At Mechanarchy, we are committed to 10 fundamental principles:

1) We live what we do, no ifs, no buts, bicycles and walking are our only forms of transport. (We do catch Trains and take our bikes where longer distance travel is necessary).

2) We earn only enough to sustain us, in wholesome home grown food, collected rainwater, adequate shelter and simple clothes, and so, whilst we respect the right of other businesses to pursue growth, we prefer to focus on balance.

3) We adhere firmly to non-exploitative Social relationships, encouraging Mutual Aid wherever possible.

4) We re-use and re-furbish high quality second hand components wherever we can and in those cases where it is absolutely necessary, supply only high quality long lasting new products.

5) We place the Natural Environment at the centre of all our actions, what we do is constantly measured against the impact it has and changed as we learn.

6) We take great pride in our work and as such, we guarantee you that your job will always take a hell of a lot longer to complete than most other bicycle repair shops. At Mechanarchy; we're into personal attention, not high volume. Much of our equipment is manually operated, from Drill Presses and Hand Drills to Bench Grinders, they're not as fast but then again, neither are bicycles when compared to cars!

7) We use only high quality long lasting tools and equipment in our workshop, some re-furbished from years gone by and others new. We are meticulous in looking after them as well as maintaining the cleanliness of our workspace thereby ensuring the maximum care of your bicycle.

8) We use only Non-Toxic, Natural and Bio-Degradeable cleaning agents and our workshop is Solar Powered. At this stage, we have no option but to use Petroleum based grease and oil, but believe the small amount we do use is more than offset by the Carbon Emission reductions of bicycle use. We are continuing however to seek out alternatives wherever possible.

9) We want everyone to ride bicycles and experience the wonder of re-connecting with Nature and themselves.

10) We respectfully ask that you invest a very modest $15.00 hourly rate in exchange for these benefits, the things that we believe will not only be advantageous to you but also, importantly, to the Earth.

High Quality Bicycle Servicing and Repairs in Central Victoria, Australia

(This region includes the townships of Ballarat, Clunes, Talbot, Maryborough, Carisbrook, Majorca, Dunnolly, Amherst, Avoca, Evansford, Lexton, Beaufort, Creswick, Newstead, Castlemaine, Hepburn Springs and Daylesford)

Whether it's a simple puncture repair or a full bearing re-grease or gear adjustment, Mechanarchy provides you with high quality workmanship. We don't offer 'package deals' for Bicycle servicing, instead, we believe that there are a number of regular maintenance tasks that need to be undertaken, to ensure that you get the maximum life out of your bicycle and the safest ride possible. These tasks are generally dependent on a number of factors. We have listed them below so that you can decide the level of work you would like to be carried out and through that, join us in gaining a greater understanding of the care and maintenance needs of your bicycle.

1) Do you ride on a daily basis?

2) Is your bike stored out in the open?

3) Do you regularly ride through Water, Mud, Sand or Dirt?

4) Is your bike subjected to rough and or potholed roads?

5) Do you frequently carry loads in panniers and or on racks or tow a trailer?

6) Have you had your bike checked by a mechanic in the last 2 years?

(This check-list applies to commute riders only)

If you answered YES to any of the questions 1-5 and haven't carried out any servicing or checking yourself within the last year, we'd recommend that you book your bike in to a mechanic to have all the bearings checked out, cleaned, re-greased and or replaced if necessary. This service would also include a check of the chain for stretch, wear, cleaning and lubrication, the gears and cables for correct adjustment / wear / lubrication, the brakes for pad wear, cable condition / lubrication and brake adjustment, the frame for cracks, bends or twists and the wheels for spoke adjustment / truing rim condition and tyre wear. We'd also recommend that once this service is completed, you repeat it, twice a year.

If you answered NO to question 6, whether your bike has been ridden regularly or not, and you haven't carried out any servicing or checking yourself, we'd recommend the above service schedule.

There are many tasks, like those above, that on today's modern bicycles require specialised tools in order to be carried out correctly and safely. Mechanarchy has invested in a complete set of high quality UNIOR Bicycle Tools for exactly that reason. If you would like to purchase some UNIOR tools so that you can do some of those repairs or services yourself, just visit our Different Voices page. Tell them we sent you, they'll be pleased to help you.

Alternatively, you may want to book us for a Community Bicycle Repair and Service Workshop, we bring the tools (on a Cargo Bicycle of course!) and your community provides the space, grease, oil and cleaning rags. At $15.00 per person, (minimum of 5 / maximum of 10), it's a great way to learn the 'ins and outs' of your bike. You can organize one through the following link:

Community Bicycle Repair and Service Workshop

The Mechanarchy Yuba Mundo Truck Ready for Community Workshops

However, if you ride less frequently, store your bike mainly undercover, ride in good conditions over smooth sealed roads without carrying any considerable added weight, the following checks and servicing, will in most cases be sufficient in between major services and can easily be carried out at home with a basic level of knowledge and tools. If you live within a 20 Km radius of Dunach in Central Victoria, you might prefer, for convenience, to book us to come to your place for your bikes servicing & repairs.

Mechanarchy Home Based Bicycle Servicing & Repair

Before each ride:

1) Visually check brake pads, all cables, tyres, lights and warning device.

2) Using a tyre pressure gauge, check pressure against the manufacturers recommendation printed on the tyre wall. Bicycle tyres lose pressure frequently and therefore need regular checks. Inflate as necessary. For your own safety, do not rely on the old 'tyre squeeze test' to check tyre pressure. Invest in a good quality tyre pressure gauge that will last and provide the highest possible accuracy.

3) Check chain for excessive dirt or dryness. Spin the pedals / cranks backwards and listen for squeaks. Clean and lubricate as necessary.

4) Check that you have your pump, spare tube / puncture repair kit, and basic tool kit with you.

On each ride:

1) Listen for any unusual noises anywhere on the bike. Loose headsets (where the front forks are connected through the main frame) can often be detected when going downhill and gently applying the front brakes, a distinctive clunking noise can be heard and often 'felt' through the handlebars.

2) Test out your brakes by applying simultaneous hard pressure on the front and rear. Do they pull you up easily and quickly? Are there any unusual noises you haven't heard before? When applying your brakes, are your brake levers nearly touching your handlebars? If so, the pads may need replacing or brakes adjusted.

3) How are your gears shifting? Is there any difficulty selecting the gear you want? Are the gears jumping either under load or cruise pedaling?

Regular Maintenance and Checks:

1) Every two months, lubricate any pivot points on your bike: these are normally areas like both brake calipers and the front and rear derailleur mechanisms. Make sure that when lubricating the brake calipers, you don't accidentally get any oil on the pads or rims.

2) At the same time, lubricate both the brake and gear shifting cables.

3) Check the crankset by spinning the pedals / cranks backwards whilst listening for any 'rumbles' or feeling for any 'roughness' in the bottom bracket bearings. Also, push the crank from one side of the bike and pull it back towards you to test for any 'play'.

4) Check all the main nuts and bolts for tightness on the front and rear axles, crankset, headset, seat and post, derailleur mechanisms and brakes.

5) Clean the chain and lubricate.

6) Spin the pedals on the cranks and check for any roughness or rumbling.

7) Turn your bike upside down (sitting it on the seat and handlebars - on a soft surface) and spin both the front and rear wheels. Check that they are both running true and that there are no harsh rumbling noises coming from the bearings. Check the bearings for 'play'.

8) Whilst your bike is upside down, do a visual check of the tyres for cuts, nicks and general wear.

Mechanarchy is a Trading Name of The Anarchist Savants: ABN 37 950 634 427