Parklife, the Cycling Club, wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Park Bikes, the bike shop, and in a way it’s our foundation member. So this week’s Meet the Member is Park Bikes.
Parklife has grown so rapidly since its inception a little under 2 years ago, that many club members don’t realise the deep relationship between the two. Parklife and Park Bikes are, and will always be, intertwined.
When Cycling NSW granted the application to form Parklife, the founding committee was given just a few weeks to get key facets in place such as an address, club website, club kit etc . Nash and Park Bikes stepped forward and allowed the committee to leverage the Park Bikes website for the clubs website, to use the shops kit as our own for the first 6 months of our existence and the shop for committee meetings, AGMs and other club functions. Without this support the club official formation may not have been ratified at the end of the 12 month probationary period.
Park Bikes opened its doors in Murray Rose Ave in November 2012. It is owned by Nash and managed by he and Chris Barlin. The two have been working together for over 10 years. Stu Dangerfield looks after the workshop and Matt Telfer, Tom Millard, Max Housden and Gordon Allan are regular long-serving, loyal part timers. Matt Sweeney has been doing bike-fitting in the shop and will soon have his own Physiotherapy business operating inside the shop. Everyone in the Park Bikes team is a member of the club.
They sell a wide range of bikes from children’s, commuters, mountain and roadies. There is a bike there for everyone. All bikes purchased get a free tune-up service for the life of the new bike. And of course they offer a range of bike servicing from the Basic Service through to the Boss Overhaul. They will work on any brand of bike.
They sell parts, accessories, nutrition and clothing and offer a range of services like bike fit, coaching, seminars and organized bike travel to places like Snowy Mountains, Southern Highlands, Hunter Valley and Italy. They pretty much offer it all.
In November, they are relocating to the base of Opal Tower at the corner of Australia Ave and Bennelong Parkway. The shop will be perfectly positioned at the end foot and cycle bridge the leads to Bicentennial Park. It will provide an alfresco area in front of the shop for the perfect parkup and will become our base and clubhouse. With a café/restaurant (Mint Bar) next door it will be a perfect way to start and finish a ride.
I encourage all club members to support Park Bikes. It’s an independent, family owned business competing with much bigger offshore retailers in tough retail climate.
They offer Parklife club members a discount on all bikes and selected products and services purchased at the store. Just mention you’re a club member to any of the team and they will help you out.
Also keep an eye out for the awesome launch party for the new shop. If it’s half as good as I have heard it’s going to be, then its going to be great.
