• cleaning bikes with rag/water/simple green
• cleaning small parts at a table with toothbrushes
• sorting the tiny parts (nuts, washers, springs, ferrules, etc) by shape/size
• sorting bigger parts by size (seatposts, stems, forks, tires, tubes, etc)
• examining parts for damage beyond repair. ie, cracks in frames, forks, bars, bent parts, etc.
• check tubes for holes (with a pump, bucket/basin, water) (this can also be a great group lesson. go over the steps of patching a flat with a large group, then let them team up to tackle a pile of flat or possibly flat tubes. it's good to have at least one or two experienced floaters to help. also good to have them pump up a bunch at once at the beginning. the obviously flat ones will become clear right away. slow leaks will take a little longer, and non leakers will remain full at the end.
• with a little guidance, you can have them strip bikes of parts like old gross grips, old gross cables, etc. obviously who gets to hold and use cutting tools require some discretion.
