“ABC Quick Check.” It is a phrase that easily rolls off the tongue of Peter Czerny. “ABC Quick Check.”
Before starting a season of riding his bicycle, and even before starting a trip to work in the morning, this phrase reminds him to check the air in his tires — and the tires. That’s the “A”. “B” is for brakes. “C” is for the chain and the de-railer system while “Quick” is for the quick releases on the bike.
Finally, the “Check” is the final check-over of the bicycle. “ABC Quick Check.”
After being introduced by the League of American Wheelmen (now known as the League of American Bicyclists) Czerny is using this mantra as the foundation of the Basic Bike Maintenance and Repair Drop-in that he will be leading on May 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. “We will have five stations,” says Czerny. “One for each. “Folks will come in, but they don’t have to start at “A”. “They will move through each area and learn what they can and get some tips. “Anyone who goes through the stations will be able to do the ABC Quick Check.”
And there will be a station where they can wash their bike and clean up the chain.
The clinic will be held under tents at Yukonstruct, at 135 Industrial Road.
John Glynn-Morris, Yukonstruct’s board president, says he was approached by the City of Whitehorse and Yukon Energy Corporation to provide an educational component to Bike Month and the upcoming Ride Your Bike to Work Week.
As a Yukonstruct member, Czerny says he quickly raised his hand to volunteer when the opportunity was presented. “The bicycle is the most freedom-giving tool to get around and enjoy your community and get to work,” he says. “If you know how to take care of your bike — even at a basic level — it gives you more freedom to use it.”
Glynn-Morris says this clinic fits well with Yukonstruct’s monthly Repair Cafe.
Czerny sees this as a good fit for Yukonstruct, too. “I love the idea of the community coming together to share ideas and share resources,” he says. “This is just a wonderful group of folks and, especially as newcomers to Whitehorse, it was a really neat way to get to know the community and get involved in something really positive.” It is a passion he brought with him from Ottawa, where he has taught bicycle maintenance and safety to school kids.
Czerny wants attendees to at least have the confidence to know if their bicycle is in good working order. If they can’t fix it themselves, they will at least know they should take it to a bicycle shop. “I don’t believe anything on the bike is that complicated,” says Czerny. “Cars have become computerized and so it is more and more difficult for people to fix it on their own. “With bikes, there are a few wrenches and a few Allen keys, and maybe some specialized tools. “With someone to explain, or some YouTube videos, it’s not that hard to pick it up on your own.”
For the class, Czerny says attendees can bring in tools that they have questions about, but there won’t be time to repair their own bikes. “Bring your bicycles, but even that isn’t necessary,” he says. “But bring your curiosity and enthusiasm for cycling and maintaining your bike. “The point is to empower people to know how to care for their bike on their own. “We’ll just teach the basics to keep people happy and rolling on their bikes.”
More information is available at www. yukonstruct.com. The clinic is free for members and just the usual $5 drop-in fee for everyone else.
