External Maintenance

The Bike Kitchen periodically offers a tune-up class, covering the following topics, among others:

• Cleaning a bicycle
• Replacing cables and cable housing
• Adjusting deraillers and brakes
• Wrapping handlebar tape
• Disassembling, lubing and adjusting bearing surfaces (headset, hubs, bottom bracket)
• Truing wheels

Class Planning

Generally, the class is conducted over four sessions of 3 hours each, or 5 sessions of 2 1/2 hours each. Class enrollment is limited to around 8 students, due to limited numbers of stands and [toolkits>Main.Toolkits]. It's up to one person to take the initiative to organize the class, but two instructors per night are recommended to handle the demonstration and students' questions. We've had problems in the past with flaky instructors, so if you plan on teaching a class, set the dates and times and commit to following through to the end of the class. Also, it's good to commit to being available to your students during some of the regular open hours while the class is in session.

Enrollment is generally handled through email, on a first-come first-serve basis. Start contacting people on a waitlist, provided by the last instructor, and bike kitchen patrons. If the waitlist fails to fill the class, a small posting on the [SFBC>http://sfbike.org] mailing list should generate more than enough interest. Try the following format:

HOMEMADE TUNE-UPS AT THE BIKE KITCHEN

<DAY>, <DATE RANGE>, <TIME>; Bike Kitchen, 18th & Alabama

This hands-on class will teach everything you need to know about keeping your bike in 
working order under normal wear and tear, including brake adjustment, wheel truing, hub 
adjustment, drive-train and frame cleaning, and more. The class includes 5 sessions on 
<DAY OF WEEK> evenings starting <START DATE>. No experience is necessary, but you need a 
bike to work on that needs a tune-up. Registration is a suggested $80, plus parts as 
necessary. Class enrollment is limited to 8 students so that everyone has tools and a 
stand, so respond soon! For registration or questions, email the instructor, 
<INSTRUCTOR>, at <EMAIL>.

After receiving inquiries, followup with an email for each student. Ask them what type of bike they have and what condition it's in. Inform them that they need to arrive promptly, and that tuition is due in cash on the first day. Answer any questions they have, and let them know that their spot in the class is reserved pending their commitment to attend every class.

Schedule Overview

This is intended only as a suggestion, for a 5-week class with 2 1/2 hour sessions. Each class should consist of demonstrations of tune-up procedures, followed by the students working on their own bikes, with the instructors circulating to provide help. Either demonstrate the procedures all at once and then let them loose, or break up the demos to keep the students more engaged, at the risk of having to deal with cans of worms.

Day 1 - Introduction, Cleaning

Tools and parts needed:

• Clean rags
• Cleaning solution (Simple Green or citrus degreaser)
• Chain breaker and chain cleaning bin OR
• Chain cleaning tool
• Replacement chain links, or master links
• Freewheel and cassette removal tools (splines) and chain whip
• Drivetrain brushes
• Chain lube, or other thin oil

Plan:

• Take tuition (sliding scale from $40-80) and fill out membership forms
• Consider distributing some course materials. See the attached files at the end of this page for some primitive ideas. Feel free to upload more files too.
• Make introductions -- each person should give their name and briefly describe their bike and how they use it, as well as any experience they have in bike repair
• Remove the wheels and set them aside
• Clean the bicycle frame and non-drivetrain parts using a rag and cleaning solution, showing flossing techniques
• Remove chain with chainbreaker and soak in bin, or use chain cleaning tool
• Remove gear cluster and scrub all gears
• Oil freewheel mechanism, deraillers, and chain
• Reassemble bike

Rule #1: Avoid Cans of Worms

Cans of worms are any parts or problems with the bike that threaten to eat up unexpectedly large portions of time. It's up to your discretion to decide what you can and can't handle, but you might want to avoid the following:

• Serious rim problems
• Anything bent totally out of whack
• Excessively pitted bearing surfaces
• Cup and cone bottom brackets
• Suspension systems, pedal bearings
• Anything that you are not comfortable fixing or servicing
• Anything for which we lack the proper tools

These problems are outside the scope of a 12-hour class, and trying to fix them is a disservice to the students and to your sanity. If you run across a can of worms, suggest that they either bring it by during open hours or take it to a local bike shop.

Post Class Follow Up

After you finish teaching the class, come back to this wiki page and update it with your experiences. Also, be sure to say some summarizing words on the Yahoo group because you and your co-instructor are probably the only Bike Kitchen regulars that have contact with the class.

Consider recruiting a fellow Bike Kitchen mechanic to teach the next session of the class. Tell them how fun it was!