SIX TH LIN E A A G OS AM LINE R E WN TO
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TRUE N OR T H BI K E S :
FRAMING THE GOOD LIFE BY CHRIS TIESSEN Like any fallen creature, I’ve got a few vices. Craving Arabella’s glee-inducing B-b-burger, for instance. Or Elora Brewing’s tasty Elora Borealis Pale Ale. Lusting after super expensive camera gear. Binge-watching YouTube. Some others I’d never mention outside of therapy. And coveting bikes. Glorious bikes. To be sure, I’ve owned a few. From a Dekerf ‘cross bike to a couple of Yeti ARC hardtails; from a Schwinn-badged Serotta to a Seven Axiom; from a Yeti gravel grinder to a couple of Chromag 29ers; from a Cervelo R3 to a Lemond Fillmore singlespeed – I’m a sucker for a sweet rig. Carbon. Steel. Titanium. It doesn’t
Black. My holy grail. Like some rare bird, Hugh’s bikes are difficult to spot, though you can catch a glimpse of one or more if you look hard enough – usually congregated in small groups of twos or threes. Propped up against the wall of some boutique coffee shop. Laden with touring bags. Brightly painted or gloriously nude. And the bikes’ owners – professional, affluent, toned – are never too far away from their prized rides. Dressed head to toe in spandex. Sipping espressos on the café patio. Relaxing – basking, even – in the sun moments after their latest ninety-kilometre morning ride. Utterly content.
really matter – so long as it’s got meaningful
‘I want to be you,’ I mutter to myself as I pass by
provenance. A killer brand. Respected builder.
these folks. ‘Or at least get a closer look at your
Race heritage. Whatever.
bikes.’ Which brings me to now. Navigating up
And while I’d never complain about the bikes I’ve accrued over time, there’s one that’s
a long gravel drive toward my own version of paradise. Hugh’s shop. True North Bicycles.
eluded me all these years. A True North –
As I pull the swagger wagon up beside the
preferably titanium. Hand crafted right here in
large stand-alone workshop, Hugh’s old shop
our region by legendary frame builder Hugh
dog, Jagger, greets me with a flurry of barks
