mathew hellawell, owner
Mat was born and raised in southern Alberta. As a boy, Mat had a natural affinity for tinkering and would take a part his bikes and toys, clean them, and put them back together. He credits his love and skills for tinkering to his late grandfather on his mother’s side, Joe Kusalik – a lovely man who enjoyed sharing his many skills with his grandchildren.
Mat has two degrees, both from the University of Lethbridge (a Bachelor’s of Music and a Bachelor’s of Management). He has also worked as a music teacher for over a decade. Mat is CEBA (Canadian Electric Bicycle Association) certified, which allows him to repair the electrical components of an E-bike. Mat opened BikeLane in Lethbridge in 2023, but has been operating a mobile E-bike and bicycle repair service since 2021.
Mat is Scout’s dad and he loves taking her for bike rides. Mat also loves camping in the Porcupine Hills in his 1999 4Runner and roof top tent.
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KAITLYNN WEAVER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS/OWNER
Kaitlynn is Mat’s partner in both business and in life. Born and raised in central Alberta, Kaitlynn came to Lethbridge for post-secondary in 2012. Since then, she has completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Arts at the U of L. Her original plans were to move away from Lethbridge right after school, but (fortunately) she found Mat. The rest is history.
Kaitlynn manages BikeLane’s social media and communications. Along with BikeLane, Kaitlynn currently works full-time as a supervisor at a non-profit in rural southern Alberta.
SCOTT ZECK, BIKE TECHNICIAN
Once a west coast boy, Scott has been a resident of the prairies for more than a decade. For as long as he can remember, Scott has always had a passion for everything to do with cycling. He loves riding, building, and repairing bicycles. Scott also has an eclectic side that draws him to antique bikes and typewriters.
Be sure to ask him what project he’s working on.
SCOUT, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT/MASCOT
Rescued from the Lethbridge Animal Shelter in September of 2019, Scout is an integral part of BikeLane. As the designated co-pilot, mascot, and friend, Scout is guaranteed to bring some sunshine to your day. Cuddles are complimentary with every bike service.
Our History
During the first lockdown of the pandemic, Mathew Hellawell started tuning up bikes on the side. Eventually, this ‘side hustle’ became lucrative enough for him to do it full-time, and, in 2021, he officially named the business “Mat’s Bike Repair”. MBR was Lethbridge and southern Alberta’s first completely mobile bike repair service.
Many customers came to Mat to help service and maintain their E-bikes in Lethbridge and beyond. To better serve customers, Mat became certified through CEBA (the Canadian Electric Bicycle Association). Today, Mat is one of the few people in Alberta who can provide maintenance to the electrical components of an E-bike and has even had folks come down from Calgary and area to service their bikes.
In 2023, Mat’s Bike Repair expanded from an exclusively mobile business to include both mobile AND in-shop services. The business also expanded in staff to include Scott. These changes prompted a name/branding change from Mat’s Bike Repair to BikeLane.
Why the Name BikeLane?
Mat and Kaitlynn chose the name ‘BikeLane’ while taking a road-trip through Canada’s west coast. They wanted a name that would reflect the businesses’ primary values and primary customers, which are as follows:
- Commuters who use their bikes as their main form of transportation.
- Residents who like to explore the city with their bicycles.
- Individuals who try to reduce their carbon footprint by riding their bike instead of taking their vehicle.
- People who are committed to the safety of cyclists all over southern Alberta and would like to see an increase in the number of bike lanes available.
- Anyone else who appreciates high quality service and friendly staff in a bike shop 😉
BikeLane promotes the safe use of bicycles and E-bikes in the city and in other parts of southern Alberta. BikeLane sells E-bikes that are safe, affordable, and reliable, which will help commuters and residents explore their community and everything it has to offer.
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