Bike maintenance courses?

Jamey
Jamey Posts: 2,152
edited June 2008 in Road beginners
Can anyone recommend a good place to look for bike maintenance courses in the south London area?

I tried the CTC website but they only have two courses and neither are really what I'm after.

I'd like to learn everything I need to know to build a bike from scratch and then keep it running smoothly for evermore.

Tall order? Perhaps, but point me in the right direction and when I've been on the course I'll come back here and help you all to answer questions from people like me :)
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Comments

  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Jamey, what were the courses that didn't help you? I'd like to learn basic mechanics (one step beyond adjusting the H and L screws on a derailleur/replacing a brake pad, that kind of level) and I'm in south (-west) London.
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  • babyshambles
    babyshambles Posts: 149
    i have been riding years but never got to now how to maintain the bike so always tore it into the ground and got a new one !!

    I am looking for a course too and then i guess you just learn as you go once you are pointing in the right direction.

    SE london too or southend essex.
  • krakow
    krakow Posts: 110
    No good for London, but I see that Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Op do a few courses - has anyone done any of those and have any thoughts?
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  • Max_Man
    Max_Man Posts: 185
    This place looks really good but it's ooop north... :D

    http://www.bike-inn.co.uk/
  • campagchris
    campagchris Posts: 773
    If you can't find one theres some good books about like Richards bicycle book and the haynes and park tools blue book,also some good dvd's to guide you like this one
    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/catalog/ ... cts_id=883
    its not rocket science and if your prepared to take your time and use the right tools you can manage it quite easily.It's always nice to build your own bike up,if your stuck the forum is full of knowledgeable people and the home page had some video's up not so long ago on various maintenance things.Then theres also you tube.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12534925
    first section
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    I've got the Haynes book and it's helped me quite a lot (particularly with cleaning, lubing and simple maintenance) but I think the best way to learn is by doing it rather than reading about it.

    However I'm not really prepared to use my only bike as a guinea pig because I need it for commuting and if something went wrong I'd be stumped. I'm quite happy to shell out a couple of hundred quid for a good course.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • Van_Heerden
    Van_Heerden Posts: 128
    Not sure where you are from Max_Man, but Spalding in Lincs is not "ooop north"!!
    "The grass is always greener on the other side - unless Jens Voigt has been riding on the other side in which case it's white with the salty, dried tears of all the riders whose souls he has crushed."
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    krakow wrote:
    No good for London, but I see that Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Op do a few courses - has anyone done any of those and have any thoughts?

    I've done there one day intensive course. Very good I thought, only 3 others on the course, so got plenty of guidance. The instructor commented that it was the most road bikes he's had on a course as 3 of us had road bikes.

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=5186&f%5FFullProductVersion=1&f%5FSupersetQRY=C373&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c007789
  • Max_Man
    Max_Man Posts: 185
    Van_Heerden wrote:
    Not sure where you are from Max_Man, but Spalding in Lincs is not "ooop north"!!

    North Wales, Lincs is ooop north to someone looking for courses in the London area.

    :D
  • jed1978
    jed1978 Posts: 87
    Best getting a haynes manual and "playing around" with your bike.

    I work as a technicial in the sports dept of my local college, and have found that doing the jobs leads to learning
  • fortyone
    fortyone Posts: 166
    Agree that the best way to learn is by taking to bits and building back up etc. I hadn't put together a bike for 25 years, wanted the latest road type, so built one myself. Most difference was setting up STI gears and all that, but I can read so I read the instructions and built one. Involved a couple of visits to local shops to view built bikes and a bit of ordinary gumption. Bikes aren't Formual 1 cars.
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Ok, I've found one:
    http://www.downlandcycles.co.uk/courses.htm

    Posting the link here in case anyone does a search for this in future, so that the thread is rounded off with a solution.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • laertes
    laertes Posts: 68
    There is a course at Kingston Upon Thames adult education college in mid July - on a Saturday. It's about £30 for a 4-6 hr course. All about basic maintenance.
  • dcab
    dcab Posts: 255
    spalding ! oop north? tha wants t'geet tha map out?
    veritas vos liberabit
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Spalding is not exactly up North mate, rather the Midlands, get your facts straight eh funnyboy?
  • dcab
    dcab Posts: 255
    thats exactly my point stupid! funnyboy ? whats all that about ? i suggest you read these things properly ?GIANT MAN?????????
    veritas vos liberabit

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