Indie Of The Month: Bike Bros – ‘We Couldn’t Have Timed Our Opening Better’

Published on: 19 Aug, 2020
Updated on: 19 Aug, 2020

By Hugh Coakley

“We couldn’t have timed the shop opening better,” said Yousif Sadik, talking about his new bike shop, Bike Bros.

Sales of bikes have shot up since the pandemic and that surge in interest in all things cycling showed when I spoke to him at his shop on Woodbridge Hill, Guildford.

Yousif Sadik outside his new shop, Bike Bros.

He was in constant demand with customers bringing in bikes for servicing or looking for advice on converting their pushbike to electric – from £800 if you’re asking – or buying a new bike.

Bike Bros, the new bike shop in Woodbridge Hill, will be getting the shop front signs added in due course.

Yousif is a bike fan. “I have five of my own,” he said. Being Dutch, he is from a bicycling culture.

“When I came to the UK 10 years ago to study at Surrey University, I wanted people to be more Dutch, more cycling, more infrastructure for cycling.

“I set up an online shop selling Dutch bikes. I also set up Bike Bros on the campus, servicing bikes for students and the campus bike share scheme.”

But there came a time when he had to choose between finishing his PhD in chemistry and selling bikes. He chose the PhD.

Dr Yousif Sadik has been keen to bring the Dutch cycling culture to the UK.

After a six-month stint in Brasil as part his studies, he returned to Bike Bros on the campus but it wasn’t an easy ride.

He and the university chose to go in separate directions last September and, said Yousif: “It was the most difficult month of my life.”

Working now with his new business partner, Tim Goatham, it is going well. “He needed a mechanic and I needed a business partner, someone to do the paperwork side of things.”

16-year-old James Joseph started working with Bike Bros in March and is working towards his CyTech qualification.

Bros Bros employs two full-time mechanics and a sales person, and due to the unprecedented demand, Yousif is looking for more mechanics to keep up with demand, preferably CyTech qualified.

The business is ambitious and looking for opportunities to grow but, and Yousif was very guarded about revealing his hand, he is still working on the direction he wants to take.

As for being committed to the town, Yousif said: “We would like to remain in Guildford.”