bike shop

Duke's - a making of a brand. A well-made short film, directed and edited by Jim Bachalo, about the Duke's Cycle bike shop that's been at 625 Queen Street West since 1914 (except for the short period following the fire that took down the whole building in 2008).

Tino captured the opening celebration of Charlie's Bike Shop (as part of the organization Charlie's Freewheels, which opened recently just a few doors east of Sherbourne on Queen. Charlie's works with youth from Regent Park to provide training in bicycle mechanics and now running a business.

Charlie's Freewheels was named in honour of Charlie Prinsep, a Torontonian who was hit and killed by a car on the Trans-Canada near Brooks, Alberta while on a cross-country bike tour. Charlie loved everything about cycling: riding, fixing, going on long tours. (The site is not far from my parents home. I visited the site in 2007 where Charlie was hit; the wide, flat, straight, isolated Trans-Canada has plenty of room to avoid hitting anyone, but the driver was most likely falling asleep at the wheel.)

Click on the photo to see Tino's whole gallery.

Some of the organizers help launch the shop, including Emma McIlveen Brown, Derek Chadbourne, Joshua Farr, unknown and Aaron Marques.

See also the first award ceremony at Critical Mass;

Parts Unknown is closing after 18 years in Kensington Market to make way for a condo development. Martin Reis took some great photos.

People taking a look around at the deals (including Mike the Bike, another "back alley" bike mechanic in Kensington Market).

Stepping into the shop, surrounded by frames and parts.

George.

(Photo: Janet Bike Girl)

There's a short alley at the end of Baldwin on Augusta, behind Segovia Meats, in the heart of Kensington Market. At the end of this alley is George, the proprietor of the ramshackle bike shop aptly named Parts Unknown. Countless numbers of cyclists, both rich and poor, have gone down this alley to have George fix their bike or get a refurbished bike at a decent price. George is an icon.

Come end of July, however, people will no longer find George there. The landlord of this private alley has given George until then to vacate his large collection of bikes and bike parts.

I had noticed the landlord had begun tightening the screws a few years ago by putting up a gate and limiting the public's access to the shop to certain hours. Now longer did it seem quite as inviting to go down the alley (as inviting as alleys are).

According to Janet Bike Girl, Parts Unknown has been dislocated to make way for a condo development. Janet enjoyed visiting George's shop:

I used to hang out at bicycle shops, and Parts Unknown was always my favorite bicycle hangouts. It is a pretty funky bicycle shop, with lots of great buried bicycle treasures...so worth a visit.

I hear George is weighing his options of finding a new spot for his shop, or moving on to other things. Either way, this is the end of an era.

We wish you the best, George. Thanks for all your wrenching.

Hoopdriver Bicycles 1073 College Street
Martin Neale will put his decades of cycling passion into Toronto's newest bike shop scheduled to open in April this year. Located just east of Dufferin at 1073 College Street next to the cozy Common Cafe, Hoopdriver Bicycles will look after the needs of everything for the everyday cyclist from bike commuter to the inspired randonneur. Until the opening his shop is displaying a fine collection of classic cycling quotes. Keep an eye the future store website for more info and updates
Classic Cycling quotes

Almost one month ago, Toronto's oldest bike shop Duke's Cycle burned down in the big Queen St. fire.

According to their web site (and a post on Torontoist), they have found a new location at 452 Richmond Street West, not far from their original space on Queen St. They should be ready to move in as early as April 1st! It sounds like this home is temporary, until they re-build on Queen St.

Thanks to Val for the tip.