Mechanic Skills Class

[Miranda]

One of my "bike dreams" if you will:rolleyes:, has been to feel confident in some DIY.

I know we have a lot of good info here, on the net, and there are books. Sometimes if the lbs is not busy, I've gotten tips there.

Everyone has different styles of learning. For me, I need hands on with supervision. It always comes down the confidence of wondering "did I do this right? or did I just mess up my bike?".

I would be willing to pay, and spend the time taking a class, but I'm not sure where a person goes. For any of you that have done this, please share. I've decided to make this one of my winter projects.:cool:

[bike4ever]

Go back to your LBS and ask them if they would do this for you. Be sure to tell them you are willing to pay.

[newfsmith]

Many shops offer courses in the slower winter months, so check ALL of the shops near you. REI stores usually have them also. You can check the Park Tool site for a listing of shops offering "Park Tool Schools".

[out_spokin']

I agree with the previous posts, and would add this -- check your local Craigslist, if you have one. In my area I've seen a couple moonlighting or solo mechanics who might be flexible with time, perhaps less expensive, and more easily able to tailor instruction to your needs.

[Miranda]

Thx ladies for your thoughts:). That's an idea about asking the shops. Some of my lbs experiences have been not so pleasant. Part of the motivation for the DIY. And to have more concrete knowledge (even if I didn't own the tool do to it).

That is an interesting tip about the moonlighting. There are plenty of teaching professionals who tutor on the side for additional income. Maybe there would be a mechanic to do the like away from the shop.

I did google find some more formalized classes and schools. They were way out of my area. I'll keep searching with those ideas.

[newfsmith]

Look through here for the nearest Park Tool School. It is an excellent program that will take you through every system on your bike, using the Big Blue book as a text. Some shops even offer a discount on tool purchases if you take the course from them.

http://www.parktool.com/clinics_training/parktoolschool.asp

[Miranda]

Look through here for the nearest Park Tool School. It is an excellent program that will take you through every system on your bike, using the Big Blue book as a text. Some shops even offer a discount on tool purchases if you take the course from them.

http://www.parktool.com/clinics_training/parktoolschool.asp


:) Thank you for that link! That is what I had in mind. I looked for a dealer, and a couple came up that are about an hour travel, maybe a bit less. I like the way the program is laid out with the text book. One problem I've had in the past with non-bike related private tutoring is that the person may be the best at what they do... however, their organization and teaching skills are not.

Unless I am missing it, I don't see a price. I assume this varies by local and shop a bit. Well, I assume unlike anything else with bikes, nothing is ever cheap:rolleyes:.

My only other thing that I thought about was an ad I see on and off in the back of Bicycling magazine. It's some type of ladies only retreat workshop that includes improving specific skills, and some mechanics. That's on my list of bike fantasy vacations. This one is in the Carolinas somewhere. That would be a plane ticket for the bike and I. That will take some long time selling to other non-bike loving folks at home:o. Hmmm... makes driving to tool school sound better, doesn't it? lol ;)

[OakLeaf]

My only other thing that I thought about was an ad I see on and off in the back of Bicycling magazine. It's some type of ladies only retreat workshop that includes improving specific skills, and some mechanics. That's on my list of bike fantasy vacations.

I haven't seen the ad - was it Women's Quest? It was one of their retreats that got me back into cycling a couple of years ago. It was a wonderful experience with a lot of soul-searching and heart work besides the cycling - I highly recommend it! I actually blew off the little bike maintenance seminar they had though... already knew some, mostly because I just needed a rest that afternoon.

[Miranda]

I haven't seen the ad - was it Women's Quest? It was one of their retreats that got me back into cycling a couple of years ago. It was a wonderful experience with a lot of soul-searching and heart work besides the cycling - I highly recommend it! I actually blew off the little bike maintenance seminar they had though... already knew some, mostly because I just needed a rest that afternoon.

Oakleaf... hmm, I don't know if it's the same company. But it sure sounds like it. I googled the web site, sounds similiar. The old dates are not on there from 2008. It's been a while since I saw the ad. I just think that would be such a cool thing to go and do. Sound like you had a wonderful time:cool:.

[uforgot]

Look through here for the nearest Park Tool School. It is an excellent program that will take you through every system on your bike, using the Big Blue book as a text. Some shops even offer a discount on tool purchases if you take the course from them.

http://www.parktool.com/clinics_training/parktoolschool.asp

This list is not at all accurate. I did the search a year or so ago and one shop absolutely did not have classes, he had no interest in giving classes, another shop was out of business/closed, but the third one did offer classes. Different kinds of classes but not "the" Park Tool School. Just does it his own way with no text book. I just did the search again and the same three shops came up. Even the out of business one.

[newfsmith]

I agree that it is not up-to-date, but since we don't know where the OP is located it seemed a fair starting point for her to do research from. I hope she was as successful as you were.

[ms pepperpot]

I'm currently doing a bike maintenance course. They're arranged by my local cycling campaign group and run by the LBS. It's only 5 classes of 2 hours, but a good start (though i think that I'll probably still be too nervous to do much myself).

The classes are quite informal. Even better for me is the course I got onto started the week after i got my beautiful LHT which had been built up by the same LBS, so the teacher knows my bike really well.

Anyway, this isn't really of much use to the OP seeing as I'm in a different bit of the world, but if you have local cycling campaign groups then maybe they run similar things or may be interested in setting some up.

[Miranda]

This list is not at all accurate. I did the search a year or so ago and one shop absolutely did not have classes, he had no interest in giving classes, another shop was out of business/closed, but the third one did offer classes. Different kinds of classes but not "the" Park Tool School. Just does it his own way with no text book. I just did the search again and the same three shops came up. Even the out of business one.


I agree that it is not up-to-date, but since we don't know where the OP is located it seemed a fair starting point for her to do research from. I hope she was as successful as you were.

Thx for the feedback about Park's website. It's ok if it's not dead on:).
Before this thread I really didn't know even which way to turn that there was even a Park Tool School at all. So, I'm already at an upgrade;).

[Miranda]

I'm currently doing a bike maintenance course. They're arranged by my local cycling campaign group and run by the LBS. It's only 5 classes of 2 hours, but a good start (though i think that I'll probably still be too nervous to do much myself).
The classes are quite informal. Even better for me is the course I got onto started the week after i got my beautiful LHT which had been built up by the same LBS, so the teacher knows my bike really well.

Anyway, this isn't really of much use to the OP seeing as I'm in a different bit of the world, but if you have local cycling campaign groups then maybe they run similar things or may be interested in setting some up.


Good for you on the classes. We have snow and ice here early, so my mechanics class can take on a more serious search with winter officially here. About being nervous to DIY, I feel the SAME way! I just get so freaked about messing something up. Plus, I don't have any support besides dragging my bike into whichever lbs I dare. I don't really have one I feel comfortable with. I can ask around some more. The gym is getting more outdoor peeps back in now with the snow. Thx:).

[Jones]

This is a bike mechanics program. I guess you have to stay there but I have no other info. http://www.bbinstitute.com/

[lunacycles]

aaargh, as a former instructor of this very class, I have to recommend United Bicycle Institute's women-only basic mechanics class. It is a week long, usually in the summer and covers everything from wheelbuilding, drivetrain adjustments, and suspension fork tuning.

Although no longer guaranteed to be taught by a woman:(, but the owner of UBI (Ron Sutphin) is hugely sensitive to the fact that women are a bit more likely than men to be intimidated by mechanical issues so the class is very gentle, very hands on, and very educational. Plus hanging out in Ashland, OR for a week is a blast. I taught it for 3 years: I loved it and I miss it.

[Miranda]

aaargh, as a former instructor of this very class, I have to recommend United Bicycle Institute's women-only basic mechanics class. It is a week long, usually in the summer and covers everything from wheelbuilding, drivetrain adjustments, and suspension fork tuning.

Although no longer guaranteed to be taught by a woman:(, but the owner of UBI (Ron Sutphin) is hugely sensitive to the fact that women are a bit more likely than men to be intimidated by mechanical issues so the class is very gentle, very hands on, and very educational. Plus hanging out in Ashland, OR for a week is a blast. I taught it for 3 years: I loved it and I miss it.

That's a really cool set up they have when I google it. Thx! Hmm, now my wheels are turning... ghee, my kids would even be out of school then. Wonder if I could get DH to take a trip there;)?

[Miranda]

This is a bike mechanics program. I guess you have to stay there but I have no other info. http://www.bbinstitute.com/


Thx for that link:).

It's nice to know that these options exist!

[DebW]

I did UBI's professional mechanic class for 2 weeks last April. Excellent course, but not for novices. Newfsmith did their one-week women's class last year.

[SJCzar]

I've been taking a mechanic's class at my LBS. The classes are two hours each for six weeks. This week will be the last class.

We have done things to our bikes that I would never have imagined that I would tackle myself. While I don't envision that I will ever have a career as a professional mechanic I have found that it is really cool to have a much better understanding of how everything works on it. It's been very satisfying to take things apart and be able to put it all back together again (and have it still work correctly). There were so many things on the bike that I would have been afraid to touch myself, but not anymore. I really looking forward to doing my own maintenance work. For the things that I can't do myself I'll be able to communicate my issues much better to the mechanics at my shop.

I would highly recommend taking some classes to everyone. Hopefully you'll have instructors as great as the two that have been teaching our classes.

[ms pepperpot]

For the things that I can't do myself I'll be able to communicate my issues much better to the mechanics at my shop.
.

This is something I've found too.

[Triskeliongirl]

I am not sure I would like a women's specific class. I mean come on, its all about logic which is not gender specific. I attended one women's specific class at my LBS, and was very disappointed by the slow pace. The only thing I will see that is sometimes different about men and women is a difference in mechanical strength. Whereas I can only make or break a chain with a shop quality park chain tool, DH can do it with a cheapie travel version. So, for me I found getting good tools made all the difference in the world.

In the end, I found I learned the most by just doing the work. Each time my bike needed something done to it, I'd develop a consensus protocol by reading what they said in my park tool blue book, zinn's book and bicycling mag book. I even managed to rebuild a shimano sti shifter on my own this way, even though in theory they are not rebuildable.

[lunacycles]

I am not sure I would like a women's specific class. I mean come on, its all about logic which is not gender specific.

The idea of a women specific class is that guys tend to have a lot more mechanical experience coming into a bike maintenance class than women--not always but often--and for some women this can feel intimidating. The UBI women's class covers the same amount of material as their regular basic mechanics class over the same amount of time. Maybe describing it as "slower" is inaccurate. I just mean to infer the pace respects the participants' needs and wants. I hope that makes sense.

It's just a personal thing. It is nice when there are more options for the mechanically intimidated.

[newfsmith]

I really loved the women's bike maintenance course at UBI. Socially, it was great. The participants brought a variety of bikes; full carbon road bikes to elderly MTB's, well maintained to thouroughly abused. It was a blast to see the variety of bikes and problems. They had enough work stations that you could work alone if you wanted to, or pair up if you preferred. You got to think out the problems yourself, or together. We did not, however, do any wheelbuilding or getting into fitting for women as I had hoped. Basically, the class I attended was a one-week, intensive, Park Tool School. I have no regrets about taking it, because I think the intensive approach works better and UBI had a collection of class bikes, MTB and road, so that you had a chance to work on all systems on both. The Park Tool School I attended, you only worked on your own bike. I felt I got a much broader exposure to bike repair at UBI and came out of it feeling much more confident. Even so, when I started stripping bikes at Bikes-not-Bombs, I had to figure out cottered cranks and Ashtabula cranks. If you can afford the tuition and can make it a vacation I recommend the UBI course for women. If it is too expensive, you can get very similar instruction at a Park Tool School, but you will most likely be working in groups. If that is too expensive, try googling for "earn-a-bike" programs. Most are aimed at youth, but they will often train the instructors for free, as long as you committ to instructing for a time period. You do mostly see X-mart bikes, but a fair number of good bikes get donated also. All experience is good. Good luck.

[DebW]

And by taking the women's only class at UBI, you got to avoid one guy telling the whole class how he got himself caught in his zipper, twice.