Re: [TheThinkTank] Structuring beginner mechanics classes
Sarah,
At Reno Bike Project we offer a 9-week, 2 hour-long class on Thursdays to teach members the basics of bike repair. We use donated MTBs with rigid forks and braze ons for racks - good, sturdy commuters; and we try to select bikes either with caliper or V brakes only. When the class/bikes are finished. they are set aside for our create-a-commuter program.
We hit one component or component group a week in this order: Week 1 – Bike Inspection, Strip Cables & Housing Week 2 – Wheels: Inspection, Hub Overhaul Week 3 – Wheels: Truing & Dishing Week 4 – Bottom Bracket & Headset Overhaul Week 5 – Makeup & Review Week 6 – Cables & Housing Week 7 – Brake Setup Week 8 – Shifter Setup & Chain Week 9 – Makeup & Review/End-of-Session Party
After several curriculum edits, we think this order makes the most sense. We start each class with a brief discussion and demo of what we're working on (including going over variations on the component to give students a more broad introduction than just what style of BB/brake setup/etc. their class bike has), then get into the hands-on work, overseen by two instructors for a class of ~10. Having a small student-to-teacher ratio ensures that everyone gets the one on one attention they need to absorb the lesson and get their work for the night done.
More info here, or email me: http://renobikeproject.org/programming-and-events/education/ Genevieve Parker RBP Program Director http://www.renobikeproject.com/
Like Reno, OCBC's classes are in the order you would do a tune up (or overhaul, in their case: Bravo!). We just switched from a lecture/demo format to mostly hands-on, using bikes from stock, also like Reno, but we choose a variety (1 & 3 piece cranks, horizontal and vertical dropouts, and different types of brakes, derailers and shifters), and always bikes that do not need parts replaced (other than tires, pads, and perhaps a chain). Info on that is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Our hands on curriculum is still in dev. but you can see our old lecture format (rough) lesson plans here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=ShopClassCurriculum
Much of that info is out of this new format, tho. We concentrate on just fixing the bike in front of us! Someday we will probably bring that back as a companion lecture series; probably AFTER we add a hands-on overhaul, or "Build a Bike" class.
A couple years after that outline was written, modules for fixing flats, bike fit adjustments and other info for beginners were broken out into the first hour of the 4-class lecture series, for what could then be a 3-hour class for them. Too long! We will probably bring those "Bike Basics" classes back, as they can be taught by less-mechaical volunteers, and are what we offer free with a refurbished bike (along with a 3-hour Traffic Skills intro ride).
Info on Bike Basics is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Peace, Jim
Jim Sheehan Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim@ohiocitycycles.org
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 4:31 PM, Genevieve Parker < genevieve@renobikeproject.com> wrote:
Sarah,
At Reno Bike Project we offer a 9-week, 2 hour-long class on Thursdays to teach members the basics of bike repair. We use donated MTBs with rigid forks and braze ons for racks - good, sturdy commuters; and we try to select bikes either with caliper or V brakes only. When the class/bikes are finished. they are set aside for our create-a-commuter program.
We hit one component or component group a week in this order: Week 1 – Bike Inspection, Strip Cables & Housing Week 2 – Wheels: Inspection, Hub Overhaul Week 3 – Wheels: Truing & Dishing Week 4 – Bottom Bracket & Headset Overhaul Week 5 – Makeup & Review Week 6 – Cables & Housing Week 7 – Brake Setup Week 8 – Shifter Setup & Chain Week 9 – Makeup & Review/End-of-Session Party
After several curriculum edits, we think this order makes the most sense. We start each class with a brief discussion and demo of what we're working on (including going over variations on the component to give students a more broad introduction than just what style of BB/brake setup/etc. their class bike has), then get into the hands-on work, overseen by two instructors for a class of ~10. Having a small student-to-teacher ratio ensures that everyone gets the one on one attention they need to absorb the lesson and get their work for the night done.
More info here, or email me: http://renobikeproject.org/programming-and-events/education/ Genevieve Parker RBP Program Director http://www.renobikeproject.com/
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
My short instruction sessions started off with quick terminology, then the components in the ABC Quick Check (air, brakes, crank/chain, quick releases) -- the kinds of repairs and simple checks that can be done with a multitool if that's all you have. Considering these were ninety minute classes that sometimes went ninety minutes over, there should be plenty of room for the basics.
One thing I found very useful, and I couldn't tell if you were incorporating it, is getting hands-on. The Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is always swimming in used tires, tubes, and wheels, and it was simple enough to put a full wheel together for each student, then have them pump up their tires, find holes, patch them, and put the wheel back together.
--Ryan
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 2:25 PM, Jim Sheehan jim@ohiocitycycles.org wrote:
Like Reno, OCBC's classes are in the order you would do a tune up (or overhaul, in their case: Bravo!). We just switched from a lecture/demo format to mostly hands-on, using bikes from stock, also like Reno, but we choose a variety (1 & 3 piece cranks, horizontal and vertical dropouts, and different types of brakes, derailers and shifters), and always bikes that do not need parts replaced (other than tires, pads, and perhaps a chain). Info on that is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Our hands on curriculum is still in dev. but you can see our old lecture format (rough) lesson plans here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=ShopClassCurriculum
Much of that info is out of this new format, tho. We concentrate on just fixing the bike in front of us! Someday we will probably bring that back as a companion lecture series; probably AFTER we add a hands-on overhaul, or "Build a Bike" class.
A couple years after that outline was written, modules for fixing flats, bike fit adjustments and other info for beginners were broken out into the first hour of the 4-class lecture series, for what could then be a 3-hour class for them. Too long! We will probably bring those "Bike Basics" classes back, as they can be taught by less-mechaical volunteers, and are what we offer free with a refurbished bike (along with a 3-hour Traffic Skills intro ride).
Info on Bike Basics is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Peace, Jim
Jim Sheehan Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim@ohiocitycycles.org
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 4:31 PM, Genevieve Parker < genevieve@renobikeproject.com> wrote:
Sarah,
At Reno Bike Project we offer a 9-week, 2 hour-long class on Thursdays to teach members the basics of bike repair. We use donated MTBs with rigid forks and braze ons for racks - good, sturdy commuters; and we try to select bikes either with caliper or V brakes only. When the class/bikes are finished. they are set aside for our create-a-commuter program.
We hit one component or component group a week in this order: Week 1 – Bike Inspection, Strip Cables & Housing Week 2 – Wheels: Inspection, Hub Overhaul Week 3 – Wheels: Truing & Dishing Week 4 – Bottom Bracket & Headset Overhaul Week 5 – Makeup & Review Week 6 – Cables & Housing Week 7 – Brake Setup Week 8 – Shifter Setup & Chain Week 9 – Makeup & Review/End-of-Session Party
After several curriculum edits, we think this order makes the most sense. We start each class with a brief discussion and demo of what we're working on (including going over variations on the component to give students a more broad introduction than just what style of BB/brake setup/etc. their class bike has), then get into the hands-on work, overseen by two instructors for a class of ~10. Having a small student-to-teacher ratio ensures that everyone gets the one on one attention they need to absorb the lesson and get their work for the night done.
More info here, or email me: http://renobikeproject.org/programming-and-events/education/ Genevieve Parker RBP Program Director http://www.renobikeproject.com/
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
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Late but . . . http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Maintenance_Classes
I suggest you start with the end in mind. What do you think it's important for your students to learn. Can it fit in the time available?
I'm probably a loaner in this, but I prefer to give them an overall basic understanding and then go back and teach the details of the sub-systems. If you have time, overhaul is great. But I can't see learning how to overhaul a hub if you can't fix a flat or make sure the bike will stop.
I too use a modification of the American League of Bicyclist list ( http://www.bikeleague.org/content/smart-cycling-tips-0) to teach a basic tune-up/ minor troubleshooting class in 3 hours. We dismount both wheel assemblies, remount them, and break down the front wheel. I puncture and old tube and they patch it the old fashioned way. LOL, I have a vintage Camel path kit to quickly talk about why you don't want to light up the vulcanizing fluid.
I'm going to start using the hand drawn open source component break-downs at the beginning as reference sheets for vocabulary.
I can tell with in :30 minutes as we do the wheels if I will be able to do the brakes as hands on or if it will be show and tell due to time constraints. But at least they learned how to fix a flat. If anyone has Vee brakes, I go in depth into how to adjust them and why the rim has to be straight and how to do a quick on bike wheel tune. After that the other types are easier to cover and explain the different safety margin. C & D are pretty straight forward, we did some of "C" in brakes. I show how on "most" bikes you can loosen the rear derailleur cable and use that to demonstrate cable maintenance. let everyone feel the before and after drag. Later that makes a good reference for an explanation of the index shifter and why drag is bad.
For a longer multi session class, I suggest you do wheels first as a quick assessment of skill level. For some people "righty-tighty" is outside their skill level and they will require a bit more attention. Few are stupid, that's not the point. It's just mechanical things are foreign. I give them credit for trying something new.
A is for Air B is for Brakes C is for cranks (pedal attachment check) and chain, cables D is for Derailleur (how it works, what the limiting screws do and don't do, basic troubleshooting and how to check alignment)
If it can't roll, it's an art piece. If it can't stop, you're dead. If any of these things fail, it probably won't be good. If this is working properly, you will enjoy ridding more.
Plus A,B,C,D is easy to remember.
I've picked up several tune-up sheets from the web, drop me a note and I'll send you a link to my documents, they include the hand drawn open source component break-downs.
Ron Kellis | Véloteer & Basic Maintenance Instructor | VéloCity Bicycle Co-op | 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 | velocitycoop.org | +1 (703) 549-1108
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 11:04 PM, Ryan Sharpe sharpe@sacbikekitchen.org wrote:
My short instruction sessions started off with quick terminology, then the components in the ABC Quick Check (air, brakes, crank/chain, quick releases) -- the kinds of repairs and simple checks that can be done with a multitool if that's all you have. Considering these were ninety minute classes that sometimes went ninety minutes over, there should be plenty of room for the basics.
One thing I found very useful, and I couldn't tell if you were incorporating it, is getting hands-on. The Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is always swimming in used tires, tubes, and wheels, and it was simple enough to put a full wheel together for each student, then have them pump up their tires, find holes, patch them, and put the wheel back together.
--Ryan
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 2:25 PM, Jim Sheehan jim@ohiocitycycles.org wrote:
Like Reno, OCBC's classes are in the order you would do a tune up (or overhaul, in their case: Bravo!). We just switched from a lecture/demo format to mostly hands-on, using bikes from stock, also like Reno, but we choose a variety (1 & 3 piece cranks, horizontal and vertical dropouts, and different types of brakes, derailers and shifters), and always bikes that do not need parts replaced (other than tires, pads, and perhaps a chain). Info on that is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Our hands on curriculum is still in dev. but you can see our old lecture format (rough) lesson plans here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=ShopClassCurriculum
Much of that info is out of this new format, tho. We concentrate on just fixing the bike in front of us! Someday we will probably bring that back as a companion lecture series; probably AFTER we add a hands-on overhaul, or "Build a Bike" class.
A couple years after that outline was written, modules for fixing flats, bike fit adjustments and other info for beginners were broken out into the first hour of the 4-class lecture series, for what could then be a 3-hour class for them. Too long! We will probably bring those "Bike Basics" classes back, as they can be taught by less-mechaical volunteers, and are what we offer free with a refurbished bike (along with a 3-hour Traffic Skills intro ride).
Info on Bike Basics is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Peace, Jim
Jim Sheehan Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim@ohiocitycycles.org
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 4:31 PM, Genevieve Parker < genevieve@renobikeproject.com> wrote:
Sarah,
At Reno Bike Project we offer a 9-week, 2 hour-long class on Thursdays to teach members the basics of bike repair. We use donated MTBs with rigid forks and braze ons for racks - good, sturdy commuters; and we try to select bikes either with caliper or V brakes only. When the class/bikes are finished. they are set aside for our create-a-commuter program.
We hit one component or component group a week in this order: Week 1 – Bike Inspection, Strip Cables & Housing Week 2 – Wheels: Inspection, Hub Overhaul Week 3 – Wheels: Truing & Dishing Week 4 – Bottom Bracket & Headset Overhaul Week 5 – Makeup & Review Week 6 – Cables & Housing Week 7 – Brake Setup Week 8 – Shifter Setup & Chain Week 9 – Makeup & Review/End-of-Session Party
After several curriculum edits, we think this order makes the most sense. We start each class with a brief discussion and demo of what we're working on (including going over variations on the component to give students a more broad introduction than just what style of BB/brake setup/etc. their class bike has), then get into the hands-on work, overseen by two instructors for a class of ~10. Having a small student-to-teacher ratio ensures that everyone gets the one on one attention they need to absorb the lesson and get their work for the night done.
More info here, or email me: http://renobikeproject.org/programming-and-events/education/ Genevieve Parker RBP Program Director http://www.renobikeproject.com/
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
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-- Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen http://sacbikekitchen.org/ 1915 I Street, Midtown Sacramento Open Tu 6-9p, We 6-9p, Th 6-9p, Fr 10a-2p (kids 6-8p), Sa 10a-2p
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Thanks for the advice everyone - Bike wiki and Think Tank is such a great resource :) See ya'll in Detroit!
-Sarah S. FMCBW
On Wed, Feb 10, 2016 at 4:03 PM, Ron Kellis ron.kellis@velocitycoop.org wrote:
Late but . . . http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Maintenance_Classes
I suggest you start with the end in mind. What do you think it's important for your students to learn. Can it fit in the time available?
I'm probably a loaner in this, but I prefer to give them an overall basic understanding and then go back and teach the details of the sub-systems. If you have time, overhaul is great. But I can't see learning how to overhaul a hub if you can't fix a flat or make sure the bike will stop.
I too use a modification of the American League of Bicyclist list ( http://www.bikeleague.org/content/smart-cycling-tips-0) to teach a basic tune-up/ minor troubleshooting class in 3 hours. We dismount both wheel assemblies, remount them, and break down the front wheel. I puncture and old tube and they patch it the old fashioned way. LOL, I have a vintage Camel path kit to quickly talk about why you don't want to light up the vulcanizing fluid.
I'm going to start using the hand drawn open source component break-downs at the beginning as reference sheets for vocabulary.
I can tell with in :30 minutes as we do the wheels if I will be able to do the brakes as hands on or if it will be show and tell due to time constraints. But at least they learned how to fix a flat. If anyone has Vee brakes, I go in depth into how to adjust them and why the rim has to be straight and how to do a quick on bike wheel tune. After that the other types are easier to cover and explain the different safety margin. C & D are pretty straight forward, we did some of "C" in brakes. I show how on "most" bikes you can loosen the rear derailleur cable and use that to demonstrate cable maintenance. let everyone feel the before and after drag. Later that makes a good reference for an explanation of the index shifter and why drag is bad.
For a longer multi session class, I suggest you do wheels first as a quick assessment of skill level. For some people "righty-tighty" is outside their skill level and they will require a bit more attention. Few are stupid, that's not the point. It's just mechanical things are foreign. I give them credit for trying something new.
A is for Air B is for Brakes C is for cranks (pedal attachment check) and chain, cables D is for Derailleur (how it works, what the limiting screws do and don't do, basic troubleshooting and how to check alignment)
If it can't roll, it's an art piece. If it can't stop, you're dead. If any of these things fail, it probably won't be good. If this is working properly, you will enjoy ridding more.
Plus A,B,C,D is easy to remember.
I've picked up several tune-up sheets from the web, drop me a note and I'll send you a link to my documents, they include the hand drawn open source component break-downs.
Ron Kellis | Véloteer & Basic Maintenance Instructor | VéloCity Bicycle Co-op | 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 | velocitycoop.org | +1 (703) 549-1108
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 11:04 PM, Ryan Sharpe sharpe@sacbikekitchen.org wrote:
My short instruction sessions started off with quick terminology, then the components in the ABC Quick Check (air, brakes, crank/chain, quick releases) -- the kinds of repairs and simple checks that can be done with a multitool if that's all you have. Considering these were ninety minute classes that sometimes went ninety minutes over, there should be plenty of room for the basics.
One thing I found very useful, and I couldn't tell if you were incorporating it, is getting hands-on. The Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is always swimming in used tires, tubes, and wheels, and it was simple enough to put a full wheel together for each student, then have them pump up their tires, find holes, patch them, and put the wheel back together.
--Ryan
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 2:25 PM, Jim Sheehan jim@ohiocitycycles.org wrote:
Like Reno, OCBC's classes are in the order you would do a tune up (or overhaul, in their case: Bravo!). We just switched from a lecture/demo format to mostly hands-on, using bikes from stock, also like Reno, but we choose a variety (1 & 3 piece cranks, horizontal and vertical dropouts, and different types of brakes, derailers and shifters), and always bikes that do not need parts replaced (other than tires, pads, and perhaps a chain). Info on that is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Our hands on curriculum is still in dev. but you can see our old lecture format (rough) lesson plans here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=ShopClassCurriculum
Much of that info is out of this new format, tho. We concentrate on just fixing the bike in front of us! Someday we will probably bring that back as a companion lecture series; probably AFTER we add a hands-on overhaul, or "Build a Bike" class.
A couple years after that outline was written, modules for fixing flats, bike fit adjustments and other info for beginners were broken out into the first hour of the 4-class lecture series, for what could then be a 3-hour class for them. Too long! We will probably bring those "Bike Basics" classes back, as they can be taught by less-mechaical volunteers, and are what we offer free with a refurbished bike (along with a 3-hour Traffic Skills intro ride).
Info on Bike Basics is here:
http://ohiocitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...
Peace, Jim
Jim Sheehan Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim@ohiocitycycles.org
On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 4:31 PM, Genevieve Parker < genevieve@renobikeproject.com> wrote:
Sarah,
At Reno Bike Project we offer a 9-week, 2 hour-long class on Thursdays to teach members the basics of bike repair. We use donated MTBs with rigid forks and braze ons for racks - good, sturdy commuters; and we try to select bikes either with caliper or V brakes only. When the class/bikes are finished. they are set aside for our create-a-commuter program.
We hit one component or component group a week in this order: Week 1 – Bike Inspection, Strip Cables & Housing Week 2 – Wheels: Inspection, Hub Overhaul Week 3 – Wheels: Truing & Dishing Week 4 – Bottom Bracket & Headset Overhaul Week 5 – Makeup & Review Week 6 – Cables & Housing Week 7 – Brake Setup Week 8 – Shifter Setup & Chain Week 9 – Makeup & Review/End-of-Session Party
After several curriculum edits, we think this order makes the most sense. We start each class with a brief discussion and demo of what we're working on (including going over variations on the component to give students a more broad introduction than just what style of BB/brake setup/etc. their class bike has), then get into the hands-on work, overseen by two instructors for a class of ~10. Having a small student-to-teacher ratio ensures that everyone gets the one on one attention they need to absorb the lesson and get their work for the night done.
More info here, or email me: http://renobikeproject.org/programming-and-events/education/ Genevieve Parker RBP Program Director http://www.renobikeproject.com/
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org">Unsubscribe from this list</a>
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-- Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen http://sacbikekitchen.org/ 1915 I Street, Midtown Sacramento Open Tu 6-9p, We 6-9p, Th 6-9p, Fr 10a-2p (kids 6-8p), Sa 10a-2p
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participants (5)
-
Genevieve Parker -
Jim Sheehan -
Ron Kellis -
Ryan Sharpe -
Sarah Schaan