Drifting into Urban Sector with Newcastle Store Purchase

Newcastle, NSW

Newcastle retailer Drift Cycles is expanding into the urban market by purchasing another store in the coastal NSW city, Metro Cycles.

The owners of Metro Cycles, Lyn Patrick and Bernard Hockings, announced last week they have entered into an agreement to sell their Bellevue Street business to Drift Cycles, which has previously had a focus on off-road bikes.

They said Metro Cycles will cease operating at the beginning of August. The premises will undergo a major refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen in September as Drift Bikes Metro.

“Mechanical services will be relocated to the Drift workshop, enabling the entire floorspace in the CBD store to be dedicated to the display and sale of bikes and accessories. This evolution will enable better presentation of an expanded range of e-bikes, cargo, commuter and trekking bikes,” Bernard and Lyn said in a statement.

Drift Bikes, owned by Robbie McNaughton and Rhys Smith, opened its new workshop in mid-2022 to complement its Newcastle store.

Lyn and Bernard put Metro Cycles on the market last December, with an advertisement in The Latz Report.

In a statement issued last week, they said: “We’ve built a successful business over the last nine years and have played a significant role in developing the market for bikes for
transport, fun and adventure.

“We recognised that our business needed new energy and ideas to take advantage of significant opportunities for further growth and improvement, and decided to offer our business for sale.

“Our key criteria in selecting new owners has been to find people who understand the needs of our customers, could provide reliable advice and mechanical service and expand our unique range of quality cycling products.

“Drift has been serving the cycling community in Newcastle for over 20 years. They’ve enjoyed steady growth and have recently opened the region’s best-resourced workshop,
complementing their high-profile Kotara retail store.

“Acquiring Metro will enable them to meet the growing demand for urban bikes in our
rapidly developing city.”

Bernard said he and Lyn will be on hand to help Drift Bikes Metro develop their new
business and will maintain an active role in cycling advocacy, social events and skills training.

“We’re looking forward to a bit of a break and are happy that we’re able to leave a thriving business in good hands,” he said.

“It is with genuine sadness though that we step back from an enterprise we put so much hope and energy into.”

Metro Cycles has been stocking the Newcastle region’s largest selection of quality commuter, trekking and utility bikes, with more than 100 electric and non-electric bikes on display.