CycloContractor is now Velo Van!

In 2010 it became clear to me that after 15 years in the construction industry I was ready for a change.  The last several months have been full of transition and transformation, and now that process is just about complete.  I am happy to announce that velo-van.com is online and my new business venture will be open by February 2011.  Please visit my new website, subscribe, and continue following my blog there, as this will be my last entry at CycloContractor.  Thanks for reading and happy cycling!

UBI Day 10: Final Exam and Final Thoughts

The final morning of the 2 week Professional Repair and Shop Operation course at United Bicycle Institute was devoted to the “shop operation” portion of the title.  We touched on the labor rates and service procedures that one might think about to keep the service portion of a traditional bike shop profitable.  This wasn’t a business class, so if you’re thinking of opening a bike shop you should already know much more than was discussed, but for the aspiring mechanic it would probably offer a glimpse of the shop owners’ perspective and could be something of a reality check if you want to open a shop and haven’t done your homework.

After lunch we took our final exam.  This was a written 90 minute test that touched on every area we discussed over the previous 2 weeks.  While it was not the most difficult test I’ve ever taken, it certainly wasn’t the easiest either.  If you want to call yourself a UBI Certified Bicycle Technician, you better be paying attention in class and absorbing the information in front of you.

So, what are my final thoughts about my time at UBI?  I was thoroughly impressed with both the construction of the course and the way in which it was presented.  I never found myself wanting information that wasn’t there, and I took more away from the course than I expected to.  It was a totally positive experience and I would absolutely recommend it to everyone from the teenager looking to work in a shop, to the home mechanic who wants a better technical background for his own repairs.  I think it is a must for the prospective or current shop owner/manager who is more of a “business” guy/gal, and  I think even working mechanics whose only background is on-the-job training would do well to consider the professional instruction this course provides.  You will definitely learn some things.  Many thanks to Steve, Jeff, Dylan, Tony, and everyone at UBI!

The main classroom at UBI Portland.

Another view of the UBI Portland facilities.

UBI Day 9: Bike Fit and Bicycle Overhaul

The last truly “hands-on” day of the class started with a discussion of the principles of a proper bike fit.  It involved making sure a customer rolls out the door on the proper size bike with the proper set-up for them and their intended use of the bicycle.  This was a good presentation of the basics and gave us a good background in the steps and measurements involved.  It was not intended to be a bike fitting course, as you could study bike fit for a full 2 weeks and probably not know everything there is to know about it.

The rest of the day was devoted to stripping a road bike down to the bare frame and completing a complete overhaul.  Essentially, this was a thorough review of most of the procedures covered earlier in the class.  As the bike was reassembled and adjusted the instructors checked progress and gave approvals to proceed.  The bikes came together system by system. When everything was back together, shifting, rolling, and braking smoothly (and free of greasy fingerprints) the task was complete.  Nine days down, one to go.