Spend an afternoon learning basic bicycle repair skills under the supervision of an Edinburgh Bicycle mechanic.
Even if you rely on the bike shop, or your dad, or the local bike nut to keep your bicycle in good running order, there are a few basic tricks every cyclist should know:
- how to remove and refit a wheel and tyre, so you can fix a puncture
- how to tighten the brakes
- how to stop the brake blocks rubbing when they’re off and squealing when they’re on;
- how to adjust the gears so they accurately index (i.e. move the chain onto the next cog with each click of the lever).
Classes are small, informal and, we trust, fun and informative. We lend out all the tools required (and a workstand) to make it easy to work on your bike.
Our mechanic will also demonstrate the following tricks of the trade (though you won’t be expected to practice them):
- how to true a buckled wheel
- how to align squint handlebars, so they’re at right angles to the front wheel
- what to do if you suffer a broken brake or gear cable
- how to free a stiff chain link
- how to rejoin a broken chain
- how to tighten loose cranks and pedals
- how to ‘boot’ a blown tyre sidewall
At the end of the Foundation Course, you’ll be given an illustrated handout to remind you how to do it yourself should you ever have to fix the bike on your own.
For more details and availability click here.
