For the first time in my life I regret not being on a major social platform, because I really want to reach out to everyone from Offcourse Bikes to extend my heartfelt sympathies for the horrific fire overnight.
Offcourse was not only a rare treasure-trove of shiny adventure goodness and a source of great knowledge openly and cheerfully shared, it was a central pillar of Melbourne’s adventure riding culture. It was a genuine shock to wake to the terrible news this morning.
I have no doubt it will be built back better than ever, but there will be some grim days and a lot of hard work to get there, for which I wish you all the best.
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Off Course and its predecessor Commuter Cycles are Shrines. I only go to Melbourne for two reasons now - one to visit a son and the other to make a pilgrimage to Off Course. A few years ago I was gazing up at an actual Rene Herse bicycle (look it up, people) hanging in the rafters. Huw said gday, we nerded out for a few minutes. I was looking down at the Pelican’s cockpit today and everything but the bar tape comes from Off Course (and the bar tape is Blue Lug, which is a close cousin). Same with the Stooge. You can wander round for an hour, get all the tyres you need that noone else has, dream about that Tumbleweed Prospector frame and what you might hang on it to get you to Uzbekistan. That’s what Off Course is about, I think. Dreams. The public outpouring down here in Oz and from elsewhere has been heartening. To the people working at Off Course, picture the place in six months, a gala pre-2027 reopening, with many beers.
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This is the worst news. Love this place.
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