Mid-level maintenance clinic… just throwing it out there.

[KelOnWheels]

Me, I would love this.

[Mikey]

Perhaps couple with a great organization like Phoenix bikes or the Bike house, etc, and then have all fees be donations to these great organizations.

[eminva]

I would be interested in this. I am leading a scout troop on the C&O Canal trip next summer. Shocking as this will be to all of you, I am probably about #2 or #3 in mechanical knowledge based on what i know right now of all the adults going on the trip. Not that anyone would need a cassette to be replaced on the C&O, but the more I know, the better prepared I would be for any emergencies.

Also, it would be nice to know all this stuff so I can do more of the work maintaining our household fleet.

Liz

[Mikey]

Plus eminva,

If you got all of the kids together ahead of time, and checked out their bikes with a trained mechanic you could see what tools and parts you would need to bring with you. There are probably a few different configurations of kids bikes out there and different sized, types of parts and tools you would need to carry.

[Bilsko]

My recommendation would be to do this a couple times through the winter (maybe once a month). Co-locate with local farmers’ markets or something with the BikeArlington Happy Hours perhaps.

Count me in to contribute; my maintenance skills are probably low-to-mid level but I’m happy to help however I can.

[thecyclingeconomist]

I’m definitely open for something, but will have to plan ahead. My second child is due on December 16th! Yowza! I also have a nice patio where I do my bike mech. If two or three wanted to hang out and play with their own bikes (better to practice and get your hands dirty on your own gear so that you know how to fix it when it does break), I’d be open to that too.

I got a couple PMs, but schedules didn’t work out for this weekends tinkerings (did my first internal-geared hub setup; definitely funkay.)

[jrenaut]

Definitely interested. Right now I want to throw all non-essential moving parts on my bike out the window and ride brakeless fixie because I’m tired of having to go to the bike shop to get stuff adjusted. And I, too, have children who insist on being constantly underfoot (I keep telling the older one, “You’re FOUR, get a job already”).

Perhaps a kid-friendly location with space to work on bikes? Does something like that exist? I know it’s a little different with a newborn, but as long as you pack them properly they’re like hungry suitcases for the first month or two, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

[bluerider]

Yep, I would be interested as well.

[Tim Kelley]

BikeArlington would love to participate by getting the word out to the public on this and providing snacks at the event or at a meetup afterwards! Zanna is out of the office today, but when she get’s back maybe we could work on a schedule.

Going into the Holiday season, we’re going to be competing with holiday parties really soon. We might want to think about January.

[eminva]

January (or later) would work better for me; December is kind of busy at my work.

That said, I think you should pick a date that works for you and the rest of us can work around you. Professor’s privilege. Maybe we can hire a babysitter while you teach us?

Liz

[KLizotte]

I’m definitely interested since I only know how to change a tire, clean and lube, and lightly adjust the brakes. Because my bikes are stored in my little apartment, they are constantly be knocked about and falling over and suffering minor traumas. My six month freebie service repairs at the LBS have expired as well.

[thecyclingeconomist]

Tim,

Maybe you could shoot me a PM, and we can chat about setting up some details (time/place/invitation).

~TCE

[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.

[Arlingtonrider]

Hurray! Thanks so much for offering to do this. I’ll get back to you as soon as I find out my travel schedule.

[vvill]

Sounds pretty good. I’ll try to make it.

[Author]

Posts