2022 Ontario by Bike – Bicycle Friendly Business Awards – Award Winners
Congratulations to the 2022 “Best Bicycle Friendly Businesses” in Ontario.
The following businesses were selected to win the Ontario By Bike award for their efforts in and excelling at providing services and a welcome to cyclists visiting their locations as well as supporting cycling within their community. A winner was selected from each of the 13 tourism regions in Ontario, plus a recognition award was given to the best bike related businesses for each region, where nominated, as these businesses provide an important service supporting cycle tourists.
Each business will be featured in an issue of our monthly e-newsletter March to October 2022. See archive and subscribe HERE.
We encourage you to plan a visit, and cycle by to find out more yourself and first hand.
Ontario’s Southwest / RTO1
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Kettle Creek Inn – Port Stanley
Kettle Creek Inn is nestled in the centre of the quaint beach town of Port Stanley on the north shore of Lake Erie. With many cyclists riding from London to dine on their patio, the Inn offers exceptional accommodation, overnight bike storage, plus incredible cuisine. Owner Jean Vedova is an avid cycle tourist herself, having traveled all over the world by bike, and she understands the importance of hospitality to riders. It was important to her to bring that same hospitality to the Inn and appreciate and welcome all who travel on two wheels.
Best Bike Business: The Windsor Bike Kitchen – Windsor
Featured in April 2022 e-newsletter
Niagara Region / RTO2
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Best Western Rose City Suites – Welland
Located right on the Welland Canal Trail, Best Western Rose City Suites goes above and beyond to ensure cyclists have an enjoyable stay, including ensuite bike storage, knowledgeable staff who can help direct cyclists to routes and stops around the region. They welcome and have in the past hosted cycling groups for fundraisers, larger group tours, and shorter stays that included cycling.
Best Bike Business: Niagara Cycling Tours
Hamilton Halton Brant / RTO3
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: The Fix powered by Velofix – Milton
Becoming the prime ride destination in 2022 for all road cyclists in the Halton area, this café inside the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (Milton Velodrome) has great coffee and food to keep you fueled for the ride ahead. With ample free parking, the café and Cycling Centre are the perfect meeting point for track rides inside on the velodrome, or group rides through the surrounding countryside, enjoying glorious views of the Niagara Escarpment. They offer in-store full bike service plus mobile service year-round, plus track bike rentals for use in the velodrome. Get certified to ride on the track and try it out with intro courses available through the NCIM.
Best Bike Business: A1 Cycle – Brantford
Huron, Perth, Waterloo & Wellington / RTO4
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Snapping Turtle Coffee Roasters – St. Marys
Visit this family-run coffeehouse located in beautiful St. Marys, where the aroma of freshly-roasted coffee embraces cyclists as warmly as their friendly baristas. Their summer bike corral parking and shady, on-street patio are a huge draw, with riders coming from around southwestern Ontario to visit the cafe. In addition to serving some of the best espresso in Perth County, the cafe is a great base in which to explore historic St. Marys and the picturesque countryside of the region. To top that off, Snapping Turtle offers guests arriving by bicycle a 15% discount on all beverages and treats.
Best Bike Business: Changing Gears – Guelph/Goderich
Greater Toronto Area / RTO5
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: The Scented L’air – Brampton
Passionate about cycling and its potential for developing their community, The Scented L’air is one of Canada’s only “scent bars”, offering essential oils in a café environment serving Canadian grown loose-leaf teas. While they have temporarily closed their brick-and-mortar store in downtown Brampton (new location to be announced in 2023), cyclists can find the Scented L’air’s tea (and coffee) bar at the Brampton Farmers’ Market on Saturdays until October 8th.
Best Bike Business: Cycle Solutions – Parliament Street, Toronto
York Durham Headwaters / RTO6
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: The Grackle Coffee Company – Schomberg
The Grackle Coffee Company is a well known stop for cyclists passing through or starting and ending a ride in the small village of Schomberg, located in the north west reach of York Region. This charming little cafe, with a large outside patio, serves up nutritious snacks and excellent gourmet coffee. Be sure to step inside to experience the friendly service and eclectic interior, where the walls are covered in constantly changing original art, much of which is for sale.
Best Bike Business: Cycle Life – Port Perry & Pickering
Bruce Grey Simcoe / RTO7
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Quayle’s Brewery – Coldwater
Located on a beautiful rural property between Coldwater and Orillia, Quayle’s Brewery offers farm fresh craft beer, spring water, a delicious menu with local ingredients, live music, beer tastings and tours, yard games, bike repair stations, washrooms and parking, and all with friendly service. Hosting over a thousand cyclists each year, including two cycling events starting and ending at the property, the brewery makes it a huge priority to support the cycling community.
Best Bike Business: Summit Social House – Collingwood
Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Our Lucky Stars – Warkworth
Nestled in picturesque Warkworth, the café and coffee roastery is an ideal place to start and end a trail or road ride in Trent Hills, just south of Rice Lake. With a delicious menu that also has vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free lunch and treat menu options, the cafe is near the town parking lot with space marked for cyclists and a bike repair stand.
South Eastern Ontario / RTO9
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Russell Manor Bed & Breakfast – Morrisburg
Perfectly situated near one of the most picturesque sections of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail in Morrisburg, this B&B is ideal for cyclists looking for comfortable and well-appointed accommodations on multi-day tours or as a base for day rides in the area. Going above and beyond, catering to travelling cyclists they pick up food when their bistro is closed, do laundry free of charge and offer transportation to locally.
Best Bike Business: Bicycle World – Cornwall
Ottawa & Countryside / RTO10
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Café Sur la rive – Plantagenet
With a picturesque setting and patio overlooking the South Nation River (a tributary of nearby Ottawa River) in the town of Plantagenet, Café sur la rive is a popular stop for cyclists, having a beautiful riverside patio, friendly service, and delicious healthy food (and gelato!). They are very accommodating of groups and owner Nathalie is always happy to give local suggestions, knowing many of the cycling routes in the area.
Ontario’s Highlands / RTO11
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Dominion Hotel and Pub – Minden
Rarely a day goes by that there aren’t bikes at the historic Dominion Hotel and Pub, founded in 1865 and located on Minden’s main street on the banks of the Gull River. With a warm welcome, secure indoor overnight bike storage, clean modern rooms, and ample food and beer, the hotel makes an ideal stopover for day rides and multi-day bike tours of the Haliburton Highlands. There is live music in the summer, a patio and even a sunroom with views of the river. The Dominion has loaner bikes and helmets and dingy’s, if you want to go for a float down the river during your stay.
Best Bike Business: Yantha Cycle – Pembroke
Explorers’ Edge / RTO12
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: South River Brewing Company – South River
South River Brewing Co. is located in the Almaguin Highlands and are a stop on many cycling routes in the area. They have partnered with new local cycling event Ghost Gravel and will be the start and finish to this year’s Almaguin Ride. Open to groups parking, many cycling clubs use their lot as a meeting place to start and end their rides, enjoying refreshments if they choose, post ride. Photo credit: Chris Monette.
Northern Ontario / RTO13
Best Bicycle Friendly Business: Perivale Gallery – Spring Bay, Manitoulin Island
Perivale Gallery is located in the very centre of Manitoulin Island on the south eastern shore of Lake Kagawong. Presenting a diverse set of contemporary Canadian artists, the gallery is a beautiful shaded oasis, with access to the water, washrooms, bike repair kit and cycling maps, and has made special accommodations for cyclists (like treads to the gallery stairs to avoid slips with cycling shoes!)
Best Bike Business: 3ride Bicycle Co. – Thunder Bay
Featured in April 2022 e-newsletter