Like many local cycling enthusiasts, Grand River Cycle owner Blake Hetherington was saddened when the go-to Hespeler bike shop The Hub closed last year.
Even though he runs a bike shop of his own, Clifford Vanclief's decision to shut The Hub's doors after close to 20 years in business struck a blow to the thriving Cambridge cycling community.
But it also presented an opportunity that made a decision to move Grand River Cycle much easier.
Construction for a new car wash next to their old location on Hespeler Road was taking away an easement through the property that let northbound customers avoid having to U-turn at Bishop Street. The lease was also coming to an end.
"I also just think the chaos of Hespeler Road is not going to get less chaotic," laughs Hetherington of the decision.
He didn't necessarily see The Hub's closure as an opportunity to fill a void when he decided to relocate from the centre of the city to a larger space beside a grocery store and a vape shop in a plaza on Jamieson Parkway.
But he only had two other options; a smaller location or the soon-to-be redeveloped former textile mill on Queen Street. It would have eventually been next to a new multi-use trail and pedestrian bridge.
That, he says, "would have been really cool," but it's still years away from being ready.
"This was really my only option without leaving town," he says, adding it is a great neighbourhood for cycling and it's close to one of the main local draws for mountain bikers, the Puslinch Tract Conservation Area.
It's also much easier for cyclists to get to and from the new location than Hespeler Road, which is pretty much a no-go zone for street cycling.
A bigger, much more open space is the biggest feature of the new store; providing breathing room for the racks of new cycles and equipment displays in an additional 1,500 square-feet.
The space is so big, people who want to test out a bike can ride it around inside or take it out back for a spin around the loading area.
Loyal customers followed and new customers soon found themselves walking their bikes through the automatic doors.
"It's been awesome."
Demands on the service counter however have been a bit of a challenge since they're one of only two dedicated cycling shops serving a city with a population of 140,000.
"We still can't keep up because the one thing Cliff did is a lot of service. Now we're the only full time bike shop in town."
"Not the worst problem to have," except for the fact that everybody needs their bikes fixed.
Hybrid bikes are the top seller at Grand River Cycle with road bikes shrinking a bit in popularity and gravel bikes on the rise. A few e-bike models are available, but mountain bikes remain the core business, catering to the off-roaders who enjoy hitting local trails.
One of the top local trail systems is in the Puslinch Tract off Wellington Road 32, Hetherington says.
"They're awesome trails. Incredibly underrated. Really good, partially because they've been built by the community over time."
Unfortunately, the Grand River Conservation Authority has been resistant to allowing groups to get together to maintain them, always citing safety, Hetherington says.
He'd like to see someone take ownership to help improve the tract trails in the same way the Hydrocut trails in Wilmot Township are managed.
"If they're concerned about safety, they're not making it safer by doing nothing," he says.
