Really good service and helpful, They fixed my bike and I would definitely come back here with…read morefuture bike issues They wouldn't let me in the store though, so I couldn't buy a bike helmet :-(

Very rude and poor service I ran the bell - the woman saw…read moreme did not acknowledge me after 1 minute a man openEd the door an blocked the entrance looked me up and down not once but 3 times . I wondered is he looking at my brown skin or my clothes My Nikes were worth more than all of his clothes and including the women's . (I am 50 years old and have a 6 figure salary ). He asks me , " can I help you" in a TONE as if to say I didn't belong . I said,"I want to inquire about Ebikes. " he says, " I can't help you with that right now" even though there was an ebike in the far window with a tag on it . I usually handle that BS on the spot but with all the bad reviews,I thought I should do the owner a favour and let him know who are the types of persons running his store.

After being told we could return $200 worth of brand new, unworn skates within 14 days, we found…read morethat only exchanges are allowed. No exceptions, no matter the misinformation provided at the time of the sale. It was no skin off their hides to play along, but not a chance. Be warned. It's actually the Figure 8 mystery room. You have to make sure you read all the little signs so that, no matter what staff tell you, you know what the rules are.

Although they have lots of stock, and some of the staff are knowledgeable and helpful, they were…read morecareless about after service, leaving out the skate guards we paid for. We called about it and got the "Manager", who was nasty and implied we were lying. The phone was on speaker and a friend who overheard this could not believe how aggressive and unpleasant he was. Have shopped there and recommended them for decades. No longer.

Recently went here and got my first pair of roller skates. Overall fantastic experience! The place…read moreis owned and run by roller derby girls of the local league. They know their stuff on and off the track. They were a big help with me in finding everything I need to get out there and start rolling.

From the owner: Roller Skates for roller derby, recreational use, dance, park for adults and kids. Whether shiny…read morenew skates or upgrading an old pair, we love getting Canadians rolling.

So Ottawa no longer has a bike share program but it does have loads of beautiful bike paths…read more What's the solution? Cyco's. Gord and his team will fix you up. The cost to us was less than the cost of a one-day bike share pass in Vancouver-- and these are nice, comfortable, 21-speed bikes. And the come with helmets and locks and nice young man ensured they fit correctly. So we took off den the Rideau Canal, crossed the bridge over to Gatineau, QC, up the Ottawa River to the next bridge, crossed back to Ottawa and then headed up the Ottawa River till we stopped for lunch at a lovely spot called Remic's Rapids. Then we cut across country on Island Park Drive till we hit the Canal again and headed downstream to Pretoria Bridge and Cyco's on Hawthorne Ave. Extra points: my wife let me in on a Canadian secret. Gord and Bruce are the most Anglo-Canadian names there are. Yannick is the most Franco-Canadian name. They aren't necessarily the most common but the most quintessential Canadian names.

Great customer service and great bikes for me and my two kids. It can be hard for find 24" bikes…read morebut they had plenty!

Trailhead used to be in a really cool rustic looking post and beam building at Scott St and McRae…read moreAve, but that building was torn down to make way for condos (story of my neighbourhood). So it moved to the Fairlawn Plaza which is across the street from Carlingwood Mall. The older building had much more character, and was really fitting for Trailhead, which is an outdoor adventure kind of store, like MEC. Nonetheless the new store is doing well. Admittedly, when I walk into these kinds of stores, I am like a fish out of water. I have zero interest in kayaking, camping or climbing mountains. I like the temperature controlled climates of enclosed shopping malls, museums, theatres, and restaurants (and don't ask me if I want a seat on the patio, because the answer will always be "no." Lol). Actually, I do like the outdoors, but only when the weather is fair (20 degrees Celsius, no precipitation), the sun is setting, and the bugs haven't come out yet. I am not sporty nor outdoorsy. So why the heck do I even go to Trailhead, you ask? Because they have some cute clothes! They have a great selection of prAna jeans (ethically made, sustainable, and organic fabrics) and they have clothes that are great for travel, like they fold up real small and don't wrinkle (brands like FIG from Montreal, and Toad and Co.). Their prices are on the higher side, but they do have sales, although their sales are not as discounted as at Bushtukah or Sail. Nonetheless, I like going in to poke around, but only for clothes because I have no idea what most of the other stuff in there is for ;) Oh, they also sell Canada Goose jackets. These are also of no interest to me, as I try to avoid situations where I have to be outside when it's -30 degrees. Lots of free parking in the plaza.

The person who helped me with the purchase of my cross country skis was Tyler. He was extremely…read moreknowledgeable, and very helpful. He taught me the proper way to use the bindings, and was patient with all of my unending questions. There was never any pressure, just education, and assistance. On another note, I was pleasantly surprised at the price of the skis and bindings. The same brand and style was much less expensive than at their competitor. I can honestly say that the only reason I was in there was because I had a gift card, but I realize now that my bias that they are too expensive has been quashed. their prices for good quality items was very fair.

I deal with a fellow named Duncan. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of bikes and cycling, and…read morestrives to procure what I need, usually successfully. (I felt bad for him and for the store when I asked to buy a Specialized Roubaix S-Works, and Specialized told him they'd basically decided not to sell any Roubaix models in Canada this year). Anyway, Duncan knows his stuff. He is also a pretty expert mechanic, and has taken excellent care of my Merlin Road and my Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel. I have recommended friends to Duncan, and they have been just as happy.

Today I received a master class in the opposite of a Fresh Air Experience. I visited the…read moreWellington store this morning and asked the manager in charge whether FAE carried a Canadian Branded bicycle that I was interested in purchasing. The guy went off at me as if I had insulted his mother and began to berate me about wrapping myself in the flag. Setting aside for a moment the shear boorish, un-Canadian rudeness of this remark, it was clear to me that the people at Fresh Air Experience find something deeply offensive about Canadians wishing to purchase products that maximize Canadian materials and labour. The tone-deafness and offensiveness of this remark by someone in retail and the way it was delivered was simply stunning. I left the store without comment. I certainly will not be spending my $4-$5K budget at this store and will be sure to communicate my Fresh Air Experience to my business associates and social circle.

Great value, pretty good service overall, so I would come back here, and I ended up buying more…read morethan I expected. I found this a really solid choice and I would recommend it.

Decathlon is a Sporting Goods store from France. This location recently opened and is the first in…read moreOttawa. In fact, Decathlon only opened its first store in Canada last year (2018) in Brossard, QC. Their prices are fairly low and all their items are their own branded stuff, so don't go expecting any Adidas, Nike, or Under Armour, lol. I see it as sort of the Ikea of sporting goods. They had really cheap sportswear. I saw shirts and shorts going for $5-7. Obviously, they had clothes that cost more as well. They had lots of inexpensive yoga and weight lifting accessories too. They had lots of sporting equipment like skis, bikes, rackets, hockey sticks, basketball nets, etc. The store is really big, brightly lit and well organized. There's a cafe inside run by Think Lunch. From what I saw, selection was limited and on the pricey side. There's an indoor basketball court in the store, and a friend of mine told me that if you sign up for their membership, which is free, you can book their court for free. I don't play basketball, but if you do, you have a free place to play year-round, which is pretty cool. The store is in a big strip mall. It's right next to Giant Tiger and will be next to Adonis, which is being built at the time of the writing of this review. Same strip mall as Food Basics, Dollar Tree and Party City. Lots of free parking.

I forgot my running shoes at home on a business trip to Ottawa. I googled shoe stores Ottawa and…read moreSoorts 4 came up and had high ratings. I have wide feet (EEEE) and was skeptical I could drop in and buy shoes I liked and fit and have a large selection. Shoe stores seem to never have my size. Not only did they have a wide selection (pun intended) to choose from the associate that worked with me was well versed in every shoe it seemed. In 15mins I was in a pair of shoes that I liked and was on my way. It was a pleasant surprise.

I went to Sports 4 College Square to buy a pair of New Balance running shoes, but they did not have…read morethe model I wanted. The clerk suggested I try another brand. I asked if I could try them at home to make sure they were comfortable, and the clerk assured me that I would be able to return the shoes. Today, I brought them to return to the store, as I found that they were a bit narrow in one of my insteps. When I went to return the shoes today, the clerk went to the back of the store where only staff can go and spent a long time talking with, I assume the manager or store owner. When he returned, I asked what the problem was. I was told that there was a note on our name that said we were only allowed to get an exchange or get credit. I asked why and was told that over the past six years, (since 2018) my husband and I had bought 9 pairs of shoes and returned them. I was then told by the person from the back of the store that we were banned from buying any shoes from that store because it takes up too much of the staff's time to deal with people who buy and then return goods. Wow! I am not a person who goes and tries things on in stores and then returns them and buys online after. I rarely buy anything online. I felt very violated by the attitude of the staff people in the store. Instead of talking to me about why I returned the shoes and maybe trying to get to the bottom of why the shoes had been returned, instead we are told we are banned from buying in that store. What a shocking way to treat your customers! I will definitely let others know the customer service policy of this store. We have at least 6 runners in our family and many friends also. Looking forward to buying from a store that respects and values its customers.