Learn the Basics at Bike Repair 101

Intimidated by bike shop mechanics? Aggravated by brake squeal? Sick of skipping derailleurs? Want to volunteer at Sopo but don't know the first thing about bikes?

This series of two workshops is designed to turn that love-hate relationship you have with your bicycle into 100% pure bike love.

These no-attitude workshops, led by Emily and Kira, will help you become more comfortable with basic bike repair. We will go slow and have time for questions. We will cover some of the most common adjustments and repairs, and go over diagnosing some more advanced problems as well.

Join us at the Sopo shop on Sunday, July 20, 7 pm - 10 pm and Monday, July 21, 7 pm - 10 pm for this 2-part series. Bring your bike if it's in good working order, and your multitool and patch kit if you have them. The suggested donation is $0-$10.

For a detailed list of topics to be covered, go here. Pictured above: Sopo'ers love fixing bikes!

day one: frame, wheels and brakes

main topics:
get to know your bike:
--quick overview of the main parts of a bike and the basic tools you need
--fitting your bike to your body and your needs
--checking for frame damage
how to align your brake pads
safe and effective use of quick release levers
how to fix a flat and the proper tire pressure for your tires

if there is time, we will also cover:
how to tell if your hub needs to be re-packed, and what is inside your hub
how to tell if your wheel is out of true, and a brief explanation of truing procedure
how to change a derailleur cable

day two: gears and bearings

main topics:
importance of bike lube and bike grease
importance of keeping moving parts of the bicycle clean
aligning front derailleur
aligning rear derailleur

if there is time, we will also cover:
how to check for good headset movement, and what is inside your headset
how to check for good bottom bracket movement, and what is inside your bottom bracket
how to change a brake cable