nitro.
Little did I know that 22 years later, after group rides, joining the local club, participating at local races and training hard for Provincials, that I would find myself working for the Norco Factory Team; building and maintaining the bikes for some of our best Canadian athletes to pilot to National Championships, World Cup podiums and countless top performances around the world. That one $1,500 bike, placed on layaway and paid off two weeks at a time, 22 years ago, was the first step in a career that has allowed me to travel all over Canada and then all over the world, supporting our top Canadian cyclists. My personal journey in cycling began with the purchase of my first real bike from my local bike shop.
I have the good fortune to have met a lot of bike shop owners and employees throughout Canada and my story is not unique. Bicycles can be a means of achieving fitness for some and to others, they can be a tool for exploration or competition. Some folks enjoy riding bikes and other folks enjoy fixing bikes. For some it’s a solitary pursuit and for others, they enjoy the camaraderie found in their weekly local ride.
The local bike shop is like our own little clubhouse and gateway into the world of cycling and almost every small town in Canada has one.
When you bought your first nice bike, you likely bought it from the local bike shop. Your first Wednesday night ride probably met up in the parking lot behind the shop. Your helmet didn’t fit quite right and you still wore underwear under your spandex. You were a little intimidated and a little excited and it was the folks from the local bike shop that helped ferry you across the tumultuous waters that divide newbie from seasoned veteran.
After a few years in the sport, you joined your first club and in exchange for your membership dues, you received 15% off parts, accessories and tune ups at that very same shop. Their name was emblazoned on your jersey and you wore it with pride.
Your first bike race? Sponsored by the local shop. Your first podium? A set of tires donated by that very same shop.
You see where I’m going with this; bike shops are the backbone of our local cycling communities and they’ve likely played a big role in each and every one of your journeys through the sport.
No one is quite sure what the future is going to hold right now. Many bike shops in Canada are able to stay open, albeit with a locked front door, as they are considered an ‘essential service’. Some have figured it out and are making ends meet, others are thriving, many are suffering.
In much of Canada, it’s still too wet and muddy to ride the trails without damaging them; so maybe consider dropping your bike off to have the suspension serviced.
Were you thinking about buying some new bar tape and a new saddle this spring? Now is the time to shop local, as opposed to online; many shops are able to take your order over the phone and arrange for delivery or curb-side pick-up.
Maybe you don’t need a tune up right this moment and your tires have a few more months left in them; consider calling your local shop and purchasing a gift card in the interim.
Big online stores don’t sponsor your local club, they don’t donate prizes to the local Thursday Night Time Trial Series and they don’t inspire excitement and wonder in the next generation of young cyclists. They won’t show you how to fix a flat or properly adjust your helmet or pull you aside, after a ride, and let you know you don’t need to wear boxer shorts under your bib shorts. Our local bike shops have given each of our cycling communities so much over the years, and now it’s our turn, if were able, to give a little back.
