Maintenance course = service?

[annedonnelly]

I know some people on here have done the Edinburgh Bike Co-op's maintenance class.

If I did the course using my own bike to practise/learn on would the bike get the equivalent of a good service? Or should it be serviced as well - by someone who knows what they're doing?

Thanks

Anne

 

[accountantpete]

I'd always recommend getting to know the basics yourself - then when small adjustments are needed (such as minor wheel truing)it's an easy fix rather than having to wait and take the bike in.

Some hub/bottom bracket work can be more complicated and may need special tools,but the course should cover those bits as well.

Personally I learned the hard way by taking everything to bits and then putting it back together again - i'd have a swear box handy if you try this though.

 

[Theseus]

Never been on a maintenance course and only been doing my own work for a few years. Whenever I come to a new thing I look it up o Sheldon Brown and/or Park Tools and work through it. Sometimes I need to go to manufacturers websites for detailed maintanance instructions (e.g. Shimano for Nexus Hub). Now there is only 1 job I wouldn't touch and that is the insertion of the headset bearings. Too much scope for ruining the steering.

 

[HJ]

I know some people on here have done the Edinburgh Bike Co-op's maintenance class.

If I did the course using my own bike to practise/learn on would the bike get the equivalent of a good service? Or should it be serviced as well - by someone who knows what they're doing?

Thanks

Anne

On the maintenance course you work on your own bike, under supervision. If at the end of the course you don't feel confident in doing further work on your bike, at least when you take it to get it serviced you will know what the person servicing it is talking about...

 

[Ariadne]

i've done the course, and it's worth doing - but I wouldn't see the course itself as a way of servicing your bike. For a start, the class often does one thing on one bike, then another on a different bike - so you might get to 'fix' your front brake but work on someone else's rear mech, if you follow. You will be able to do a lot of it afterwards, though. Though I have to confess I still feel like I half-know stuff. i would need to do the course several times for it all to sink in, I think!

 

[annedonnelly]

Thanks Ariadne.

That's the sort of thing I wanted to know.

Anne

 

[HJ]

Interesting, on the course I did at the Bike Co-Op, we all worked on our own bikes, but had a look at other people bikes where things were different. I suppose it all depends on who is running the course on the day...