dandySHOPS: Sweet Pete’s

Two Sweet shops for more bike loving on Bloor

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Sweet Pete’s opened its second location over a year ago at 517 Bloor in the Annex. (You can read our dandyBLOG  post about the “B-side” here.)

And, the original 15-year-old west end shop at 1204 Bloor St. West, near Dufferin, just got a make-over.

So, we thought it would be nice to take a quick visit to both biketastic locations. Here, chief dandy photographer Molly Crealock takes us on a trip through the sweet set of shops.

All photos by Molly Crealock.

Sweet Pete’s B-side store front in the Annex.

Hand-painted bells.

Friendly B-side service.

Great product. (Nice floors too.)

Sweet bikes, sweet deals. (…both locations…)

Sweet Pete’s original location on 1204 Bloor Street West.

Penguin bell.

Friendly service in the west. With store manager, Owen, left, and dandy contributor, Brent.

Wrenches.

Watches.

Whips.

Grips.

Colourful product.

Wall of bikes.

Bikes for tykes.

Sweet Pete’s has it all: bikes both big and small.

The newly renovated west-end shop has a brighter, even-bigger feel.

Photos by Molly Crealock.

Sweet Pete’s B-Side is located at:
517 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON
(416) 533-4225

Sweet Pete’s is located at:
1204 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON
(416) 533-4481

sweetpetes.com

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We did a Q&A with owner, Sweet Pete Lilly himself in our “pantless” issue Summer 2010. (You can order that issue here.)

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Grassroots Danforth location often has its door wide open and sale items out front to entice window shoppers.

Grassroots:  A healthy, green, earth-friendly store

Story and photos by Martha Beach

It is possible to lead you life in a fully sustainable way. Grassroots store has almost everything that you use every day, in a sustainable and green format. Located on the Danforth not far from the Carrot Common at Chester station, Grassroots should be your next stop after picking up an organic smoothie at the Big Carrot juice bar. Or, if you’re further west you can check out their Annex location.

They have healthy and safe lawn-care products, organic cotton clothing made in North America, stationary made from elephant poo and even a hemp shower curtain.

These items–clothes, notebooks, shower curtains– are things we use every day, except that at Grassroots all earth-friendly, organic, or toxin-free.

Organic cotton ankle socks, with extra elastic around the middle to keep the sock still while you’re on the move.

While Grassroots does have a lot of super eco-friendly products, they don’t have much in the way of bike gear. Small white and black ankle socks, made from organic cotton, were the bikey-est product in the shop on the day I visited. They sit nice and snug at the ankle bone, and they have an extra band of elastic around the middle of the foot to make sure they don’t slide around.

Grassroots has supported  bike-related projects too. Like “Bike Friday”, an initiative that encouraged less experienced bike commuters to ride with a group on the morning of the last Friday of the month, started by Joe Travers of Biking Toronto. Both locations of Grassroots offered early morning group commuters free healthy snacks and coffee before they got going (and to let a group gather.) dandy editor in chief, Tammy Thorne, was one of the group ride facilitators in the west end and where Alternative Grounds offered bikers free java if they brought their own mug and their helmet.

We’ve included some of their adorable 100 % recycled notebooks in our dandySWAG review pages in our upcoming (June) issue of dandyhorse too!

Grassroots

372 Danforth Avenue, Toronto

408 Bloor Street West, Toronto

http://www.grassrootsstore.com/

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dandyhorse’s spring “youth” issue is due on the newsstands in June. Stay tuned to the dandyBLOG to get in on the fun. Subscribe today to get dandy at your door.

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Related stories on the dandyBLOG: The Red Tent Sisters dandySHOP

dandySHOP: Riders Cycle and Board

dandySHOP: Riders Cycle and Board

80 Geary Street / (647) 349-5649

Riders has made it their mission to make customers feel welcome. As co-owner Valentine Tomlinson says, “People find it comfortable to come in and address bike issues with us.”  Tomlinson and his business partner Jeff Ubalde have created a bike shop that functions like a neighbourhood hub: Riders sells bikes, sure, but they also have a coffee counter, carry skateboards and longboards, host gallery displays, and provide a welcome mat for friends popping in just to say hi.

Riders has a homey, carefully edited feeling that combines new and vintage bikes with hip throwbacks and a neighbourhood-haunt vibe. Just north of Dupont and Dovercourt, the shop is a converted corner store that features cool details your average cycling joint doesn’t offer. Customers can bring in records for the shop’s Technics 1200 turntable, or grab a latte at the coffee bar. There’s a gentle jumble of bikes displayed outside.

The shop’s interiour houses a desktop video game and a gumball machine. A Captain Canuck comic book and a Star Wars lunchbox are tucked into the gear displays next to brightly coloured chains and Brooks saddles. Oury handlebars and Bell helmets line the walls, but the effect isn’t messy or overwhelming. An ‘exploded’ bike frame on one wall shows off a minimalist silhouette, and a fishtank bubbles quietly next to the cash register. The shop feels mindfully designed: skateboards are displayed overhead, and extra helmets are tucked under a bench.

Open since 2010, Riders has recently started selling new bicycles, but they still love working with older models. “Lots of people in to vintage bikes have sought us out,” says Tomlinson. “People bring us their dream bike, and we breathe new life into it.” Older models might include a hand-me-down from a grandfather or a precious internet find. Longboarders and skateboarders shop here, too. “It’s arguably a niche market, but we’re catering to those guys and girls as well,” Tomlinson says, adding that they’ve built performance longboards for races and competitions. Riders staff do plenty of custom work. They’re pleased to offer in-house wheelbuilding, which sometimes has them working with unusual parts like wooden rims or electric hubs. Prices vary: a basic tune-up cost $49.99, and a flat fix starts at $6.

During their busy summer months, the store focuses on fixing and selling bikes, but in the off season, they run bike clinics, host art shows for neighbourhood and Toronto-based artists, and hold the occasional movie screening. When I was visiting the shop, a father came in with his young son and Tomlinson chatted with them about how to get the kid started on a bike. Tomlinson and Ubalde are friendly and casual with their customers, creating a rapport that ignores any kind of cycling snobbery in favour of making community connections. Combining that low-key attitude with a coffee bar and a variety of new and used rides makes Riders a comfortable place to do your wheeling and dealing.

Riders Cycle and Board is located at: 80 Geary Street, Toronto.

dandySHOPS: Blacksmith Cycle on Queen St. West

Race-ready rides the speciality at new west-end shop

By Erik Adler
Photos by Jamie Rosenthal

Since opening in July of 2011 at 1101 Queen St. West, Blacksmith Cycle has quickly developed a reputation for stocking hard-to-find brands, providing stellar service, and serving some seriously good espresso.

Blacksmith Cycle is far from your typical local bike shop. It’s a place where weight is measured in mere grams, and many of the bikes hanging from the walls are found nowhere else in North America; paper-thin carbon fiber crafted in countries like Germany, Italy and Australia. It’s a place where bicycling bucket lists can be realized, and where even at a standstill the bikes look fast.

For the casual cyclist looking to get a flat fixed, stepping through Blacksmith’s doors for the first time can be a bit of a shock. In the world of ultra high-end road bikes, a frame alone can approach a price equivalent or surpassing that of a car. Exotic brands like Independent Fabrication, Alchemy, Scapin, Pegoretti and Carrera line the walls.

Looking into the shop window, one sees an attention-grabbing set of Mad Fiber carbon wheels, the futuristic brainchild of Ric Hjertberg, and a team made up of former aerospace engineers. For shop owner Mike Yakubowicz, the exotic nature of Blacksmith’s stock is very much the point, “Starting the shop was very much about brands, I’d always loved these European brands…these hallowed names…and I started talking to these companies about why they aren’t in Canada, and how to get them here.”

Wheel wall.

Ultimately, the goal for shop staff at Blacksmith is to, “Watch the customer walk out the door with their dream bike.” The key to achieving this is in how they approach the relationship between the rider and their bicycle: first and foremost is proper fit.

Fit expert Paul Parker uses a Juteau-Cantin fit system in tandem with a second system, known as Retül, a biomechanical motion-capture system used by some professional cyclists. Through using these, as well as other techniques, the team at Blacksmith identifies the smallest idiosyncrasies in your riding style. Once they know exactly how you ride a bike, they select an assortment of frames, one of which will serve as the foundation of your dream bike. Every component that goes into the finished bike is carefully considered, from saddle to stem.

“Let’s have the fit, handling and geometry be the deciding factor,” says Yakubowicz. The result is a bike that’s sure to turn the heads of other cyclists and probably some savvy motorists too.

Even though they deal in high-end bikes, there’s no high-end attitude at Blacksmith.

They do city bike tune-ups for $50 and road/Tri/MTB comprehensive tunes for $65.

Says Yakubowicz,  “Even though we are primarily a high-end boutique, we service all sorts of bikes in the same premium fashion.”

Blacksmith Cycles will be at the Bike Show this weekend in booth 701 and will have blow out specials on 2011 stock until the end of March when the 2012 items are fully introduced at the shop.

They’ll also be offering custom fittings at the show.

Blacksmith Cycle
1101 Queen St. West
Toronto, ON

647-350-2040
blacksmithcycle.wordpress.com

Inside the shop. Photos by Jamie Rosenthal.

Jamie also contributed to our new winter web issue, which you can check out here, and will be joining the dandy team at the Bike Show this weekend! Look for our Bike Show recap on the dandyBLOG on Monday, March 5, 2012!

Sartorial cyclists set for all seasons with new shop Cycle Couture
Story by Heather Reid
Photos by Jamie Rosenthal
cyclecouture.ca

While Toronto city cyclists have become known for busting out their most bright and beautiful outfits on the first spring-like days, fashionable cyclists are a bit fewer and far between at this frostier time of year.

Cycle Couture is here to help you look dandy on your bike year-round. The boutique bike shop opened in April of 2011 at 926 College St., just east of Dovercourt, and brought with it a selection of international designers like Herskind + Herskind, Velorbis, Public Bicycles and Clarijs, Basil and Po Campo –some never sold in Toronto before. And, all bikes come with fenders and bike racks to weather any storm, plus sleek designs to suit any of Toronto’s many diverse expressions of bike style.

Public Bicycles line the centre of the shop.

Designer bicycle brands currently being carried at the shop have been selected for their quality, comfort, and utilitarian designs according to owner Jeff Scullion. “Many of our customers have a lot of personal style which can be seen in the bikes they ride and accessories that they use.”

“We have a wide customer base,” says Scullion. “Our customers appreciate excellent design, great quality and unique products. We strive to carry a variety of bikes and accessories that are highly focussed on stylish city cycling. We are the first retailers in Canada for of all of the bike brands that we sell as well as many of the bike accessories.”

The accessories and gear available at Cycle Couture blend statement-making style with practical function. Case in point: their Mission Workshop line of backpacks and other accessories like riding jackets from San Francisco.

Cycle Couture’s uncluttered walls feature bike accessories like Mission Workshop backpacks.

The name Cycle Couture suggests the exclusivity of the fashion world, but the store’s manager Adam Freeman says they see bike style as something that everyone can make their own. The way to make cycling accessible to the broader spectrum of Toronto personalities is to make it fun: to play on the enthusiasm for personal style that a diverse city like Toronto already has.

Overall, it’s a bike shop that wants to make bicycling more fun and personal, and they want to encourage more people to try city cycling too.

I don’t think they are consumed with fashion at Cycle Couture, but rather believe that cycling is as much an extension of yourself as anything else you choose to do in and around your city. By transforming bikes for people into a playful expression of themselves, bicycling can become something all sorts of people simply want to do more and more.

Photo of store manager Adam Freeman by Heather Reid.

A selection of stylish bikes looking onto College Street.
Photo by Heather Reid

Cycle Couture
926 College Street
Toronto, ON
M6H 1A4

647-342-1037
cyclecouture.ca

Although it’s all very good to think about keeping warm this winter, the growing numbers of Toronto cyclists with style are adding a bit more colour to our Toronto streets this winter. After our visit to the shop we went Bike Spotting on College and Dovercourt, asking how is fashion important to local riders.

Winter Issue – with lots more advice on what to wear for your College Street ride coming soon!

This article originally appeared in dandyhorse magazine volume 3, issue 1. Order this issue here.

by Amy Packwood
photo by Dana Lacey

Reba Plummer joined the Toronto cycling community in the mid-80s after answering an ad in a newspaper. The seasoned wrench at Toronto’s Urbane Cyclist—and 2003 Cycle Messenger World Champion (cargo bike racing division)—likes to say that she went from hobby rider to urban bike courier in one phone call. The rest, she says, is history.

“As a courier I learned that I could bike every day, year-round, in any weather and [since then] I’ve just always been on the bike. I bike pretty much every day, commute to work, go out on Sunday rides, go on holidays with the bikes.”

Now a member of Urbane Cyclist’s worker-owned co-operative, Plummer caresses the championship prize: an electric green Bilenky. “I’ve had them add some extras,” she says, pointing out the neon green paint, chain guard, curvy tube and electric assist. She’s also attached a handmade rack woven out of inner tubes.

Plummer’s time on the road made her aware of a few gaps in the services offered to couriers. She and her partner opened The Bike Ranch in 1990, which catered to Toronto’s bike messenger community. In 1995, she began designing, sewing and selling her ideal bike messenger bags under her brand name, Push the Envelope.

In 1999, when faced with finding a new space for The Bike Ranch, Plummer instead decided to join forces with Urbane Cyclist. It was a good fit. The 13-year-old co-operative is the only business model of its kind in the Toronto bike community. It has nine members, and six staff as members-in-waiting. “Each worker member is part owner, and all major decisions are made in a collective, non-hierarchical process,” she says. Urbane’s site boasts that “Co-ops aim to serve the needs of a community with integrity and a vision towards social justice and genuine alternatives to corporate culture and values.” It also enjoys a friendly and solid reputation among couriers, commuters and even the Toronto Police, who patrol on Urbanite bikes.

Plummer has spread her love of bikes and self-reliance to the broader community. In 2002, she worked as the mechanic / teacher with Open Roads, the funded version of what became the popular volunteer-run Wenches with Wrenches through the Community Bicycle Network. Although she didn’t start the woman-led bike repair workshops, Plummer has been integral to the success of the program and continues to volunteer.

Cycling activism, cycling business, cycling lifestyle, cycling hobbies, cycling holidays…what else is Plummer into? “Bikes, bikes, bikes,” she insists “I love bikes!”

Photos by Christopher Kaiser
By Duncan Hurd

At Sublime Espresso Bar, on Augusta Avenue in Kensington Market, customers are encouraged to bring their bicycles inside.

Just a couple of blocks down the street from a bike corral that helps to rectify the shortage of bicycle parking in the highly-cycled ‘hood, Sublime also likes to accommodate cyclists.

Out front of Sublime, you’re likely to find a few fixed-gear bikes locked to themselves. Once inside the front door, there will be another bike or two balancing on the wall and in the back of the cafe there are the employees bikes stacked several deep. When I asked why people on bicycles are attracted to the cafe, Reza of Sublime told me, “We are a bit analog at Sublime. We try to discourage laptops and try to encourage our patrons to converse, maybe this sits well with cyclists.”

Just as the cafe proudly serves Fair Trade coffees, everyone at Sublime is also concerned with their personal impact on the city. Brit shares, “I ride my bike to work mainly for environmental reasons and because the TTC is a headache. Bikes don’t clog up the streets, they’re great exercise, you can take side streets, enjoy a scenic route.”

Beyond bikes and conversation, the analog theme continues at Sublime. Several walls of the cafe are lined with a collection of jazz and soul vinyl records, all for sale. “The records just evolved with the cafe,” Reza tells me. “My friends and I all collect records and we would play them for the costumers and one thing led to another and we started bringing our overflow records to the cafe. At first it was just for listening and then one day we decided to start selling them as the collection grew.”

The combination of Sublime’s bike-friendly parking policy and staff, a commitment to Fair Trade coffee and the funky background soundtrack all add together to create a welcoming space to relax, chat and discover new music. When asked if there is anything else that may attract people on bikes to coffee shops, Reza ventures a guess, “I think it has something to do with caffeine and the social aspect of meeting somewhere.”

Sublime Espresso Bar

219 Augusta Avenue
Toronto, ON
M5T 2L4

thesublimecafe.com

*****

For even more on the connections between coffee and bicycles, read Dana Lacey’s “Whatever turns your crank” in our Food Issue, available now. Get dandy delivered to your door, subscribe today.

By Laura Warner
Photos courtesy of The Big Carrot Natural Food Market

The Big Carrot Natural Food Market has been a landmark on the Danforth for almost thirty years. It is the neighbourhood’s “go-to shop” for fresh, organic groceries, breads, produce, dairy, meats, and coffees. They also offer a quick-serve area for salads and hot meals. The grocery store is the “anchor store” next to the Carrot Commons, which also includes a vegetarian café. The Big Carrot is so much more than a natural food market, but a pioneer in co-operative business, organic eating and healthy living.

It all began in the early 1980s, The Big Carrot’s Patrick Conner explains, when seven people who had been involved in natural food markets had a vision of opening their own store. An unproven idea at the time, the banks did not jump to provide funding for the idea, so the dreamers raised their own capitol and eventually convinced a credit union to front the rest of the cash. Conducting a business study they saw that the Danforth, as a “neighbourhood in transition,” was the place to set up shop. As older homeowners were migrating out, young families were rejuvenating the area, promising the perfect neighbourhood dynamic for a natural food venture. Hence, in 1983, The Big Carrot opened their doors at the 355 Danforth Avenue address, where the Second Cup sits now.

The business grew rapidly. Expanding through the 1980s they found they needed more room and began taking over other buildings along the same stretch. Working with developer David Walsh, the shop took over an old car lot and constructed the Carrot Common in 1987. Today the store’s staff has multiplied to 65 owners and 125 employees. All employees are given the opportunity to become owners after one year of service. The seven member board of directors, which includes voted-in worker owners, uphold The Big Carrots’ philosophy of providing healthy, sustainable food principles and sharing these with the community.

With the recent explosion of “food movements,” when asked what sets the Big Carrot apart from the plentiful organic competitors, Patrick stressed The Big Carrot’s steadfast dedication to food standards. “We, as a membership, research, debate and vote upon all items that are sold in the store.” They have been leaders in organic inspection and advocacy. To “maintain integrity of organic label” the food in the kitchen, bakery and deli are all inspected and certified.

In fact, they were one of Canada’s first retailers to be certified according to Canadian Organics Standards (COS). This is especially refreshing, since there has been a lot of buzz in the media about large companies playing fast and loose with the term “organic,” slapping a seal of approval on items that are not quite up to snuff.

They are also leaders in the movement against genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Patrick explains how in 1999 The Big Carrot board members voted against allowing GMOs inside their store with an allowance of 1%. They continue in-store audits to uphold this policy. This October, non-GMO month, The Big Carrot will be communicating tips to its customers on how to be vigilant against products containing GMOs, helping Torontonians make healthy and ethical lifestyle choices.

Speaking of choices that impact an individuals health, naturally, one wonders how cycling fits into The Big Carrot’s philosophy. Patrick says it’s an interesting dilemma for them; trying to maintain a bicycle friendly business on a very busy thoroughfare. He acknowledges the positive effect having bike lanes installed nearby has been. “On the viaduct (over the Don Valley Parkway) there was so much rage, and so many near misses […] after they installed the bike lanes, this rage, and the near misses, went down significantly.” While many merchants may fear the installment of bike lanes will cause them to lose business, as this sometimes involves the loss of on-street parking spaces, Patrick puts a more optimistic spin on the change, “It gives the business an opportunity to be creative.” Finding ways to accommodate all modes of transportation can lead to happier customers and when cycling, walking and transit are included, an overall smaller carbon footprint.

The Big Carrot

348 Danforth Ave. (at Chester)
Toronto, Ontario
M4K 1N8
(416) 466-2129

thebigcarrot.ca

*****

As a sponsor shop, dandyhorse is available free to customers of The Big Carrot (while quantities last). The Food Issue, featuring guest editor Bob Blumer, is now available at The Big Carrot and sponsor and retail shops.

Get dandy delivered to your door, subscribe today!

By Colleen Kirley
Photos by Tammy Thorne, Colleen Kirley and Miranda Newman

Since working with dandyhorse, cycling has become my sole source of transportation ~ almost.

You see, my roommate and good friend, Lindsay, isn’t a cyclist – which means whenever we go anywhere, we’re walking.

So I’ve declared it’s time to find Lindsay a bike. Over the past week, I tested out three different bikes from three bike shops across the city keeping in mind that Lindsay is a first-time city commuter, a “starving” student on a budget, doesn’t want anything heavy and isn’t necessarily interested in speed (yet).

First up: The Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Skyway.

MEC Skyway. Photo by Colleen Kirley

The new MEC Skyway is a road bike with no chain — instead, it has a thick plastic belt (like the ones used in some motorcycles). This makes maintenance really easy — no lubricating the chain and it’s a lot harder to snap.

Grease-free belt drive and toe clips come stock on the MEC Skyway. Photos by Colleen Kirley.

The Skyway is a single speed, which seems odd for a road bike. Especially, since this one was set at a pretty low gear, so climbing hills was easy enough, but it wasn’t very fast. Of course, after you buy the bike, you can change the cog to suit your preference, whether you want slow and easy or fast and a little more challenging.

This bike was a really nice ride. Initially, the seat was much too low for me, and was really uncomfortable. Thankfully, I was able to barter the assistance of a helpful courier lent with a multi-tool at the corner of Queen and University in exchange for the newest issue of dandyhorse, which features one of his two-wheeled compatriots courier Kevin Barnhorst. (He said he knew Kevin when I asked. Later, I when I returned the bike to MEC, bought my own multi-tool.)

Colleen hits the streets on the MEC Skyway. Photo by Miranda Newman.

Once the seat was at the right height, the ride was extremely comfortable.

COST: $925 at Mountain Equipment Co-op

PROS: Looks really nice. Got a lot of stares on this bike. The belt drive is a cool feature and may reduce the need for tune-ups. The brakes are nice and the saddle was comfortable.

CONS: The single speed is limiting. Need to get used to using the metal pedal straps.

IS IT RIGHT FOR LINDSAY? If Lindsay would ride a road bike, this would be the one for her. It’s low maintenance and light and not as intimidating as some of the skinny-framed “urban commuter” bikes can be. But, I don’t feel she’s ready for a road bike.

So, let’s look at an “upright” ride…

Next up: The TREK Atwood

Getting “upright” on the TREK Atwood. Photo by Colleen Kirley.

From a road bike to a cruiser — The Atwood, by TREK, was a really smooth ride. Coming from the perspective of a new cyclist like Lindsay, the wider tires seem a lot safer — especially when you’ve been regaled with tales of wet streetcar track wipe-outs and are already timid to ride in traffic.

Like a certain Canadian author who shares the name of this beautiful bike, the Atwood was graceful and sturdy. I felt a lot more ladylike riding this cruiser in a skirt than I do on my current Miele road bike. Sitting upright, I felt prim and proper coasting down Bloor street, past Christie Pits to my destination — the fine establishment that is the Palmerston Library!

The gear shifting was ridiculously easy, and I found myself shifting them for every little increase in altitude. The handlebars were comfortable, but extremely wide. I almost tore off a side mirror. Thankfully, the driver was unfazed.

Quick and efficient Shimano shifters and sturdy steel frame. Photos by Colleen Kirley.

COST: $570.00 at Sweet Pete’s

PROS: A beautiful bike, you can feel civilized while riding through the chaos of Toronto. The gears are so easy to shift and, for a heavier bike, it’s not difficult to use the hardest gear.

CONS: You take up a lot of the road. I could have had a small lawsuit on my hands (with the side mirror) — know your size.

RIGHT FOR LINDSAY? Getting closer. I can definitely see her riding this bike. It may be a little on the heavier side for her.

If I could just find something that was sort of in between the road bike and the big cruiser….

Final bike: The Linus Roadster Classic

Colleen takes the Linus Classic Roadster “off-road.” Photo by Tammy Thorne.

I see Linus bikes everywhere now. I always thought they were nice looking bikes, but I never really understood what all the fuss was about.

Then I rode one.

The ride is smooth and easy. It’s set at a pretty low speed, but you can still ride fast if your legs have it in them. Plus, the bike is really handsome. Without brakes on the handlebars, the frame is simple and clean.

Win this bike at the Food Issue launch party! Photo by Tammy Thorne.

It was odd getting used to the coaster brakes. I had a really embarrassing moment gliding south down Crawford Street, where I was coasting over a speed bump, attempted to back pedal (which engaged the brakes) and I jolted forward. Not so graceful.

At every red light, I would stop by back pedalling my left leg, leaving my right pedal in no place to begin biking. You need to be aware and thinking so you can set your feet up for the “push-off” at every stop. Or else you end up tip toeing your bike forward until the pedal is at a good spot to push off of.

COST: around $500 at Curbside Cycle

PROS: A smooth ride — a clean look.

CONS: A little slow for me. The coaster brakes take some getting used to.

GOOD FOR LINDSAY? Yes! Since she doesn’t have experience on any bike, I think she’d be able to get used to the brakes quickly. The gear is just the right speed for her. Climbing hills was really easy, and as long as you’re okay with a slower pace, the Roadster Classic was a nice ride for just cruising around the city.

All in all, these bikes were great. Each one offered something to a new cyclist. The MEC Skyway was a good introduction to a road bike for anyone who is considering the switch from a cruiser. The TREK Atwood is one of the lightest (therefore fastest) cruisers I’ve ever ridden, and the Linus Roadster is a great all-around city bike for a new commuter.

*****

Don’t forget — You can win the Linus Roadster Classic (or his lady-friendly sister, the Dutchi) at our dandyhorse Food Issue launch party at Parts & Labour, Monday, October 3, 2011!

Story and photos by Laura Warner

Cycling along the Annette Street bike lanes in Toronto’s Junction, Max and Amara Mancuso stumbled upon a boarded up shop at the corner of Quebec Avenue. With a baby on the way, the couple immediately saw this location as a way to shift gears away from their hectic lifestyles. “We just fell in love with the place,” Max recalls. The young couple had been looking for a place to open a coffee shop and this simple bicycle ride helped them uncover what would soon become The Good Neighbour Espresso Bar.

Located on the mostly residential street just south of the hustling Dundas West strip, The Good Neighbour opened its doors in April 2010 and has been living up to its name ever since. Stepping through the front door and into the café’s welcoming atmosphere feels like walking into an old friend’s living room. (An old friend who happens to make amazing cappuccinos.) Having both spent many years working in the restaurant business, Max and Amara found opening a neighbourhood coffee hub came naturally.

“We wanted to keep the shop local,” explains Max. The rustic yet elegant interior decor is a mix of old, new and converted materials, mainly from furniture stores just down the street. The bird’s eye maple counter top is salvaged from a 100-year-old Junction bowling alley. An antique mirror, matted with black and white photographs, hangs on an exposed brick wall and there is a set of cozy arm chairs next to a book shelf and fireplace, perfect for settling into on a cold morning.

On the menu at The Good Neighbour are baked snacks and a wide selection of organic beverages. The focus is on local and ethical menu choices including Intelligentsia coffee, a company whose fair trade practices pay bean farmers directly. The beans are roasted the week they are delivered to The Good Neighbour. Julian, a shop manager, also praises the quality of the coffee, “They really know how to roast beans, they’re extremely consistent.”

Quality and attention to detail at The Good Neighbour does not end with the furnishings and menu. The employees, as Julian explains, “are all seasoned baristas, have worked in other cafés, know what they’re doing and care deeply about the quality of product they present.” The employees take pride in the work they do but don’t expect to find attitude here. After speaking with staff I was impressed by their genuine graciousness and positive energy (although, the day-long access to caffeine may explain their never-ending energy).

Amara and daughter Delphine, photo courtesy The Good Neighbour Espresso Bar

As the owners and many of the staff are also cyclists I came to find out why there is such a strong affinity between people who ride bikes and coffee. “There’s such a strong, symbiotic connection. I don’t know how to explain it.” Max laughs and continues, “I guess coffee is like gasoline for bicycles.”

Stop by The Good Neighbour on a Saturday or Sunday and the few bike racks outside will certainly be full. “We are in a huge cycling community,” explains Julian, “after their weekend errands or recreational tours cyclists come in to fuel up. It’s like an energy boost; it gives them that extra push.”

The Good Neighbour Espresso Bar

238 Annette Street
Toronto, ON
M6P 1R1