Our Story

Bow Cycle is a family owned business that has been in operation for 55 years. Opened in 1957 by Jim and Mary Sibthorpe, Bow Cycle was first established as a small bicycle and sporting goods store in beautiful downtown Bowness, Alberta (at that time, Calgary had not yet grown to engulf the smaller outlying towns and communities). As the years passed and the business prospered, Jim and Mary’s two sons, Jim Jr. and Brian, became increasingly involved in its operation.

The brothers have now been successfully managing and growing the business for 30 years. Longtime employees John Franzky, Darrell Elliott, Kurt Christensen, Kevin Senior and Dave Leung have also joined the ownership group to add long-term stability.

A lot has changed since the store’s early days. Today, Bowness is a permanent fixture in Calgary… and so is Bow Cycle. The store has grown to become one of Canada’s largest and most successful bicycle retailers. Boasting almost all of the industry’s largest names under one roof, Bow Cycle continues to exceed client expectations of customer service and product quality.

While a lot has changed at Bow Cycle, a lot has stayed the same. During a radio ad in the early 1960s, Jim Sr. coined the phrase, “Bow Cycle, this is where the fun begins.” From that day forward, those words have served as the blueprint for how our business is run. We truly believe that being on two wheels is fun, and we want all our customers and staff to feel the same way.

As of 2012, Bow Cycle will have been selling fun on two wheels for 55 years. Looking back at where we’ve come from and ahead to where we’re going, we’re sure that our next 55 will be just as fun-filled and amazing.