Former Olympian from Quebec City making affordable bikes for children
He's a familiar name in cycling and after selling his original company, former Quebec Olympian Louis Garneau is back in the saddle with a new business geared towards making cycling accessible for kids.
Garneau, 66, said he was supposed to be retired, but his passion for cycling just wouldn't slow down.
'I decided to do a bicycle for children,' said the president of LG Art Factory.
Former Olympian Louis Garneau with children
Former Olympian Louis Garneau has switched gears and is launching a company to make bicycles for children. (Louis Garneau)
His new brand is called Louis Louis, which makes affordable bikes for kids from three to 12.
At only a few hundred dollars, they're designed for learning and inspired by his grandchildren.
'It's a big venture. I have a lot of motivation because I'm, a grandfather of three little children,' said Garneau.
After facing some financial setbacks that led him to sell his original company, Garneau said he's happy to be back in business.
While he's still selling some higher-end bikes for adults, his real goal is to get more children into the sport.
'We need this culture, and we need to push it up, and it's it's correct for all the children,' he said.
Each bike comes with an Olympic-style medal to give young riders a boost of confidence and something to aspire to.
'So maybe you can be an Olympian, or you can be a good, a good cyclist or a good traveller, but it's something special,' he said.
Garneau said he wants the youth to put down their phones and pick up a helmet, something he did with his father when he was just three years old.
'One day I was free on my bike and I said, 'Oh, this is wow! This is magic on two wheels,' he said.
He expects his company to be available to ship orders in November.
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