Brakes wear with use. They need to be adjusted to work effectively. Practice centering, adjusting clearance, pad positioning, cable adjustment, etc. You will practice on your bike, whether it has side pull, center pull, dual pivot, cantilever and linear rim brakes or disk brakes.
It is highly recommended you work on your own bike to gain experience. You are welcome to come and watch, but priority support will be given to those who want to learn by doing. Bike Mechanic 101 instructor Steve Bauman is by far one of the best mechanics we know. This is a unique opportunity to learn from him and then if you want, work with him repairing bikes at Summer Streets in August.
This will be the second of a series of four “Bike Mechanic 101” classes this summer. The other two classes will cover derailleurs and bearings. The derailleurs class will be held on Sunday, July 14 and the bearings class will be held on Sunday, July 21.
We are inviting leaders and members to join us in these four “Bike Mechanic 101” classes to learn or improve upon your skill sets. After you take the classes, we hope you will be able to be a part of the Club’s mechanic volunteer group at Summer Streets in August, where Club volunteers fix and tune up the bikes of members of the public participating in Summer Streets. During Summer Streets, streets will be closed to motor vehicles and the Club will have a bike repair tent along the route. Even if you can’t help out at Summer Streets, after you take these classes you will better able to support yourself should you have a flat or mechanical, whether riding around the city or on long distance rides.
We will be doing an optional short ride from Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park to the class site. If you want to do the ride and stretch your legs, we will leave Grand Army Plaza at 10:45 a.m. If you want to meet directly at the class site, meet us at 11:30 a.m. at the Five Boroughs Brewing Co. at 215 47th St. in Brooklyn, between Second Avenue and Third Avenue (the Gowanus Expressway). Whether you are riding with us or meeting us at the class site, please be sure to register so we will know how many people to expect in the class. Five Boroughs Brewing is near the 45th Street and 4th Avenue R train stop.
Ride With GPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47039951
Cue Sheet: Mechanic 101 - Cue Sheet GAP to 5 Boroughs Brewing via Prospect Park, Sunset Park, Bush Terminal Par
