15 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

I have some fond memories of old bike stores in town.

I don’t think I or my family bought bikes too often. But if you had one, they required some professional maintenance from time to time.

Old:

Gordon’s on the hill on Hillside between Cook and Quadra.
Reno Bikes on Government Street. Cheap “cash” repairs.

Current:

Mac’s Cycle (Shelbourne Plaza, 1963) and Russ Hays (1954) have been around forever.

Macs always smelled great because it wasn’t big, but had brand new bikes stacked 2 high. Love that rubber smell.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 November 2022 - 05:32 PM.

[sebberry]

Reno Bikes on Government Street. Cheap “cash” repairs.

 

I think that's where my one and only bike came from some 30 years ago. 

[Matt R.]

Rider’s.

[Matt R.]

When we lived on Raynor, I went into this little hole in the wall, now Fry’s Bakery, and bought a weird old Battaglin hybrid off the wall, wicked bike and I rode that into into the ground. Well used, but probably the highest quality bike I had ever been on.

Ended up using the shop a lot for parts, tools, service and couldn’t help but notice the framed yellow jersey on the wall. You know you’ve got a skilled mechanic when he’s got one of those!

Traded that in and bought a brand new Trek XO a couple of years later, just as Troy and Bill were building the Trek store down on Catherine. The previous store was called Pro City Cycles, which is their house brand now.

Edited by Matt R., 21 November 2022 - 07:36 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

That’s a good story.

What I recall from Reno, you’d walk in with a warped tire for example, ask them how much it would be to fix, the guy would say, “how about $7?” And it’d be tax in, fixed in two days.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 November 2022 - 06:28 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I think they were south Asians (we’d say “East Indian” back in the day).

[aastra]

Russ Hay's used to be in a converted house across the street from Reno Bikes. There was also a bike shop in the Nelson's Music building briefly. I think the same establishment was also in Stadacona Centre for a while? Or it might have been two different businesses. Can't remember.

[Victoria Watcher]

Gordon’s was where the racquet place or the Root Cellar was going to be (is?). Or 5th Street Pub. Also forget.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 November 2022 - 07:02 PM.

[aastra]

I'm really not in bicycle mode anymore. My memories on this topic are getting very hazy. Wasn't there also La Strada, A&J Bikes on Burnside, and Performance Bikes?

 

I was going to say most of my cycling dollar was historically split evenly between Oak Bay Bikes, Rider's Cycle, and Russ Hay's, but I forgot all about the first incarnation of Pacific Cycle on Yates. I'm pretty sure I was working downtown when it first opened, so I spent a fair bit of money in there on bags, clothes, and accessories (but not on bikes).

[Mike K.]

700-block of Yates, right?

I seem to recall going in there as a kid always amazed at how cool the modern bikes were becoming. I had a lot of work done there over the years, and usually anything I bought for my bikes was from there. Marty’s Mountain Cycle was popular for people in Vic West and Esquimalt. And there was also a small Canadian Tire in Esq where the Shoppers is now. They had tons of bike stuff.

You can come in now from the balcony, aastra.

[Victoria Watcher]

Canadian Tire of course came on the scene in the 80’s with lots of bikes. Maybe of questionable quality.

Did Sears or Zellers or Eatons have bikes? K-mart? I can’t recall.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 November 2022 - 07:24 AM.

[Mike K.]

I think so. Maybe not Eaton’s beyond kids bikes? But I do recall Sears had something up top at Hillside.

I got a CCM bike once from Canadian Tire. Not exactly top quality.

But my first bike in Canada was from London Drugs, believe it or not. It came boxed up and we had to put it together at home.

[Dr.Doinglittle]

I remember frequenting a lot of bike shop long gone now.

 

Gordon's Sporting Goods - was located where 5th Street is now. The pub side to the right was the gun shop. The bike shop was located in the back where the kitchen is.

 

Chain Chain Chain - in the parking lot behind Cherry Bomb Toys

 

Physical Culture - Douglas across from old Canadian Tire (Anchor Marine now)

 

Ryder's Cycle - Cloverdale and Quadra (mural is still there)

 

Cyclepath - Burnside at Alpha (New Line Hose and Fitting now)

 

Oak Bay Bikes former (original?) location (Faith Grant's Antique store now)

 

Sports Traders - had a bike shop in the rear of the store

 

Wayne and Pam's (Reynolds and Quadra - closed last year)

 

There also was a second bike shop on the SW corner of Oak Bay and Foul Bay in the 90s but I can't remember the name of it. Also, another short-lived one I can't recall the name of at Govt and Pembroke.

 

Reno's used to claim to be the largest bike shop in Canada. But at some point they downsized by about 50% to occupy just where Heat Savers is.

[Victoria Watcher]

Can’t remember now it is was K-Mart or Zellers that actually had a pretty decent supply of bike repair items / parts. Like tires and inner tubes, patch kits. Handle grips or tape. Light kits. If your bike has more mainstream sizes for them you could find. But more exotic parts you needed to head to the bike store.


I think radio shack offered lights and maybe even radios.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 November 2022 - 12:02 PM.

[aastra]

I remember some decent road bikes at the Tillicum Eaton's store, back when it first opened.

 

Back in the day some department stores had very good selections re: certain sporting goods.

[Victoria Watcher]

Eatons had a reasonable but not great sporting goods section in the basement.

I seem to remember The Bay ending theirs.

Of course stores might have seemed more magical when you were a kid.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 November 2022 - 12:12 PM.