Garage Culture: How the DIY Spirit Connects Cyclists and Car Enthusiasts

What do cyclists and car guys have in common?

Hands-on experience and skills wrenching!

Sure, you could argue that their interests take them to different places. But when you look past the street cred both communities hold so dearly… there’s a surprising amount of overlap.

From understanding how your drivetrain works to taking things apart and putting them back together again.

They’re problem solvers that would rather roll up their sleeves and get to work instead of paying someone else to do it for them.

Oh, and they also love to save money in the process.

Automotive DIYers and Enthusiasts make up nearly 26 million consumers in the US alone. Home workshops for cyclists are popping up everywhere and there’s more self-maintained rigs hitting the road each year.

If you’re wondering what you have in common with car guys… this is how to tap into garage culture too.

What you’re going to discover:

• Garage Culture is More Popular than Ever
• Cyclists and Car Guys Have the Same DIY Mindset
• See What’s Upgrading Classic Mustangs These Days
• Tips to Set Up Your Own Garage Workshop at Home

Garage Culture Is More Popular than Ever

Anyone who’s spent time in the automotive space knows a thing or two about garage culture. Plenty of enthusiasts have logged serious hours experimenting on their own cars at home.

Through tinkering on personal projects it becomes clear that garage culture is more than a place to store your car.

Garage culture is a state of mind.

It’s about understanding how something works. Taking it apart and learning how to make it better.

Sounds crazy when you think about how this mentality carries over to cyclists.

Take for example, someone who’s about to strip their bike down to regrease their bearings.

They’ve got the same mindset as enthusiasts who are restoring classic Mustangs on the weekends. Both of these groups of people want to figure things out for themselves.

And they BOTH end up saving a bunch of money while they’re learning.

The aftermarket DIY automotive industry has been growing with part sales increasing 65% from 2017 to 2025 according to the Auto Care Association. This tells you that people LOVE working on their own stuff.

Cycling is seeing the same growth trend. Home mechanics are investing in tool kits, scouring the internet for repair tutorials and doing their own bike maintenance that would typically cost money at a local shop.

The passion for this stuff is contagious. And it’s exactly why garage culture keeps growing.

Cyclists and Car Guys Have the Same DIY Mindset

Here’s a fun fact most people don’t know…

Cyclists and car enthusiasts are probably WAY closer than you realize.

Some of the most avid DIYers who work on their own cars all weekend long could just as easily be found riding their bike up and down mountain trails on Sunday morning.

Here are some skills that crossover between cyclists and car enthusiasts:

• How to diagnose problems with gear ratios and drivetrains
• Listening and feeling for mechanical issues
• Where to look for quality parts at affordable prices
• Researching and learning new info online

The best part about both of these communities is that everyone is welcoming. There are tons of online forums, YouTube videos and local meet-ups for knowledge sharing.

Individuals who like to work on their own bikes or cars understand the value of passing info along to beginners. It can make all the difference when you’re tackling a project for the first time.

There are tons of cool resources out there to get you started. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself helping others once you’ve gained some experience.

See What’s Upgrading Classic Mustangs These Days

Classic car restoration is an awesome hobby. Bringing new life to old vehicles that were ahead of their time.

The modern upgrades being fitted into vintage Mustangs these days are seriously impressive. And there are so many parallels between what car builders do and what cyclists do with their bikes.

Thoughts.

• Bike DIYers upgrade to disc brakes because they stop better.
• Mustang guys upgrade their old-school drum brakes to modern brake kits that increase safety and performance.
• Cyclists upgrade old, rusty frames with modern drivetrains and components.
• Car enthusiasts restore classic Mustangs with original body lines but upgraded with today’s technology.

Both car buffs and cyclists take pride in making something better than it was before.

They honor the past but don’t settle for outdated technology. Sure, upgrading your bike or car will always be a personal decision. But trying out new things is what makes garage culture so much fun.

Oh, and upgrading your ride doesn’t always have to break the bank.

Some shops will even do a bi-motor swap for around $1500 these days!

Tips to Set Up Your Own Garage Workshop at Home

Maintaining multiple bicycles OR restoring classic cars both take some space to work. Building up your own workshop in the garage is a must if you want to get serious about doing things yourself.

But where do you begin?

Here’s a recommendation on how to outfit your own garage workshop…

First things first. You need to:

• Have adequate lighting
• Make sure you have a solid workspace i.e. a work bench
• Invest in some tools. (You don’t need a ton to get started)
• Store parts and tools on walls instead of the floor

Really you can DIY your garage however you want it to function. Start with the basics and build off of that.

Every expert out there will tell you that the tools they use the most now they likely acquired over years. They didn’t go out and buy a thousand dollar tool chest full of equipment before starting their first project.

Instead, focus on tools that will be the most useful. Cheap tools only require you to spend more money when they break. A good pair of metric and imperial wrenches, a dependable torque wrench, jack and jack stands can get you far.

Here’s a little pro tip…

Start keeping track of your builds. Jot down some notes or take videos to remember what you’ve done in case you ever have to revisit the project. Nothing is more frustrating than forgetting what you pieced together months down the road.

Wrapping Up

If you’re looking for reasons to get into fixing and building your own bikes or cars, hopefully this post has provided some inspiration.

Garage culture is huge these days and there’s a reason why.

Too many people have lost touch with the art of taking care of things with their own two hands.

Or maybe they just don’t have a garage.

The garage culture community is continuing to grow by doing things the right way. Learning as you go and sharing knowledge along the way.

Remember, the best projects are the ones that get started!