Goldstream Bicycles

Summer is still coming, but our summer hours are already here

Steven Hurdle — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 00:25:53 +0000

Summer is just around the corner, but our summer hours are already in place. Effective immediately we’re open 8-7 weekdays (Monday through Friday), and 9-6 on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). We’ll have sales staff available to help you all of those hours, and we’ll typically have mechanics in from 9-6. We’re still open seven days a week, as we are year round, and still open for all statutory holidays from February through September. These are the longest opening hours in the twenty-four year history of Goldstream Bicycles. Thank you to those who have responded to past polls about our hours on our website, that helped us guide our decisions about our summer 2013 hours. Please take the time to tell us how these hours work for you the next time you visit the store.

In other news, I’m pleased to announce that Eileen (who relocated to Wisconsin) will be coming back to join us in the store July through September. Despite it being early in the season, and despite several new staff members, we’ve been busy enough already that we’ve called in reinforcements! Our newly expanded store will help bring it all together, giving us the space to accommodate staff and customers alike. We look forward to seeing you in the store again.

Taxes on bikes go down on Monday; Open all Easter long weekend

Steven Hurdle — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 05:28:59 +0000

For those who don’t know, GST/PST comes back on Monday. That means bikes go from 12% HST down to 5% GST. We’re open all Easter long weekend, so Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are great days to test ride (perhaps leaving a deposit if you find the perfect bike), then picking it up on Monday for 7% less.

We’ve brought in several high-end full-suspension mountain bikes that we’ll be putting on sale, several of them just in and not yet on our website, so keep an eye on here or visit the store to find out more.

Speaking of the store, the expansion and renovation is not quite finished but it’s definitely getting there. There’s a lot more space for product, and for staff and customers to mill around it. It’s definitely been a better experience.

We’re open our regular hours all long weekend, and we hope to see you soon.

Things we uncovered during our reno

Steven Hurdle — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:49:14 +0000

We’re renovating our store to increase the size of our sales floor (the final piece of the puzzle in incorporating the new space we added on to our store late last summer), and we’ve uncovered some things during the reno that we thought people might be interested in.

Kona “Tim Hunter” Mountain Bike Poster, circa 1990s. Tim Hunter was an NHL player at the time. The poster has the caption: “A tough guy needs a tough bike”. He’s sitting astride a Kona Mokomoko, and wearing a hockey jersey with an early Kona logo on it. The poster’s faded quite a bit over the years, but still looks pretty good.

This poster is for the 10th annual “Bicycle Days”, a festival I had never heard of before seeing it. This poster actually predates the shop, as we opened in 1989 and the poster says it’s for 1983. The penny farthings aren’t so unique, they’re still common in bike festivals today, but seeing people do freestyle BMX tricks on race BMX bikes with number plates… now THAT’s got the ’80s written all over it! As do the shorts they’re wearing.

Here’s an even older “Bicycle Days” poster. 1978 in this case, and apparently either put on by, or sponsored by, “Hillside Shopping Center” (they go by “Centre” these days). We’re not sure when or why “Bicycle Days” ended.

The reno is going quickly, and we look forward to having more space for customers to mill around in soon.

Open this Monday for Family Day (9-6)

Steven Hurdle — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:32:43 +0000

Goldstream Bicycles is not only open 7 days a week, we’re also open all spring and summer statutory holidays. This Monday, February 11th, is the first annual BC Family Day stat and, while Family Day is technically in the winter, it’s already starting to feel like spring out there so we’re declaring Family Day an honourary spring stat! Getting out on a family bike ride is a great way to celebrate BC’s first Family Day, and we’ll be open 9-6 to do whatever we can to complete your daily cycling plans. Both mechanics and sales staff will be on hand, and we’d love for you to come by.

Donation to Santa’s Anonymous

Steven Hurdle — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:13:28 +0000

Opus Scout, helmets, and locks going to Santa’s Anonymous

A few months ago a couple, who wish to remain anonymous, won a bicycle from Market on Millstream and donated it to CFAX Santa’s Anonymous. That started a process that led to Goldstream Bicycles donating over $1000 in helmets and locks (plus an Opus Scout kids bike).

We learned from the CFAX Santa’s Anonymous team that the need has grown and that they are now operating year-round. We also learned that they have need for bicycle accessories such as helmets – donors will often give a bike, but rarely helmets, locks, and other things necessary to complete someone’s cycling experience. Should anyone wish to participate we can accept donations on behalf of CFAX Santa’s Anonymous towards this programme. We intend to donate more helmets and locks to CFAX Santa’s Anonymous in the weeks to come, to help make sure kids that received bicycles for Christmas have what they need to ride them safely as we go into the spring.

Boxing Week Specials

Steven Hurdle — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 23:23:14 +0000

Click for our Boxing Week Sales

Join us Boxing Day and all week long for sales, specials, and other deals. New wrinkles to our BOGO (buy one, get one free deals), one last chance to pay the bottom price of our Community Buy deals, and much more is on offer. Click here to see all our week-long specials, plus visit the store any day during Boxing Week, mention you’re on our mailing list, and receive a free gift just for swinging by. Hope to see you all soon!

Don’t miss out: Monday (Christmas Eve) is the final day to participate in the Community Buy

Steven Hurdle — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:36:01 +0000

We’ve been running two “Community Buy” promotions, escalating discount deals that drop the price for everyone as more people buy into them. Tomorrow (AKA Monday, AKA Christmas Eve) is the final day to participate. Every one we sell not only drops the price lower for the next customer, but also for everyone who’s bought in so far. Everyone who has participated wins every time another person buys in, so if you’ve already participated you have one last opportunity to burn up the social networks encouraging friends to get involved and save themselves, and you, more money.

Check out our two “Community Buy” offers (the 2012 Hei Hei, and the Joytrax 2-child trailer) and contact us Monday if you wish to participate. We’re open 9-2, closing early so that the staff can go home and be with their families. Thank you to all our customers for making it so nice to work at Goldstream Bicycles.

Final days to get bonus Gift Certificates before Christmas

Steven Hurdle — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 01:45:53 +0000

Still stuck on finding that perfect Christmas gift? We have gift card promotions running until Christmas Eve where you can earn bonus free gift cards when purchasing gift cards, whether as a gift for others or as a gift for yourself towards that bike you’re planning to buy in the spring. Click here for all the details on our Christmas gift card promotions.

Have you got your bike in for a tune-up yet? Even if you’re not riding your bike much right now, bikes don’t come out of tune being stored, only when they’re ridden. Why wait for a spring tune-up when you can get it done now, and get entered in a draw to win a $100 gift card at the same time? You get an entry whether it’s a paid tune-up or a free one; refer a friend, and both you and your friend will get entries in the next draw.

Remember that we do Christmas layaway all the way up to 2PM Christmas Eve. Please arrange to pick up all your holiday purchases by then.

“Family Trails” Victoria map book released

Tristan — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:58:17 +0000

Freak Maps makes map books using professional GIS Cartography. Their “Mountain Bike Vancouver Island” book has been a popular item with mountain bikers, and a great stocking stuffer that routinely sells out this time of year.

They’ve been working on a new “Family Trails” book, and we’re pleased to announce that it’s been released and we have it in stock. This bike has maps and information for great family bike rides for all over Greater Victoria and Cobble Hill. The information provided is superb, with details such as playgrounds, picnic tables, viewpoints, drinking water, public toilets, and so much more along the way. Whether it’s the Galloping Goose, the Colquitz River Trail, Colwood Creek Park, Royal Roads University, or one of dozens of local rides, this book has you covered. The book costs $19.99 and is a great size for taking with you on the trail.

Eileen’s last day

Steven Hurdle — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 00:44:34 +0000

It’s with sadness that I report that tomorrow will be Eileen’s final day in the store. She’s loved working with us for the last 22 months, and is leaving with a heavy heart. Eileen is relocating back to Winsconsin to be with old friends and family there, but I’m pleased to report she’s agreed to stay on as our webmistress and will be the driving force behind keeping our online content up to date. In fact, that’s a full time job in and of itself so she’ll have as much work as ever, but she’ll be doing that work remotely in the future. If you want to say goodbye she’ll be working 9-6 tomorrow (Saturday), or you can email her your well wishes.

Welcome to Steve Dutchak (AKA “Steve D.”, not be confused with “Steven H.”) who has joined our team. Watch for him to be added to the “About Us” section when Eileen gets settled back home at Wisconsin and starts updating our website from afar.

We’ll miss having Eileen in the store, she’s been an enthusiastic member of our team, but we’re extremely pleased she’ll be able to make a huge contribution still.