The Old Spokes Home Bicycle School is now open for pre-registration! This year we have spent some time re-designing our curriculum, trying to take into consideration every skill level of rider and home mechanic. We are offering three main classes, as well as some options for individualized courses, and open shop time.
Basic Maintenance Class
The first course will be a Basic Maintenance Class, designed to empower the average rider. This course will cover the basics of keeping up with maintenance of your bicycle, including cleaning, lubing, bicycle anatomy, safety check, identifying issues and problems, and fixing a flat tire. The course will be one session, offered once a month for 3 hours at a cost of $60. Immediately following class there will also be “Open Shop” hours, where students can spend time practicing skills they have just learned. Open shop will be held twice a month on Sundays and is open to the general public.
Basic Mechanics Class
The second course is a Basic Mechanics Class, designed for the home mechanic who wants to be able to make basic adjustments and minor repairs at a home shop. Starting with the basics, we’ll review how to fix a flat tire, and move through the bicycle, learning how to adjust bearing assemblies, adjust brakes and derailleurs, replace cables and brake pads, and go over the basic concept of wheel truing. The course will be offered several times this winter, will meet twice a week for 2 hours 5 times for a total of 10 hours of class time and cost $200. Students are also encouraged to practice what they have learned at Open Shop time, offered twice a month on Sundays.
Advanced Mechanics Class
The third course is the Advanced Mechanics Class, for those interested in taking their mechanical skills to the next level or aspiring to use them at a professional level. We’ll be skipping some of the basic skills, so you’ll want to speak with an instructor before signing up for this class, or take the Basic Mechanics Class as a pre-requisite. Starting with bearing assemblies, we’ll overhaul hubs, bottom brackets and headsets, working our way through the bike learning how to use specialized professional tools and gaining in-depth knowledge of components, compatibility, and the mechanics of the entire bicycle. This class will meet for 3 hours, twice a week for a total of 18 hours of class time, and cost $300 plus Open Shop hours encouraged.
In addition to these three main courses, OSH Bicycle School is open to individualized courses, if you are interested in tuning up/over hauling your own bicycle, learning about internally geared hubs, or interested in building wheels with the one-on-one help of an Old Spokes Home mechanic, we can come up with a course that works for you.
Open Shop
We are also offering an “Open Shop” time, when the shop is open to the general public to use our facilities to work on/clean your own bike, or practice skills learned in our courses. There will be a mechanic on staff to answer questions, and check bikes over. You may also purchase parts and accessories during your stand time. Open Shop will cost $10 per hour. This will take place on selected Sundays during winter months. Contact the shop for more info.
To register for a class please come into the shop, or call us at 802-863-4475, for questions, or to inquire about an individualized course, contact us at info
theoldspokeshome [dot] com
2011/2012 Winter Class Schedule
Basic Maintenance Class - $60 11am-2pm
Sunday November 13th
Sunday December 11th
Sunday January 8th
Sunday February 5th
Basic Mechanics Class - $200 7pm-9pm
November 15, 17, 22, 29, Dec. 1
December 6, 8, 13, 15, 20
January 10, 12, 17, 19, 24
February 7, 9, 15, 17, 22
Advanced Mechanics Class - $300 6pm-9pm
January 16, 18, 23, 25, Feb 1
February 6, 8, 16, 21, 23, 28
