Olympia Cycle and Ski
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Since 1998, Olympia has been selling and servicing good times on bikes and skis.
Summer is here at Olympia Cycle and Ski. That means busy times at the store as everyone enjoys longer days filled with great rides!
Olympia was founded in 1998 by Peter Dory and purchased in March of 2020 by Brett Milner and Nick Brush. Brett, a Calgary native spent a couple of decades in the Whistler area before finding an opportunity in the Okanagan.
Milner is passionate about helping people get into the right ride from the expert to beginner.
“I think it is a good idea to decide what you want to get out of cycling before you make any buying decisions. There are a lot of different types of bikes and a lot of areas you can ride.” Millner said. “Not all bikes work well in all areas, so it is good to get an idea if you will prefer to be mountain biking, riding the rail trail, or cruising on a road bike around the Okanagan Valley.”
There are lots of places to buy a bike these days, from big box stores to boutique independent shops like Olympia.
“The bikes that will be stocked at the independent bicycle store are generally from long standing, reputable, bicycle manufacturers that provide a level of comfort in buying from a trusted brand. These companies have been in the cycling game for a long time and truly know what they are doing.” Milner stated. “I think that is the big differentiator when you look at the e-bike craze. You can buy bikes at London Drug, Best Buy, and places like that for less, but that comes with the risk of dealing with less established brands and varying quality.”
Olympia Cycle and Ski Owner Brett Milner shows of the extensive stock of bikes
One of the difficulties purchasing from a big box store is service and repair, which you can get at a specialty shop like Olympia.
“The specialty bike store will always stock the parts and accessories, and have the service know how, that will be required to keep your new bicycle running smoothly for years.” Milner said. “This is a definite advantage of using a specialty retailer, as a lot of the bikes that are manufactured for big box stores are using lesser quality parts to keep the cost down. These parts are not only less reliable, but they can also be difficult to find when issues arise.”
The lowest price may not be the best deal in the long run if you require repairs.
“We see it all the time, people get a great deal on a bike from a big box retailer and bring it us with issues. A lot of the time they end up spending more time, money, and frustration to fix those issues than they would, if they had just spent more on a quality bicycle brand at the start.” Milner said.
The staff members at Olympia are involved in the cycling community and as riders can help novice riders make good decisions.
“You don’t get into the bike business for the financial gains, it is more of a passion industry. The staff here are riders at heart, and all love being on their bike. They love to share that passion with the customer,” Milner stated. “There is nothing better than new bike day, both for the customers and staff alike. Getting that customer onto their new bike and seeing the joy. Whether you are ten years old or 50, you get that same buzz rolling out on a new bike and pedaling it off for the first time.”
Like all vehicles, bikes require service and repair from wear and tear.
“We have a lot of years of experience in our service department here, and we look after all bikes. It’s not just a mountain bike shop, kids, commuter, or an e-bike shop, we service them all and love to keep those old classics going. There are a lot of people who have a lot of years of passion riding that classic bike and are very attached to it. It is cool to work on a bike that has been with someone for 20 or 35 years and keep their memories alive,” Milner concluded.
Olympia Cycle and Ski Service Manager Rob Greenop working a ride
