For Marianne Koops it all began in 1973, a year before she was born, when her father Gys decided to get out of the business of hauling house trailers and he and his wife Lynn bought out the sporting goods stock of B&B Cycle to open Koops Bike Shop.
After a year selling everything from motorcycles, lawnmowers and snowmobiles to canoes and pedal boats, they decided to focus on selling bikes and skates and at that point the Koops family legacy was sealed.
Fifty years later, one of the oldest stores in Prince George continues to thrive.
Marianne’s brother Jeff is the head mechanic and purchaser, part of a full-time staff of six. Lynn still handles the books and is in the store almost every day. Gys comes by less frequently, primarily to fill in for people on holidays, but likes to stay involved in the business he started.
Marianne has a photo of herself as a baby in her playpen at the original store in the Nicholson Centre, back when Gys was the chief mechanic and Lynn handled the bulk of customer sales and accounting. When she got to school-age it was no secret Marianne and her family always had access to the latest and greatest advances in bike technology, but that was only for paying customers.
“All my life in school, people thought we were rich,” laughed Marianne. “I might have had a new one when I was a little kid, but I always had used bikes until I bought my own in college.”
These days, mountain bikes, BMX bikes, road bikes, cruisers and kids bikes make up the bulk of sales at Koops, which also sells snowshoes and figure skates. Gravel bikes for off-road riding on skinny tires are also hot sellers. Technology has allowed bikes to eliminate multiple front chain rings and front derailleurs for weight reduction and smoother shifting. Prices for hydraulic brakes have dropped, which makes even lower-end bikes more responsive and safer.
“The componentry has changed so much,” said Marianne. “Most of the mountain bikes and a lot of the gravel bikes are going to a single chain ring up front with 10, 11 or 12 (sprockets) on the back. The rear sprockets are way bigger, like 50 teeth, so you’re still getting that range but with a straighter chain line that allows you more clearance if you’re doing more of the crazier riding.”
Electric bikes continue to grow in popularity as people discover how much fun it is to have a battery pack to boost pedal power.
“It makes people ride way more than if they just have a regular bike, they find quickly that all the places they were afraid to go before they can go now,” said Marianne. “They can go further and not have to worry they won’t make it back home or go up that big hill.”
Saturday, June 10 marks the 50th anniversary for Koops Bikes at 1659 Nicholson St.
Sales reps from bike manufacturers will be there to talk about what’s coming down the pipe with the store offering prize draws and hourly specials on select items. Mandy Paavola will provide face painting for the kids and there will be a barbecue lunch by donation that day with proceeds going to the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North.
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