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  • Bike maintenance for primary school children
  • geoffj
    Full Member

    I posted this last year and so have lost the thread with all your comments / suggestions on, so I thought I’d try again.

    I started the course today with them cleaning their bikes and lubing their chains. Next week I’m going to do fixing punctures – inner tubes only provided by me. And then the week after that removing and replacing wheels and putting the chain back on.
    I thought I’d finish the course by showing some MTB videos – perhaps an edit / combination of MBUK freebies – trials, downhill, 4 cross and that Nathan Rennie thing on attempting to break the jump record.

    Anything else I should cover?

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    I guess little kiddie hands couldn’t deal with a chain tool but you might show that a powerlink in action. Or perhaps safety checks, making sure tyre pressure is good, cables not frayed, brakes and gears working.

    steelfan
    Free Member

    Hi Geoff, You’ve probably done it already but i find a simple ABC check is good thing for them to remember ABC= air, brakes, chain. On a bike building course I did I even got them indexing gears, changing brake cables and brake pads. It’s suprising what kids can do when they put their minds to it!

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    dave_rudabar
    Free Member

    What Onza said, rather than videos – you don’t want ’em to head down their nearest hill at warp speed (just yet!).

    mountaincarrot
    Free Member

    You need to include the parents!

    Kids up the road keep asking me to fix their punctures. I’ve done it two or three times. (Yes, and naturally trying to show them how to do themselves).
    I keep telling them it’s a job for their Daddy not me! “Our Dad can’t do that…”

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Replacing and adjusting brake cables is a must, how many kids do you see on bikes with V brakes pointing east and west. Also adjusting for fit, so seatpost and stem heights, and adjusting brake levers for reach. Also, not fixing but recognising wobbles in headset, bottom bracket and wheel bearings so they know when to get stuff fixed.

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