Welcome to
Van de Velo - Bike Shop
Your local bike destination
About Us
It's all in the name
VAN DE - is Dutch for "of the" and VELO - is French for "bicycle"
Yes, it's a little different but say it a couple of times and it just rolls but most of all it's about who we are. Cycling has been an important part of our lives and now we want to make it part of yours.
Paul VW - Owner/Master Mechanic
My first bike was a yellow banana seat clunker handed down to me from my brother and three sisters, but I loved it, racing it down the street as fast as the bike could carry me, little did I know that I would take the need for speed to a whole new level. I entered the world of cycling at the tender age of fourteen and I haven't really looked back since. Cycling is in my blood (as my heritage is Dutch) and there isn't a road in Holland where you won't find a cyclist, so I saved up my hard earned paper route money and bought my first road bike. It was heavy, awkward and low end but it was mine and that's all that mattered. With this bike I learned the essentials of cycling, how to climb, sprint, attack and endure; it changed my life. It was during this time that I truly fell in love with the sport. I joined the Brampton Cycling Club and started to race. I managed to win a few races but mostly I learned a lot about the nuances and tactics of racing. I also started to fiddle around with my bike as I had to make it (and me) faster and that's when something clicked for me and a mechanic was born. I continued to ride and race and I managed to get faster every year, building my cycling knowledge in both mechanics and fluidity. I rode with sponsorship from Ollie's Cycle and Ski and Cyclepath. After countless time trials, criteriums and road races, after endless training, sprints and intervals, my love for the sport only grew stronger. Special attention was given to my racing skills when a National team recruiter was interested in adding me to their team but I was eighteen and decided that college was a better bet than pursuing a career in cycling. After college I couldn't get cycling out of my head so I went to work for a highly reputed bike shop where I developed and honed my mechanic skills. It was an education that could not be learned in any school. I stayed for a few seasons but things changed and I had to go out and make "real" money so into the corporate world I went. I was able to create a part-time shop when I lived in Flesherton but could only manage that for five years before I had to shut that down, however, I still wanted a full time shop and in 2009 that opportunity presented itself. So, it's with great pride that we are now able to offer you a bike shop that has great service, excellent products and above all a respectful cycling environment where all cyclists of all ages and levels are welcome.
Quality and Service
At Van de Velo, we believe that a bicycle shop should stand behind their products and service. Quality service, bicycles and accessories are our number one priority, as well as having a bike shop that cares for their customer. Come check out our shop in Clarkson Village, Mississauga and see what we're talking about!
Our bicycle brands
KHS has been one of our bike brands in our shop from the very beginning. For us the brand is synonymous with quality as they offer bicycles that give you excellent performance for a great price. (Please note that the KHS website is in $USD).
DCO is our other all round bicycle brand hailing from Quebec. This Canadian company designs all of its bicycles here in Canada so they know what Canadians expect in their products. Another great company that understands quality for an excellent price.
Free Agent has been our go to brand for BMX since the beginning, we've had others but nothing compares to the Free Agent bikes. These bikes are solid and know how to handle the street or the skate park. (Please note that the Free Agent website is in $USD)
Interval Training
So what exactly is interval training?
Well, intervals in our opinion are better than spin classes, better than any winter training method on a bicycle. Why? They give you what others can't, structured training. Think about it, what are you doing to improve your strength and endurance while spinning mindlessly with 20 other people desperately trying to stay awake? What are you doing to strengthen your weaknesses on your bike? Here at Van de Velo, we are proud to offer interval sessions to any and all that would like a higher level of fitness come spring. If your goals are to simply lose some weight and get fit, do a charity ride or climb like a mountain goat to tick off your riding buddies then we can help you achieve those goals through our group sessions or through a tailored personal program. Stop spinning your brains away and instead start training smart.
Cycling Class Information
Due to the close nature of our classes we have decided to cancel the training sessions until further notice. Thank you for your patience and understanding.