BICYCLE MECHANICS INSTITUTE

#SheMechanic

Welcome,

The Bicycle Mechanics Institute trains women bicycle mechanics, from disadvantaged communities of South Africa . The goal is to empower women, and creating jobs !

This project was conceived a few months ago by @jbwiroth and @manue_livet , who are convinced that cycling can :
✔️ Empower women ;
✔️ Improve mobility ;
✔️ Counteract global warming ;
✔️ Improve fitness and quality of life.

But we need more bike mechanics in order to fix and maintain the fleets.

In the end, we also want to create new opportunities for our trainees :
✔️ Find a job in bike shops, cycling academies, or racing teams ;
✔️ Become an entrepreneur, by creating a small business ;
✔️ Start a new position as a mechanic teacher, in our Institute.

This Institute of Bicycle Mechanic is therefore a structuring project which aims to improve skills and knowledge.
In order to promote emancipation and empowerment, this project specifically targets women whose entrepreneurial spirit is generally stronger.

We are starting the project in Cape Town, but we will soon expand to other areas of Africa .

✅ The kick off !

SESSION #1 : Khayelitsha / June 2024

Date : Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th
Group : Women from Grassroots Youth Academy
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (4 x 2 hours 1/2)
Report of the weekend : Click on the patchwork below

SESSION #2 : Grabouw / July 2024

Date : Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th
Group : Forest Monitors ( in partnership with Trail Ends Bike hotel )
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (2 x 5 hours)
Report of the 2 days : Click on the patchwork below

EVENT #3 : JOB SHADOW n1

✅ A very important milestone for the Bicycle Mechanics Institute (NGO) !

‍ Last week, Sinesipho Dubo, one of our first woman Bike Mechanics Institute students, has started a 10 days long job shadow , at the mega bike store Chris Willemse Cycles, in durbanville – @Chris Willemse Cycles Online .

‍ Sinesipho, aged 19, has recently attended a Level 1 course on the Basics of Bicycle Mechanic, organised by Bike Mechanics Institute , at the Grassroots Youth Academy, in khayelitsha.

‍ Emmanuelle LIVET WIROTH and Dr Jean-Baptiste WIROTH made the connection between the young Sinesipho Dubo and CWC, and the meeting went very well !

🙂 We wish Sinesipho all the best in her new steplife ! During her shadow, she will discover a professional workshop, and the different jobs involved in a bike shop, from sales, to logistics and mechanics.
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NB : we would like to thank Katia and Bernard from CWC for offering that opportunity !

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– LONG VERSION VIDEO (7′) –

– SHORT VERSION VIDEO (2′) –

SESSION #3 : Khayelitsha / November 2024

Date : Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th
Group : Women from Khayelitsha & Grassroots Youth Academy
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (2 x 5 hours )
Report of the weekend : Click on the patchwork below Click on the patchwork below

For our 2nd course in Khayelitsha, we were stoked to have 15 motivated ladies, from Grassroots Youth Academy.

During two days, they’ve learnt the « Basics of Bicycle Mechanics » (10 hours), and they did so well !

Few of them will do a job shadow in a bicycle shop, in order to improve their mechanic skills, and discover a professional environment.

Congratulations ladies !

SESSION #4 : Grabouw / December 2024

Date : Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd December 2024
Group : Forest Monitors ( in partnership with Trail Ends Bike hotel )
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (2 x 5 hours)

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Back to Grabouw for a new session of the bicycle mechanics, with a new group of 14 Ladies Forest Monitors, who are patrolling in the forests around Grabouw, by bike.
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For sure, we started Day 1 with the basics : washing , cleaning , make shinning the bike. Then, we’ve learnt some methods of lubrication !
In the afternoon, we’ve trained on to dealing with punctures, flat tires, and tubeless issues

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⚙️ And on Day 2, we went further with setting up the derailleur, changing the brake cables, and repair a damaged chain.
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Thanks to the precious support of @pietersilberbauer and his crew from @trailsendbikehotel, we were able to bring new skills to these young ladies, in a so appreciable environnement.
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NB : ALL the pictures are in the Facebook ad oc album (December 2024 / Grabouw)

The French senator visit : Khayelitsha 2024

The Bicycle Mechanics Institute was recently visited in #Khayelitsha, by French senator Sophie Briante Guillemont, representative of the French community living abroad, at Sénat and ASFE – Alliance Solidaire des Français de l’Etranger.

She was in #southafrica for various meetings, and was happy to discover the reality of our project, that aims to train 100 women from unpriviledege communities, to the basics of bicycle mechanics.

Indeed, in October 2023, our project was awarded by the French foreign assembly (Assemblée des Français de l’Etranger) the 1st prize of Sustainable Development.

Thank you very much once again, Alexandre Barriere Izard , for the connection. Your visit from both of you, means a lot to us

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SESSION #5 : LANGA / 19 & 20 April 2025

Date : Saturday & Sunday 2025
Group : Women from Langa, and from Langa Bicycle Hub
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (2 x 5 hours)

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We are so happy to teach a new group of ladies , for a Level 1 Bicycle Mechanics Courses, at the Langa Bicycle Hub.

The Langa Bicycle Hub is one of the oldest cycling hub in Cape Town.

This new group will bring the total number of ladies that we have trained to 60 !

Feel free to contact us, if you want to learn more about our programs.

Mzikhona Mgedle has created a unique cycling center with a workshop, a bike rental fleet, and mostly many bikes for kids who can play safely on the hub pump track.

You can contact him easily if you want to do a bicycle tour in , or if you need Learn2cycles lessons.

Thank you Mzikhona Mgedle for hosting our

Bike Mechanics Institute in Langa Bicycle Hub, during these 2 days of training !

Photo Album :
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122150729162389304&type=3

SESSION #6 : LANGA / 4th April 2026

Date : Saturday 4th 2026
Group : Women from Langa, and from Langa Bicycle Hub, Khayelitsha (Grassroot acad.), HoutBay, Tsiba
Course theme : Level 1 – Basics of Bicycle Mechanics / 10 hours (Part 1.)

Women learning bicycle repair skills during a practical workshop at the Bicycle Mechanics Institute in South Africa. — Empowering women through hands-on bicycle mechanics training at the Bicycle Mechanics Institute South Africa.

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What a powerful day at The Bicycle Mechanics Institute

On Saturday the 4th of April (2026), we gathered in #langa

at the Langa Bicycle Hub for another inspiring session

, bringing together women of all ages and backgrounds

— from #Langa, #Khayelitsha (Grassroots Youth

), #mitchellsplain, TSIBA, and #houtbay.

We started from the basics

: learning how to properly wash our bikes

, lubricate the chain, and keep everything running smoothly

. From there, things got hands-on

— identifying punctures, changing inner tubes, wrapping handlebar tape, and even fully disassembling and reassembling a bike from start to finish

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This time, we also worked in smaller groups

, each guided by one of our former students — a beautiful step forward

in building confidence and leadership within the community

. A special thank you

to @esonandzunga and @sinesipho_dubo, our most experienced and confident leaders

, for guiding their groups with such skill and energy

. And a big thank you as well to @_kamve and @anathifilita9 for supporting and leading the other groups so brilliantly

More than just mechanics

, this day was about confidence

, sharing knowledge

, and building a community of women who are not afraid to take tools into their own hands

A huge thank you

to everyone who showed up with such great energy

and curiosity — and to Langa Bicycle Hub for the warm welcome

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Job shadow announcement

14th May 2025

This morning, @bicycle_mechanic_institute settled in one of our student (from our last April session, in Langa) : Kamva ‍

Kamva will be there 2 full weeks, in order to learn and to practice more, and to get a bigger experience on the field !

We were, as well, very happy to say hello to Sinesipho (our first student lady) – who is now employed permanently, in this bikeshop, after having completing a job shadow, too !
Sinesipho was very excited to welcome a newbie at the workshop ! We are sure you will be a great team together

We wish you all the best Kamva !

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