ALBANY BIKE EXPO 2012!!!!!

Posted on May 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

This Sunday, May 6th is the 2nd Annual Albany Bike Expo! The event is being organized by our good friends at the Albany Bicycle Coalition to promote cycling and celebrate the arrival of May which is Bike Month.

BIKE EXPO 2012 will be held at the Lakehouse in Albany’s Washington Park from 10AM to 4PM.

From ABC: “The Bike EXPO will feature a family-friendly ride on car-free park roadways, a guided tour of Albany’s bicycle amenities, exhibitions, free tech advice, refreshments, raffles and prizes. Vendors and tables will include bike shops, bicycle clubs, and advocacy organizations. The event is free and open to the public.”

More info is available at albanybicyclecoalition.com

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Bike Repair 101

Posted on January 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

For the next seven weeks, the Albany Bike Rescue will be holding a series of instructional workshops that will cover a host of topics in bicycle repair & maintenance techniques. These workshops are open to the public and all ABR volunteers. Each week will feature a new topic taught by one of our mechanics. There is no charge for attending but your donations are always welcome and help to sustain our all-volunteer organization. All classes begin at 6:00 PM.

Bike Repair 101 Schedule

Jan 31 – Rules, Tools, Safety, Tire Removal and Flat Repair

Flat repair involves removing a wheel, using tire levers to remove tire from rim, finding and properly repairing the hole and then putting everything back together.  Inflate tires to proper pressure.

Feb 7 – Brakes and Cables

Identify types of brakes (caliper, coaster, cantilever,v-brake).  Adjust and repair brake pads and cables.

For example:  remove and replace a caliper cable and demonstrate the use of a third hand tool for brake pad adjustment.  Show the difference between the adjusting nuts (which hold the caliper arms together) and the “main” nut (which holds the brake onto the frame.)

Feb 14 – Hubs and Bearings

Take apart wheel hub, remove, clean, and repack bearings.

Feb 21 – Headset

Learn the functions of the headset.  Learn how to select and properly use correct tools needed to repack bearings. Remove/replace handlebars, remove and repack bearings of a threaded headset. Demonstration of the differences between a threaded and threadless headset.

Feb 28 – Bottom Bracket

Learn the functions of the bottom bracket.   Learn to identify a 3-piece cotterless crank, a 3 piece cottered crank  and an Ashtabula, or 1 -piece, crank set. Learn how to select and properly use the correct tools needed to remove and replace a bottom bracket.  Identify the difference between a bottom bracket sealed cartridge and a cup and cone style bottom bracket.  Remove, clean and repack the bearings of a cup and cone style bracket.

Mar 6 – Derailleur and Chain

Learn how a bike shifts gears with a derailleur.  Adjust and replace cables of a front and rear derailleur.  Clean and lubricate the chain.  Learn how to check for chain wear, remove and replace chain

Mar 13 – Basics of wheel truing

Learn why we  true bicycle wheels and become familiar with Truing, rounding centering and dishing, pull of spokes, spoke nipples, spoke wrenches

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ABR Closed for the Holidays until 1/10/12

Posted on December 14, 2011 | 1 Comment

The bike rescue will be closed for the next 3 Tuesdays to allow for our volunteers’ holiday travels and plans. We will re-open to the public on Tuesday, January 10 at 5:00pm. Have a safe and happy holiday season and we’ll see you in 2012 !!!!

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Yoga @ Heartspace to benefit the bike rescue

Posted on November 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

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This Saturday at 10:00 AM, Heartspace Yoga (747 Madison Ave, Albany) will host a yoga workshop to benefit Albany Bike Rescue.  The class will be taught by Sandy Sheridan, RYT and will focus on releasing tension in the shoulders, neck & chest.  All donations will go to the bike rescue to support the work that we do: teaching bike maintenance & repair skills and supporting bicycling in our community.  Please come support Heartspace & ABR and enjoy a stress-relieving morning of yoga!

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Ongoing Tuesday night workshop

Posted on September 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

Just a quick reminder: Albany Bike Rescue is now open every Tuesday night from 5-8 pm for our community bicycle repair educational workshops. If you are interested in learning useful bike repair skills and having a great time please join us. Bring your bike and a positive attitude, you’re guaranteed to learn something every night!

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Bike Rescue Closed Tonight (7/12)

Posted on July 12, 2011 | 1 Comment

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Due to the partial collapse of the long neglected Trinity Church, which is our next-door neighbor, Albany Bike Rescue will be closed this evening.  We expect to be open next Tuesday evening from 5-8 pm for our regularly scheduled bike repair workshop. See you next week!

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May is bike month…

Posted on May 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

…which marks the beginning of the busy season at ABR. Over the first two weeks alone we’ve had a dozen or so volunteer mechanics help well over 50 people learn to tune up and fix bikes.
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Chris & Mary-Lou attended the Albany Police Athletic League “Bike Rodeo” this past Saturday and managed to help with a ton of kids bike repairs. From Mary-Lou:
“We now have at least 40 more bikes in safe working condition. The kids were patient as they stood in line with a parent wait turn at bike safety check. Chris and I worked n from 10AM to 3PM. We tightened more heads handlebars, adjusted brakes, lubed chains, pum tires…. Just like every Tuesday evening. Total c course participation was 80…”
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Asaya set up a bike stand with literature at Grand St Community Arts Center for their Spring Fair, Sunday, May 15th. It was nice to meet the people who are only around the corner from Trinity.
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