Ohio City Bicycle Co-op

This course will show you everything you need to know to maintain and tune-up your bike, and includes a year's co-op Membership to use the shop and tools, with additional help as you need it. Students do not bring their own bikes to class, but are encouraged to do so at other times we are open, to practice what they have learned in class.

The series of four classes is offered every month. There are two sections to choose from: either Tuesdays from 7 to 9 pm, or Saturdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm (but the first class runs about 1/2 hour longer). You can view class schedules on our calendar. If you cannot make those times, we can arrange private classes at OCBC or elsewhere.

Space is limited to 10 students, so please sign up in advance.  Anyone who bought a bike from OCBC and is taking only the free Bicycle Basics class can just show up for that on the first Saturday or Tuesday of any month. If there are not at least 4 students for the following classes the series may be canceled, so please consult this calendar for updates. 

The cost is of the course is $100, which includes a year's membership and two hours of personal shop-use (membership renewal is $50/year).

Register by paying in person or by mail (with a note saying which month and day you are enrolling in), or with Paypal or a credit card on our Payments page (please then also send an email to education@ohiocitycycles.org saying which month and day you are enrolling in).

Volunteering credits can also be used to pay for classes: you must have enough credits before the course begins to guarantee a spot, but may "pay as you go" if the course is not full.

For more follow up info, please see our "Thank you for registering" page.

Taking the course of repair classes (or testing out of them) is required for co-op membership; so you must do so before using the shop for personal projects, even if you are an experienced bike mechanic. (We do have a public-use work stand with basic tools, though, for emergency repairs).  The goal of this policy is for all members to have basic repair skills, so they can avoid expensive mistakes, and so we can better help each other.

These classes cover concepts and techniques, and some essential hands-on tool-use: the lab-time to practice what is covered in this course is during Members' Mondays (to work on your own bike, using the shop time included in the course fee) or Apprentice Wednesdays (working on one of ours while getting shop credit).

Shop classes should be taken in order, especially for beginners, and are held on the schedule below. There are brief descriptions on this page, or you can find more detailed outlines here. We are a Park Tool School, and they are a supporter of our educational work. Park has great repair help here.

1st week: Bicycle Basics

(this class is included with bike purchase, supporting membership, or Bike Drivers' Ed)

• Hands-on remove and replace innertube
• Causes, diagnosis, and avoidance of flats
• Tire safety assessment and rolling resistance concepts
  
• Basic mechanical concepts
• Basic bike fit adjustments
• Basic maintenance
  
• "The three S's" —  Safety Check

This class will prepare you to fix the most frequent bike problem - How to Fix a Flat. You will also learn how to make sure your bike is mechanically safe, and fits properly.

2nd week: Wheels and Bearings

• Wheel theory: how they work, wear, and fail
  
• Bearing types, function, assessment, and adjustment
• Wheel maintenance, truing
• hands-on tire change (building on 1st week's lesson)
• Hands-on wheel truing

This class covers how bearings work, and wear out; and how to keep wheels from wobbling — two of the more mysterious aspects of bike repair for most folks.

3rd week: Brakes and Cables

• Cable types, function, and assessment
• cable maintenance and adjustment
• Brake types, function and assessment
• Hands-on brake maintenance and adjustment

This class covers the most vexing and mishandled bike repair jobs: you will learn the proper use of tools and how to avoid dangerous and expensive mistakes.

4th week: Chain and Gears

• Drivetrain function, wear, and assessment
• Hands-on chain breaking
• Types, function, assessment, and adjustment of: bottom brackets, gears, shifters, derailleurs

This class covers the most complex bike system - you will learn how to keep your bike's transmission in top shape for the longest time possible. Best to have taken the other classes first, as it will be assumed you have knowledge of bearings and cables.

If you are an experienced educator or bike mechanic, we are seeking instructors to present this curriculum at other locations, like your local recreation center. Please email education@ohiocitycycles.org if interested.