Today I spent my afternoon at Sheffield’s newest community bike facility – Recycle Bike’s, Bike Kitchen, a community DIY bicycle workshop.
They won’t do the work for you, but they’ll give you a hand and point you in the right direction if you need help. There are maintenance courses on some evenings, I understand the first one was about setting up brakes – perhaps I should have gone along…
I took my bike along because I live in a flat and don’t have much room, I only had to do a few simple things to my bike. They have all the tools you need and space for you to use (no need to turn the kitchen into a bomb site!)
Everybody gets a work stands and a basic toolbox with things like allen keys, grease and wire cutters. Specialist tools are in cupboards or on the wall, torque wrenches, vernier callipers(?), crown race removers, hacksaws etc. etc.
I changed my chain and shortened a spare, adjusted the bottom bracket, changed the brake cables, did a hub gear oil change and removed the front fork. They had all the tools I needed (much better than mine at home) and had basic parts like cables and cable outers – and helped me out when I wasn’t sure what to do!
All the details are here, they’re open a few days per week and on Saturday afternoons. Plus they have tea, coffee and biscuits.
1 reply on “Sheffield’s New Bike Kitchen – Community Bicycle Workspaces”
Great resource
This should be available in other towns and cities.
Wish I had access when I was younger maybe I could have got the Sturme Archer 3 speed gears working correctly.