Womens classes February 2012

In response to requests, we'll be holding a couple more women only classes this winter:

On Sunday Feb. 19th, 10am to noon, Janelle will be teaching bike basics

On Sunday Feb. 26th, 10am to noon, I'll be teaching adjusting brakes and shifters

The bike basics class is designed to include the basic things that all bike owners should know, no previous mechanic experience required. We generally cover proper tire pressure, basics on how to care for your chain, what to carry in a tool kit, and how to fix a flat.

In the adjusting class, I'll cover the most common problems and adjustments for cable actuated rim brakes and derailers. I won't be covering hydraulic actuated brakes, disc brakes, coaster brakes, internal hub shifters, drum brakes, etc. No previous mechanic experience required.

If you are a woman with some bike mechanic experience and would like to help out during the hands on portion of the class, we'd love your help. Please contact me at sherry_n_adams[at]yahoo[dot]com

If you are a non woman person we'd love to have you involved in Community Bikes during any of the many other opportunities. Please call the shop to learn more.

Feel free to pass this announcement on to women you know who may be interested, but please do not post to listservs.

Bike Mechanic class for women- beginner’s level

October 30th 10am to noon

Back by popular demand, we'll be having another women’s bike mechanic class at Community Bikes the last Sunday in October. This will be a women only time at the shop. We will be covering the basics that every bike rider should know. The class is appropriate for people with little or no experience with bicycle mechanics. You are encouraged to bring your bike for the hands-on portion of the class, but it’s not required. You do not need to bring any tools, but feel free to bring tools you have that you would like to learn to use.

We will cover how to keep your bicycle chain happy and working well, checking your tires for proper air pressure, what tools you should carry when you ride your bike, and how to fix a flat tire. Please come expecting to get dirty, and prepared to be patient with your self and others.

If you are a woman who knows how to fix a flat, I'd love to have your help during the hands-on portion of the class assisting students.

You do not need to sign-up beforehand and the class is free. If you can't come to the class but are interested in getting e-mails about other women only classes at Community Bikes, send me an e-mail at sherry_n_adams[at]yahoo.com.

Mechanic classes

The mechanics of Community Bikes invite you to join us this summer for a series of classes on bike mechanics. These are hands-on classes. Each focuses on a particular system of the bicycle. We introduce the basic concepts, some common problems and how to address those problems We spend the rest of the class with students practicing on bicycles. You are encouraged to bring your bike.

Summer 2010 Schedule:
August 21 - How To Fix A Flat & Other Bike Basics
August 28 - Brakes
Sept 4 - Shifters and Derailers
Sept 11 - Bearings and Wheels

All classes are from 11am to 1pm at Community Bikes, 4009 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa, located very close to the Joe Rodota bike path. The price is sliding scale $0 to $10 per class. You can take individual classes or the entire series.To sign up or for more information please call 579-5811.We've been teaching these classes for over 2 years now and they have been a success because we've had so many experienced volunteers helping out that we can usually have a 1:3 ratio during the hands-on portion of the class. If you have some experience with bike repair and are interested in helping out, please call about volunteering, we'd love to have your help.

Women's Classes July and August 2010

We've offered two women's bike mechanic classes at Community Bikes and in both cases we had more than twice as many people interested as we could accommodate. So this summer we'll be doing a whole series of mechanic classes in the women only format.

Here's what you need to know:

1. Please sign up in advance for any classes you'd like to take by sending an e-mail to Sherry_N_Adams[at]yahoo[dot]com. You are not signed up until you've gotten a confirmation e-mail back from me.

2. Please consider volunteering to help. If you are a woman with bike mechanic skills we could really use your help during the hands-on portion of the class. For each class I also need one volunteer who needn't have mechanic skills who is willing to come early to greet students and help them get their bikes on work stands. Please let me know if you are interested in coming to help out.

3. These classes are a women only time at the shop. The rest of the time we are open to all, if you are not a woman and you are interested in other opportunities at Community Bikes please contact me, I'd be glad to tell you about our other classes and open shop times when you'd be welcome.

4. The classes are free. We teach these as a community service, please 'pay' for these classes by donating your time and skills to the community. Also, Community Bikes always welcomes donations.

5. These are hands on classes. You are encouraged to bring your bike, though it is not required. Each class begins with an introduction to the basics of the topic, and the rest of the class is spent with students working on bikes. I try to have a 1:3 ratio of helpers to students.

6. I've been teaching classes at Community Bikes for 3 years and I have a lot of fun doing it. Please come with patience for me (I don't know everything!), for your self, and other students. Thank you to Janelle Black for volunteering to teach the brakes class and one of the intro classes. My hope is that some of you will take these classes as a starting point to develop your mechanic skills and perhaps will be helping to teach these classes in the future.

7. The classes:
bike care basics
We'll introduce the basics that every bike owner should know. Tire pressure, lubing a chain, what tools to carry with you, and how to fix a flat.

brakes
A basic introduction to common braking systems. We won't cover coaster brakes or hydraulic brakes. We'll talk about the parts of the braking system, common causes of problems with brakes and how to fix them. Focus is on rim brakes, but depending on helpers present may also be able to cover disc brakes.

shifters/derailers
A basic introduction to shifting. How it works, common problems and how to fix those problems.

intro to bearings and wheel truing
I'll introduce you to the basics of these two topics. What and where your bearings are, how to know if they need adjustment, how to make basic adjustments. When a wheel needs truing, the basics of truing a wheel. This class can only provide a cursory introduction to these topics.

For details on class times please contact me at the e-mail address above.

Spring bike mechanic classes

The mechanics of Community Bikes invite you to join us this spring for a series of classes on bike mechanics. We volunteer to teach these classes because we think the bicycle is the most excellent form of transportation we know about and being able to maintain and repair these simple and elegant machines brings us great joy. Come join us for some joy.

These are hands-on classes. Each focuses on a particular system of the bicycle. We introduce the basic concepts, some common problems and how to address those problems We spend the rest of the class with students practicing on bicycles. You are encouraged to bring your bike.

Spring 2010 Schedule:

April 3 - How To Fix A Flat & Other Bike Basics
April 10 - Brakes
April 17 - Shifters and Derailers
April 24 - Bearings and Wheels

All classes are from 11am to 1pm at Community Bikes, 4009 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa, located very close to the Joe Rodota bike path. The price is sliding scale $0 to $10 per class. You can take individual classes or the entire series.

To sign up or for more information please e-mail

We've been teaching these classes for over 2 years now and they have been a success because we've had so many experienced volunteers helping out that we can usually have a 1:3 ratio during the hands-on portion of the class. If you have some experience with bike repair and are interested in helping out, please send an e-mail about volunteering, we'd love to have your help.