I actually live in Vancouver right now and I know lots of bike shops. Sure John Henry is great, but it's truly far from the airport and very inconvenient. I wouldn't recommend you to stay at a hotel/motel in North Vancouver either, unless you have other reasons to do so.

I feel like I've missed some of the conversation here. What's the purpose of the trip? How long are you staying in Vancouver? Do you intend to buy a new bike????

Honestly, Richmond is .... well, boring, except for a tiny part. There are a few places to stay in town that are not too expensive, starting with the various accommodations at UBC (let me know if that's of interest to you), the Holiday Inn on Broadway (at Willow/Ash, I think the address is 700-something W. Broadway), the Best Western on Granville, and a few others. The Sylvia is indeed nice and very close to Stanley Park. Just drop me a private message if you want more info.

Awaiting for more info!