Shelley is a bike mechanic in New Orleans and she loves bikes with a passion. This zine explores the history of the bicycle touching on race and gender issues including the bicycles place in womens's movements in fashion and mobility. This zine doesn't stop there though; it also discusses a female bicyclsits view of street harassment and simple tips about biking like how to ride, how to fix a flat, and how to make a bike tube belt. And it goes on to talk about the Plan B volunteer run bike project in New Orleans and it's place in the community. Shelley talks about being a female bike mechanic and how empowering it is to defy stereotypes of women as mechanics. This zine is so inspiring and encouraging. After I first read it I wanted to grab a wrench and get to work, and I did at Plan B. Chainbreaker is an amazing zine for those who are curious as to what all this bike business is all about or those who have been into bikes for years. It also contains some of Merry Death's beautiful art work.

Shelley is a bike mechanic in New Orleans and she loves bikes with a passion. This zine explores the history of the bicycle touching on race and gender issues including the bicycles place in womens's movements in fashion and mobility. This zine doesn't stop there though; it also discusses a female bicyclsits view of street harassment and simple tips about biking like how to ride, how to fix a flat, and how to make a bike tube belt. And it goes on to talk about the Plan B volunteer run bike project in New Orleans and it's place in the community. Shelley talks about being a female bike mechanic and how empowering it is to defy stereotypes of women as mechanics. This zine is so inspiring and encouraging. After I first read it I wanted to grab a wrench and get to work, and I did at Plan B. Chainbreaker is an amazing zine for those who are curious as to what all this bike business is all about or those who have been into bikes for years. It also contains some of Merry Death's beautiful art work. (Alex Wrekk)

Shelley is a bike mechanic in New Orleans and she loves bikes with a passion. This zine explores the history of the bicycle touching on race and gender issues including the bicycles place in womens's movements in fashion and mobility. This zine doesn't stop there though; it also discusses a female bicyclsits view of street harassment and simple tips about biking like how to ride, how to fix a flat, and how to make a bike tube belt. And it goes on to talk about the Plan B volunteer run bike project in New Orleans and it's place in the community. Shelley talks about being a female bike mechanic and how empowering it is to defy stereotypes of women as mechanics. This zine is so inspiring and encouraging. After I first read it I wanted to grab a wrench and get to work, and I did at Plan B. Chainbreaker is an amazing zine for those who are curious as to what all this bike business is all about or those who have been into bikes for years. It also contains Joe Biel's instructions for making panier buckets.

Shelley is a bike mechanic in New Orleans and she loves bikes with a passion. This issue addresses the concept of "the city" (and it's relation to cycling and car culture), getting hit by cars, capitalism, racism, and urban transportation policy, the consumer nature of bicycle accessories, the bike! bike! conference in New Orleans, Ethan's trip to the Republican National Convention, how to fix brakes, an interview with Black Label bike club, the "indiginous" types of bikes in various parts of the country, and tons more! It also talks about harrassment of women in bike shops and culture. This zine is so inspiring and encouraging. After I first read it I wanted to grab a wrench and get to work, and I did at Plan B. Chainbreaker is an amazing zine for those who are curious as to what all this bike business is all about or those who have been into bikes for years. Anthology book coming this fall! ISBN 0-9770557-3-6

Here’s a hand-illustrated and accesible introduction to the world of bike repair! Through working at both Plan B Bike Project and French Quarter Bicycles in New Orleans, our co-authors have gathered a wealth of experience to share with would-be mechanics. The first half of this book is a complete repair manual to get you started on choosing, fixing, and riding your bike. The second half reprints all four issues of Chainbreaker zine, whose originals were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

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From Shelly of Chainbreaker zine comes her story of evacuation and homecoming to New Orleans after the devastation in the wake of hurricane Katrina. Shelly has spent almost 10 years in New Orleans and saw hurricane threats come and go. In this zine she tells her story, from helping neighbors prepare and still doubting the evacuation until she had a “Shit, this is real” moment and escapes New Orleans with friends and animals. Shelly paints you a picture of the city she loves from flora to community.

Shelly discusses arriving at Welcome Centers and the stories of refugees, attempts to contact friends as well as the conditions and FEMA help. She also talks about the heartbreaking homecoming with doctored nametags to feed stray animals left behind. She returns to find the city she loves covered with military, a strange smell, a 6 PM curfew and her home reduced to piles of soggy masses of unsalvagable belongings. This zine is more than a story of the external struggles but also the internal ones through tragedy and change.

Shelley created this as a little take home instruction guide for her bike repair workshop at the Portland Zine Symposium. It goes over the basics of fixing a flat tire, working with wheels, the parts of a bike, bearings, doing a tune-up, tools, and dealing with bike shops as a woman but most of all what shines through is Shelley's character and personality in the way that she describes things and her utter passion for cycling. Well worth any price for the information alone. * Now includes additional pages of material about working on brakes!!