CLASSES

Here at Back in the Saddle Bikes we have a range of different classes on offer for 2025 (listed below).

If you’re after a bespoke session dedicated to working on your own bike, try one of our 1-to-1 classes which can be booked by calling 07852 521577 or emailing info@backinthesaddlebikes.co.uk

On the other hand, if you’d like to join a class that covers more than one topic, we have sessions that run once or twice a month on a Saturday. Tickets can be booked at bit.ly/BIKEFIX-In-Depth-sessions

We’re going to be running wheel-building classes in April and May 2025 as well. Tickets for those can be bought here: https://bit.ly/BITSB-bike-wheel-build

Once you’ve chosen a class(es) from the schedule below, please head over to our Eventbrite page to book and pay for your place. When that’s done, we look forward to seeing you in class! If you find that you have Covid, flu or cold symptoms on the date of the class, don’t worry, we can reschedule your booking to another date as the classes take place on a regular basis.

1-TO-1 CLASSES

The most effective way to learn how to repair or service your own bike is one of our 1-to-1 classes where your own bike is being worked on. We offer two ways to do this in sessions which can be booked with flexible scheduling to suit you. For more detailed information or to book a session, please call 07852 521577 or email info@backinthesaddlebikes.co.uk

Full hands-on class

One of our mechanics will teach you the topics you want to learn so you can fix your own bike as you yourself work on the bike. You will have the full attention of the mechanic for as long as you’d like the session to last, up to a maximum of six hours in one day. These sessions cost £35/hr and can be booked in half-hour increments (with a minimum booking time of one hour). Any parts you buy to use on your bike during the session are charged at 10% off the normal retail price.

Watch and learn

One of our mechanics will be working on your bike carrying out the repair(s) or service you’ve booked, talking you through what’s being done while you watch and can ask questions. The cost for one of these sessions is £15/hr on top of the cost of the repair(s) or service being carried out. Any parts fitted to the bike are charged at the normal retail price.

FIX YOUR OWN BIKE MAINTENANCE CLASSES

These longer classes are aimed at people who want to learn about more than one topic in a group class, and do so in some depth as they work on their own bikes (though we have our own demo bikes available if you prefer). For example, our next session on Saturday, March the 29th 2025 deals with getting cable disc brakes and rear gears working properly. The approach is hands-on, so you’ll be getting plenty of experience working with the relevant tools and parts.

The classes run on a Saturday and can be booked here on Eventbrite: bit.ly/BIKEFIX-In-Depth-sessions

 

Cable disc brakes and rear gears (£40), 10-4pm on Saturdays the 29th of March and 21st of June 2025
This class will cover cleaning disc brake pads and rotors (discs) for typical cable disc brake systems as well as cleaning and maintaining a derailleur gear system. The replacment of inner and outer brake and rear gear cables is part of the session too, as is the correct set-up for cable disc brakes and rear derailleur gears.

 

Relacing a chain and cassette, and then correctly adjusting the back gears (£30), 1-4pm on Saturday the 26th of April 2025

Fitting a new chain and cassette is something that will need to be done regularly on bikes if they’re being ridden every week. Once the new parts are on, we’ll also look at how to get the back gears working properly, including fitting new inner and outer cables, adjusting the limit and B-set screws, and straightening the derailleur hanger if it’s bent.

 

Cable rim brakes and rear gears (£40), 10-4pm on Saturdays the 10th of May and 19th of July 2025
This class will look at cleaning the wheel rims and brake pads of typical cable rim brake systems like V-brakes, cantilevers, dual pivots and side pulls. It will also cover cleaning and maintaining a derailleur gear system, replacing inner and outer brake and rear gear cables, and how to set-up both brakes and rear derailleur gears properly.

 

Puncture repairs, putting together a small toolkit, and bike safety checks (£40), 10-4pm on Saturday the 7th of June 2025

Getting a puncture can be frustrating but needn’t slow you down for long as this class will show you. As well as practising how to repair punctures or fit a new inner tube (always carry a spare tube with you!), and remove and refit the back wheel of your bike, you’ll learn how to check that your bike is safe to ride, and what kind of tools you should carry with you when you’re out on the road.

WHEEL-BUILDING CLASSES

Wheel-building class (£80), 10.30-6pm on Saturdays the 12th of April and 24th of May 2025

Some have called wheel building an art or a mystery but really it’s a science, and learning how to do it to the point where you can begin making your own wheels is not as difficult as most people might think. The example we’ll be building in this session is a very popular wheel type – 32 spokes in a 2-cross lacing pattern on a rear disc freehub as found on many, many bikes these days.

In this class, over the course of the day you’ll learn how to: Choose hubs and rims suitable for your build; Calculate the correct spoke lengths; Select the tools you’ll need; Lace the hub and rim together with the spokes; Tension the spokes enough that the wheel can then start to be trued laterally and radially; Dish the wheel correctly; Finalise the tensioning and truing of the wheel so it’s ready for use

While we’ll look at the fundamentals of wheel-building theory during the day, this course is intended to be very hands on; there are plenty of sites on the internet dealing with theory, but there really is no substitute for the practical experience of assembling, tensioning and truing a wheel yourself.

The class starts at 10.30am, finishes at 6pm, and there’s a break for lunch. Places can be booked here: bit.ly/BIKEFIX-In-Depth-sessions