Full Day Mechanics School x Summer Gathering
Friday May 19th - Lake District
Mechanics School Only - £125
Mechanics School + sold out Summer Gathering Ticket (limited available) - £240
Following the success of last year’s Mechanics teaching at the SITW Summer Gathering, we’ve collaborated with Vicky Balfour of Vicky Bikes to bring you a dedicated day of women and non-binary led mechanics lessons, teaching tagged on to the Friday at the start of this years sold out gathering.
We’ll be bringing together SEVEN qualified female and non-binary mechanics from around the country, with over 35 years of mechanicing experience between them
These are folks who regularly teach and work in the industry and are excited to be collaborating on this event to share their experience, knowledge and skill across 4 x 90-minute classes throughout the day. We’re beyond thrilled to be able to bring this crack team together, pay them for their skills and time, and maybe inspire a new generation of mechanics. Any profits will go towards funding our non-profit projects planned for this year.
What can you expect?
Each of the four 90 minute classes will teach you a fundamental skill in getting to know your bike in the same way you know your own body. Whether you’ve had a go at Mechanics before or have been put off by the fear of making things worse, our incredible team of skilled mechanics will be here to help and guide you.
We’ve chosen 4 key areas that will give you the understanding and confidence to fix issues on the go but also to begin to service your own bike at home, if you wish.
Session 1 - M-check: (aka getting to know your bike in the same way you know your body)
Session 2 - Gears: how to confidently adjust limit screws and cable tension to keep them running smoothly
Session 3 - Brakes: banishing rubbing brakes, checking pads and replacing them
Session 4 - Wheels: checking them, what to do if a spoke goes, basics of wheel truing and how to do it on the bike.
Our mechanics team will lead with compassion and vulnerability, and bring a calm and matriarchal approach to teaching built on two key principles:
there are no questions that can’t be asked
if you don’t understand something it’s our responsibility to find a way to teach you so that it becomes clear.
Groups will be limited to 8 people each - small enough that you can get the attention you need but large enough to be able to learn from others and their bikes, with 2 instructors per class.
Taking place on the Friday at the start of this year’s Summer Gathering in the Lake District, this is going to be a wonderful celebration of women and non-binary mechanics and how learning to fix your bike brings confidence and ultimate freedom.
Meet the team
We’re privileged to be bringing together this team of highly skilled mechanics from diverse backgrounds across the UK.
Vicky Balfour
Vicky and her Mindful Mechanics approach to teaching was an integral part of our 2022 Summer Gathering, delivering free mechanics sessions to over 100 attendees. Vicky brings wisdom and patience of years of working in the cycling industry, and will be coordinating the curriculum with our team of teachers
Joey Fagtongpun
Professional wheel builder running Strongheart Wheel Works in Bristol also working for 73 Degrees Bike Shop in Keynsham and mechanics teacher at Bristol Bike Project. Joey says “Bikes are my life!”. If you came to our first Summer Gathering back in 2021, or our East Devon Trail rally, you may have had the privilege of Joey sharing her incredible knowledge first hand!
Alice Williams
Professional mechanic currently restoring rustbuckets to gleaming glory at The Bike Project London. Alice also teaches in person and offers advice and tips through @ask.alice.bike.mechanics on Instagram. Alice has a soft spot for 90s mountain bikes, and will be seen out on the ride over the weekend on her own! Alice worked with Vicky on her mindful mechanics classes at last year’s Summer Gathering.
Lily and Steph from Women in Tandem
This incredible pair run Women In Tandem, a Community Interest Company based in Nottingham that supports and empowers women to ride bikes. They teach bike mechanic courses from our workshop and beyond to give women the skills and confidence to ride safely, and run a bike repair service, sell affordable refurbished bikes, lead group bike rides and offer free mobile repairs in areas of Nottingham for people who can't afford to go to a bike shop. Along with Joey, Lily was on hand at the Komoot stand at our East Devon Trail rally, helping solve those pre and mid-ride bike niggles!
Kat Young & Inês Rahtz
Joining us from the wonderful Broken Spoke cooperative, we’ve been hoping to collaborate with these two for a while and are chuffed it’s finally happening! Kat has been part of Broken Spoke in Oxford since 2014, and joined the mechanics staff in 2021. She enjoys enabling others to develop their mechanical skills and dismantling the patriarchy. Kat rides mostly for cake, with the Cowley Road Condors in Oxfordshire, or further afield on audaxes and tours, both on and off-road. We’ve been hoping to get Kat involved for a while and are chuffed it’s finally happening!
Inês is passionate about seeing more women and non-cis-men folk fixing bikes and loves inviting people into 'bikey' spaces who might not think of themselves as ‘cyclists’. She now works as workshop manager and mechanic at Broken Spoke Bike Coop in Oxford and leads on coordinating their women, trans and non binary traineeship programme.
Iona Hassan
Iona has been a wheelbuilder with Stayer cycles, a small independent frame and wheelbuilder in East London, for around 3 years. She started getting into bike mechanics whilst living in Wiltshire, at her local bike bike shop Pewsey Velo, when she realised that if she had a mechanical on a trip cycling across Africa in 2018 she'd be in a tricky spot! On her return she moved to London and began building kids bikes for a bike rental company. Iona also began working with Community Cycleworks in South London at this time, helping people to learn to fix their own bikes and running the Girls Bike 2 project, inspiring more young girls and non binary kids to get into cycling.
What a crew!!
Where/When
Friday 19th May 8am - 4pm
Grizedale Campsite, Bowkerstead Farm, Satterthwaite, Ulverston, Cumbria. LA12 8LL
We’ll start with an intros session at 8am, with classes running to 4pm. We’ll have a lunch break in the middle. Weather dependent, we’ll be undercover in the main barn, or out on the field.
What do I need to bring?
Yourself, your bike and any tools/spares that you regularly carry on rides. We will provide anything else you will need during the sessions.
You’ll need camping stuff (tent, mat, bag) for camping on Thursday night, and food for Thursday evening and day time on Friday The campsite also has some basic glamping options available (mat and sleeping bag still required) that can be booked directly on the campsite website.
What’s included
Camping on Thursday night
Participation in our mechanics school
Not included
Summer Gathering ticket (new combo tickets available if you missed out first time)
Food and drink
Any spare parts you need for your bike during the class (e.g. if you need new brake pads)
Will food and drink be available to buy on Thursday night/Friday daytime?
No - please bring meals and snacks with you.
Can I come if I don’t have my own bike?
Yes - you may get more out of the sessions if you have your own bike, but we can pair you with someone who does have a bike for the hands on parts.
Can I come if I haven’t got a ticket for the Summer Gathering?
Yes! You have the option to just join us for the mechanics day (£125), or to buy one of the newly released Mechanics + Festival combined tickets (£250) if you want to stay for the weekend.
How will classes run?
We will have a rotating classes of 90 minutes, with a bit of breathing time between each. Our mechanics will also be around over the weekend running drop in “ask me anything” sessions, so if there’s a subject you want to follow up on, they’ll be there to help!
Our hands-on sessions will be capped at 8 per class, with 2 instructors. That’s a 1:4 ratio.
Refund Policy
Refunds available 30 days before the event. You may transfer your spot to another person up to 14 days before.