The Things a Bike Taught Me

I’m a volunteer bike mechanic which means I’m never clean and I know just enough to screw a bike up. In the process, I’ve learned so much more than any paid job could ever teach me.

I eat, drink, and dream about bicycles. It’s the thing in life that brings me the most happiness and I’ve been lucky enough to find a group of passionate volunteers like myself to get dirty with. We run a community bike shed called RAD Bikes in Christchurch. We have all the tools you’d need, mounds of used parts and varying levels of expertise to show you how to repair and restore a bike. We are a volunteer-led organisation that is funded by donations from the community.

It’s RAD! I jumped on this opportunity as soon as I arrived. I’ve learned more about bikes than anyone could care to hear. But it’s only helpful when it’s in practice and the only way I can practice is by being a full-on volunteer at RAD Bikes and taking advantage of the tools at my disposal each week.

So what have I learned? Well, for one, I learned how to ask for help. I knew very little about bicke mechanics before going to RAD Bikes. I knew about pulleys and pads, cables and tension, but I wasn’t sure how it all came together. I could repair a puncture or adjust a seat but it had been awhile. So I asked. How does this work? Can you show me? I’ve also learned that sometimes, a guy wants to do the job for you. Or maybe he assumes you don’t want to do the work yourself. I’ve learned to stop him and say, “Thanks but I’d really like to learn. Can you show me how it’s done?”. That’s very different than just asking for help. Sharing your interest in learning puts a new spin on the experience.

Not only that, you have to be willing to stand up and say what you want. This is a brand new concept to me because I assumed no one really cared what I wanted or needed. Sometimes, I’d have to explain my thought process and shed light as to how I came the conclusion that I use this tool vs that tool or this part vs another. Then, someone can show me why I was nearly there but just needed a little guidance.

I learn by teaching others and RAD Bikes has given me the opportunity to put what I know into practice. My fingers are rubbed raw by the end of the day because I’ve been pulling gear and brake cables (yes, I know there’s a tool to help for this too!). But I’m happy and the rider is happy because we learned something new together.

I’ve learned how to set expectations. If you bring in a shitty bike, I am not a magician. It will probably still be shitty when you leave but it may function a bit better with some cleaning and attention. I can’t perform miracles so when your frame is bent, your frame is bent. Get a different bike. Or when your wheel is wobbly, it’s going to take time to tune and the job may not be done in one day. Or you may have come in for a flat tire but suddenly we discover that your chain doesn’t fit. It’s so important to make sure the rider knows this upfront and then you can get to working. Build from a strong foundation.

Making decisions has become a lot easier for me. With a bike, you just give it a go. Install the brakes, see if they works. Test and test and ride and ride then make any adjustments you need to make. Did it not work because it wasn’t the right fit? Are they in a bad position on the handlebars? Cool. Now you know. Decisions weren’t necessarily difficult for me before but it’s much easier to just try something out, get it wrong and try again.

Most of all, I’ve learned when to stop. Nothing is perfect. And the perfectionist in me has built a new (to me) green bike and said stop. It’s done. It’s never going to be perfect. I’ll get as close as I can and everything from there on is an improvement or change. Stop and enjoy the ride.