Downtown Bikehounds

Whether you're a cycling enthusiast rummaging for a used crankset or a casual commuter testing a step-through bicycle, at Downtown Bike Hounds moments of tranquility abound when you realize how inclusive the cycling community can be. That's just what sage and owner Sean Burak had in mind when he discovered the word "Zen" on the shop's concrete basement floor, inscribed by the building's previous owner. With touring, commuter, city and utility bicycles for every rider, as well as an extensive selection of used bikes and parts in the basement, Downtown Bike Hounds is Hamilton's only full-service bike shop in the city's core. Open since 2008, Sean moved the original Cannon Street shop to its current location in the winter of 2011.

"I learned to ride at four, pedalling around the neighbourhood," Sean reminisces. He continued to ride recreationally through high school but it wasn't until adulthood that he embraced cycling as a commuting alternative. "I'm a fan of bikes as tools," Sean says, before explaining how he cycles daily and tours each summer. His trips have seen him ride across Canada: he’s toured Manitoulin Island and the north shore of Lake Superior, cycled from Victoria, British Columbia to Dawson City, Yukon and travelled from Montreal to Halifax.

"We can fix just about any bike," he continues. Self-taught in bike repair with knowledge also gleaned from various certifications, Sean jokingly reveals that his shop's name was inspired by his Bagle Hound Memphis.