Dutch Cycle: 4 generations of bike enthusiasts

A love of cycling runs deep in the Vandelinden family. Fred Vandelinden grew up helping his dad fix bicycles in Holland. When he moved to Canada, the bike business seemed like a natural fit. Fred opened Dutch Cycle in Regina in 1963 and it's stayed in the family ever since.

Now his sons Fred and Lawrence and grandson Freddy run the business along with other family members and a few other friends.

Lawrence Vandelinden said the business has experienced some major changes over the years.

"I've seen it go from my dad getting bikes out of garbage bins and repainting them, fixing them up and selling them for whatever he could get for them, to us sell as much as a $15-thousand bike."

Fred Senior was a fixture in the store, and even when he retired he was still around for advice. He died five years ago and now a picture of him, tools in hand,hangs in the store.

"He's always keeping an eye on me when I'm working like he always did," said Lawrence.

Lawrence Vandelinden said it's important to him that the business stay in the family, "It's dad's legacy."

But theVandelinden family has expanded over the years.

It's like visiting the local bar except we don't have booze.-Lawrence Vandelinden

"We have people who have been coming to us for as long as Ican remember and now their kids are coming to us."

Lawrence said Dutch Cycle is more than just a bike shop, "We do find we have our regulars that just kind of hang around.It's like visiting the local barexcept we don't have booze," laughed Vandelinden.