Woodlawn student eyes a career in cycling, either as a star athlete or top mechanic

Year 10 Woodlawn student Oscar Murchison reckons he’s fortunate to have spent a week as a bike mechanic at a leading Northern Rivers bike shop as he hopes to have a career in the industry.

WHEELY GOOD: Year 10 Woodlawn student Oscar Murchison, 15, said he really loved undertaking a week's work experience as a bike mechanic with Harris Cycles proprietor, Darryl Pursey. Photo: Alison Paterson

Understanding the finer points of being a good bike mechanic has been one of the highlights for a Year 10 Woodlawn student who has hopes of being a world-class mountain bike rider or a star technician for a leading team.

So when Oscar Murchison, 15, approached his local bike shop, Harris Cycles, to see if they would give him some work experience, shop owner Darryl Pursey was delighted.

Mr Pursey said he was very happy to take on the teenager, who he knows to be a keen mountain bike competitor in the U17 division, an opportunity to expand his knowledge of bicycle maintenance.

“I thought I would give him an opportunity,” Mr Pursey said.

“He’s a rider and plays around with his own bikes, so I knew he had a bit of a background.

“Oscar has been doing the assembly of new road and mountain bikes and doing repairs under supervision.”

BIKE TECHNICIAN: With aspirations to be a world class mountain bike athlete, Year 10 Woodlawn student Oscar Murchison, 15, said he really loved undertaking a week's work experience as a bike mechanic with Harris Cycles. Photo: Alison Paterson

For Oscar, a keen member of the Northern Rivers Dirty Wheel Mountain Bike Club, the week has provided him with some valuable insights into bike maintenance.

“Darryl has let me work on all kinds of bikes and shown me lots of tips and tricks involved in servicing bikes,” he said.

“It’s a really different dynamic to school and it’s been really good to get a mechanic’s perspective on how to go about repairs.

“Usually I go onto YouTube, but it’s been great having him available,”

Oscar said he is enjoying competing in the Australian Mountain Bike U17 division and hopes to maintain his fitness and finesse.

“At the moment I seem to be able to keep up with the faster people,” he said.

“I've been in five races this year and I have been able to stick to the podium each time.”

Oscar said being the mechanic to a world class cycling team would be the next best thing to being an athlete.

“I’d love to be a an elite mountain biker but it depends how I go,” he said.

“I definitely like everything about bikes and mechanics, being a mechanic with a world tour team would be great.”