Thijs (“Tyse”) has a soft spot for everything bike-related. He is trained as a financial economist. After moving to Melbourne in 2011, he worked at the University of Melbourne before starting Sparque.
Thijs has been riding a bike for transport, recreation and exercise ever since he got the hang of it in his parents’ backyard in the Netherlands as a little boy. In Melbourne, Thijs is a passionate cycling advocate working to improve local cycling infrastructure and riding conditions. As a certified AustCycle trainer, he helps Melburnians build the confidence to ride their bikes (again).
Fun fact: he really does not like riding in the rain, but given that the alternatives are even worse when the weather is bad, he’ll gear up and ride anyway.
An enthusiastic rider since he was a teenager when he enjoyed the freedom of movement a bicycle offered and then 10 years as a bicycle courier before the internet was even a thing, Sandy was distracted by motorbikes for too long but has been back on both acoustic and electric bicycles since 2016 for getting around town and biking holidays. Sandy first met Thijs when he walked into Sparque to buy a Riese & Muller Multicharger and never left. Now he rides his Load 60 nearly every day (as well as his gravel bike) and whenever he sees another adult on a bicycle it reaffirms his faith in humanity.
Alistair caught the ebike bug in 2016 helping with a friend’s start-up bicycle business in North Melbourne. What began as a short-term change of scenery from the world of investment markets he had been in for 10 years turned into a career change! He grew with that business for 4 years as it evolved from a start-up to the multinational brand, LEKKER Bikes. Hooked on the ebike revolution, Alistair moved into sales and distribution for several leading ebike brands before joining the entrepreneurial team at Sparque in 2021.
Alistair is passionate about ebikes revolutionising how people use bicycles to commute around our cities whilst also carrying children, pets, groceries and more!
A lifelong rider, Jon grew up on BMXs and steel 80s MTBs and has always preferred the freedom of commuting on a bike, rain, hail, or shine. Jon joined Sparque in 2022, shifting from a 20-year career in arts management to focus on learning everything about ebikes and to continue his own art practice. A passionate advocate for sustainable transport, and with a young family, he decided to shift to a career where positive change (personally and environmentally) was part of the day to day. He loves to help people see the possibilities of family life on a bike and how easy it is to transition to a bike-centric lifestyle, and is often spotted in the inner north lugging kids, groceries, art materials and all sorts of things around on a bike.
Lars hails from Hamburg, Germany and had his first taste of bicycle mechanics fixing his courier bike on the side of the road and in a DIY workshop there. This led to helping others out and eventually to working at bike shops as a mechanic and workshop manager.
Now, we are lucky to have Lars and wealth of knowledge and experience in our workshop in North Melbourne. He is still naturally helpful and really loves to understand exactly how things work and then find creative solutions to any mechanical or other engineering problems.
Lars enjoys riding to work, especially shortening his commute and zipping past all the cars.
Away from the workshop Lars enjoys camping & hiking, reading & gaming.
An industry veteran with over 20 years experience, Evan’s first love affair with bikes was a BMX he built himself when he was 14 years old – which led to an enduring love for mountain bikes, especially cross country and endurance riding. His professional life started out in composites engineering and testing of bicycle frames and included running his own women’s focussed bike shop in Flemington for 11 years. Now, Evan finds Sparque a very cool place to work (especially in winter) – he enjoys keeping up with all the technical innovation happening with ebikes these days and helping people find the right ebike for them.
Born in the Netherlands, Tommy moved to Australia in 2018 and has been part of the Sparque team since 2020 and now manages our Perth store. As he comes from the “cycling capital of the world”, he enjoys riding bikes and helping people getting on them.
Tommy says, “Working with ebikes is great as they are such sophisticated machines, providing an eco-friendly & efficient alternative to traditional modes of transport. Riding Ebikes is even better, they make riding so much fun and easy. No more arriving sweaty at work!”
Tommy loves to try out all the different ebikes, it’s one of his favourite things about working at Sparque and increases his knowledge base at the same time. He is currently commuting on a Riese & Müller Charger3 GT Vario and it has been a great experience.
“It is always great to find the right ebike for someone and seeing them leave with a smile on their face.”
Besides bikes, he also enjoys following the world of tennis and you can find him in a local pub every now and then!
I have been riding bikes since I was 3 years old and have had many different bikes since then. Currently I have a hardtail ebike for commuting and to ride trails on my days off. I love sharing my bike knowledge, so come and ask me any questions you may have. I ride an ebike and a “traditional” bike too.
Riding bikes helps hugely with mental health, overall fitness and has a great community of like-minded people. The cycling industry keeps evolving and I love seeing new tech emerge. I love seeing new riders begin and also more experienced riders excel with a new, better bike.
Ebikes are a great way to just have fun! To spend time with friends and family, or to get away from it all. Ebikes are also a great way to get more people on bikes, creating a viable transport solution.
Almost anyone can explore and improve their fitness, with the freedom that ebikes provide. It’s free therapy, who doesn’t love that? Good for the mind, body, and soul. The perfect way to get into nature and explore.
A confessed ecargo bike dad, Scott’s ebike journey began with the arrival of his third child and the purchase of a front loader. From the daily school drop off and weekend sports to overnight adventures, the ecargo bike has become an essential part of his family life. Scott joined Sparque in 2025 with a relocation from Melbourne to Perth. With 15 years of experience in education and non-profit governance, he now leads community engagement efforts in Perth, focusing on enhancing local communities through cycling. At Sparque, Scott is passionate about sharing the thrill and freedom of ebikes with others, believing that they can help build more connected, healthy, and enjoyable communities.
With nearly 50 years of experience in the cycling industry, David’s passion for bikes began in the late 1970s during the BMX boom. He worked at a local bike shop to fund his BMX obsession. Over the years, he has held various roles in retail with leading brands such as Giant, Cannondale, and Specialized. A former competitive racer in BMX, triathlon, road cycling, and track, David’s athletic pursuits left him with worn-out knees and sparked his interest in ebikes. Having worked across Australia, David now brings his extensive experience and technical expertise to Perth, where he continues to share his love of cycling with others.