McPhail's Cycle & Sport

What McPhail's Cycle & Sport does

McPhail's Cycle & Sport is a family-owned, single-location bicycle and skate retailer and service provider based at 98 King St N, Waterloo, Ontario, serving the Kitchener-Waterloo community. Founded in 1916 by Stu McPhail and now co-owned by Jordan and Jennifer Bonneville (who took over from their father Gary Bonneville in 2015), the business sells bicycles including e-bikes, hockey and figure skates, equipment, accessories, and custom embroidered/heat-pressed merchandise through its physical storefront, with no disclosed e-commerce channel.

The shop layers a substantial service business on top of product retail: bike repairs and tune-ups (priced C$50-C$400 depending on scope and whether the bike was purchased on-site), year-round skate sharpening (C$8/single or C$60 prepaid 10-session card), skate rentals (C$15/pair for 24 hours), skate repair services (runners C$75-C$125, holders C$40+, blade resetting, rivets/eyelets), and a skate exchange program that allows trade-ins and swaps. Custom embroidery and heat-press services are offered for sweaters, bags, coats, hats and apparel, including official merchandise for local youth organizations Waterloo Ravens and Waterloo Wolves.

The business operates on Lightspeed's retail POS/e-commerce infrastructure with no proprietary technology stack, runs no online sales channel, and relies on community reputation, word-of-mouth, customer testimonials, and local partnerships rather than structured digital marketing. Revenue is generated entirely through in-store transactions and service labor priced in Canadian dollars, with no disclosed funding, investor activity, or expansion beyond the single Waterloo storefront.

Name

McPhail's Cycle & Sport

Legal name

McPhail's Cycle & Sports

Website

https://mcphailscycle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McPhail's Cycle & Sport is a family-owned, single-location bicycle and skate shop in Waterloo, Ontario, founded in 1916, selling bikes, e-bikes, skates and accessories and providing bike repairs, skate sharpening, rentals, and custom embroidery to the Kitchener-Waterloo community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bicycle and Skate Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling & Bike Retail (Sales, Service & Accessories) (CRAMABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

E-Bike Retail (CRAMAHAE), Bike Parts & Components Retail (CRAMAHAB), Bike Apparel, Helmets & Protective Gear Retail (CRAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Bicycle retail store
• Skate sharpening services
• Bike repair services
• Skate equipment sales
• Custom apparel embroidery

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Skate Services: Year-round skate sharpening services at $8/pair or prepaid card option ($60 for 10 sessions). Additional skate repair services including runner replacement, holder repairs, rivets, eyelets, and blade resetting. Also offers skate rentals at $15/pair for 24-hour windows.
2. Bike Repair Services: Comprehensive bike repair and tune-up services. Services priced differently for in-store purchased bikes versus department store bikes. Turnaround is generally 2-3 days, up to 7-10 days in peak spring season. No appointment required.
3. Retail Product Sales: Sale of bicycles including e-bikes, hockey skates, figure skates, equipment, accessories, and custom embroidered/heat-pressed merchandise. Products sold through physical retail storefront only.
4. Custom Merchandise: Custom embroidery and heat press services for clothing and accessories. Produces personalized items like sweaters, bags, coats, and hats with logos. Contact-based pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

McPhail's Cycle & Sport is a specialty sporting-goods retailer that sells bicycles (including electric-assist bicycles), inline skates, hockey and figure skates, protective equipment, and related accessories from its single retail location in Waterloo, Ontario. In addition to merchandise, the store provides in-house bicycle repairs and tune-ups, hockey and figure skate sharpening, skate repair, skate rentals, and a custom embroidery service for apparel and merchandise. The store also runs a skate exchange/trade-in program for the local figure-skating community.

Product overview

McPhail's Cycle and Sports operates as a traditional brick-and-mortar retail bike shop offering a curated selection of bicycles and hockey skating equipment, complemented by comprehensive service offerings. The core product portfolio consists of bikes (including e-bikes) and hockey/figure skates, supported by ancillary services including skate sharpening, skate rentals, skate repair, bike tune-ups and repairs, and custom embroidery/merchandise services. The business model centers on in-store sales and services rather than a unified software platform, with services designed to support both items purchased in-store and from other retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bicycles and e-bikes Retail sale of bicycles, including electric-assist (e-bike) models, for recreational cyclists, commuters, and families; sized and fitted in-store with staff guidance.
• Hockey skates and figure skates Retail sale of hockey and figure skates for skaters of all levels, including sizing, fitting, and access to follow-on sharpening and repair services.
• Inline skates and protective gear Retail sale of inline skates along with helmets, pads, and other protective equipment for skaters.
• Skate sharpening service In-house skate sharpening for hockey and figure skates, with tiered pricing by skater level / category; available via walk-in service and pre-paid sharpening cards. The service accepts skates purchased from any retailer.
• Skate repair service In-house repair services for hockey and figure skates to extend their usable life, including work on boots, blades, and hardware.
• Skate rental service Rental of figure skates and hockey skates for short-term use, supporting participants in learn-to-skate programs and casual rink users.
• Bicycle repair and tune-up service In-store repair, maintenance, and tune-up services for bicycles of any brand, including work purchased elsewhere, performed by the store's technicians.
• Skate exchange and trade-in program Trade-in / exchange program that allows figure skaters to turn in outgrown skates for credit toward larger sizes, supporting families through a skater's growth years.
• Custom embroidery service On-site custom embroidery of apparel and merchandise, used to personalize team gear, league apparel, and store-bought items for individuals and local organizations.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Waterloo RavensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYouth soccer organization. McPhail's is a proud merchandise partner, providing custom apparel and merchandise for the organization.
• Waterloo WolvesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYouth soccer organization. McPhail's is a proud merchandise partner, providing custom apparel and merchandise for the organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Sport Chek: Canada's largest national sporting goods retailer, carrying bikes, skates, and sporting equipment across hundreds of storefronts. Comparable as a multi-category sporting goods retailer, though at vastly greater scale and with less depth in service-led community relationships.
• Mountain Equipment Company (MEC): Canadian outdoor and cycling retailer co-op carrying bikes, apparel, and accessories. Directly comparable on cycling retail and accessories, with stronger e-commerce and broader geographic reach than McPhail's.
• Jenson USA: Long-standing US online bike and components retailer. Comparable on the retail side of McPhail's business, particularly around bikes, parts, and accessories, with strong digital reach that McPhail's lacks.
• Decathlon: Global sporting goods retailer with private-label bikes (including e-bikes) at value price points. Competes on price/selection; McPhail's competes on service and community trust — both addressing the same Canadian cycling consumer.
• REI: US-based outdoor co-op retailer with deep cycling assortment, in-store service, and strong community identity. Operates as a reference model for what a scaled, service-led outdoor retailer can look like, even though it does not directly compete in McPhail's local geography.
• Canadian Tire: Iconic Canadian general-merchandise retailer with a sizable sporting goods assortment including bikes and skates. Overlaps with McPhail's on bicycle and skate sales, but competes primarily on breadth and price rather than expert service.
• Play It Again Sports: North American franchise chain specializing in new and used sporting goods including bikes, skates, and hockey equipment. Comparable on the multi-category sporting goods retail model with skate and bike service offerings.
• Trek Bicycle: Major global bicycle brand with company-owned retail stores and authorized dealer network that competes on new-bike sales and service. McPhail's operates as an independent alternative in the same bicycle retail and repair category.
• Specialized: Premium global bicycle and e-bike brand with a network of concept stores focused on bike sales, fitting, and service. Directly comparable on the service-led retail model, though at a global premium-brand positioning.

Emerging players

• Rad Power Bikes: Direct-to-consumer e-bike brand that sells primarily online and competes for the same family/commuter e-bike buyer McPhail's serves. Demonstrates the digital-first competitive threat to McPhail's e-bike category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/McPhailscycle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcphails

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McPhail's Cycle & Sport