Workshops

BASIC BIKE MAINTENANCE CLINICS

Learn to care for your bike and keep repair costs to a minimum. The Bike Rack offers Basic Maintenance Clinics throughout the year at no charge.

The topics covered include:

- Cleaning your frame
- Clean and lube your drivetrain
- Components of the drivetrain
- Changing a flat tire
- Recognizing tire wear and choosing the right tire

The clinics are on designated Saturdays each month from 8:30 am to 9:30 am and there is a limit of 15 people per clinic for maximum effectiveness. All participants will receive 10% off of any parts and accessories purchased at the clinic. Please register for an upcoming clinic -

ADVANCED BIKE MAINTENANCE CLINICS

Ready to get your hands dirty while learning how to keep your bike in top condition?

The Bike Rack offers a comprehensive 6 week course on bicycle ‘tune ups’. Each class will focus on a significant piece of what makes the bicycle function. The course is part instruction and part hands-on, providing detailed instruction of how to assess, repair, and maintain ones’ own bike. Participants will gain a practical level of knowledge and mechanical ability, not to mention some dirty hands. This course is the ultimate for a step by step approach to improving the performance and helping you to save money over the life of your bicycle.  The clinics are held at the shop and the next series will begin on October 29, 2011. We will offer a second series beginning January 7, 2012 and a third series to start in mid-February.  The cost for the course is normally $300, however if you sign up before early registration ends you only pay $240.

Great reasons to sign up:

• Learn from The Bike Rack’s professional mechanics – voted No. 1 by readers of the Washington City Paper two years in a row.
• Small class size of 5-6 participants = lots of attention from instructors.
• Learn the professional skills necessary to keep your bike tuned up

We want to make sure that your learning experience is optimal so we have limited the size of each course. At the conclusion, you will have performed a comprehensive tune up on your bicycle. Prior to the start of the course, we ask that each participant bring their bicycle to the shop in order to receive a general evaluation at no charge. This will enable us to order needed parts for your bicycle before the start of the first class.  Additional new parts used on your bicycle are not included in the cost of the course, however you will receive a 10% discount on parts and accessories through the duration of the course.

To inquire or register please send an email to info@bikerackdc.com indicating your intent to sign up for the course. We will then contact you to schedule your bicycle evaluation at the shop.  Once your bicycle evaluation is completed your pre-payment reserves your spot. All reservations are non-refundable.

Topics covered include:

Wheels
True, tension, and dish wheels. Cassette/freewheel removal and install.  Freehub body service.  Spoke replacement.  Minor hub adjustments

Bearings
Removal/install of various headsets and bottom brackets. Full hub overhaul and adjustment.  Assessment on quality and life span of all bearing systems.

Brakes
Overview of several common brake types, caliper, disc, “V,” cantilever.  Setup and install of brake pads and brake cables/housing

Derailleurs
Install and maintenance of front and rear derailleurs including tuning and compatibility.  Derailleur hanger alignment.  Cable/housing install and tuning.

Drivetrain
Methods of cleaning, chain sizing/install, removal/install of crankset and chain rings.  How to increase performance in drivetrain as a whole.

Review/Practice
Fine tuning, bicycle fit and geometry discussion. Additional services will be addressed including frame preparation and general accessory installation.