A 34 year Melbourne bike shop institution, Cycle Science, is closing its doors

Cycle Science has been fixing and selling bikes on Whitehorse Road in Melbourne's outer east for 34 years. Owner Pete Holloway has now confirmed the shop is closing for good on 2 October 2026, after the building it operates from went up for sale.

Why a shop like this is closing

Over the years Cycle Science has been a Trek dealer, then a Cannondale dealer, then a Specialized dealer, before Specialized pulled back on smaller dealer accounts in favour of flagship stores. That left the workshop, not new bike sales, as the core of the business. It is a pattern playing out at independent shops more broadly: online retailers and direct to consumer e-bike brands have pulled sales away from local stores, while big brands increasingly concentrate their dealer networks in fewer, larger locations.

What it says about the wider bike retail market

None of this is unique to one Melbourne suburb. Independent workshops are being squeezed from both directions, cheaper online sales on one side and brand consolidation into flagship stores on the other, even as Australians buy more bikes and e-bikes than ever. The people most affected are often the ones who rely on a local shop for servicing, wheel builds and the kind of advice you do not get from a product page.

What it means for buyers: price and spec are not the only things worth comparing when you are choosing a bike. Check whether the brand you are considering has a genuine local dealer or service option near you for warranty work, not just an online checkout. BikeFinder's directory lets you compare brands and specs side by side, and that research pairs well with a visit to your local shop while it is still there.