Welcome to Daisy Chain Mechanics
Daisy Chain Mechanics is a community enterprise with a mission to get more people cycling independently.
I want to see everybody out on the trails, or confident on their commute, unafraid of mechanical issues.
Daisy Chain has four pillars which all contribute to helping you understand how your bike works.
And when you’re ready to level up your skills I have loads of tips, and classes you can join.
Ask me anything - there are no silly questions!
NORMALISE
Image credit: Annie Le
Bike maintenance is for anyone and everyone.
I might not have started learning if I hadn’t seen women like me on Instagram fixing their own bikes, and teaching others. I want to convince you that keeping an eye on the condition of your chain rings is as much a normal part of adventuring as checking that your dangle-mug is secure.
A mechanic doesn’t have to fit a stereotype, but we need to show people that we are out there. More women, more LGBTQIA+ people, more of all types of people we don’t see enough of wielding spanners.
AMPLIFY
Image credit: Broad Bikez CIC
Who are the heroes of bike maintenance?
In the last two years we’ve seen an explosion of women-led, queer-led, and matriarchal communities encouraging and supporting people in all areas of cycling. We’re also seeing events and businesses actively encouraging and supporting greater diversity.
I’ll be sharing profiles and interviews with people who are committed to making a difference in bike mechanics. People who are facilitating meaningful connections, showing us that everyone can have adventures by bike, and providing new and better ways to learn than the traditional routes we had before.
EDUCATE
Image credit: Sarah Hewitt
More skills, more confidence, more adventures.
The ‘chain’ of Daisy Chain represents the connections we make as a community of learners. My background is in teaching and I have taught in formal education and the hobby sector for more than twenty years.
Every mechanic is still learning, and every mechanic has something they can teach others. I want to help you find the best place to build your skills - whether that’s with me, or with one of the amazing people or projects that I share about.
I’m excited to see where it takes you!
INSPIRE
There’s joy in using our hands
Making things has always been my way to decompress, and to gain a sense of an achievement that I can literally see and touch. Learning bike maintenance is such a great hobby. It’s problem-solving, making old things new, it’s good for our brains, and it can be soothing and meditative. I accept (reluctantly!) that it’s not for everyone, but maybe it’s for you?
When I changed my own brake pads for the first time, I didn’t expect to be launching a social enterprise two years later - who knew?! I’m going to keep sharing my bike puzzle fun and I’d love to hear from you if you try something new as well.