Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/124935
THE GEARHEADS ALI DWYER & STREET CRED: Co-founders of We Are All Mechanics Setting the pace: Even as Ali Dwyer and India Viola proudly share that this is the 10th year of the We Are All Mechanics series, which provides hands-on bicycle education for area women, disbelief shows in both of their smiles. Viola recalls, "When we met 10 years ago…" "No it had to be 13 years ago," Dwyer corrects. "That's right, wow," says Viola as she tells the story of the common dream she and Dwyer were striving for. Both found their passions working as mechanics in local bike shops, and as Viola points out, being a female bike mechanic was a novelty. 38 BRAVA Magazine May 2013 "Most women who work in bike shops get steered toward the sales floor because they don't have training," she says. "I saw that happen enough that it made me want to share what I'd learned with other women." Viola describes Dwyer as the catalyst that helped put the idea into motion. Their plan? To create a comfortable space for women to learn mechanical skills—from fixing flats to everyday maintenance and more. They outlined a curriculum and began testing it on friends. Viola wanted the name of the series to be an affirmation, or a powerful statement to give students a feeling of confidence from the get-go. We Are All Mechanics was the perfect fit, and soon the two began offering it to the general public in rented space at Revolution Cycles on Atwood Avenue. Surprisingly, the monthly class series is neither woman's full-time job. Since they began, Viola completed a Ph.D. in zoology and is now a full-time mom. Dwyer has a master's degree, teaches yoga and works part-time for a naturopathic doctor. Both agree that balancing these roles, as well as being bicycling advocates, has driven their passion to continue teaching and sharing their skills. "We really appreciate that people put an emphasis on this in their lives and come to the classes open to learning," Dwyer explains. The chain reaction: Through their work, these cycling dynamos not only hope to promote biking in Madison, but also hope