Want to improve your bike maintenance and mechanics skills over the winter? The Hutong is putting together a series of workshops this winter run by a professionally certified mechanic, who will teach you how to install, adjust and care for your bike. This is for regular riders who have a basic feel for bike maintenance (you should already be able to take off your wheels / fix a flat) but want to develop a more rigorous understanding.
Scope: The course will be covering the areas which experienced riders would like to develop skills in. Generally, the following is modeled on the Advanced Home Mechanic qualification offered in the UK and includes:
- Basic Installs (handlebars, stem, pedals, headset adjustment)
- Shift adjustment and troubleshooting
- Brake adjustment
- Chain and cassette installation
- Cable installation (brake and derailleur)
- Wheel truing
- Headset and bottom bracket adjustment and troubleshooting
Where / When: Saturday mornings, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at The Hutong. The course will run for 8 sessions (7 above + 1 revision session), and will replace peloton rides until the next cycling season starts.
Instructor: Jeffrey Trinh is a certified bike mechanic with several years’ experience as a professional tinkerer. He’s currently on an engineering team with one of the tech multinationals. Prior to coming to China, he lived in DC, where he cared for the bicycles of the rich and powerful (including the man with the launch codes). Most regular Saturday riders will know Jeff.
Cost: The cost is either by session (RMB 300), or for the whole course (RMB 1,000). A “goody bag” of bits and bobs is available for those who sign up. We’ll also handle storage for your stands for consecutive session attendees, so you’ll only have to ride your bike and tools over.
Requirements: This is an investment into your bike maintenance skills and, as a mechanic, you’ll need to buy / borrow some hardware. I’ve listed the essentials below. We *may* be able to get our hands on some stands, if that’s an issue.
General – everyone needs to buy
- hex wrenches
- spanners
- screwdrivers
Specialist – need to buy / share with 1 other person
- chain whip
- BB freewheel remover
- BB tool
- spoke wrench
- long handle 15 mm spanner
- crank puller
- chain cleaner
- chainring nut wrench
- cassette lockring remover
- clamp / stand
- cable and housing kits (for the cable install class)
Specialist – can borrow and share
- wheel truing stand
- some shop rags to clean chains/bearing surfaces
- generic assembly grease (doesn’t have to be super great quality),
- degreaser/cleaner
- chain lube
At the beginning of the course, we’ll be putting a bulk order in with Park Tool’s Beijing distributor.
Interested?
There are 10 spots available, with priority given to multiple session attendees. More details, including a lesson-by-lesson breakdown, available. Email us at info[at]thehutong[dot]com to register.
