In the winter, Fresh Air Experience is Ottawa’s cross-country ski community’s go-to ski shop, and has been for 50 years! They also work on the beloved SJAM Winter Trail, are among the original sponsors, and have operated a trailside location on weekends for the last three winters. But did you know they are also an exceptional bike shop?!
“As with skiing, our staff includes bike racers, community leaders, and enthusiastic weekend warriors,” says owner Jon Digney. “We also employ a number of young local cycling racers as a way of supporting their endeavours.”
Fresh Air Experience has a wide selection of bikes from the best brands in cycling. “We recently added Specialized Bicycles to our in-store lineup. Specialized supplies bicycles to many of the world’s top riders, including world champions from a variety of disciplines, from road riding to downhill mountain biking.”
In addition to top brands, they also offer a personal, bespoke shopping experience, and the expertise that can only come from staff who love cycling. They also recognize that high-end race products are not for every customer, so they offer a variety of options and pride themselves in having a pressure-free sales environment.
“We really emphasize the right product for the right person. As we say, ‘if it doesn’t fit, it’s not a good deal.’”
Last year Fresh Air Experience sold bikes to people who wanted to ride 6 km along the Ottawa River parkways to work more regularly, people who wanted to do a 60 km loop of Gatineau Park a little bit faster, and to people who wanted to ride 6000 km across Canada. “Our ability to serve all three customers comes down to the quality of service we provide and the quality product that we stock.”
