Maintenance Classes/Clinics:

Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation also offers both commuting and maintenance classes.

Bicycle Maintenance Classes In and Around Seattle
by Scott Marlow

Would you like to learn how to make basic repairs?  Interested in learning how to overhaul your hubs or suspension fork?  If so, check out these organizations offering bicycle maintenance classes from beginner level to advanced.

Classes may fall into three categories:  Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. 

Beginner classes 
Usually geared to the new or inexperienced cyclists.  Beginner classes often cover many subjects, but typically include:  maintaining and adjusting your brake and derailleur systems, on-the-road repairs, fixing a flat tire, basic lubrication and adjustment of the bicycle, and how to identify problems requiring professional attention.

Intermediate and Advanced Classes 
Typically expect you to be familiar with basic beginner level maintenance.  Intermediate and Advanced classes will focus on more difficult maintenance and repairs, typically including:  overhauling wheel hubs, headsets, and bottom brackets.  Wheel building may be covered; however, often a separate class is required to master the skill.

Ask the organization for a class syllabus.  Do not expect all classes to be similar.  Classes can range from 1 hour to a several weeks course.  Tools are usually provided (be sure to ask), but most classes expect you to bring your own bike to work on.

Locations

Bike Works
WHEN:  5 times a year usually on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00pm
COST:  $50
CLASS SIZE: Limit:  8 students
CONTACT:  David McLean
3709 S. Ferdinand Street 
Seattle, WA 98118
(206) 725-9408
bikeworksclass@bikeworks.org
www.bikeworks.org/arc.htm

David McLean, long-time resident and local bicycle advocate, weaves a little philosophy into these south Seattle classes: 
Quoting from Tom Cuthbertson's Anybody's Bike Book, "If you can ride it you can fix it!" and from SpokeSong by Stewart Parker: "It's a question of control over your own life ... so far as personal transport goes, the bicycle was the last advance in technology that everybody understands. Anyone who can ride one can understand how it works" 

Bike Works offers a basic course, which includes: oiling your chain/fixing a flat, adjusting gears/brakes, overhauling a hub and overhauling a headset.  The separate advanced class covers wheels.

Gregg's Greenlake Cycles
WHEN: Jan through March
COST: $80 Includes Book: Zinn and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance
CLASS SIZE: 8
CONTACT: Service Department
7007 Woodlawn Ave. NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 523-1822

Phil's South Side Bicycle Shop
WHEN:  anytime, by appointment
COST:  $30
CLASS SIZE: Individual
CONTACT: Phil Meyer
2310 SW 336th St.
Federal Way, WA  98032
(253) 661-3903
philthemechanic@aol.com

Phil offers one-hour personalized classes by appointment only.  

R & E Cycles
WHEN:  Year round
COST:  $45 and up
CLASS SIZE: NA
CONTACT:  R & E Cycles
5627 University Way NE
Seattle, WA  98105
(206) 527-0360
www.rodcycle.com

Offers a full range of bicycle repair and wheel building classes. See their website for specifics.

REI
WHEN:  Spring and Summer
COST:  Essential Road and Mountain Bike Repair is free
Advanced Bicycle Repair Course is $20 for REI members/$30 for non-members for each 2-hour session and $80 for REI members/$100 for non-members for the five-class series.
CLASS SIZE: Adv. Bicycle Repair limit: check with participating store.
CONTACT: Seattle REI Customer Service: 206-223-1944
Lynnwood REI Customer Service: 425-774-1300
www.rei.com

Learn bike maintenance and repair in a hands-on setting. Classes include: Hubs, Drive Train, Headsets, Brakes, and Derailleurs; classes are non-cumulative. For more information, visit www.REI.com or pick up an in-store Clinics and Events calendar.

Spoke & Sprocket
WHEN:  Fall
COST:  $150 for Basic Repair; 
$75 for Bicycle Maintenance; 
$100 for Wheel Building
CLASS SIZE: Limit: 4-8 students per instructor depending on the particular class.
CONTACT:  Jim Couch
2621 70th Ave West Suite D
University Place, WA 98466
253-564-1422
spknsprkt@earthlink.net
www.spokeandsprocket.com

Advanced mechanics may take a four-week class on Wheel Building, teaching the practical aspects of lacing methods, spoke length calculation, and proper wheel tensioning and truing as well as wheel building theory. Students learn aspects of wheel maintenance & repair and may build their set of custom wheels.

Spoke & Sprocket also offers custom mechanical, training, and riding technique classes for groups of 4-8 students.  Customized classes can also be developed to help riders prepare for rides such as STP, or RAMROD. Individualized coaching and bicycle fitting services are also available.

Wright Bros. Cycle Works
WHEN: every six weeks from 7 - 9 PM in the evenings. 
COST:  $50 for Basic; $60 for Intermediate; and $50 for Advanced
CLASS SIZE:  NA
CONTACT: Wright Bros. Cycle Works
219 N. 36th St.
Seattle, WA  98103
(206) 633-5132

Charles Hadrann has been teaching bicycle maintenance classes for 30 years from his Fremont co-op.  You can also join the co-op to gain access to a complete set of mechanic's tools and workspace area for fixing your bike.  You can choose from 3 classes:
Basic/Beginner (fixing flats, cleaning drivetrain, brake repair):  4 night-class
Intermediate/Hub class (overhaul wheel hubs, headset, bottom brackets):  5 night class
Advanced Wheel Building/Truing Class:  4 night class

If you know of other organizations offering bicycle maintenance courses, 
please send details to:  carry@cascadebicycleclub.org

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