Maintenance 101: Bringing Bike Repair Classes to High School
Last month, SFBike’s Safe Routes to School team hosted a series of bike repair classes for Abraham Lincoln High School’s Green Academy and the bike club. Over the course of three afternoons, we taught over 40 students bike maintenance skills and empowered them to maintain the school’s fleet of bikes.
The classes covered the basics of drivetrain maintenance and techniques for fixing a flat tire by teaching terminology and demonstrating the skills in-person. For all three classes, we supplied all the tools necessary for students to try their hand at bike repair and actually practice what they’d been learning – for many, it was the first time they’d had a chance to work on a bike!
A core element of the series was an emphasis on the environmental benefits of regular bike maintenance. We demonstrated how keeping a chain clean helps slow the wear on gears, and how to patch a tube rather than replace it. Both of these practices help extend the life of bike parts and keep them out of a landfill.
For us, it was really gratifying to watch the students try these skills for themselves and gain confidence as they realized it wasn’t as hard as they had thought – they just needed a supportive space to try. One student wrote, “Thank you for helping us with the bikes! It was really interesting to learn how to change a tire, I feel like I will be able to successfully change my tires now.”
The Safe Routes team would love to bring this programming to more schools or other youth-centered community spaces. Get in touch with us for more information about the Safe Routes program and how we can bring classes to youth in your communities.