I am getting ready to put a wheel building class together. I was thinking about charging $30-$40 dollars to those who are building wheels for themselves and $15-20 for those who build a wheel for the shop to use. This would be similar to the set up that Rich at Community Cycles mentioned ( three 2 hour classes ) that way the first class can be about wheels, rims, hubs and measuring spokes so that folks can buy or find the materials they need before the next class.

I also liked the way Ellie at the Bike Church taught the wheel-building workshop at BikeBike last year. The rims and hubs and spokes were already picked out and the groups had to find the correct spoke length before they could get the spokes. Then they were able to learn lacing and tension, etc. This makes for a faster class and having all your materials ready cuts down on time and unexpected mistakes. You could charge less or nothing for this and still end up with a few wheels for the shop at the end.

Troy Neiman

BICAS

----- Original Message -----
From: bovineoaks@aol.com
To: thethinktank@bikecollectives.org
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Anyone have a wheel building class curriculum?
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:51:22 -0400

Each student has different needs for the wheels they put on their bicycles. It is hard to buy a bunch of rims and hubs that will make each rider happy. I let them choose rims and hubs they want and get them from other shops if I can not provide the materials. I am providing the Education Materials or the Wheel Building Class, That is enough. If I can supply the materials also, that is just dandy too. Lots of shops out there can supply materials but not education.

-----Original Message-----
From: allison karow <bike.saviours@gmail.com>
To: The Think Tank <thethinktank@bikecollectives.org>
Sent: Mon, Jul 6, 2009 2:08 am
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Anyone have a wheel building class curriculum?

What about buying new parts and then giving the students the option of buying the wheel at your shop's price minus the cost of the class?

On Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 4:20 PM, Sam Santos <lalato@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Rich,

Why not do both, depending on what the student can afford?

We did a couple of a free wheel building classes for our volunteers using parts that were lying around. One way to avoid problems that might crop up with used parts is to have the students deconstruct a wheel prior to the class. That way they will be working with all the parts from the same wheel thereby reducing any potential problems.

Good luck with the class!

--sam

On Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM, Rich Points <rich@communitycycles.org> wrote:

Hey All,
We're developing a wheel building class here at Community Cycles. We have a rough idea of what we'd like to do but we could use some help smoothing it out.

We're thinking the class would be three 2 hour sessions at a cost of $X to 6 - 8 students.

We've thought of two ways to go about supplies for the class. One would be to use recycled rims, hubs, nipples and maybe spokes. Another way would be to buy the parts from our wholesalers. The latter option means we could have control of what the class is working with. The former option could mean a lot more on the fly problem solving for the instructor and class but it'd be a lot cheaper for us and our students. I'm leaning towards the new parts option because I think it'll provide the highest quality of instruction. What do you guys think?

Another question we're trying to figure out is what happens to the wheels that get built in the class. At our shop we're always in dire need of 700cc wheels. So we're thinking the class could build 700 wheels and they'd be used by the shop. However people taking the class may want to build wheels that they'd keep as their own. If we structure the class to just build 700 fronts we have more consistency and control. If we let folks build wheels for their own projects the class might have more general appeal but presents logistical and supplies hurdles.

Please let us know how your shop is teaching wheel building.

Ride On!

--
Rich Points
Community Cycles Director
http://CommunityCycles.org
Rich@CommunityCycles.org
720-565-6019 (W)
303-589-0597 (C)
Donate your old car to Community Cycles
http://communitycycles.org/get-involved/donatecar.html
Make your ride count! Register for Bike to Work Day June 24, 2009 http://www.drcog.org/btwd2009/index.cfm?page=Register

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