Get to know the heart and soul of our bike workshops.
Our workshop managers, Neil and Steven, bring a wealth of expertise, passion, and commitment to the world of cycling and community engagement. Here's their Common Wheel stories.
Neil
I was born and raised in the North East of Scotland, near Elgin and came to Glasgow in 1985 to go to university. At the time the bus routes were hard to find out, almost a secret, so I started riding my bike to get around. I did my own repairs. I’ve always liked fixing things. I learned from books and helpful bike shops.
I became involved in cycle activism through which I met Colin Guthrie a GP and Alistair Wilson, a psychiatrist. Alistair had an idea which was quite radical at the time of a social prescription project, where people with mental health problems would come and repair bikes. In 1997 this was far from mainstream. Mental health provision was changing from the old hospital model to care in the community, and Common Wheel was initially opposed by some in the health hierarchy.
Getting Common Wheel going became my job, initially unpaid. We started a group in the multi purpose room of the Riverside Resource centre with borrowed tools and a few of Alistair’s patients. This worked, and we eventually persuaded Glasgow City Council to give us an industrial unit at 53 Chapel Street at a very cheap rent. The first bit of funding came from a philanthropic trust, and we were given a grant by Greater Glasgow Health Board annually for many years.
I’ve grown with Common Wheel, and have seen the organisation become more and more professional. I’ve got better at fixing bikes, and learned to weld properly and braze. I’ve learned from the people around me, participants, volunteers, staff and directors.
I’m still at Common Wheel because it's fun, challenging and rewarding.
Steven
I was born in Paisley in the 80s and grew up riding BMX with my brother and friends from an early age. We were breaking bike parts a lot of the time and ended up putting together parts from our local dump and new parts from our local bike shop.
Getting to know the mechanics at local bike shops I was taught how to do a lot of the repair work properly and later was offered a chance to work in a bike shop.
I have since worked in bicycle retail, bicycle workshops and a few bike projects. From racing BMX to working with mountain bikes, e-bikes and commuter bikes, I have enjoyed it all and continue to do so.
While working at a small commuter bike shop in the mid 2000s I was made aware of Common Wheel by my then boss and now long term friend. I was building a bike from spare parts lying around in the workshop and he said "Have you ever been to Common Wheel? It's like an Aladdin's cave of old bikes and parts"
I popped by and met Neil. He was kind enough to show me round and tell me about the project. I knew I needed to work here one day!
A few years later I was offered a Saturday job at the Maryhill workshop (The Saturday boy) and I loved it.
In 2017 I was given the keys to the Bridgeton workshop to become the Workshop Manager full time. Since then I have worked with great participants, customers and volunteers. Common Wheel is very important to me and I still really enjoy the work we do and the bikes we fix and build.