Home mechanic course

[Tom-orca]

Hi there
Having done London to Cambridge bike ride, I was hooked on road cycling.
I started to love my bike and want to do more of that type of long road rides.
My concern is mechanical breakdown or malfunction while riding. Please, can anyone suggest a home mechanic course for slow learner or on one- to- one basis In Middlesex county? Thank you......

 

[PpPete]

I don't know of any course that will teach you to rapidly diagnose & fix stuff "on the road".
Get a book*, get a second hand bike (anything will do- even one from your local tip recycling centre) figure out how to take it apart, put it back together, try to understand how each bit works as you go.

* I have Zinn, which is good, but there are plenty of others.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Your local bike shop may run courses or may be able to point you in the direction of someone who does.

Getting a book and learning yourself is an option as stated above (worked for me so far) or there's this: cytech home mechanic course

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

If you're comfortable with the web, you can find videos for most of the problems you're going to come across.

 

[Ern1e]

You Tube can be a gold mine of info,all you need do is search for different problems that you think you may encounter and sit back watch and then hope you will not need to do it lol.

 

[Tom-orca]

I don't know of any course that will teach you to rapidly diagnose & fix stuff "on the road".
Get a book*, get a second hand bike (anything will do- even one from your local tip recycling centre) figure out how to take it apart, put it back together, try to understand how each bit works as you go.

* I have Zinn, which is good, but there are plenty of others.

Excellent idea. Much obliged.....

 

[Tom-orca]

You Tube can be a gold mine of info,all you need do is search for different problems that you think you may encounter and sit back watch and then hope you will not need to do it lol.

Forgot about you-tube. It's true you sit back and admire other people's skills!!!!! Good one

 

[Tom-orca]

Your local bike shop may run courses or may be able to point you in the direction of someone who does.

Getting a book and learning yourself is an option as stated above (worked for me so far) or there's this: cytech home mechanic course

Thank you Phil. That'll be my next approach. Cheers.....

 

[Tom-orca]

If you're comfortable with the web, you can find videos for most of the problems you're going to come across.

Thank you. Now I have pretty good ideas on what to do. Cheers...

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Buy a terrible bike that is horribly unreliable. The constant mechanical failures and YouTube will be your friends and you will learn fast.

Worked for me

 

[Tom-orca]

Buy a terrible bike that is horribly unreliable. The constant mechanical failures and YouTube will be your friends and you will learn fast.

Worked for me

Perhaps a scrap or secondhand bike, you-tube, D.I.Y book, may be some tools as well.
Wow, you guys have enlightened my scope. Thank you....

 

[oiljam]

What books do people recommend? Think I might benefit from one. I've learnt so much already from just tinkering with my Triban 5. My next 'tinker' is cassette swap with new wheels coming soon. How tight do you tighten the inner nut to hold the cassette on. Is it as tight as possible or will this have an effect on the free spinning of the cassette?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

What books do people recommend? Think I might benefit from one. I've learnt so much already from just tinkering with my Triban 5. My next 'tinker' is cassette swap with new wheels coming soon. How tight do you tighten the inner nut to hold the cassette on. Is it as tight as possible or will this have an effect on the free spinning of the cassette?

I got on okay with the Haynes bike book.

For the cassette swap, it's supposed to be tightened to a specific torque as per the manufacturers instructions. With mine I've just tightened them until it feels right. It doesn't need to be stupidly tight as the locknut is ridged to prevent it vibrating itself loose. It won't affect how the freehub turns.

You'll need a cassette tool and a chain whip to do the job properly plus a spanner the right size to fit the cassette tool.

 

[oiljam]

Thanks I'll check out the book. I think it'll be wise to purchase one or i might wait and see what comes at Christmas (with my Park Tool PCS-10 stand (she doesn't know this yet)). I do have a chain whip and shimano tool, I'll play the torque by ear. Thanks for easing my mind on not over tightening

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Thanks I'll check out the book. Think it'll be wise to purchase one or wait and see what comes at Christmas (with my Park Tool PCS-10 stand). I do have a chain whip and shimano tool, I'll play the torque by ear. Thanks for easing my mind on not over tightening

Depends whether you can wait that long.