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  • Learning new skills & acquiring new knowledge…
  • phil258
    Free Member

    Just sat here reflecting, thinking how good it feels to have learnt a new skill (wheel truing) and acquired new knowledge (History – understanding the Roman Empire).

    Thought it’d be inspiring to hear from others…

    What new skills have you learnt recently / do you intend to learn?
    What new knowledge have you acquired / do you intend to explore?

    fossy
    Full Member

    Wheel building is very theraputic too.

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    Recently, nothing comes to mind, but I did enjoy learning to unicycle a while back. That was the most significant new skill that really took some dedication.

    I suppose there is also mounting tubeless tyres 🙂

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    sadexpunk
    Full Member

    trying to learn greek so that i can interact with the locals on our holidays.

    still very basic but im getting a lot of pleasure from it. im sure if i could immerse myself itd come on leaps and bounds, but work and life get in the way and i find myself going a few months without touching it again and have to keep revisiting the very basics and almost starting from scratch each time.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    I recently got an Arduino project kit and a book that goes over the basics.

    Electronics and programming are a bit of a mystery so I’d like to get a better grip of it.

    twinw4ll
    Free Member

    Love physics, getting to grips with general relativity and fascinated by quantum mechanics would like to venture into some maths, bit daunting because i left school at 15 with nothing worth shouting about.
    Also learning classical guitar 18 months in starting to get more intuitive now.
    My head is also crammed full of mostly useless information.

    Caher
    Full Member

    Years ago I did s personal trainer course at the local university. Everything from basic anatomy, lifesaving and how to train.

    phil258
    Free Member

    Next for us is fork/dropper servicing and hydraulic brake servicing. Procrastinating. Probably a confidence thing – that little voice… ‘what if I make a mistake?’ 🤔🙏🏻

    Oh, and sea kayaking/SUPing… 🙌🏻 That sense of expanse.

    What else we got?

    Rona
    Full Member

    Great thread. I love learning, and can often be found with my nose in a book of some sort or other. In recent years I’ve got back into music … have come back to the violin after a long break, and am hoping to complete the grades in the next few years. I’ll also be starting to learn to play the harp pretty soon. Excited! 😃

    2orangey4crows
    Full Member

    I’m generally a bit useless at this – taking on way too many things at once and then getting frustrated when I’m not at a pro level after 2 months. Kids/work then get in the way. And then that frustrating little voice starts saying, oh what’s the point.

    Would love to learn:
    skateboarding
    sea kayaking
    a language – maybe French
    guitar
    decent first aid
    skiing
    Wheel truing

    At 46 it’s becoming late for some of these things. And maybe should focus on just one or two that could be done with the family.

    ThePinkster
    Full Member

    I recently learned how to plaster properly and that’s a new skill I shall definitely be putting to good use occasionally.

    In the last 18 months or so my knowledge of the Second World War has grown immensely. I always thought I knew quite a bit about it but after following the We Have Ways Of Making You Talk podcast just as Lockdown was starting I’ve been blown away by how little I actually knew and understood.

    If anyone is interested in this period in history I can highly recommend it.

    dudeofdoom
    Full Member

    Learning Spanish for me… it’s very useful being able to speak it in Spain.

    Tbh I haven’t really stopped learning computer stuff since I picked up a computer keyboard for work, the current stuff is Kubernetes and Azure(although coming from docker it’s not that big a deal) and generally keeping up with Swift and Kotlin although I prefer this over the million JavaScript libraries (Angular and React) and flavours of js.

    Saccades
    Free Member

    New skills = rebuilding a sputter coater.

    Skills to get = jumping and the MS part of LC-MS.

    ji
    Free Member

    Started a PhD 18 months or so ago – learning lots of new things as my undergraduate was done in the 80s! Just about to start teaching uni students..eek

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    I started playing bass as a lockdown project, but I haven’t devoted enough time – particularly structured time – to think I’m any good at it.

    As for knowledge; I like to know things. I sometimes select a random wiki article, and use that as the stepping in point (dropping in point given the times I end up down a rabbit hole!)

    Or something else triggers it. Recently on here the Mousehole thread led me to read about the Solomon Browne / Union Star disaster, leading on to reading some more about the RNLI, etc. Or seeing ‘The Keeper’ on TV last night, has inspired me to read a bit more about Bert Trautmann. Football fans will know the main points (ex POW, broke neck in cup final but played on – no subs in those days) and so on but some of the rest was new to me.

    I don’t claim to be expert, but I know about a lot of things.

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    Bought the supplies yesterday to learn to oil paint. Should be fun

    p7eaven
    Free Member

    Non-bicycles:

    Drums. I bought a kit and began drumming 16 months ago to help aid concentration and navigate lockdowns. Have made much progress just doing a solid 20 minutes a day. Wish had started 30 years ago because I really do enjoy it although acquiring the skills to begin reading music is still my bugbear. For some reason my loaf just goes into meltdown as soon as look at a drum score. Feels like data-overload. #broken.

    Bicycle wheels: I’m still (mentally and skills-wise) in loose-bearing cup and cone territory so stripping forks and servicing modern wheels are on the to-do list

    Right now have a pair of old 26” Rhythm Pro Scandium wheels that require repair and service for a build project. Exciting! And yet I’m paralysed with skill-shortages!

    Repair dink in rim? No idea. Terrified of wrecking what were a £600 wheelset.
    Remove old bearings, source new bearings? No idea.
    Source 15mm adaptor to replace 20mm adaptor? Nope…

    I’m sure it’s all easy stuff for most 🤦🏼‍♂️


    @desperatebicycle
    that’s one thing I do have skills for. Took classical tutoring in oil painting about 15 years ago, and have been using them since. Lots of fun and never stop learning (which for me is part of the fun).

    Have been painting on and off for 40 years tbh. If you’re ever stuck for tips/youtube video channel recommendations then PM me I’d be more than happy to give some solid pointers.

    Also learned more about digital painting quite recently, and this last week began studying how to create simple animated gifs. Aiming to complete 1 x fast (1-2hr) tutorial before breakfast every day. First effort was rough as rough can be, but just learning to go through the basics is a massive boost to confidence with anything.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    Repair dink in rim? No idea.

    Tricky with aluminium as it tends to split when bent back. Personally I’d blow torch the area to soften it up then try straightening it with a pair of molegrips. Basically what they do with alloy car wheels if you dent them. It won’t be as strong as new but will seal better with the tyre.

    Remove old bearings, source new bearings? No idea.

    Just start pulling it apart, eventually you’ll just get down to the races pressed into their flanges which I normally carefully tap out with a flat blade screwdriver. To reseat the new ones I use the old bearings as a pad and tap them in with a hammer.

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    @p7eaven – nice one cheers! I’m loving doing art on my iPad, especially since I got a Apple Pencil thing.. Want to somehow transfer the styles I’ve learned on there to canvas. (Well, or more likely come up with something new 🙂 )

    Coyote
    Free Member

    At 46 it’s becoming late for some of these things.

    Nope. 55 here and looking at some Autumn / Winter projects to get my teeth into. Used to “play” bass in a band around 35 years ago. Never did it properly, so I’m looking for an online course. Decided to go for a half marathon or two next year so will be training for those. Quite fancy a language too. Will probably look at French.

    maca
    Free Member

    I recently completed a 2 year electrical course, which was not the most straight forward thing I’ve ever done but very satisfying and helpful day to day at work.
    I have always dj’d with traditional turntables and vinyl but have now added a digital setup as well which blew my mind for a while.

    slowoldman
    Full Member

    At 46 it’s becoming late for some of these things.

    Nope. 55 here and looking at some Autumn / Winter projects to get my teeth into

    I agree. After many years of fiddling around not very well on various musical things, I eventually took up the oboe at 54. Got to grade 8 and currently looking forward to orchestra restarting post Covid.

    What I learned from the oboe was to just keep turning up and chipping away at it.

    p7eaven
    Free Member

    @footflaps much appreciated thanks. That’s a starting point.

    Slightly disappointed about flaming the rim as the tape (Schwalbe high pressure, factory-fitted?) looks good, like a pro job! There’s something else to learn though so bonus 🤘🏼.

    dovebiker
    Full Member

    For me, life is all about learning and new experiences.
    3 years ago at 53 I took redundancy and set up an online business, built my own website and whilst it doesn’t make huge money it gives me something to do.
    This last year, I’ve had a house built having completely changed the interior layout, designed the kitchens, bathrooms and interior.
    Since my 40s I’ve completed the longest inline speed skating race in Europe; was the first Brit to complete the Rovaniemi 300 Arctic winter race by bike; took up K1 kayak marathon racing and completed a 60km ultra run. I’m looking for a sea kayak now I’m living on the coast. I still run and ride bikes regularly.

    thepurist
    Full Member

    I started the Ryan Leech learn to wheelie in 30 steps thing during Lockdown #1. I’m still crap, but still practicing on most rides.

    Making bread is another one – I’ve dabbled in the past but wfh has given me the extra time to fit it in. I do a mean 60/40 wholemeal multi seeded loaf and a few months ago embarked on the sourdough journey.

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