Nah, the Spotty Teenagers will have an App to fix their bikes, it will be full of old MAMILs like me. enjoy
Nervous......but excited!
- Thread starter HelsBells Cambs
- Start date
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Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
I should do one really as I'm a mechanical muppet.
Can you fix my bike next week then?
OP
OP
HelsBells Cambs
Active Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
I completely agree. I did a one day course a few years ago, and we got the bike stripped and built in a day. I think the only thing left on my bike was the bottom bracket. I was incredulous as how much I learnt in 7 hours.
- Location
- Glasgow
Good luck girls!
Bet there won't be a young one on sight, not cool to admit you don't know something
I went on a few courses, always seems so easy when the expert do it.
Me, I need to do it myself, do it wrong once at least before I learn
Bet there won't be a young one on sight, not cool to admit you don't know something
I went on a few courses, always seems so easy when the expert do it.
Me, I need to do it myself, do it wrong once at least before I learn
RichardB
Slightly retro
- Location
- West Wales
Thing is, once you understand the way it works and what it is meant to do, and a bit of basic physics, a carburettor is just the same. Compare with an engine management system, where the entire thing is sealed inside a case, and can only be examined with a cable and a laptop, and sometimes not even then, if the manufacturer is playing hard to get. It's why I like older cars - if you sit and look at it long enough, you can understand it.
OP
OP
HelsBells Cambs
Active Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
When my last car but one kept cutting out for no reason they ran all the diagnostic tests and "computer said no." They only discovered the problem when an actual person decided to look at it!
But I hope I'm not going to be stripping an engine down, if so I've gone to the wrong place!
How did you get on @HelsBells Cambs ?
I really enjoyed myself and learned loads. I thought it was excellent ☺☺
I really enjoyed myself and learned loads. I thought it was excellent ☺☺
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- Location
- Glasgow
What can you confidently do now that you wouldn't have attempted before attending the course?
I was a total bike fiddler loser pre course.
They taught brake adjusting, rear gear alignment, changing brake/gear cables, front and back wheel removal, alignment and replacement, changing tyres, puncture repairs, pre ride checks, post ride cleaning, what to put in your saddle bag/rucksack when you go out, a brief guide to making a spare bike fit you (if you borrowed one).
...and possibly more but wine has broken my brain!
I can't say I'm competent.... but I'd now have a go especially if disaster struck out on a ride.
It was really useful ☺
They taught brake adjusting, rear gear alignment, changing brake/gear cables, front and back wheel removal, alignment and replacement, changing tyres, puncture repairs, pre ride checks, post ride cleaning, what to put in your saddle bag/rucksack when you go out, a brief guide to making a spare bike fit you (if you borrowed one).
...and possibly more but wine has broken my brain!
I can't say I'm competent.... but I'd now have a go especially if disaster struck out on a ride.
It was really useful ☺
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ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Sounds great, well done! Its not a bad idea to have a little practice on your bike so you remember it all for when you need it - with a cuppa and you favourite radio station, fettling away on a bike can be a great way to while away an hour in the evening (especially when it's too dark to ride!).
OP
OP
HelsBells Cambs
Active Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
It was great but doesn't sound as detailed as yours. Wheel removal, inner tube replacement, puncture repair. M check, diagnosing faults, brake pads replacement, brake adjustment, we kind of covered brake cable change; cleaning and care.
I feel much more confident with wheel removal now. And just to know what the various bits do and how they engage with each other is half the battle. Just hope I remember it! Need to practice a few times.
I even managed to find what's been making my chain make a horrible noise.
Don't think I'm ready for the advanced course yet but at least won't sound as much of a twit when I do need to take it to be fixed and can't vocalise what's wrong with it!!
Brilliant course for the money, there were 5 of us there, all but 2 of us more mature riders. Been a long time since, at 37, I've been one of the youngest in the room :-)
Not a spotty teenagers in site
OP
OP
HelsBells Cambs
Active Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
There were 4 on ours. 1 older, 2 younger including 1 spotty teenager... who was better than all of us at everything and ended up helping the tutor!
For £40 it was brilliant. Not so sure I'd want to pay the full ctc charge of £120 though.... but I'm a cheap skate!
I wonder if wine was included it might have all gone a bit wrong. I'm useless enough with tools sober
Glad you enjoyed yourself. Sorry for hyjacking your thread.
I'm going to find myself a tiny thin road bike wheel to practice changing the tyre (we used big chunky mountain bikes all day and I guess mine might be harder).
For £40 it was brilliant. Not so sure I'd want to pay the full ctc charge of £120 though.... but I'm a cheap skate!
I wonder if wine was included it might have all gone a bit wrong. I'm useless enough with tools sober
Glad you enjoyed yourself. Sorry for hyjacking your thread.
I'm going to find myself a tiny thin road bike wheel to practice changing the tyre (we used big chunky mountain bikes all day and I guess mine might be harder).
OP
OP
HelsBells Cambs
Active Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
We worked on our own bikes which was great for ongoing maintenance. Although as I want to add a roadie to my bike collection of 1, I might have to go again to learn it all for a different bike! Getting the tyre back on was what I found the hardest, my thumbs aren't strong enough!
