CycloCare: the bike workshop that takes care of mechanics
A new breed of mechanic, CycloCare's technicians travel directly to companies to service employees' bicycles at their workplace. This encourages sustainable transportation, which the young company combines with a commitment to social responsibility: many of the repairers, who are themselves unemployed, are on work integration contracts.
In the courtyard, hidden from view by the imposing buildings of Rue d'Enghien in Paris, bicycles of all kinds are piled high. There, a massive mountain bike that looks as if it came hurtling down steep slopes no later than yesterday. Here, a bicycle from another century, complete with a child seat. And then there's that city bike, perched on a work stand, like an animal clumsily plucked from the ground. His hands coated with a thin layer of black grease, Diego busies himself around the suspended bicycle.
“We start with a service, a general check-up. Often, cyclists have a small additional request. In this case, it was the brakes,” explains the workshop manager. The mechanic removes the brake pads before meticulously cleaning the small metal parts until they shine. Once cleaned of grime and reinstalled, it's time for the test. The pedal is pumped by hand, the road speeds up, then a quick application of the brakes brings the bike to a complete stop. Mission accomplished for this bicycle, which will soon be riding like new. The cyclist, who will come to pick up his bike after work, will get away with a completely free service.
L'Humanité
