Accountant trades corporate life for bike shop bliss in Currie Street

Michael Curry runs Onya Bike, in Currie Street, with help from his wife Maria Pallagi.

by Janine Hill

MICHAEL Curry has not worn a suit for years and could not be happier about his escape from the corporate world.

After more than 20 years in accounting, including middle management at the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Michael embarked on a radical career change.

He threw in corporate life to buy a bike shop, On Ya Bike, in Nambour two-and-a-half years ago and is now willingly up to his elbows in chains, frames and derailleurs most days.

Michael has always loved tinkering with bicycles and completed some TAFE qualifications a in his spare time a few years ago.

During the pandemic, he reconsidered his working life.

“After the first 12 months of covid, it got close to Christmas and I said to my wife…, ‘I’m over this. I don’t want to do accounting any more’,” he said.

“She saw there was a bike shop for sale in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.”

Within a couple of weeks, they had packed up their house on the Gold Coast and the rest is history.

Running a business, dealing with enquiries, and the repair work keep Michael busy. Bike repairs are no longer as simple as replacing a chain or tyre tube or missing nut.

“My biggest challenge would have to be in how technology in bicycles has changed. We’ve got all these e-bikes now. And lots of the brands have their own proprietary parts,” Michael said.

Most of his work is for “weekend warriors” – recreational cyclists who, like him, like to get out and explore paths and trails or even compete a little on the weekends but are not necessarily elite athletes on bikes that cost more than cars.

“I don’t care what you’re riding, I’m just happy that you’re doing it. You don’t need a $15,000 bike to go riding on the weekends,” Michael said.