Crank’n Sale as Erik Turns Attention to Events

Man standing with bike

Collie, WA Regional WA bike store owner Erik Mellegers is selling his famously quirky Crank’n Cycles store to focus on spreading the word about the thriving off-road cycling scene in the State’s South West. The one-time theology student has been in increasing demand as a commentator at sporting and community events and will also concentrate…

Global Brand Closes Majority of Australian Stores

Reid Cycles Shopfront

Melbourne, Victoria An international success story that originated in Melbourne, Reid Cycles, has announced it is closing several Australian stores in a restructuring of its retail network “in response to market conditions”. Reid closed its Adelaide shop about a month ago and outlets in Melbourne and Sydney are set to follow as the company aims…

Strathpine Cycle Preparing to Close for Business Consolidation

Strathpine Bicycle Centre storefront

Brisbane, Queensland The owner of two Giant stores in Brisbane has revealed plans to consolidate their operations into one site and give increased focus to their prospering online sales. Mark Turvey plans to close the Giant Strathpine within the next two months and concentrate upon his Giant Redcliff business. Mark said the lease for the…

Letter From America – Banks Shaping Bike Industry

Silicon Valley Bank storefront

Sante Fe, New Mexico The US banking industry – turned topsy-turvy with the demise of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in March – is quietly reshaping the bicycle industry. Retailers, facing a raft of cash flow issues, are finding it increasingly difficult to refinance older loans, refinance and pay for overpriced inventory, or seek loans to…

Tiller Turning to Investors to Save Roadster Project

Two people with a Tiller Roadster e-bike

Fremantle, WA A WA-based premium e-bike developer, Tiller Rides, has opened the door for an investor or buyer to keep its program on track, after the company went into voluntary administration last month amid a series of adversities in the economic climate. Costly production delays caused by Covid restrictions, followed by a tightening financial market,…

Yamaha E-Bike Debut in Australia

people riding e-mountain bikes in bush

Sydney, NSW Yamaha’s new generation of e-bikes will make its introduction to the Australian market next month, with the YDX-Moro 07 e-MTB set to pave the way for other models. It will be the first time Yamaha e-bikes have made it to our shores, as the Japanese company this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of…

How’s Business? – March 2023

Hunter Cycles shopfront

Welcome to our monthly chat with bicycle store owners and managers across Australia and New Zealand. We’ve been hearing reports of very large discounts being initiated nationwide by multiple bike brands as the industry faces a perfect storm of over-stock, demand returning to pre-Covid levels and consumers struggling from increased cost of living pressures. So…

Bicycle Academy Growing and Evolving to Train the Nation’s Mechanics

Bicycle mechanic's training workshop

~ Sponsored Content ~ Expanding training organisation the Bicycle Academy is swiftly implementing its own lessons, to ensure Australia’s only national bike mechanics apprenticeship program accurately matches the needs of the industry. It’s a little under a year since the Bicycle Academy, a joint venture by training provider Industry Graduates and leading bicycle wholesale and…

Letter from America – New Bugbears for US Industry

Bicycle being stored in garage

SANTA FE, New Mexico It seems the US bicycle industry has set aside – at least for the moment – worries over supply chain disruption, overseas shipping costs, and tariffs on some Chinese imports. That’s not to say these concerns are unimportant, but the industry is moving full speed ahead into other hot button issues.…

Trek Opens Full Online Sales Service in Australia

Retail team standing at the front of Trek store

Sydney, NSW Trek stepped up its direct-to-consumer online sales in Australia last month, expanding its e-commerce across the full Trekbikes.com site. The US-based company launched an e-commerce compatibility across its website in October 2021, working in partnership with the brand’s retailers to allow customers to bikes close to them and purchase items from a local…