bike maintance

[Rob W]

I have just had to put my bike into the shop again to have my gears looked at,more money.does the club do any kind of maintance type classes,as i would like to be able to do more to my bikes.i even have one in bits and would love to be able to build it up myself.

[tel]

Paul Tunnell is the man-he promised to run a workshop at the clubroom last winter but with his move, etc must have been too busy.

Maybe next winter/

Terry

[Rob Q]

[quote="Rob W"]I have just had to put my bike into the shop again to have my gears looked at,more money.does the club do any kind of maintance type classes,as i would like to be able to do more to my bikes.i even have one in bits and would love to be able to build it up myself.

[Andrew G]

To be honest just about everything is easy enough to do yourself once you get over the fear factor. Has been one in the clubroom after the season most years so could be arranged again for this year. Best meet until after the season as people have more free time.

[Dombo]

What actually needs doing?
Leonard Zinn's books on either mtbs or road bike maintenance are excellent and only about a tenner. Also the parktool website is very good: http://www.parktool.com
Headset fitting is probably best left to your LBS, everything else can be done yourself. Especially on roadbikes. I don't even bother with a stand - stick it upside down for anything to do with gears, wheel truing; right way up for bottom brackets/chainsets, pedals.

[Rob W]

If there is a class run some time then i shall be there.I know that books are good, but for me its best to see it done.It all falls into place better.

[Dan_K]

I'd be interested in tagging along too.

[Alex S]

there are a lot of good bike maintenance how tos on youtube.

[Rob W]

Cheers for the web sites to look at,they seem pretty good.But if the club does any maintance classes later in the year i will go along.

[ben instone]

just been chatting to chloe, and i might be able to help out. I used to run a course on bike maintenace. The way i used to do it was the person would come over with there bike and strip it down completely and then put it back together so learning how to do everything on their bike and getting it all working at the same time. Parts needed are normally new cable, old ones dont like being re-fitted sometimes, maybe new brake blocks and anything else which is bust. Cable and pads normally work out about £40 plus about £60 for my time, It normally takes about 4hours depending on how mechanically useless you are and how much of a state your bike is in.

so it ends up being about £100

let me know if your interested, my email is on my website, ben@bikedoc.co.uk

[Alex S]

If anyone needs to be shown any specific things I am honestly more than happy to arrange a time to meet up to show you some odd jobs for cake if you pm me, I have tools.

I am happy to demonstrate how to:

install/adjust V-brakes + change pads
install/adjust caliper brakes + change pads
install mechanical disk brake
Do bar tape with 1 or 2 colour tape, fit road levers, change inner/outer wires etc.
fix rocking headsets, take forks out, remove and refit headset, rebuild front end etc
true + dish wheels
Change gear/wired brake cables
How to set up rear gears + do minor adjustments on the fly
install/remove hollowtech chainsets and BB, change chainrings etc.
install/remove square taper chainsets and BB
install/remove rear cassette (i only have the shimano tool)
add/remove/disconnect chain links
how to convert a geared bike to singlespeed with perfect chain tension (without buying any extra parts)
3 cross or radial wheel lacing + working out spoke lengths
Change tubes/tires properly

And a top tip: check your bike over to see if it is all ok by checking the brakes, then dropping it a few cm to see what rattly noises you get.

Alex