Need some advice please...

[sid1972]

I work in a school and a reasonable number of the students use BMX's/bikes as their mode of transport to and from school...

It's shocking to see the state of the bikes they arrive on  - They are poorly maintained and often down right dangerous, I know to a certain degree ours were the same as kids but these are awful. My dad used to at least check mine and ensure it was safe most of time.

I'm making no assumptions here and I have no doubts they have caring parents at home, some people just don't know whats wrong with a bike (not that I am an expert all things bikes)..

Because of this I have been thinking about starting a 'Bike Shac Club' at school to check and maintain the bikes for those that need help.

The question - Would I need some sort of insurance for this?


Some of the older students are keen to learn bike mechanics but there is no qualifaction at GCSE/BTEC Level that I can tap into to encourage this further. I could however cover the basics with this idea and give them some experience that may help them later when approaching shops or bike manufactures for employment or training.

Money as always will be an issues but the kids are great at fund raising and I may send a few letters to suppliers for bike bits that they see as being unsellable because of comestic imperfections etc.

I know the Head Teacher will support this but its the legal implications that may stop it 

Any help/advice radsters would be great - sorry for the large post..

Sid.

[kungfunky]

PM sent with info Sid 

[sid1972]

Awesome fella... 

keep it coming folks.. 

[Badbaldie]

not sure of the "legal implications" but great idea  hope your "allowed" to start the club good luck

[Munnyella]

It would be shocking to see in the SUN that you'd been hung because a kids bike had a blowout, leading him to get elbow scuffage after you'd serviced and tightened his bike up so he could ride it!

Hope society gets a grip on itself soon

Good luck

[griff]

that's a great idea Si

dunno what H&S bollux might be cooked up to try and stop something like this, but if the 'club' was based around showing kids how to maintain their own bikes then surely that would mean any liability would still rest with them?

would have thought that riding bikes to school without brakes would be more dangerous than how well maintained it was anyway

good luck with it   nice to see a teacher who gives a toss about the kids they teach and isn't just in it for the short hours and massive holidays  

there is this qualification, maybe the school could get you accredited?
http://www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/cytech/

[sid1972]

thanks guys - going to explore that link Griff...

Not wanting to steal any light from the other threads in his memory but it's funny how things to come to you, and I suspose he's is on everyones mind..

Name of the club: 'C.S Shac' - 'Cycle School Shac'.

Got to happen now. 

 

[Julian347]

Brilliant idea. Hope it all works out.

[theRuler]

At my school, periodically there would be an inspection of the bike stands (by the local government / council - the cycling proficiency lot) and any bike that wasn't up to code would be put on skid row, and locked up.  You could only collect your bike once you had be briefed by the "man" so you knew what was wrong with your bike.

Offenses would include not having 2 working brakes.

Do councils still do this?

My bike was often on skid row, due to misdemeanors (having pegs was considered a hazard).

The bike maintenance course is a good idea though.  So peeps know how to rebuild a bottom bracket / headset / brakes etc.
I fix bikes for my mates' kids, who are fifteen years old and absolutely clueless.
I always took my bikes apart and fixed them from an early age.

[griff]

Am I too old to sign up Si?  

Nothing like learning from someone who knows what they are doing - I learned loads yesterday when I went to the Radshop (just to buy some spare inner tubes for the L2B run)
Wanted some advice on a noise coming from the drivetrain, next thing you know Bubbs was giving me a masterclass in how to build a bike properly and completely overhauled my cranks. that man knows a thing or two about grease I can tell you, he was lubing me up for nearly an hour and was very gentle

[poolysheriff]

You should have had a word with my misses today when we saw you Sid 

She works for the open College network ,and they make up quallifications for all sorts of stuff
kind of like city and guilds do but in different fields 

I,ll mention it to her pal

Gaz..

[sid1972]

  - Who told you I saw your misses.. 

pm'd you bud..