Cytech vs others 'home mechanic' courses

Different topic than other cytech threads

I want to learn how to service and maintain my bikes properly (i.e. not just botch / youtube video / 4 hours of tinkering / sort of works better than it did)

Is the cytech 'home mechanic' course the best bet, or does anyone know about a good alternative with another organisation / run by a London LBS?

Cheers

There's the Cycle Systems Academy in london.

I did their 2-week level 2 course in December, so i can only really talk about that. It seems to have the same syllabus as the Cytech level 2, and they claim their training bikes are newer and less knackered than ATG's. It was well taught in a nice workshop space with good tools, and got me to a level where i can do work placements at bike shops (which they helped me arrange) and definitely help the other mechanics more than i'm slowing them down with questions.

Level 2 teaches you how to do a full service on a sub £500ish bike - strip to bare frame, re-build and adjust correctly, and also basic wheel-building (3 cross 32 hole). It doesn't cover high-end modern bottom brackets, fancy factory wheels, suspension or hydraulics - for that you need the level 3 course.

I'd guess a 1-day course should get you to a level that's more-help-than-hindrance at open toolbox / doctor bike type events, but you will probably still need practice to get good and quick.

I can also recommend spending endless hours on the internet reading about how stuff works, particularly Sheldon Brown's site.

Cytech levels 1 and 2 don't really teach you anything you can't learn by yourself. Level 3 introduces wheelbuilding and servicing hydraulics - this is much more complicated and having some instruction here really helps.

I did Cytech level 2 through work and didn't learn anything new (although the practice and supervision was useful). Unless you want to service really top-end MTBs or build fancy 16-spoke wheels, I wouldn't bother - unless you want to be a professional mechanic, in which case having the qualifications would be useful.

They do home mechanic courses, but I don't know what they're like.

I didn't read fois gras' post very well - but I would still advise learning by yourself over expensive courses for the basics.

If you want to learn at your own pace and quite a variety why not come to the Hackney Bikeworkshop which runs three evenings a month details at http://hackneybikeworkshop.com/ we won't give you a qualification but you will get a lot of experience

You could cover most of level 2 on your own, but few people will have access to the more expensive or obscure tools for thread chasing, frame facing, dropout and gear hanger alignment, etc. Also there's all the time with an experienced instructor who when you ask questions can show as well as tell you the answer.

I'm not saying formal instruction is the only way, but don't write it off.

Cycle Systems Academy course was outstanding (I did the level 2 in 2010). Instructors all knew their stuff and had worked (or managed) big workshops.

And back on the op's topic: even for the basics, it's quicker, safer, and potentially cheaper to learn from others who can tell you when you're getting it wrong. The alternative is finding out the hard way. I've been fiddling with my own bikes for years and some of my knowledge i've paid for with busted kit and broken skin.

I heard good thing about the CTUK course, which is worth considering.

or work in a bicycle shop and have free reign of the workshop (and discount).

Thanks everyone, really helpful advice.

I'm very much with Moth on this in that I have learnt the hard way on a lot of fairly routine jobs and wasted parts / skin in the process, but then again it's still cost me less doing that than £200 worth of tuition!

The hackney bike workshop sounds great, my neck of london too (n16) will def swing by for that.

The hardest thing for me about teaching myself at home is having no space and a growing but not complete tool selection. Maybe I'll just spend the money i would have spent on basic tuition on a full toolset and some dummy parts and turn the kitchen into a workshop for a week! I want to replace my workhorse frame anyway and transfer the parts so could be the best way to learn the basics.

Cheers again.

If you live in N16 and need space I have a workshop in my basement I am willing to share it was featured in the the series Bicycle Portraits http://cyclingcultures.org.uk/hackney-fieldwork/ with my picture in the front of Push Cycles on Newington Green.

I was planning on going to East drinks tonight if you would like to discuss failing that could go for a drink in Stokey

Zebs

Thanks, that's a great offer - unfortch I'm out of the country from tomorrow through to 11th feb but would be great to grab a pint when i'm back - i'll drop you a PM nearer the time. cheers.

Cytech levels 1 and 2 don't really teach you anything you can't learn by yourself. Level 3 introduces wheelbuilding and servicing hydraulics - this is much more complicated and having some instruction here really helps.

We did wheel building and brake bleeding on Cytech 2. Not done 3.

We did a bit of suspension servicing on cytech2 when I did it, as well as hydraulics, but that could've been because most people were already up to speed with the basics. Would recommend the course to anyone, just a shame the town it in is a hole!

We did wheel building and brake bleeding on Cytech 2. Not done 3.

I did 3-cross wheels on 2 (shamefully this was the only wheel I've ever built) but no hydraulics. This was five years ago so perhaps they've introduced hydraulics since. I haven't done 3 either.

I'd recommend the Velotech training courses. I travelled up to Chesterton to take the Platinum course. Even with 25 years of mechanical knowledge I learnt lots of new material and some excellent best practice for the workshop. The training workshop is next to Geo.Longstaff so I got a chance to nose around in there too which was amazing. Talk to Graham to get a place on the course, it is excellent.
http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/training.shtml

I did cytech 2 in december, was good although I new a fair bit of it, was nice to learn how to do things properly with the correct tools rather than hit it/use knife on it until it works. The wheel building was good and we covered hydraulics and I did a very basic suspension service, also spent a couple of hours poking a sturmy archer hub. We did get through it quick though as we had a small group on he 1st week and apart from the wheel build days, just me on the second week. I imagine it'd take a little longer with others. I'd recommend it, but I've learnt just as much theory wise by poking around on here.

These courses are bloody expensive, if you are not after a qualification. Just get a knowledgeable friend or forumger to show you.

The courses often skip over stuff.

Thanks. As ever good advice all. I've got a plan now. I'll let you know how it goes in a couple of weeks.