Friday, 29 March 2024
FeaturedNews

Breadwinner Cycles acquires Sugar Wheel Works

Hand-built wheel company, Sugar Wheel Works, has joined forces with fellow Portland-based company, Breadwinner Cycles, which specialises in custom bike building.

Prior to the acquisition almost every bike built by Breadwinner featured Sugar’s wheels, meaning the new partnership will increase cohesion and streamline service between the two companies, as they already share a common customer base.

Sugar Wheel Works founder, Jude Gerace, said: “Our partnership over the last 10 years made this natural progression. We have common core values with an emphasis on quality and customer service. We started our businesses around the same time and have been helping each other grow ever since.”

Breadwinner Cycles owners Tony Pereira and Ira Ryan are no strangers to joining forces for efficiency and strength in what can be at times a challenging industry. In 2013, the two builders merged their successful independent bike building companies Pereira Cycles and Ira Ryan Cycles to form Breadwinner Cycles.

Pereira said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with our long-time partners Sugar Wheel Works. Sugar has been building wheels that match the quality of our bicycles since day one. Bringing them in-house will help us improve on the custom experience our riders expect.”

Ryan added: “I can not think about the bicycle industry in Portland without thinking about Sugar and Jude. We have a tight knit community that is like a family – we have grown our businesses side by side over the years. It feels natural to know that we trust each other with our ‘babies’ that we have spent years growing and fostering. I am proud to call Sugar and Jude family.”

Sugar Wheel Works specialises in manufacturing hand-built bicycle wheels, with its customised process matching the design of the wheel to the customer’s riding style, budget and aesthetic preferences.

Gerace founded Sugar Wheel Works in 2009 when she realised there was a lack of companies that focused on quality, sustainable bicycle wheels. After 10 years of working with engineers, keeping up on industry developments and creating a detailed quality control process, Gerace is leaving the company to pursue her own newly-developing advisory business.

Sugar Wheel Works will retain its name, and operations will now be housed at the Breadwinner Cycles headquarters. Current wheel builders will remain on staff.

Through a partnership with United Cerebral Palsy job placement and coaching program, Sugar Wheel Works created a specialised position to meet the skill set of Dan Waugh, a young man who was eager to find a job after high school. Breadwinner Cycles said it is thrilled to keep Waugh as a part of the team post acquisition.

Breadwinner has confirmed business operations will not be disrupted during this transition.