Road bikes lined up at the Glebe Kunstadt Sports. Photo by Eric Murphy.
There are a ton of decisions that go into choosing a new bike, and none of them should be taken lightly. You need to decide if the frame you like or the handlebars you like suit the terrain you ride on. You need to decide how much you’re willing to pay, if disk breaks are worth it and if red really is the fastest colour. And if you’re on the fence about any of these decisions, then you need to visit a bike shop.
There are more than 30 places to buy a bike in Ottawa, and they all have their own unique staff, services and stories. If you want a vintage road bike that’s been lovingly restored by someone overcoming disability or other challenges, Cycle Salvation is the place to go. If you want a bike that’s custom-built and locally made, head over to Euro-Sports and ask about their Prologue line. If you’re looking for history, Pecco’s opened in 1971, setting up shop in a Gatineau building that sold its first bike in 1896.
This city has too many bike shops with great stories and fantastic service to list in one article, so OLM made a map. Below, you’ll find our curated topography of bike shops all across the city, showing where they are and, often in their own words, what makes them special. Many areas are sorted by neighborhood, so you easily find what your particular community has to offer. Feel free to zoom in and out, and click on the markers to find out more. If we’ve missed your favorite shop, let us know in the comments!
We’re not going to tell you which store to choose, that comes down to what you’re looking for. What we will say is that there’s a very simple answer to the question of where you should buy your next bike: Ottawa.
