Since the beginning of the year, Lessard Bicycles has undergone a major change, as Matthew Turcotte has become the new owner. Many of you already know him, but for those who have never met Matthew, we sat down with him to talk about what led him to take the reins of Lessard Bicycles.
QuestionWhere does your passion for cycling come from?
AnswerThe passion came during my youth when I was playing soccer. My older brother was already cycling at the time, and watching him ride is really what made me want to do more of it. That’s when cycling became a family affair, and I started riding with my brother and my father. I was quickly exposed to competition by doing my first race in the “bibitte” category when I was 8 years old.
I also rode for the Lessard Bicycles club back in the day, which led me to compete at the national and international levels. My first Junior Expert World Cup at Mont‑Sainte‑Anne remains etched in my memory as one of the best cycling moments I’ve ever experienced. Racing at home with your family there to cheer you on—it was just incredible.
QuestionWhy choose to buy from Lessard Bicycles?
AnswerFor me, Lessard goes back to my very first cycling experiences. In addition to riding for the club back then, I started working at Lessard Bicycles when Pierre Daigle was still the owner. For me, the shop has always been the perfect job to balance bike racing with the family feel of a local bike store. That balance continued even after my racing years, as I juggled working at the shop and going to school. It just felt like the logical next step. Once again, I get to blend my passions—but this time it’s entrepreneurship and cycling.
When I decided to become the owner of Lessard Bicycles, I also wanted to recreate that close relationship, the family feel of a neighborhood bike shop, just like Pierre Daigle did so well. He’s actually my inspiration for the new customer service measures we’ve put in place. I want customers to walk in and out of Lessard with a smile on their face, thinking only about riding their bikes—nothing else!
QuestionWhat do you wish for Lessard Bicycles customers for summer 2020?
AnswerFirst of all, health. That’s obviously the most important thing. On top of that, I wish them an amazing summer of cycling, because we’re lucky in Quebec City to have access to so many great places to ride.
With our amazing bike paths, beautiful roads ( 😊 ) and world-class mountain bike destinations, we’ve got everything we need to spend quality time on our bikes. Fun on the bike, good health and great family moments—that’s what I wish for all our customers!
In addition to being available to help you in store, you can reach Matthew using the website chat (yes, it really is Matthew answering you!), by calling him at 418‑656‑0570, or by contacting him by email.
