With the horror of winter firmly behind us, it’s time to break out our favourite steed – the bicycle. Despite some bureaucrats’ best efforts, Toronto and her citizens continue to become one of the most bike-positive cities in North America. We are firm believers of “safety first”, so before getting back on the road, make sure to get a tune-up at one of our favourite spots. A bike neophyte? You’re also in luck; most of these joints sell bikes too.
Hoopdriver Bicycles
1073 College St.
647.344.9120
The staff at this College St. spot are happy to try and do on-the-spot diagnoses and estimates, and their mechanical skill services range from small adjustments to major overhauls. Found an old frame in your parents’ basement? Come here and chat about a custom build. They’re also authorized dealers of KHS, Opus, IRO, Steelwool and Soma bicycles, along with some rad accessories from Brooks England. But our favourite feature is their location – conveniently located beside The Common, you can grab a coffee while waiting for your bike to be ready.
80 Geary Ave.
647.349.5649
Owner Val is a former BMX bike racer with an obsession with restoring old and vintage bike frames. You won’t find any new bikes here, but his colection of hand-selected, professionally assembled bikes is worth a look, not to mention some of the crazy vintage bikes in his personal collection. They also do tune-ups (often with free Freezies!), custom builds and sell a variety of longboards and skateboards. During the off-season, Riders, located at the corner of Dupont and Dovercourt, focuses on its other passion – snowboarding.
They fix kids’ bikes too!
1292 Bloor St. W.
Bike Pirates is the place for cyclists with a DIY streak. This volunteer-run organization won’t fix your bike for you, but they will teach you how to fix it yourself. Their goal is to empower cyclists and make bikes more accessible. They offer drop-in times when you can come by to learn bicycle maintenance, work on your own bike with their tools or build a new bicycle from scratch. They sell new and used parts on-site, as well as fully refurbished used bicycles. Understanding that bike maintenance can be intimidating, Bike Pirates offers Trans- and Women-Only hours on Sundays.
Two locations: 1204 Bloor St. W., 517 Bloor St. W.
416.533.4481 and 416.533.4225
Sweet Pete’s caters to the “sweet spot” of Toronto bike users. Neither high nor low end, their offerings of new bikes (no used) tend to range between $600 and 750. Each location offers a full-service garage, hosting over a dozen well-trained technicians with a genuine passion for cycling. Their appointment system guarantees that you won’t be stuck without your bike for longer than 24 hours. Reasonable rates and outstanding staff sweeten Pete’s appeal, but we adore as President of the Bicycle Trade Association, owner Pete tirelessly campaigns the government to enact tax breaks for cyclists.
So many bikes, so little time to ride.
Two locations: 309 Augusta Ave., 779 Queen St. W.
416.966.2453 and 647.352.6550
The original Bikes on Wheels location is a Kensington Market stalwart, having been in operation for close to 20 years. At both locations you’ll find knowledgeable staff and a great selection of bikes, including bikes from Norco, Fuji, Marinoni and Linus. A hub for both commuters and couriers, Bikes on Wheels recently expanded beyond its retail walls to include a race team and a trick team.
Queen St. location.
Bonus!
Our client Made You Look recently sent us images of a brand new piece available in store – this very cool trouser cuff by Tweek. Perfect for stylishly saving your pants from catching in the chain. Brilliant.
This cool cuff can be yours for $38 – cheaper than a new pair of Seven’s to replace your torn ones.
RIB 2 