Tucked above MacKay’s Ice Cream in Cochrane’s historic downtown, sits the newly opened Café Roubaix Bicycle Studio.
The boutique is the brainchild of Cochrane newcomers Dan and Rita Richter, and aims to appeal to performance-level road bikers. The studio boasts a sales area, a shop for repairs and custom work, and a small café, with hopes of eventually venturing into training and conditioning.
Recently retired from a more-than-20-year career with the Canadian Forces, Dan Richter said opening the studio was a way of putting down roots and focusing on his passion — cycling.
“I needed to get into an industry that was positive and less of a pressure cooker,” said the veteran, who completed one tour in Afghanistan. “This was the perfect fit.”
Richter is no stranger to bikes, the Manitoba native said he first got into road cycling after watching Canadian cyclist Steve Bauer during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. An avid mountain biker, Richter said he didn’t really get into road biking himself until he was posted in Wainwright.
“It really brought me back into following the sport and relearning the traditions behind it,” he said. “When you learn what a tough sport it is, you respect it.”
Richter dabbled in bike repair throughout his military career — even building and selling wheels online. A formally trained mechanic through the United Bicycle Institute, Richter said he’ll be continuing to market his custom-designed wheels through the Café Roubaix Bicycle Studio.
The avid cyclist even found his way onto a bike when he was stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, riding around on a cruiser-style bike fashioned with a basket and an air horn.
“I’d be cruising around and forget where I was,” said Richter, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2010. “Then a jet would fly overhead — it was surreal.”
After taking some time off to refocus and recover, Richter said he’s excited to be a part of Cochrane’s vibrant cycling community and looks forward to connecting with local cyclists — be they road bikers, mountain bikers or BMX bikers.
To learn more about the Café Roubaix Bicycle Studio, visit caferoubaix.ca.
