My Story

Who am I, you ask? I’m Silvana, the woman on a mission to bring a smile to your ride. I wear many hats: daughter, sister, aunt, and adopted mom to several kids and my favorite strays. I’m a designer, a teacher, a stunt kite flyer, a decent photographer, a community volunteer, and a lover of motorcycles, and all things that let you fly. Riding a bicycle has been a huge part of my life since I was five.
Silvana Montero of bicibits
Originally from Uruguay, with a long stint in Canada, my heritage spans Basque, Spanish, and Italian roots. I have a talent for languages and a curiosity about the world that fuels my passions and exceeds my challenges.

For most of my life, I’ve been awed by my ability to do what I love, always hoping that my endeavors mattered in some small way. Being a bit of a gypsy soul, I never really planted roots, preferring instead to spread seeds of inspiration and perseverance as I move imperfectly forward on this spinning ball we call Earth.

I began my career as a textile and fashion designer, following in my father’s footsteps. While I didn’t much like the industry, I loved the creative side, which eventually led me to own a kite shop on Venice Beach, CA – Kaleidoscope Kites. Life dropped the most amazing experiences on me when I was looking out at the waves and up to the sky.
True to my nature, I eventually had to learn new things and found myself in the outdoor industry, opening stores, snowboarding as much as possible, always riding bikes, and exploring the world between jobs and a few more college degrees. Then I accidentally became a third-grade teacher of dual-language and bilingual Title I schools. You can ask me more about that when we meet up at some bike fest or out on the trails.

Then things got derailed somewhat. My brain got scrambled by a driver who crashed into me on my road bike. I’ll let you listen to the details on podcasts like Looking Up Stream & The Matt Sodnicar Podcast. I incurred a moderate closed-head brain injury, loads of scars, and a lifelong list of symptoms; most invisible to all but those who have experienced traumatic brain injury. It was the first of two TBI’s. Just call me a TBI Warrior, I prefer that to survivor. I wish to thrive as opposed to just survive.

bícíbits became part of my recovery. It began with bike sun catchers as I learned to connect neuro pathways and motor skills. Then people started buying them! Crazy, right? Then came apparel and repurposed bike parts incorporated into jewelry, and bike art in several mediums. I’m still working on that last one, as curiosity and learning something fresh are a combined force that keeps me linked to nature and interesting humans while staying motivated to live on this challenging journey.

I still pedal on as often as I can, getting lost on purpose for as many miles of smiles as possible.

Silvana signature