OUR STORY
At Essential Cycles, we believe that the joy of cycling is rooted in the community we build, and we're proud to introduce our team of experienced and dedicated cycling enthusiasts who work tirelessly to provide exceptional service to our customers
Essential Cycles is a bike shop with a different feel. We can handle all of your bicycle repairs and maintenance, as well as provide you with a new bike from brands such as Guerrilla Gravity, Commencal, and We Are One Composites. We also have some of the best custom wheels in the lower mainland.
We know how it feels to travel without your bike. As a result, we only provide high-end mountain bike rentals. With our well-maintained and high-quality mountain bike rental service, you can make the most of your time riding the North Shore, Sea to Sky Corridor, and Fraser Valley mountain bike trails.
North Vancouver and the greater Sea to Sky region have some of Canada's most diverse and spectacular mountain biking. Our knowledgeable and friendly ride guides are ready to take you on a tour that is specifically tailored to you, ensuring that you end up with the recipe for an unforgettable mountain bike adventure.
We also provide numerous learning opportunities for you. Our in-store mechanics classes cover everything from the fundamentals to a full bike overhaul. We have small class sizes (3 students to 1 teacher) to ensure you get the attention you require.
Do you want to improve your bike riding skills? Our professional coaches have years of experience teaching all levels of riders, understanding the mental aspects of mountain biking as well as the technical skills required. Get your bike or yourself dialed in today!
We make sure that each customer’s visit is a memorable one. In addition to providing quality mountain bike rental services and bike repair services, we also provide numerous learning opportunities for those who want to get out and explore the North Shore trails or become better riders.
Come join us today and be part of the Essential Cycles family! We look forward to helping you make the most of your biking adventure.
MEET THE TEAM
Get to know the faces behind Essential Cycles
At Essential Cycles, we are passionate about mountain biking and want to share our knowledge with everyone. We offer bike rentals, bike repairs and bike education opportunities, providing our customers with an unbeatable bike shop experience. Our in-store mechanics classes cover everything from the basics to a full bike overhaul - all taught by experienced professionals. Plus, our professional coaches are here to help you improve your bike riding skills!
Jaclyn Delacroix
Meet Jaclyn, one of the most exceptional mountain bike coaches in British Columbia. With over a decade of coaching experience and previously being an internationally certified personal trainer, Jaclyn is at the top level of coaching, with a unique ability to help riders improve their skills and overcome mental barriers.
Jaclyn's dedication to promoting and inspiring women within the mountain biking communities all over British Columbia is truly inspiring. Her coaching philosophy centers on empowering riders of all levels, and helping them achieve their full potential on the trails. With Jaclyn as your coach, you'll not only improve your skills and confidence on the bike, but you'll also be part of a community of riders that is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the sport.
In addition to her coaching expertise, Jaclyn also brings a wealth of bike mechanic knowledge to the table, having worked on bikes for around a decade with mentoring from #niceguygeoff and Andrew. If you're looking for a coach who is passionate, dedicated, and experienced in all aspects of mountain biking, then Jaclyn is the coach for you. So what are you waiting for? Get in touch today and take the first step towards becoming the best rider you can be.
Geoff MacDonald
Affectionately known as ‘niceguy’ within the Vancouver cycling community, Geoff was born in Tofino, BC but calls East-Van home. A self-professed bike-nerd and daily rider, Geoff has a deep love and appreciation for the literal and philosophical utilitarian beauty of all things bicycle.
Geoff’s wandering path through life has seen him make his way as a musician, bike-courier, cowboy, swing-dancer, high-rise window cleaner & scuba-diver… but throughout it all - and above all else - he considers himself a bike-mechanic. With two decades of international experience ranging from community bike-kitchens to UCI race support, he has personal
experience riding and repairing: mountain bikes & road bikes, gravel bikes & touring bikes, commuters & cruisers, fixies & bmx’s, tall bikes & tandems, fat bikes, freak bikes, polo bikes and kids bikes. With a thorough attention for detail and an honesty-first approach to repairs, you can rest assured he has the experience needed to give your bike the love it deserves. As an instructor, he loves to share knowledge and help others understand the methods behind the mechanics.
niceguy also is a multi-instrumentalist and loves to wax-ecstatic about music, he makes his own clothes, obsesses over chess, and studies the cognitive psychology behind prestidigitation & legerdemain. He is willing to admit the wheels can be greased with baked goods, coffee, bubbly, beer, wine or deli-meats…
Sierra Sullivan
Sierra was born and raised around the forests of western Canada where she developed a love for trails, mountains, streams, and rivers. Moving to Vancouver in 2017 to pursue a PhD in fisheries was motivated by the excellent educational and, of course, the mountain bike opportunities that the area offered.
With a background as an alpine ski coach and a dance instructor, expanding her coaching skills to mountain biking was a natural progression after taking up the sport. She has instructed and guided for WORCA, Shred Sisters, and many other organizations across BC as a PMBIA Level 1 certified coach since 2016. In addition to coaching, she races enduro, builds trails, and explores backcountry regions across western Canada and the US.
Sierra’s passion lies in promoting female involvement in mountain sports through structured approaches to skill development and mental progression. She mentors for the Mountain Mentors ski touring program, guides for Muddbunnies Cycling Club, and is excited to share her enthusiasm for teaching and bad puns with Ozmosis Training clients.
Dagný Ívarsdóttir
Born under the ever-lingering midnight sun and surrounded by exploding geysers, spewing volcanoes, majestic glaciers and powerful waterfalls – Dagný is a true Icelandic Viking that firmly
believes in elves, trolls and all the other supernatural beings that reside in Iceland’s mystical nature. Dagný’s passion for the outdoors naturally led her into a career in adventure tourism
where she has accumulated her travel expertise through various jobs behind the desk and in the field.
Dagný tried mountain biking for the first time a few years back when she got invited to join a group of 20 women to explore some of Iceland’s most beautiful and remote backcountry trails.
She instantly fell in love with the euphoric feeling of riding bikes in the wild and the powerful bonds you make with the people you ride with. Since then mountain biking has taken Dagný to
exotic places like Nepal, Peru, Mexico, Portugal and Patagonia. Moving to North Vancouver was a dream come true as it is a mecca for so many outdoor adventure sports and especially for the world class mountain biking scene. The North Shore trails have quickly become her favorite playground and she loves to share her passion for riding and fixing bikes.
In the off season she works as a polar expedition guide on the oceans of the Arctic and Antarctic. Dagný credits Mother Nature for teaching her the value of working hard, playing harder, laughing loud and always living life to its fullest.
Andrew Major
Who is Andrew? A bike-shop co-worker once derided that his obsession with bicycles had rendered him a “one dimensional character.” During a heat wave and drought, his good friend Pope Jimmy suggested that North Vancouver should host a parade and make him the guest of honour. On learning that he’d be turning wrenches part time alongside Nice Guy Geoff, his own daughter remarked “I guess that makes you Mean Guy Mandrew?!”
With friends like these… he goes by ‘Drew,’ or ‘Andrew,’ or ‘Mandrew,’ or ‘Major-Dad,’ or ‘Drew-Bob’ depending on who he’s talking to and where and when they know him from over a couple decades in the bike industry. And sometimes just “Yep?!” on a properly busy day. He never answers the phone the same way twice, and never sounds happy to be doing it but he’s usually acceptably kind in person. And, he does know a couple things about bicycles.
When he’s not Saturdaying at Essential Cycles you’ll find him on his own riding bikes, hanging out with his daughter riding bikes, writing about mountain bicycles for the folks at NSMB.com, or writing about bikes on his blog MEATengines.com.
