Back Alley Bikes is a workshop-first bike shop in Sydenham, Christchurch, founded in 2014 and built around a simple conviction: that the workshop should be the beating heart of any serious bike shop. The business started as little more than a back shed with a few tools and a couple of tubes for sale, grew through reputation, and in 2020 moved to its current location at 26 Buchan Street in Sydenham. In 2022, Tommy — a long-term cyclist with a background in automotive engineering — took over from founder Rufus, carrying forward the same passion, values, and standard of work.
The workshop handles everything from complete overhauls and full bike and suspension servicing to minor repairs and e-bike work. Online booking is available for service. Custom builds are a significant part of the offering — the shop can take on new projects from scratch or help complete a build already underway. Wheels are built by hand to order, matched to how and where the rider plans to ride.
For those looking to buy, Back Alley Bikes stocks bikes from Yeti, Forbidden, and Pivot, with demo bikes available for test rides. Bike accessories are also stocked. The crew are riders themselves — trail, road, and commuter — and welcome cyclists of all experience levels, from first-timers to experienced riders looking for a knowledgeable second opinion.
Back Alley Bikes started in 2014 as what the founders describe plainly as "a hole in the wall" — a back shed in Christchurch with a few tools and a couple of tubes for sale on the shelf. What it lacked in stock it made up for in experience and passion, and that combination turned out to be exactly what a lot of cyclists were looking for.
The shop was founded by Rufus, who built it around an idea that's easy to say and harder to execute: that the workshop should be the beating heart of the business, not an afterthought to the retail floor. In 2020, the shop moved to its current location at 26 Buchan Street in Sydenham — more space, a more central position, but the same local independent vibe. In 2022, Rufus moved on and Tommy — a passionate long-term cyclist with a background in automotive engineering — took over ownership. As Tommy puts it: he became the owner a couple of years after first buying a bike from the best local bike shop in town.
Fred is the chief mechanic. His bicycle-related pet peeve is dry chains. His coffee order is black as sin.
Back Alley Bikes is unambiguous about where its priorities lie. The workshop handles complete overhauls, full bike and suspension servicing, and minor fixes on all bikes including e-bikes. Booking is available online at backalleybikes.co.nz/booking, which makes dropping off a bike for service straightforward without having to call ahead.
Custom builds are also a significant part of the workshop offering. The shop can take on new custom build projects from scratch or help complete a project already underway — the same attention to detail that goes into servicing goes into custom work.
Wheel building is another speciality. All wheels at Back Alley Bikes are built by hand to order, which means the spec is matched to how and where you ride rather than pulled off a shelf.
One reviewer summed up the service experience in a way that's stuck to the shop's homepage: "The owner changed my tyre with his bare hands — unbelievable. The staff were charming, the price was great value, and the coffee was gamey. Would give this a 6 star review if I could."
For riders looking to buy, Back Alley Bikes carries a curated selection from brands Yeti, Forbidden, and Pivot — three of the more respected names in performance mountain biking. The range is deliberate rather than exhaustive; the shop describes being approached for custom and premium work as the reputation grew, which shaped the brands they chose to align with.
Demo bikes are available for those who want to ride before committing. Bike accessories are also stocked, with a specials section on the website.
The shop is open Monday to Friday 9am–5:30pm and Saturday 10am–2pm. On Sundays, the website simply says: RIDING.