In a city with loads of cyclists and bike shops, Urbane Cyclist is one that caters to the everyday rider. It’s been around since 1997, and in 2016 moved to a new location at Spadina and College, which puts it at a major intersection of cyclist activity in Toronto.
“Our sales staff don’t work on commission, so there are no high-pressure sales tactics,” says Jeremy Axon, one of Urbane Cyclist’s nine co-owners. The company is a co-op, so anyone who works there can potentially gain an ownership stake once they meet certain criteria.
“We treat people very equally and friendly," says Jeremy. "We don’t come up with all sorts of jargon or talk down to you if you don’t know what bike parts are called. We try to help everyone, and we focus on quality rather than trends. We have products that we know are durable and will last, and are some of the best in their class.”