Not long ago, Evans Cycles have started to offer free bike maintenance courses at our stores for our customers. Bike maintenance is like base jumping: looks scary at first, but afterwards some practice, you realise that it’s not that bad.
As I confessed a couple of months ago on this blog, I myself wasn’t a keen on maintaining my own bike for a long time, so I was eager to see how like-minded people were introduced to the cult. I emailed the store manager of our West End shop at Mortimer street and we agreed that I would pay a visit to the course last Wednesday.
By the time I got there, there were already three guys, killing time before the start by chatting to the night’s instructor, Tim, who works at the store as a mechanic. Two of them had brought their own bikes, but if you couldn’t bring along yours, not to worry, there’s always a spare bike around, on which the newly acquired skills can be practiced, but it’s always advised to bring your own bike, so you can keep things relevant.
The course was to cover four main topics: inner tube replacement, barrel adjustment for gears/checkign the drivetrain, barrel adjustment for brakes and finally, cleaning the bike.
The course is about to start.
Customers, who hadn't brought their bikes, were given bikes to practice on.
First Tim showed how it should be done...
... then everybody was given a chance to practice on their own bikes.
If someone got stuck, Tim was always nearby to help out.
After sorting out inner tubes, the drivetrain was next in line. Tim showcases the chain wear indicator tool.
After cleaning the chain, it's paramount to lube the chain properly.
Adjusting the gears is a way less cumbersome task than most people think.
Tim messed up the gears and the participants had to re-adjust it - everybody succeeded!
Adjusting the brake cable barrel.
Showcasing brake pad adjustment
Finally, Tim gave a couple of general advice, how to set up a bike properly.
At the end of the course, I asked a couple of participants what they thought of it.
Franco
Evanscycles How long have you been cycling?
Franco For years. I started with a Raleigh when I was 15.Evanscycles When did you buy this bike?
Franco Approximately two years ago, at Evans CyclesEvanscycles What were your expectations of the course?
Franco I just thought I’d get some basic maintenance tips but I found it more enlightening, because I learnt things which I thought I was doing right but I was wrong.Evanscycles What motivated you to start to look after your bike yourself?
Franco I’ve always known that I should maintain my bike but I’ve never actually got to it. I looked at guides on the internet at a similar level, but reading a guide and actually having someone to show you what you were doing wrong is very different. For example, changing a tyre or gears, especially gears.Evanscycles How did you find the course itself?
Franco It was very informative, because you have someone who has been dealing with bikes for years and you can learn stuff that you wouldn’t be able to pick up otherwise.
Artium
Evanscycles How long have you been cycling?
Artium I used to ride a bike, back when I was young, years ago. Right now, I started only one and a half months ago.
Evanscycles Why did you decide to join the course?
Artium I just wanted to make sure that I do things right on my bike, I need my bike for commuting, so I need to make sure that it’s in a good condition.
Evanscycles What were your expectations of the course?
Franco I didn’t know much beforehand, I know it’s going to be about cleaning, the brakes and the gears, but it was pretty much what I wanted and I got more than I expected.
Evanscycles How did you find the course itself?
Artium I think it was perfect, I got everything I wanted and whenever we had a question, it was answered properly and it wasn’t boring, it was actually fun and using our own bikes was really useful, so not just have heard the theory, we also have now hands-on experience.
If you think you could learn an interesting maintenance trick or two, don’t hesitate, check out our Fix It page, that contains the dates our shops hold these courses.
Ha! Went to Evans today to buy a Torx tool. Didn’t appear to know what one was, then asked ‘Whats that for?’. In the end they decided they had none in stock. So I walked to Maplin Electronics next door and bought a whole Torx set for £3.99.
What a joke. Good to see they are giving lessons…
Hi Roy, I’m sorry to hear this. Please can you tell us which store this was in so we can make sure it doesn’t happen again?
Interesting. Look forward to booking.
sounds cool. bought a nice pinnacle almost a year ago in evans-fulham broadway & would love to look after it a bit better. whens the next one in my area? fulham/victoria/even charlotte street?
@Fiachra: we have classes at the Fulham store every month’s 1st and 3rd Sundays from 10am till 12pm or alternatively you can go to the Victoria store, where the classes are held on the 2nd and 3rd Mondays every month from 8pm till 10pm. You should give the stores a call to book a session. Fulham’s number is 020 7384 5550, Victoria’s number is 020 7976 6298. Hope this helps.
Is there going to be one at the wimbledon branch? I cant see it on the list.
@Ben Yes, there is going to be, it’s just takes time to refresh our website. It should happen in the next couple of days, until then please call the store and they can inform you about the dates. You can reach them on (0)20 8417 0604
Hi. Do these sessions cover adjustment of disk brakes/brake pads too? Thanks
@Paul There were plans to have a MTB specific course at the Waterloo Road store, but there has been some changes in staff, so that might have changed. Please give them a call on +44(0)20 7928 2208 and they can let you know what the situation is.
Hi guys, any of the London stores running a session this sunday? Jan 30th? Cheers
@Tom Spitalfields should run a session on Sunday, but please give them a call to make sure it’s on and they still have empty slots: +44(0)20 7426 0391
booked up too – bit confused as its the 5th sunday. or is it counted as 4th? cheers
This looks really useful, but the Castleford one is a bit too far and Sunday would be a no-no due to other commitments. Any chance of the new Leeds store running these?
@Chris: Yes, the Leeds stores are running these!
Hi
Am thinking of doing one of your maintenance courses. I can already do most of the basics but am looking for advice on suspension set up, bleeding disk brakes, and installing tubeless tires. Is your course appropriate??
Maintence Courses what a great idea! Shame the service isn’t so great I booked up for a course with a friend about 6 weeks ago. When we arived last night we were told that the time had changed and therefore had missed a majority of the course. No one had bothered to tell either of us the time had changed, our numbers were taken and we were told to expect a call today, it hasn’t happened. I’m really dissapointed and this has to be some of the poorest customer service I ever received.
Hi following on from Chris’s post can you let me know what dates the Leeds store are running these classes please.
Thanks
@Daniel, I believe our Customer Relations team has contacted you in order to sort out this issue.
@Stuart at the Leeds City Centre it’s the last Friday every month, from 5pm till 7pm.
Is the courses just the basics? have done a course at another bike shop in edinburgh but wasnt much good. would like a more advanced course that helps you teach how to bleed dixc brakes, service suspension etc.
@Chris the courses cover the basics, they are more geared toward people who aren’t experts, so we don’t go as deep as suspension servicing or disc brake bleeding.
@balint thats a shame they are just the.basics.
How can we learn to do.more advanced maintanance? Do yiu not do them incase it cuts your service revenue?
@Chris The aim was to help everyday cyclist to maintain their bikes. The reason for not having more advanced courses is not because we would be afrad that it could undercut service revenues, simply it would require a quite complex infrastructure (training the trainers, the manhours of the instructors, etc.).
What I would recommend you to do is to sign up for a Cytech course: http://www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/cytech/
I would like to do my own maintenance as the local independent bike shops seem so expensive.
Shame there no stores in ESSEX other then Lakeside. As I have no car there no way of getting to a maintenance night Tuesday or Thursday.
Any more stores open soon in ESSEX ?
Hi there, we have no immediate plans to open more stores in Essex, but if you wish to carry our more maintenance yourself, our Youtube channel is a good place to start: http://www.youtube.com/evanscycles
best regards
Will