The Spoke Curriculum

Sessions

The Spoke Curriculum

Session	Topics	Summary
Session 1	Game, Overview of Bike, Diagnosing mechanical problems, Tools, Picking a bike, Diagnosis, Charts	In this first session, we will meet each other and learn some core basics about bicycle maintenance and repair. We'll then pick out a suitable bicycle to work on for the rest of the program, examining its size and diagnosing what we'll need to work on for the next few weeks.
Session 2	Tire & Tube Service, bolts, free repair	We'll start the second session with a quick lesson on how to fix a flat, followed by a brief demonstration of properly adjusting bolts on bicycles. After that, we'll work in teams on each bicycle, fixing issues we identified in the first session.
Session 3	Shifting, drivetrain, free repair	Shifting (the shifters and the derailleurs) and the rest of the drivetrain (the cranks, the chain, and the gears) run the bicycle. Keeping this part of the bicycle running smoothly and efficiently can make for a much easier, faster ride. Learning these adjustments takes time, but is worth it. After that, we'll continue working in teams on each bicycle.
Session 4	Brakes, free repair	Brakes are a critical piece of the bicycle. No bike should ever be ridden without some way to safely stop. In this session, we'll go over the various styles of brakes, and the general principles of brake adjustment, followed by free repair time.
Session 5	Wheels, headset, hubs, bottom bracket, free repair	All the rotating parts on a bicycle operate on essentially the same basis: a hub holds bearings and an axle runs through the inside. If the bearings are too tight, it won't turn. If they're too loose, the axle will wobble and can cause damage. The hardest part can be accessing the parts to adjust. Today we'll learn about headsets, bottom brackets, and and wheels. We'll continue working on your own bike as well.
Session 6	On-road riding safety, group ride	We'll go over the basics of riding on the road in a safe, predictable manner.