When Nick talks about the past few years, he doesn’t sugar-coat it.
A serious bike accident during COVID left him with an acquired brain injury, time in ICU, and a long, lonely recovery that knocked the wind out of him — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
“I had to relearn everything,” he says. “How to write, how to process things, how to keep track of time. It wasn’t just the physical stuff — it was mental, emotional. And a lot of people around me didn’t understand.”
Nick was getting up at six every morning to catch public transport across the city for appointments, coming home exhausted, and still had no answers. The friends and family who once checked in slowly drifted away. With work options limited, he says he would’ve done anything—sweep floors, take bins out, volunteer.
“I just needed a chance,” Nick explains. “Not even a job — just a space where I wasn’t invisible.”
That space turned out to be Brainwave Bikes, a social enterprise launched in Dingley Village, Victoria, designed to do three key things: keep bikes out of landfill, raise money for Brainwave Australia—a charity supporting children with brain injuries and their families—and help young people living with a disability build employability skills to transition into mainstream employment.
When the workshop opened its doors in April 2022, the team had a handful of bikes, a big warehouse, and plenty of doubt.
“I moved into this warehouse and picked up 10 bikes,” recalls Kieran McMahon from Brainwave Bikes. “I looked around and thought, this is insane—how am I ever going to fill this space? But now bikes are coming out of my ears. We get 100 bikes a week.”
Nick began as a volunteer, finding not just work, but community and purpose. He was soon introduced to Tanya Cooper, his Employment Consultant from WISE Employment, through the Disability Employment Services (DES) program. Tanya met Nick at a fragile point in his journey, managing fatigue, anxiety, and vision loss in one eye—still uncertain if employment was even achievable.
Nick came to us with huge potential, but he’d been knocked around,” Tanya says. “He needed an employer who understood his barriers and could work with him, not around him.”
Tanya advocated for Nick, organising travel assistance, securing a DES wage subsidy, and providing ongoing post-placement support. She attended care team meetings, maintained close communication with Brainwave Bikes, and helped adapt Nick’s role as his confidence grew.
“Nick didn’t need handholding,” Tanya explains. “He needed trust and structure. Once he had that—he thrived.”
Jess Hyland, Employment Pathways Manager at Brainwave Bikes, values this collaborative approach highly.
“Tanya didn’t just hand us paperwork,” Jess says. “She came to meetings, listened, problem-solved with us. She was part of the team.”
Today, Nick has moved from volunteering to casual employment, working as a bike mechanic and mentor, leading the workshop’s work-readiness program. Jess describes Nick as more than just a mechanic—he’s a steady influence who models dedication, maturity, and honesty.
“He doesn’t talk down to anyone,” Jess says. “He listens, he shares, and people respect that. He’s been where they are.”
This blend of practical support, mutual trust, and shared goals has helped Brainwave Bikes achieve success well beyond their initial expectations. They’ve saved more than 7,500 bikes from landfill and mentored dozens of people facing tough circumstances, creating a vibrant, supportive community.
“People realise they’re getting quality bikes tested by great mechanics like Nick,” Kieran says. “That’s been a big shift this year—people see the value in what we do, because people like Nick are behind it.”
Nick now enters the workshop with a sense of calm and capability, sleeves rolled up, often surrounded by trainees—someone who not only fixes bikes but helps coach others through their own journeys.
“This was our first store—a proof of concept,” Kieran adds. “Now we’re breaking even and looking to expand. The quicker we can grow, the more lives we can change.”
And Nick’s own journey continues to inspire. Despite ongoing health challenges, he now has the confidence to take the lead, guide others, and find rhythm in everyday life. Outside of work, Nick is embracing new challenges too—he recently became a father to a baby boy, marking another joyful milestone on his remarkable comeback ride.
As Nick puts it, reflecting on how far he’s come:
“I just needed a shot—and Brainwave Bikes gave it to me.”
Watch Nick and Brainwave Bikes’ story here:
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