Bicycle Mechanics and Repair Decal
-
Physics 98/198
Spring2014
Presented by BicyCAL, UC Berkeley’s
bicycle and Razor scooter repair
cooperative.
BicyCAL is a student founded and
cooperatively run organization at UC
Berkeley whose mission is to empower
UCB students, faculty and staff to
successfully integrate the bicycle into
their daily lives. To that end we seek to
provide a space where members of our
community can learn how to maintain,
operate and love their bicycles in an
inclusive and safe place. We offer peerto-peer bicycle repair and maintenance
education in a radically positive
environment.
Learning Objectives
Safety
•
•
•
•
•
Bike Mechanics
Helmet use
Theft Prevention
Riding at night
Defensive Riding
Preventative Maintenance
• Basic repair on the road
• Regular upkeep
• Advanced diagnosing and
repair on all components of
a bicycle
Outreach
• Learn and teach others
• Explore ways to help the
cycling community at Cal
and in the Bay Area
About the Class
• 2 hr. lecture per week
– Students will learn the theory behind the basics of
bicycle repair and get hands on experience on all
components.
• 1 hr. of field study every other week.
– Students will practice and improve their repair
skills with field study, by volunteering in during
BicyCal open hours.
• 1 page paper due at end of semester.
Attendance and Grading
• 2 absences allowed
• Grading will be based
without make-up
on attendance and a
short paper to be
• Absences beyond 2
assigned towards the
must be made up with
end of the semester,
field work
and
a
progressive
skills
• Maximum of 4 absences
assessment.
total
Resources Available Online
www.bicycletutor.com
www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help
www.bikewebsite.com
www.sheldonbrown.com
Resources Available Locally
www.Spokeland.org
Mike’s Bikes
Missing Link
East Bay Bike Coalition (www.ebbc.org)
Bicycle Safety – Preventative Maintenance
Maybe check your bike once in awhile before your
hit the road. This includes:
-- Occasionally grab your brakes, make sure they don’t feel
overly ‘spongy’ and that they cannot touch your
handlebars.
– Lubricate the chain once a month or so, more if it is really
rainy or if you leave your bike outside a lot.
– Occasionally check the position of your quick-release
skewers (if you have them), especially if you park your bike
in crowded bike racks where they can get kicked.
– Pinch your tires and inflate them if they are really squishy.
Helmets
Some people wear helmets all of
the time. Some don’t. If you’re
going to wear one you may as
well get a good one and wear it
right.
Bicycle Deaths by Helmet Use
Year
No
Helmet
Helmet
Total*
Num
2004
602
(83%)
87
(12%)
722
2005
676
(86%)
77
(10%)
784
2006
730
(95%)
37 (5%)
669
2007
646
(92%)
50 (7%)
699
2008
653
(91%)
58 (8%)
714
http://www.cpsc.gov/kids/kidsafety/correct.html
www.helmets.org
Helmets are important for riders of all ages, especially because 86 percent
of bicycle deaths are persons 16 and older.
Statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Fatality Facts: Bicycles - 2008
Safer Riding
http://bicyclesafe.com/
And the DMV says…
Street Legal Vehicle!
Front and Rear Lights
Cateye
Planet Bike
Reflectors
http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/shr_slow_veh.htm#bike
http://city.milwaukee.gov/SafeBiking3729.htm
Bicycle Anatomy.
Again.
And again.
Theft Prevention
Some General Rules
•Gone for 1 minute? Lock it.
•Park in visible spots with heavy pedestrian
traffic.
•Park next to a more expensive bike.
•Lock your bike to something, not to itself.
•Don’t park your nice bike in the same place
every day.
•Have a good lock.
•Accept that your bike may be stolen.
http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/09/27/another-model-berkeleys-bicycle-boulevard-network/
http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/28/second-life-nyc-parking-meters-to-reincarnate-as-bike-racks/
What Do I ‘Need’?
THE U-LOCK
THE CABLE
+
•Having a cheap bike
helps. Breaking the
lock might cost more
than the bike itself.
http://bikedepot.com/product/kryptonite-new-york-fahgettaboudit-u-lock-43799-1.htm
http://bikedepot.com/product/kryptonite-kryptolok-series-2-std-with-4-foot-flex-cable-43810-1.htm
One Way To Lock Your Bike.
U-lock secures the
frame and front wheel
to the post.
Cable lock provides
an additional lock
to the frame and
front wheel. Also
can lock back wheel
and seat post.
Sheldon Brown Method
http://technology.open.ac.uk/oubug/commuting/comm-gen.htm