Dirt Works was founded in 1994 by Wayne Chapman & Richard Powell with the purpose of providing Australian bicycle dealers with a higher level of technical product knowledge and back-up product support for the emerging area of bicycle suspension and suspension upgrades.

The first 18 months were spent working full time (in "real" jobs) and working on Dirt Works in the evenings.

By August 1996 the business had grown enough that Wayne started working for Dirt Works full time. Based in a small office in Newcastle, he spent hours working on flyers (the "Dirt Worker"), photocopied pricelists and… waiting... and waiting... for the phones to ring. Eventually they did, and slowly, the business grew.

In 1997, Dirt Works purchased all the stock and agencies of Hi Performance Bicycle Components, a subsidiary of Bianchi Bicycles Australia. Shortly after this, Richard left his job and started commuting to Newcastle to work in Dirt Works full time.

We purchased Ken Evans Imports (the Melbourne-based distributor of Ritchey and DT Swiss) in 1998, and the decision was made to merge both businesses in Sydney. At this point we became Dirt Works Australia Pty Ltd and gained a third director in Chuan Chew.

In 2001 we bought out the stock of QLD-based DT Swiss distributor BikeTech and moved it into the Sydney warehouse. In November 2001 we started Wheelcraft, a professional wheelbuilding facility.

Now it's 2011. Disc brakes, long-travel suspension, 29ers and carbon fibre are in the mainstream, and we've seen other major trends come and go. Richard and Wayne still answer sales calls, but Dirt Works now has warehouse, phone sales, accounting, technical and wheelbuilding staff, who all ride bikes and love what they do.

17 years and 6 warehouses after we began, Dirt Works Australia continues to offer the racer, enthusiast, commuter and casual rider an unmatched range of touring, BMX, road and mountain bike equipment.