Let’s get our hands dirty: Bike repair workshop

OVERVIEW

Simultaneously complex and elegantly simple, the bicycle is a personal chariot that can take you around the corner to class or hundreds of miles into the wilderness. But, you certainly don’t want to break down! Our beloved fleet of club bikes is in need of maintenance – come help me fix them up!

Why should I learn about my bike? Learning to do some basic maintenance on a bike can help you: be safer by identifying problems with your bike before it falls apart underneath you; save money by identifying the basic fixes you can handle yourself; be able to explain a problem and understand what the heck the mechanic is talking about when you do have to take it in to the bike shop; and be able to keep it running in a pinch when you need to get somewhere. More than all that, however, the bicycle is a fascinating machine, endlessly complex and elegantly simple, a constantly evolving challenge of engineering and design, and an elemental, life-affirming complement to the human body.

This workshop is designed for the total beginner – if you can tell the wheels from the handlebars, you’ve met the prerequisites. We’ll go over basic parts of the bike, things to check before a ride, and identifying some problems. Then, we’ll dive into some repairs to get the bikes up and running again. I have no idea how long to plan for this trip, so feel free to sign up if you can’t stay the whole time. I’ll likely keep working on the bikes later than 7 and you’re welcome to stick around for that as well – extra hands and a desire to learn more about our bikes is always welcome!