www.bikeschool.com
I finished up the Advanced Mechanics class at United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, Oregon last Friday. I have to say that it was worth every single penny. The instruction was excellent. For example, the instructor teaching the brakes section had recently worked on disc brakes for pro down-hill racers and trials riders for the past 7 years. He was super chill, except when it came to tolerances! haha. The hands-ons were up-to-date for common technology. The course struck a great balance of lecture and hands-on application. The immersion with other bike nerds that were only thinking about bike mechanics for 2 weeks is my preferred way to learn. I learned just as much from other students/mechanics as I did from the instructors. The hands-ons rotated partners and benches each day simulating a real shop environment. We would often end the day with a deconstruction of a component, lay everything out, and then come back the next day to a new bench with a different layout!
Always be knollin' -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-CTkbHnpNQ
Daily class was 8-5 M-F with an hour for lunch and some breaks. T/Th the shop was open from 5-7 for finishing up anything or working on your own bikes/pestering the instructors. They teach the class as sub-systems that interact to give you the larger bike/rider/environment systems. This style of teaching helps you build intuition for what might be wrong given a few key hints (even a few steps up or down stream).
I could go on but this post is already insanely long. Respond here or PM me if you are thinking about doing this course.
# 1 - Mechanical Properties
Introduction to cleaners, lubricants, physical properties of components (materials, thread count, pitch, torque etc.) and basic tools, bike stand, shop layouts.
Hands ons:
Accurate vernier Caliper use
Thread Pitch gauge use
Various wrenches, sockets, T-25 bits, torque wrench use etc.
# 2 - Bearings
Various bearing types and materials, applications, sizes, tolerances, identification, wear patterns, and common use in various bicycle subsystems.
Hands on:
Measure and identify various bearings based on dimensions of components (shell, bearing size, inner/outer diameters)
# 3 - Hubs
Components, compatibility, parts, adjustments, inspection, wear patterns, service.
Hands on:
Front and rear Shimano hub disassembly, cleaning, bearing repacking, reassembly (overhaul).
DT Swiss front and rear hub disassembly, cleaning, reassembly (overhaul, cartridge bearings).
# 4 - Wheels, Building and Service
Wheel components, dynamics, spokes (length, tension, wear), nipples, rims, hubs, material fatigue, general wear, Inspection and assessment, re-truing wheel-sets, broken spokes, etc.
Hands on:
Build a wheel-set using the hubs you just overhauled and asymmetric rims (disk brake compatible)
- Measure rims, hubs, over-lock dimensions, etc.
- Use spoke length calculator
- choose and layout all materials
- Rim/logo placement alignment
- Correct lacing pattern
- Laterally True (<1mm tolerance)*
- Radially True (<1 mm Tolerance)*
- Dish Variance (<2 mm total Tolerance)
- Average tension on all spoke pairs and all spokes
- Tension variance
- Overall quality of build
https://wheelfanatyk.com/
The Bicycle Wheel - Jobst Brandt
The Art of Wheel Building - Gerd Schraner
1) Lateral
2) Radial
3) Dish
4) Repeat
*these are heavily used taken down and rebuilt components. The lateral, radial, and dish tolerances for new materials would be less than 0.5 mm.
# 5 - Tires and Tubes
Tire categories, construction, materials, characteristics, tire and rim dimensions, tire beads, inspection, wear, replacements, etc.
Hands on:
MTB tire/tube removal, inspection, reassembly.
MTB tubeless tire removal, inspection, rim taping, reassembly, tire seating with pump (higher psi), leak check (failure if leaking, redo!).
# 6 - Pedals
Types, clipless, cleats, compatibility, service, etc.
Hands on:
remove/inspect/grease reinstall various types of pedals throughout the two weeks. Depending on type, use crows foot adapter with larger torque wrench for re-installation.
# 7 - Crankset, Bottom Brackets, Chainrings
Crank and bottom bracket interfaces, BB bearing assemblies, chainrings and compatibility, materials, tooth numbers, inspection/assessment, wear, replacement, etc.
Hands on:
Mixed and matched depending, but...
Square taper crank arm removal/install
cup-and-cone BB removal/disassembly/reassembly/installation.
2 piece crank arm removal/install
cartridge BB, splined crank arm, pedal removal/inspect/reinstall
Shimano Hollowtech 2 piece crank and BB removal, inspection, reinstall
BB30 bearing removal/inspection/reinstall
Various chanring removals/deconstructions/inspections/constructions/installations
Chainline measurements/calculations
# 8 - Fixed Gear, Freewheel, Freehub & Cassette
Fixed gear systems, compatibility, materials etc.
Geared drive mechanisms, systems, compatibility, materials etc.
Freewheel mechanisms, systems, compatibility, materials etc.
Freehub/cassette mechanisms, systems, compatibility, materials etc.
Hands on:
Shimano freehub body/cassette removal/disassembly/inspection/assembly/installation
DT Swiss Star ratchet removal/disassembly/inspection/assembly/installation
# 9 - Chains
Categories, components, dimensions, materials, compatibility, applications, wear, size, removal/installation.
Hands on:
Chain measurements, wear, removal (chain breaking), installation mechanics pin, quick links
# 10 - Derailleurs
System components, frame requirements/dimensions, component compatibility, cables and housing, shifting styles, complete system removal/inspection/installation/adjustment. Many physical examples of various types of front and rear derailleurs to play with and observe movement ranges/angles.
Hands on:
Shimano (trim style system) full front and rear derailleur measurement/removal/inspection, installation of new cables and housing, adjustments of limits, angle (rear) and cable tensions, complete smooth shifting test through entire gear range (or redo!).
The trim system has a half click on the front derailleur to prevent chain rubbing on the high/low ends of the gear combinations of the large and small front chain ring.
Dropout and rear derailleur hanger alignment
# 11 - Rim Brakes
Categories, frame and fork mounting options/dimensions, brake pads (materials, sizes etc.), cables and housing, rim brake inspection/wear (pads/rim), service/repair/assessment.
Hands on:
Front and rear caliper rim brake removal/disassembly/inspection, brake reach measurements, reassembly/re-installation, cables/housing, adjustment.
Front linear pull brake removal/disassembly/inspection/re-installation with 1 mm brake pad toe-in to prevent squeaking
# 12 - Hub Brakes
Categories, frame and fork mounting options, compatibility, materials, brake pad options/materials, rotor options/materials, inspection/wear/service, levers/hoses/cables/housing, hydraulics 101, various brake fluid types (pros, cons, compatibility), new brake burn-in, component lubrication (NOT PADS! haha).
Hands on:
Avid Disc brake removal/inspection/installation
Shimano hydraulic disc brake inspection, removal, brake bleeds, new fluid, air removal, re-installation, tuning
SRAM hydraulic disc brake inspection, removal, brake bleeds, new fluid, air removal, re-installation, tuning
# 13 - Headsets
Components, fork/stem/handlebar compatibility, headset standards, bearings, wear, failures, materials, new fork install (trimming to size?), S.H.I.S. Designation, carbon fiber considerations.
Hands on:
Threaded headset inspection/disassembly, pressed race inspection/removal, installation
Threadless headset inspection/disassembly, stack height measurements, adjustments of spacers, reassembly.
# 14 - Suspension
Vorsprung Suspension Learning-
https://vorsprungsuspension.com/blogs/learn
Racetech Motorcycle Suspension Bible - book
Suspension theory (spring/damper/compression/rebound), components, materials, service, set-up, mid-ride tuning, service intervals, fluids, inspection/assessments,
Hands on:
Suntour Auron air spring inspection/disassembly of spring side and damper side, component cleaning (seals etc.), reassembly and tuning for hypothetical rider.
# 15 - Frame Materials and Construction
Materials, geometry, tube diameters, components, fabrication methods (Brazing, TIG, carbon composite molding), tolerances, frame prep and alignment, chasing, facing, reaming threads.
Hands on:
Chasing bottom bracket threads (high end cutting tools!)
Facing bottom bracket shell (tool chatter = fail! )
Headtube facing and reaming
# 16 - Contact Points
Frame Sizing and geometry of all types of bicycles, rider preferences, frame geometry and handling, all the components related to bike fitting, basic bike fitting (there as an entire sub-industry devoted to bike fitting).
Hands on:
Various seat, handlebar, control lever, and stem, adjustments throughout the course.
Handlebar taping.
# 17 - Shop Operation and Industry
Service department fundamentals, profitability, best practices, diagnostic techniques, labor rates, service writing, general business fundamentals, inventory, parts, tools,
Hands on:
Take in road bike that has been monkeyed with by the teachers, diagnose all basic problems, service write all problems/rate estimates/ parts, include full overhaul.
Final hands on day :
Take ticket from your service writing, do full road bike inspection, complete deconstruction (wheels, hubs, brakes, handlebars, cables/housing, derailleurs, cassette, chainring, bottom bracket, etc.). Repack bearings, reassemble wheels, true wheels (<1mm tolerance) and fully reassemble bike within spec in allotted time (6 hours).
There was an odd number of students so one student was always working alone. I was chosen to work alone on the overhaul day. I finished up and got checked off only 10 minutes behind the faster students that were working in a team! WhooAHHH!
Final written test:
100 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes. Open note, but 275 pages of text to pull specific answers from!!! No practice tests. haha.
75 to pass
I have to say this was a challenging test as it was VERY specific with ~54 seconds a question. My dyslexic brain had a hard time with some of the questions under such a time crunch (e.g. double negatives --> cross reference 2 look up tables). If I do not pass for some reason I will take it again soon.
ETA: Passed the test and received the certification in the mail.