My experience in Bike Tech

Project+Bike+Tech+Class

Project Bike Tech Class

So this is the first year that Kearsley or even Michigan has a class called Project Bike Tech where students with various knowledge on bicycles come learn to use tools and work on bikes.

Taught by Mr. Linn, in this class we choose a partner and a work station on the first few days of the year.

Linn demonstrates how to use certain tools and he teaches us the names of each one.

When using the tools, we learned how to use them on brand new mountain bikes that we received from Haro.

The bikes themselves are amazing, have huge wheels and tires, amazing brakes and shifters, so when it’s nice outside it is always fun to take them for a spin.

After the start of the year, the whole class flows into a rhythm because it is consistent.

When teaching a new lesson, we work in Mr. Linn’s room while watching a demonstration video by Park Tools, and read one or two pages in the class book.

After that, we begin in the lab with simple stuff such as the tubes and tires, and straightening handlebars.

In the barn behind the high school, there are two floors.

The main floor is used by the blue collar staff of our school, and the upstairs is where bikes go that are donated and given to the program.

Some of these bikes are rough but our job as students is to fix and repair as many bikes as we can and send them to a good home.

As the year progresses, we get well worn bikes and my partner and I will lock the bike in our stand and begin noticing problems on it that are too complex for us so once we complete our intended work, we separate that bike and once we begin the lesson later on, we can finish the bike off.

During Christmas, we did a huge giveaway in the media center where we had around 80 bikes and we gave them all away.

And throughout the year Mr. Linn communicates with families in need of bicycles.

As this year is coming to a wrap, I´m glad I got to take it during my final year here because the class gives me a nice break from doing paper and computer work all day and I get to get my hands dirty.