Celebrating 40 years of Mike's Bike Shop
In 1983 a man named Mike Fougere started a little bike shop in his Shediac based garage. Twenty years later Rick Snyder and his wife bought the business moving it 10 years ago to the 16,000-square-foot shop they built on Englehart St. in Dieppe.
Over the last 40 years, Mike's Bike Shop's owners & locations have changed a couple times. Bike technology has changed a pile. The business of bikes has adapted; but for Rick the big has remained — the trust MBS builds within their customer relationships are what keep clients and families coming back.
To celebrate our 40th anniversary, we’re taking a look back at a few of the stories, riders and bikes that brought us from 1983 to now.
Join us for our 40th anniversary celebration weekend - June 10th and 11th.
Mike Leblanc
Growing up, my entire existence revolved around the bike. Every single BMX rider featured in the magazines that I read and re-read in the 80s inspired me. I met Rick Snyder through BMX way back in 1982. Much later in our lives Rick and Mike's Bike Shop have supported my passion project - the Mike’s Bike Shop Cyclebetes ride to cure Type 1 Diabetes. We have raised and donated $250,000 to JDRF since its inception. Rick is and will always be a very good friend and his team at Mike’s is more like family to me. I’m basically a MBS lifer, forever indebted for all that they have done for Type 1 Diabetes research.
Mike's Bike Shop Cyclebetes
Our first Mike’s Bike Shop Cyclebetes ride to cure Type 1 Diabetes was on September 13th, 2008. We had mapped out a grueling 200 km route from Dieppe to Sussex and back with over 2100 m of climbing. This would be the longest ride of our lives for most of us. Fully supported. Mostly on low-traffic back roads, we made it to Sussex. After a lunch break at Giermindl’s Old Bavarian Restaurant in Knightsville, we quickly learned that the second half was actually more difficult than the first. We kept it tight and kept riding. Eventually seeing light at the end of the tunnel as we approached Riverview from the backside. Thoughts of tired legs were quickly replaced with feelings of elation and deep satisfaction as we rolled into Mike’s Bike Shop parking lot. $6700 raised for JDRF in support of Type 1 Diabetes research. Since 2008, our rides have raised over $250,000.
Luc Belliveau
MBS has been family for me for over 20 years. I began working for MBS in high school and never really left. The Shop was located where Dieppe City Hall now stands and was owned by Mike. I’ve been part of MBS in some form all these years. Now, our sons Ryden and Cade work at the Shop and are the youngest of the Mike's Bike Shop Ambassador Team.
Pablo Vergara
Mike's has been part of my life since 1994 or so. I started working at the Shop after I got my first real mountain bike (Giant Cadex). At some point, I became president of our Mike's Bike Shop Team Ambassadors and have been in that position since. MBS has allowed me to pursue my love of cycling and I’m forever grateful for this! Cycling in fresh air and sun is so important for my overall mood. Biking can take an entire crappy day and turn it around with a few pedal strokes. I'm proud to be involved with a Shop that has done so much for the cycling community.
