Okay, y’all asked for it! This winter Parallel HQ will be opening it’s doors for a few mechanic’s classes focusing on a few topics by popular demand. Read on to see what’s planned, and when, and how to sign up!
Click through to the Eventbrite page to see the schedule of classes. And below you’ll find the classes outlined.
Basic Bicycle Maintenance
The basic course is a low-barrier starter class geared towards people that have already been riding for a bit and know where everything is, more or less, but don’t know what grease to use and where. We’ll talk about fluids and lubes, maintenance and service, and how to isolate problems and when those problems are big enough to ask for help. If you’re shaky on bicycle terminology, have never swapped your own drivetrain, and aren’t sure if a headset should or should not be greased, then this is a great class for you.
This class is mostly hands-off learning, but some hands-on learning will be worked into the evening to give everyone a feel for wrenching. If you are just beginning with cycling and have never picked up a wrench, this class may be a little too advanced as it will not focus on tools and proper use of tools, but rather dive into maintenance assuming you have (or would like to have) the right tools at home.
Trailside/Roadside Repairs
This is the star of the show. Trailside repairs are the pinnacle of being self-sufficient on the bike. Building up to using a shoelace to keep a wheel true until the next town will take a few years of wrenching experience, but nonetheless we will discuss diagnosis, isolation, repair, and how to appeal to the cycling deities to have your chewing-gum-repair hold until you reach a bike shop. What do you do when the brake pads are all gone but you still have to descend 2000m? Tore your tire? Thankfully you brought tooth floss with you!
Having a solid base of mechanical knowledge is pretty important here, but not required. You’ll learn a fair bit about how tubeless tires work during the class, but already knowing a little about how they work will help. Not sure if your basics are up to speed? Join the Basic Maintenance class first!
A lot of this class with be bikepacking driven and focus on the repairs needed to survive a longer trip. We will discuss the most common mechanicals seen at the big races like SRMR, Tour Divide, and the likes (spoiler alert: it’s 90% tire stuff).
All students will go home with a small goodie bag of my favourite roadside fixin’ supplies!
Dynamo Lighting and Charging
Dynamos! How do they work? Why should I use one? What are magnets anyhow? Dynamos and train brakes are the same thing?!
Dynamos, lights, and usb chargers. Bust out your wool socks and helmet mirrors ‘cause it’s time to get nerdy! With this class we’ll dive into dynamos and all the peripheries. We’ll look at the difference between a StVZO light and a symmetrical light, different types of electricity, and finally solve the age old question “F*cking magnets, how do they work?”
Disc Brakes, Tubeless Tires, and Basic MTB Setup and Service
This class will be the most advance of all the classes. We’ll be combining a few topics, focusing on brakes mostly, but then also touch on tubeless tires and basic MTB setup. Although I could talk about tires and MTB until the end of time, we’ll keep it short(er) for the evening and if need be have another class in the future.
Bleeding, setup, and basic diagnosis will be covered for brakes. Focus will be on disc brakes.
Cockpit setup, suspension setup (sag, rebound, compression), and tire pressure will be covered in MTB setup. Tubeless tire tech talk will mostly focus on diagnosis and proper setup.
Basic knowledge of bike mechanics is a must for this class. You don’t have to be a “mechanic”, but knowing a facer from a chaser is wise. Not sure if you’re up to it? You will probably be just fine, but feel free to shoot me a message.
Questions, comments, confessions? Shoot HQ an email via the side navigation over there <<<<
Event link once more for fun: Eventbrite
