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Roscoe Village Bikes Will Let You Dabble in Bike Repair

By Patty Wetli | February 26, 2013 9:13am
 Learn how to fix a flat at a bike repair class offered by Roscoe Village Bikes.
Learn how to fix a flat at a bike repair class offered by Roscoe Village Bikes.
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Jeremy Jenum/Flickr

ROSCOE VILLAGE — When it comes to cycling, broken glass, nails and even staples are Public Enemy No. 1, ruining a ride faster than you can say flat tire.

While Alex Tweedie, co-owner with wife Lesley of Roscoe Village Bikes, is more than happy to fix your tire for you, he'd rather teach you how to do it yourself.

Next month, he's offering a hands-on workshop in basic bicycle maintenance through Dabble, the online site that promotes hosting, teaching or taking one-time classes.

"Some of us just need to be shown something once," he said.

Easy for Tweedie to say. He took his first bike apart and put it back together when he was 8 years old.

Not everyone has that level of skill — or interest — but Tweedie believes general maintenance and simple tasks such as minor brake adjustments are within most people's grasp.

"Some people always had other people do it, they've never taken the plunge," he said.

The Dabble class is one way to get riders to dip their toes into replacing an inner tube, patching a puncture and learning about proper tire inflation.

"I do feel like if you have the confidence to take care of your bike, you are more apt to ride," Tweedie said.

The Dabble course is scheduled from 6:30-8 p.m. March 20 at Roscoe Village Bikes, 2016 W. Roscoe St. Class size is limited and spots are filling up fast. To claim your space, register here.