Bike Maintenance Classes/Training?

[eminva]

Locally, there’s this, or if you were looking for an excuse to get out west with your bike, this or this.

Liz

[thecyclingeconomist]

@bluerider 35302 wrote:

I prefer more hands on type of training rather than watching others. I would be interested in learning more bike stuff over the winter if any opportunities are available.

Thanks in advance

I am going to be doing a full tear down/re-build of my commuter this weekend if you’d want to watch the process (It’ll take about an hour and a half in total). I’ll also be truing my wheels etc. I’m in Alexandria. Shoot me a PM if you’d like.

[thucydides]

The local REIs very occasionally offer a Total Bicycle Maintenance course. (I’m not talking about their regular Bike Maintenance Basics course, which is too basic for what you want.) The Total course is pretty good — I took it in June 2011 at the Baileys location — and covers a lot of your interests. Its lasts for about 7 hours. As I recall we started to run out of time near the end and mainly got showed some things about bottom brackets (types, tools, methods, etc) but all the derailleur and brake stuff was very hands on. Alas they don’t offer it much. You’d think that Fall and Winter would be the perfect time, but looking at their events calendar I don’t see it listed. The following link covers all the local stores, not just Baileys: http://www.rei.com/stores/baileys-crossroads.html#classesAndEvents.

[Greenbelt]

I think LBSs often do maintenance classes in winter. Proteus is doing an advanced class in January and another in March. There will also be a couple beginner classes. They’re usually in the evening on weekdays I think.

[Amalitza]

I took the beginner’s course here http://velocitycoop.org/?page_id=8 which was very basic– almost too basic to be useful for me (I already knew how to change a flat and adjust my brakes), but they did throw in some basic derailleur adjustment and tire truing also. I haven’t tried the advanced class. The price is right– donate whatever you want to add to the jar/feel the class was worth before you leave.

[Valerie]

The Bike Rack has 6-week bike maintenance classes several times throughout the year. They just started a new six-week session yesterday (it was sold out), but you can get information about the next series by signing up for their mailing list and liking them on Facebook.

[Greenbelt]

Anthony and Ben and Johnny just set up the dates and outlines for the Proteus beginning and (more) advanced maintenance classes for January. Details on the shop site. I think they’re planning to repeat the classes in March, but not sure at this point. Here are the dates and times and costs and subjects:

Proteus Entry Level Maintenance Course – 2 Day Course: January 14 & 15, 2013
Includes: Two, two hour courses from 7:15-9:15pm in bicycle maintenance, 1) Park Tools Manual, 1) 2oz bottle of Tri-flow Lube
Cost: $150
Class Description:
This class is designed to address basic maintenance practices and minor mechanical adjustments that a rider may encounter in preparation for, or during, a ride . Students are requested to bring their own bicycles.
This is not a comprehensive mechanics course.

Day 1: Lecture and rear tire change followed by Question and Answer

3 Part Lecture:
How It Works
 Braking Theory and Application
 Shifting Theory and Application
 Tire Pressure Theory and Application
Basic Adjustments
 Minor Brake Adjustments using adjusting barrel
 Checking brake pad wear
 Adjusting shifting using adjusting barrels
 Checking drivetrain wear
 Full Bicycle cleaning and lubrication
Demonstration:
 Rear wheel, tire, and tube removal and installation
• Application:
o Rear wheel, tire, and tube removal and installation on students own bike

Day 2: Application followed by Question and Answer

• Application:
o Remove Wheels
o Clean bike thoroughly
o Lubricate pivots on brakes and derailleurs
o Reinstall wheels
o Reattach brakes where necessary
o Clean and lubricate chain
o Check braking and shifting operation
o Conduct minor adjustments on brakes and derailleurs
o Items to check for advanced maintenance:
 Headset, bottom bracket, hubs, and wheel true
• Question and Answer

Proteus Advanced Level Maintenance Course – 2 Day Course: January 16 & 18, 2013
Includes: 2) two hour courses from 7:15-9:15pm in bicycle maintenance, 1) Park Tools Manual, 1) 2oz bottle of Tri-flow Lube
Cost: $150
Class Description:
Conducting a comprehensive tune up on your bike. Lecture will be given during application.
***Prerequisites for this class are: the ability to remove and install your wheels, Changing your own flat, Lefty-Loosey/Righty-Tighty, basic understanding of brake and shifting operation

Day 1: Introduction

• Application:
o Wheel cleaning, adjusting and basic truing
 Check hub condition and adjust hub bearing preload
 Clean wheels and check condition of components
 Put wheels in truing stand and true wheels
o Clean bike thoroughly
• The following items will be checked during first class and written out on a repair ticket to be completed in the next days course:
o Check headset adjustment
o Check bottom bracket adjustment
o Check brake pad wear
o Check cable and housing condition
o Check drivetrain wear
o Reinstall wheels

Day 2: Application followed by Question and Answer

• Installation of necessary parts
o This step is limited to Tires, Tubes, Chains, Brakepads, Cables and Housing. Parts in need of replacement outside of these will need to be done outside of the class or checked in as a repair.
• Adjust headset if necessary
• Adjust bottom bracket if possible
• Lubricate pivot points on necessary components
• Brake calipers and levers
• Derailleurs and shifters
• Lubricate chain
• Lubricate cables and housing
• Adjust brakes
o cable tension, pad adjustment, and spring tension screw adjustment
• Adjust Derailleurs
o Cable tension, limit screw adjustment, fine tune with adj. barrels
• Question and Answer

[JustinW]

Papillion Cycles (http://papilloncycles.com/) on Columbia Pike host a tire changing class on Tuesdays and a general intro-to-maintenance class on Thursdays. Both are promoted in-store, tho only one is mentioned on their website. Helpful guys there – you may enjoy it.

[Greenbelt]

Bumping this thread — Anthony mentioned last night that he has a couple places left in both of next week’s maintenance classes (entry level and advanced) for anybody out in MD who might be interested. http://www.proteusbicycles.com/maintenance-courses/

[thecyclingeconomist]

An FYI to all of you here on the Forum: I’ll be hosting (along with help from Tim and Zanna in getting the place setup) an intermediate tech-session (completely free) at the Shirlington Library on February 27th from 6-8pm. This is being aimed purely at forum folks. If you plan on coming, please shoot me a quick PM so I can put you down on the list.

I’ll be putting together a flyer and re-post it on here in the upcoming weeks, but since this thread is still warm, I figured that I’d throw it out there.

I’ll be doing:
1. front and rear derailleur adjustment (setting stops, proper initial adjustments, including what the b-pivot actually does), and chain installation (setting the length).
2. Brake adjustments (caliper and disc)
3. Pedal, crank, bottom-bracket and headset installation/greasing/adjustment. (Also, proper maintenance routines and the implications of failing to do it)
4. Basics of wheel-truing (not wheel-building, that’ll have to be a different event.)
5. Basics of bicycle-fitting (saddle adjustments fore and aft, seat-post height, stem length, handle-bar width, cleat placement, crank-length)

I’ll do a purely instructional portion, and then open for questions within each section of the class.

[Author]

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