How to fix bikes and influence your commute

If you’re looking for some help, knowledge and support keeping your bike in top form, come to the VGH Cycling Centre for our 2016 Bike Maintenance Seminars. Five weekly sessions will be delivered by experts who can answer your questions and assist you in building your bike smarts.

Sessions include:

  1. Adjust/Replace Gear Cables -Winter and wet riding take a lot out of your cables. Learn how to inspect, lubricate & change gear cables to smoothen your winter ride. Bonus: Learn how to set derailleurs properly so that your gears shift smoothly without jumping or skipping.
  2. Flat Tire CSI – Diagnostics & repair of bike flats – Was it glass, a nail, jumping a curb, a pesky spoke head? Being able to identify the cause of a flat tire is key to preventing the next one! This interactive workshop will challenge you to diagnose the most common causes – then repair them.
  3. Fit Your Bike to Your Body – ‘You’ll get used to it!’ is no way to deal with minor back, neck or shoulder pain or numbness from straining to reach ill-fitted handlebars & seat posts. Don’t let nagging pain reduce your cycling enjoyment and endurance. Learn how to adjust your bike to suit your own body proportions.
  4. Chain & Spoke Repair: Truing a wheel – A chain is only as strong as its weakest link! Learn how to care for your chain, when it is worn out, and how to identify and remove a bad link. Learn how to size and install a new spoke, and the basics of straightening your wheel.
  5. Maintain/Replace Disk Brake Pads – Learn how to replace and set disk brake pads properly so that your bike stops whenever you need it to!

These weekly seminars will start the first week of April and will take place in the afternoons (from 4:30-5:15 p.m.). Registrations will be collected for both Mondays and Wednesdays and either/both days will become ‘official’ once six people have registered (For optimum assistance, class size will be capped at nine people).

Passes will be sold as a package of five sessions at $45 for members of the VGH Cycling Centre and $70 for non-members. Passes will also be transferable, i.e., you can send a friend to a session if you aren’t able to attend. Participants must work for one of the health authorities or sign up with a friend/family member who is HA staff.

To register:

  • Sign up for Monday afternoons (April 4, 11, 18, 25 & May 2) or Wednesday afternoons (April 6, 13, 20, 27 & May 4)
  • Be prepared to pay by credit card or debit (no charges will be made until five others have signed up for the same date)

Questions? Please contact Arthur Orsini at the VGH Cycling Centre.