About

Mica is founded and operated by me, Skyler Des Roches, in North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

I previously designed products at Porcelain Rocket, including classic bikepacking bags now made by Rockgeist such as Microwave Panniers, 52Hz frame packs, the Dumpling hip packs, and Nigel.

I started thinking about using a mini-rack to replace a seat pack in 2017 or 2018, but back then I never came up with a nice way to make them adjustable to fit any bike.

More recently, I worked at a start-up that makes metal 3D printers and high-temperature vacuum sintering furnaces, where I was involved with the design of the furnace. Here I gained experience in metalworking, metallurgy, and hardware design - and a deep appreciation for the special qualities of steel - that led me to revisit the idea of an ultralight bikepacking rack. From those experiments and prototypes, Mica was born.

I hope to create a business where products/design are kept in the context that it's really about everyone (everyone!) having fun outside in whatever creative way they choose. So, it's my goal is to make simple (perhaps minimalist), useful, and durable products that will serve as fun-enablers for many years.