Village Bikes - Graeme Burns, General Manager
Graeme Burns
Reflections and advice from over a decade at Village Bikes. His career story, bike expertise & why he loves Steveston.
What to expect from this article:
Who is Graeme?
The history of Village Bikes and what makes them different from big box stores
Expert advice on selecting kids’ bikes
How regular bike maintenance will save you money in the long-run
Why Graeme LOVES Steveston
Okay, Graeme—let ‘er rip!
Village Bikes original building on Moncton Street
I am Graeme, and this is what I’m doing here
My name is Graeme Burns and I'm the General Manager at Village Bikes in Steveston, Richmond, BC. I have been working at Village Bikes since 2012, where I started as a sales associate and junior mechanic. Village Bikes has seen massive growth over the past ten years and has created a name for itself in the bike community.
Graeme inside the retail location in Steveston Village
I got into cycling seriously as a form of transportation. I moved to Vancouver from Vernon when I was 19 and it seemed like the best way to get around quickly and affordably. I started working on and building my own bikes immediately, as I have always had a strong grasp on mechanics and how things work. I used this experience and knowledge to get the job at Village Bikes.
There’s never a shortage of bikes coming in for service or repair
A few years later and shortly after that I got into road cycling and participated in the (formerly) Ride to conquer Cancer, now the tour de Cure. Our team (Village Idiots) raised over $150,000 for cancer research in our years participating. I ride all types of bikes and love cycling due to its approachable nature and friendly community. I love cycling in new cities, as it gives you the best vantage point for seeing new things and you can go much farther than walking.
When I'm not biking or working, I like to travel and experience local food and arts. My dog George often comes to work with me, and outside of work me and my partner (Alex) spend a lot of our time taking him for long walks. I am a long-time Xbox gamer and enjoy playing with my coworker Jake some evenings.
Village Bikes retail stocks a wide selection of quality bikes at the First Ave location
How this bike shop was born - history of Village Bikes
The shop came to be out of Brett's desire to run his own business. It started as a used sporting goods store before he was approached by Norco to start selling his bikes in 2007. Village Bikes was born! Our mission has always been to educate the customer and give them an honest assessment of their needs for cycling. We aren't in the business of pushing sales numbers, we want every customer to continue riding their bike and enjoy it. We know that this is the way to long term relationships with customers, which we have many.
Graeme flashing the hot new sandwich board
When I started at the shop we had one mechanic plus myself and Brett. One repair station and a portable bike stand. That has grown considerably over the years where we now have 3 full time mechanics, 3 full workbenches, 2 sales associates and a few part time employees. Fully certified for many brands and systems.
Side view of the repair and rental shop
Local bike shops are better than big box stores
Shopping at a local bike shop versus a big box store is a night and day difference. You get knowledgeable staff, lots of selection, a good warranty and service guarantees. Most big box brands are built with the lowest possible quality materials and parts and are designed to have a low serviceability, meaning it's often cheaper to replace the whole bike than get it serviced. Extremely wasteful. All our staff are trained in getting riders the right size and style of bike for the needs they have—you will not find that at Sport Chek or Walmart, etc.
Bike wall designed by Graeme
How to shop for a kid’s bike—to maximize joy and resale value
If you want your child to enjoy riding a bike it's important to get a proper sized bike, we often see people come to us for adjustments on new bikes bought from department stores and they are not the right size and the child is not enjoying riding it. If you can't afford to buy a brand name, it's always a better choice to buy a used quality brand then a new big box brand. Even if it needs some service, you will be able to resell it when your child outgrows it and it won't fall apart in the time that your child is still using it.
It’s important to get the proper sized bike for your child so that they’ll enjoy riding it
Why regular bike maintenance is wise and saves you money in the long-run
Servicing your bike is very important for a few reasons. First, any moving part regardless of the type of machine will wear out with use. Getting your chain replaced before it is stretched out will save you a lot of money on parts, we like to compare a new chain on a bike as getting an oil change and oil filter on a car. It's essential to the longevity of your vehicle.
Inside the repair shop, the team is busy
Secondly, all the nuts and bolts on your bike will loosen over time from the vibrations and torque of riding it. So we always check them all when the bike comes in for service.
I recommend getting your bike serviced once a year for the average rider, but if you are commuting on it you will need to do it much more often. Every 1500-2000 km is essential if you are commuting, especially in diverse weather.
If you leave your bike in disrepair, the repair costs will multiply as more components on the bike are worn out. Regular service is much cheaper than leaving it on the back burner for years.
Average riders should service their bikes once a year while commuters should do so more often
My favourite part of the job is teaching and educating
The part about my job I enjoy the most is teaching people about bikes and trying to educate the rider on the many aspects of cycling like, safety, maintenance, technology and the sporting side as well. I follow all kinds of bike racing from road to mountain bike and enjoy watching all the races.
Protect your heads, get a helmet
Why I love Steveston
I love Steveston for its variety of pace and constant flow of change. It can be hard sometimes for many businesses, but we have been around for a while and seen so much of the change, good or bad (depending who you ask)—the village is always in flux. I enjoy walking around and being greeted by people who know me (alright, it happens a lot and I often don't remember them) but I love the local and gaining regional support for our small family focused shop.
Graeme Burns, General Manager of Village Bikes