Experience A ‘Light the Night’ Ride With Heron Head Bikes

Heron Head Bikes is located at 120 Morrell St. in the Holmedale neighbourhood of the City of Brantford. This unique bicycle sales and service business has the equally unique offering of coordinated group rides for bike enthusiasts. They range as broadly as those who attend them. From tours throughout various parts of the city to themed trips, partnership pop-up events to monthly “Light the Night” rides, their management and staff make every effort to ensure participants are safe, feel included, and can thoroughly enjoy the best of what Brantford and the surrounding area have to offer.

The May 2023 “Light the Night” ride was the experience I recently took part in, taking a friend and our bikes to meet up with the group for a free 9 p.m. slow roll through Holmedale. Having lit up our rides in funky ways using dollar store glow-in-the-dark sticks, stars, and bracelets (and so much tape, sooo much lol…) Heron Head’s owner/operator Stan Gorecki and his wife Catherine also found us some fun battery-operated lighting strings for our spokes and frames. There’s no need for a special occasion to rock your bike with some multi-colored pizazz! Plus, the more you’re able to light it up, the more visible you are to those you’ll share the road with.

The most important thing to remember when participating in this ride and decorating your bike is to secure your lighting or glow-in-the-dark items very well and make sure they don’t interfere with your bike’s moving parts. We were able to fasten everything using Scotch and painters’ tape in the absence of clear zip ties. However, those are on my shopping list for the next “Light the Night” ride!

Having pre-registered on Eventbrite through a link that Heron Head Bikes posted on their social media, it was simply a matter of being on-time, having our helmets and being ready to roll with the group. Stan did a preliminary welcome to those present, identified where the ride would take place and what parts of Brantford we could anticipate seeing. He also made note of the rules of the road and acknowledged that our group consisted of very avid bicyclists to casual enthusiasts (what I consider myself to be,) and that no matter the skill level, this ride was designed to be fun and inclusive.

And he was so right! An illuminated nighttime community ride was the most creative way to enjoy something I hadn’t experienced before – a coordinated group bike tour. As interested as I am in biking (I bought a Kona Lava Dome in 2022 from Heron Head Bikes and I’ve hit every local trail I can think of,) I typically ride solo. From pre-planned sunrise tours on the LE&N rail trail, to bike and beer excursions to Scotland, fall colour rides on the D’Aubigny Creek and Shellard Lane access out of Brantford, and more challenging terrain on Norfolk County mountain bike trails, I’ve tried a few and always alone. My experience has been that I can take my time, try some new things, go with the flow, and pull some stunts without an audience…in the instance I’m not so successful. And it’s happened – hence my equally recent purchase of a new helmet as well. But a group ride coordinated to safely enjoy a shared interest and a new part of town was definitely an authentic experience.

The next Light the Night ride through Heron Head Bikes is proposed for June 24. The schedule of their planned slow rolls, community tours, and special pop-up events can be found at the link available here on their website. If you’re interested in anything group-focused for bicycling, I would highly recommend Stan Gorecki and his team at Heron Head Bikes. They not only coordinate and manage these events, but they also do sales, service, and provide answers to what someone like me feels is the most minute of biking questions. Their store supports parts, service, and sales for used and vintage models as well, and they feature and service e-bikes. Not only that but they’ve expanded into bicycle rentals, giving you more opportunity to experience and enjoy Brantford bike trails at a nominal cost.

They’re also proactive in the promotion of types and trails for biking including commuting options, mountain biking, packed gravel or similar, BMX, and bike camping. For the latter, they reference great local sites such as Chiefswood Park along the Grand River on the Six Nations Territory, and Wilewood on the boundary of Brant and Norfolk counties, offering a farm and forested property, rustic glamping, bike camping, artist studios, and fresh produce!

Whether you’re wanting to get into biking as a hobby cyclist or you’re already making consistent use of your two wheels instead four in regular commuting, Stan and the Heron Head Bikes team are your go-to for this and all things in between. Their spring and summer hours are Monday to Friday, 1-6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can stop by the store, call them at (519) 752-0923, or connect with them on Facebook and Instagram. This locally owned and family operated store will keep you upright and on the right path!