On Thursday night, dozens of bike enthusiasts showed up to the third annual Vintage Bike Show in Toronto. Not only were there tons of vintage mountain bikes on display, but also old jerseys, hats, T-shirts and other niche parts and apparel. Additionally, there were some prints from Wende Cragg’s photobook: Camera Corner, which documents the beginnings of mountain biking.

James Bunga

This year, Jake London (Boneshaker) and Carson Lessif (Gremlins) have pooled their resources and connections together to get bikes from Moots, Cook Bros. Racing, Merlin, Harvey Cameron and more set up in Top Top projects on Geary Avenue. Gremlins helped to arrange many of the bikes, but also lent some bike shop employee manpower. The London, Ont., crew even spent a few nights on air mattresses and couches at the venue to get the space ready in time.

James Bunga

The show itself attracted a whole host of people, both young and old. With Boneshaker and Gremlins both leaning towards the alt-biking/26er world, the crowd is a lot more laid back and diverse than you would see at your typical cycling event. This creates a very welcoming environment, and that, coupled with the free beer, ensures that everyone can have a good time. In the summertime, both groups host rides with the same vibe.

BoneshakerMTB was started in 2023 by London with group rides on old 26er MTBs, and some borrowed cool factor from his background in streetwear. Now, rides happen each week in the summer, attracting all different kinds of bikes and people from outside mainstream cycling.

Gremlins was started by Lessif in 2020, originally as a bike-repair business that grew into a shop of its own run by a group of friends. In 2021, the shop started hosting group rides, where the Gremlins community really came together.

James Bunga

The show has everything from Cook Bros. Racing “Klunkers” to some of the original drop-bar mountain bikes. That, coupled with the Wende Cragg prints and vintage apparel, makes it worth a visit.

The show is open March 6-8, 12 pm-6 pm at Top Top Projects, 165 Geary Ave in Toronto. Admission is free.