BIKE MECHANICS WEEKEND: 13th - 15th December 2024
Come to Beaulieu in the New Forest for a weekend of bike mechanics, empowerment and connection.
Alice Williams, a City and Guilds-qualified mechanic, will equip you with the essential skills to service your bike, helping you save hundreds of pounds while boosting your confidence to ride further and longer.
2 nights shared dormitory accommodation at the Countryside Education Centre in Beaulieu
2 veggie breakfasts. 2 veggie lunches & 2 veggie dinners + refreshments.
2 x days of mechanic training delivered by a City & Guild qualified mechanic
Come to Beaulieu in the New Forest for a weekend of bike mechanics, empowerment and connection.
Alice Williams, a City and Guilds-qualified mechanic, will equip you with the essential skills to service your bike, helping you save hundreds of pounds while boosting your confidence to ride further and longer.
2 nights shared dormitory accommodation at the Countryside Education Centre in Beaulieu
2 veggie breakfasts. 2 veggie lunches & 2 veggie dinners + refreshments.
2 x days of mechanic training delivered by a City & Guild qualified mechanic
Come to Beaulieu in the New Forest for a weekend of bike mechanics, empowerment and connection.
Alice Williams, a City and Guilds-qualified mechanic, will equip you with the essential skills to service your bike, helping you save hundreds of pounds while boosting your confidence to ride further and longer.
2 nights shared dormitory accommodation at the Countryside Education Centre in Beaulieu
2 veggie breakfasts. 2 veggie lunches & 2 veggie dinners + refreshments.
2 x days of mechanic training delivered by a City & Guild qualified mechanic
We are thrilled to announce a two day mechanics course in collaboration with Alice Williams.
This experience is well suited to you if
💫 You have just started riding bikes and are keen to learn more about how to maintain your stead.
💫 You are not confident in knowing how to fix mechanicals.
💫 You want to connect with other women who like riding bikes.
💫 You have attended a bike mechanic workshop previously and now you’d like to dedicate a weekend to learning skills.
💫 You benefit from being shown how to do things in person in a small group.
ABOUT ALICE
Alice is a City and Guild qualified mechanic and guide based in Hackney and we are very excited to be partnering with her. Alice has over 10 years experience in the London cycle industry having worked for; Cycle Surgery, LCC, Cycle Confident, Apex Cycles, The Bike Project, Fairlight Cycles, Lunar Cycles and independently as Ask Alice. Alice started her teaching journey at the inaugural Sisters In The Wild gathering in 2021, and since then has taught courses at Broken Spoke Oxford, Broad Bikez, Bike Dykes and further Sisters In The Wild events. You can follow Alice on instagram by clicking here and you can learn more about Alice by checking out her website here.
HOW WE LEARN
We will learn together in a group of 8 in a large room on site which is flooded with natural light. Alice’s experience working as a football coach and SEN teaching assistant means that she relays information in an accessible and engaging way.
WHAT WE LEARN
👉 BEARING SYSTEMS - understanding where the main bearings on the bicycle are and identify when they need servicing or replacement. Bearings to be checked include bottom bracket, headset, pedals and wheels. We will take off our cranksets and remove and reinstall our bottom brackets.
👉 WHEELS AND TYRES - What do all those numbers on the tyre mean?! Demystifying wheel and tyre sizes. We will learn to identify what size our wheels are, how wide our hubs and rims are, and what our options for tyres might be. We will briefly cover the theory of spoke tension and wheel truing.
👉 BRAKES - we will look at different types of brakes and practise changing our pads and checking our rotors and rims. We will discuss the advantages of different types of brakes. We will learn how to align our brakes. We will look briefly at changing cables and understand the theory of bleeding hydraulic brakes using a shimano quick bucket bleed.
👉 GEARS - We will learn how to check our chain, cassette and chainrings for wear and understand when to replace each one. We will explore different brands, speeds and compatibility issues. We will learn how to remove our chain and cassette and put them back on using a quick link. We will also practise chain breaking and rejoining without a quick link. We will practise how to replace a gear cable and index a rear derailleur.
👉ASK ALICE - Plenty of time will be set aside over the weekend for questions relating to other issues not covered by the above topics. Anything can be asked!
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING WITH YOU
Your bike
Any tools you usually use to service your bike
A curiosity for learning new things
Your own personal toiletries & a towel
WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO BRING WITH YOU
Cutlery, plates, etc.
Sleeping bag, duvet, sheets, etc
FULL ITINERARY
FRIDAY
18:00 Arrive at The Countryside Education Centre
18:30 - 20:00 Bike ride
20:00 Dinner together
SATURDAY
8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 - 13:00 Learning
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 17:30 Learning
SUNDAY
8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 - 13:00 Learning
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:30 Learning
1600 We say goodbye
TRAVEL:
Arrive from 18:00 on Friday 13th December. The gathering will come to a close at 16:00 on Sunday the 15th December.
The nearest train stations are Brockenhurst (40 minute cycle) Southampton, (60 minute cycle) or Ashurst, (50 minute cycle). There is lot’s of space for parking at the centre.
ACCOMODATION:
Your home for the weekend will be the Countryside Education Centre. Sleeping arrangements will be in shared dormitories. If you are coming with a group, please let us know and we can make sure you all share the same room.
FOOD:
Meals will be enjoyed together in a communal setting. However, if you prefer a more private dining arrangement or have specific needs, please let us know, and we will be happy to accommodate you.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
If for any reason your plans change and you can’t join us, we will refund you your ticket price in full up to 14 days before the start of the Weekend.
Since 2021, NFORC have partnered with female bike mechanics to deliver training sessions that empower people to ride further and for longer. The riders who attended these workshops have grown significantly more confident in their abilities to maintain and fix their bikes. This winter, we continue to provide the opportunity for more people to uncover natural talents and feel empowered to learn more about their bike.