iRide started back in 2003 when cycling-nuts Sandy Dolley and Pete York went out on a limb and bought an established Toowoomba bike shop called Brian Page Cycles. The pair changed the business name to iRide in early 2007 because they felt that it was a better summary of what they were about. You see, the bottom line for Pete and Sandy is simple really:

“Here at iRide we’d rather not be here at iRide. We eat sleep and breathe cycling. It’s our passion. Given the choice we’d be on the road. Or a trail. Make us sit down and we’ll choose a bike saddle over a chair every time.

It sounds crazy for a pair of bike shop owners to say that but iRide is much more than just a shop for us. It’s the hub of a growing community of cyclists who are entirely dedicated to their chosen pastime.”

If they sound more like cycling preachers than salesmen, you’d be right. Sure, the iRide team want to supply you with decent quality gear, but they also want to look after their “flock”. They take great delight in teaching you or your kids how to ride safely, on or off road, and if you’re so inclined, they have the experience to guide your riding to the next level.

Sandy is a cyclist with a passion for bike maintenance, and Pete is an experienced cyclist and a key part of the cycling scene in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs. You can count on them to help you achieve goals to become a competitive rider or reach a greater level of fitness, and the iRide workshop will keep your bike in top working order. If it needs repairs, they have the knowledge and experience to get you back on the road, or your favourite trail, in next to no time.

Most of all though, they want to spread the word about cycling. At iRide they’re totally besotted with riding bikes. As Sandy says, “We reckon you’d go a long way to find a sport that’s more exciting, more social and more fun than cycling, and we’d love nothing more than to help you catch the cycling bug.”

“Why I Love Cycling”, by Pete York
I love the rolling feeling of the bike beneath me as I, the engine, push it along. I love the hollow sound of fast tyres ready to launch and I love riding to meet a group of people who are all on bikes and in lycra, yet never going to their house for a BBQ in normal clothes. I love the different types of bikes and people that turn up at group rides and the burn in my lungs as I climb and the power in my legs as I drive along at speed. I delight in hearing riders clipping in and out at lights or a cafe, the snapping sound of someone's gears as they take off down the road and try to drop you or catch someone else. I’m addicted to the rush I get as I whip my MTB through the bush at speed, the chainslap from riders jumping rocks and logs through the bush, the crunching sound of a rider’s gears as they struggle up a hill. Racing, winning or losing doesn't matter to me, because they both hurt and I'm the reason for it. I love taking riders to new places on their bikes, watching people improve in their fitness and quality of life because of cycling, passing on advice and then listening to those people pass it on to others who have just started. I get a kick out of the questions from those who don't ride, on why I ride, why I shave my legs and spend "how much" on a bike. And I love that feeling you get as you arrive home, unclip and say to yourself: "That, was an awesome ride!" I ride, you ride, we all ride together.

WHY I RIDE ...
My bike is my friend, she takes me places and we meet new people, she inspires my family to be healthy, she helps me clear my mind and she never argues ... Pat Ryan.

I started to ride to loose weight and stay fit enough to keep up with my boys, now I enjoy the endorphin rush of a good hard ride and the calm of a quiet ride in the countryside ... Dinah.

I ride to help me live longer, meet people and enjoy life more ... Ken.

I ride to beat the boys on their bikes and enjoy a coffe afterwards ... Jess.

I started to ride to get fit and trim down, now I ride to join my friends and have fun, the first two just seem to take care of themselves now ... Luke.

I ride because I can and I think all females should, it's sets an example for my kids, I enjoy the camaradery of a group ride and the feeling that I was the cause of how I feel after a ride ... Jo.