Do you know your sprockets from your chainrings? Enjoy rides but worry that you’ll be stranded if something stops working? Do you sometimes think that there may be something wrong with your bike, but you’re not sure what? Or maybe you are confident looking after your bike, but gears always get the better of you? Well then, we are here to help.
Our maintenance evenings are designed to give you confidence in your bike and enable you to work on your bike confidently as much, or as little as you like. All our sessions take place in the relaxed setting of our café and include tea and coffee. As well as mixed classes, we also offer ladies nights and always leave enough time to answer any questions you may have at the end.
Each time you attend a session you will get access to discounts on any of the tools or equipment discussed in the session, helping you get up and running with your newly acquired knowledge.
All our courses are suitable for any type of bike unless specified. So be it a hybrid, road bike Llandudno, mountain, electric or normal bike, we can accommodate you.
After the classes we will e-mail you with any reference material and notes so you can refer to them in future.
Our courses have been designed and put together by Gareth, who has over 10 years experience as a teacher, who is also a Cytech qualified mechanic, and Dan our head mechanic who, with over 20 years experience as a mechanic, knows exactly what to do to get your bike working perfectly. On the more advanced courses Terry, Gareth M and Ben may also be on hand to lend an extra pair of eyes and personal advice when you are working on your own bike.
How To Book
Details of what is included in each session can be found below. Email Gareth at gareth@wecycle.co.uk or give us a call on 01492 593811. Payment will be taken in advance.
Upcoming events:
Mechanics classes all starting at 6:30pm:
Tuesday 5th December – Essential Mechanics Evening
Essentials Evening – £15
We understand that for many people a lack of knowledge in the basic workings of a bike can dent confidence and detract from the experience of riding. No one wants to get stuck in the middle of nowhere without being able to get home! Our introduction course aims to give you the ability to check your bike pre-ride to make sure it is safe to set off. We also give you the ability to make common repairs when out riding. We also talk you through the bike and its parts helping you assess problems. If it is too big a problem for you to fix yourself, you should still be able to communicate with us to let us know the problem so we can help! The topics we discuss include:
- We go over the different types of bikes, and why their differing features make them suitable for their intended use. This includes talking through sizing, initial set up and fit adjustments.
- We look at a pre-ride safety check. Plus, how to go over the bike and make sure it is ready to ride, and warning signs to look out for.
- We go over the basic tools and parts that you should carry with you on a ride, and keep at home for maintenance.
- We go over the names of each part of the bike, which parts you should expect to wear out and need to replace, plus roughly the life expectancy of each part.
Following a quick comfort break we will then move onto:
- Removal of wheels for transporting the bike or fixing a puncture
- Puncture repair, tube and tyre fitting, tubeless top up and tyre repair
- How to refit a chain if it comes off
- How and when to oil your drivetrain
- How to clean your bike
Intermediate Session: £25 per session
Our intermediate session progresses from the essentials evening and moves onto making minor adjustments which will inevitably prolong the life of your bike and keep things running smoothly for longer. You will be able to bring in your own bike so we are able to give guidance on your specific set up.
The evening covers the following:
- Headset checking and adjustment
- Gears, Chain, Cables and Mechs. How to check these for wear and make minor adjustments
- Brakes. How to check for wear and feel. Inspecting rims / rotors, pads and alignment.
- Wheels – basic check of spoke tension
- Suspension settings
- More in depth problem diagnosis. There are some things that you may not be able to fix, but if you can diagnose it properly you will have more confidence when asking for help and advice.
Advanced Course: £30 per session
These are working in smaller groups and aimed at giving you confidence to carry out routine maintenance on your bike. You will be working on your own bike in a stand and our mechanics will talk you through the general points, but then how these specifically relate to your bike.
Hydraulic Brakes
In this session, we talk you through the different types of hydraulic brakes, their similarities, and their important differences. We show you the equipment you need to be able to service your brakes and then we go through a couple of examples. Then its over to you, under the watchful eye of our mechanics you will bleed and set up your own brakes. We also go over adjusting the callipers and straightening rotors. You should be able to leave the session confident that you are able to bleed your brakes, change your rotors and pads yourself – or at least know when it is time to give us a call to get things done!
Gear Adjustments and Cable Changes
Gear cables stretch and snap. Derailleurs get knocked and need adjustment. Being able to deal with these things not only improves the quality of your ride but it also saves you money in the long run as you avoid parts wearing out or breaking unnecessarily. We will show you all the work that goes into one of our gear services, starting with straightening the derailleur hanger, cleaning the drivetrain, checking parts for wear and then setting everything up again. We will then turn the focus on your own bike, replacing a gear cable and allowing you the chance to go through and set the gears up from start to finish. You will leave the session knowing how to adjust the gears, replace a gear cable and hopefully get yourself out of trouble on the trails if something goes wrong!
1-1 Mechanics Training Service
We are now also offering a 1-1 mechanics training service. This is held by Dan, our Head Mechanic, and will last between 2 and 2½ hours. Dan will go over anything on your bike that you wish to cover. By the end of the 1–1 session, you should expect to know your bike inside out and feel confident to tackle a number of repair jobs yourself in the future. These sessions are customisable to look at anything you want to ensure you get the most out of it. The only thing we wouldn’t cover is suspension servicing. Sessions take place on Saturdays and cost £100.
