Today we are in Hale Leys Shopping centre discussing #apprenticeships with passers-by.
Future Centre
Last night the Government confirmed an incentive of a £1,500 Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds. More details are on our website www.atg-training.co.uk
CEO Ian Harper will be on the radio today discussing the current issues pertaining to apprenticeships. The following stations will carry the message.
If you are in the High Wycombe area, come and see us at the Job Centre Apprenticeship Fair being held in the AMF Bowling Centre from 2pm to 4pm this afternoon. We’ll be able to answer all your Apprenticeship-related questions and discuss our current vacancies with you.
See you there!
The London Bike Show returned bigger and better than ever for its second year at the ExCel, London.
There was a much larger bike presence than the previous year, with the cycle’s area dominating a whole hall.
The ACT were at the show to promote WorkRiders, the new cycling to work programme, and ATG Training, ActSmart’s partner Cytech provider.
The ACT partnered with the London Bike Show to support the Cycling Stage which was host to Cytech demonstrations delivered by ATG Training, guest speakers and auctions throughout the four day show.
Cytech Technical Advice ActSmart’s runner up Partner of the Year 2011, and Cytech Training Providers, ATG Training were on hand at the Cycling Stage to offer technical advice and carry out demonstrations. The demos were a huge success with crowds gathering to learn about everything from preparing your bike for commuting to truing a wheel.
After watching Cytech demos, visitors were glad to learn that it has never been easier to get qualified as a cycle mechanic, with Cytech Technical One Theory now available completely online, and until the end of February, with 50% off the price.
The interest in Cytech courses was evident through ATG’s prize draw to win home mechanic gear, with over 1000 entries received.
Of all the completed entries received the first to be drawn by the independent adjudicator was:
Mr David Coxhead. Proprietor, Bristows Cycles
David wins the Wheel Truing stand
Park Tools Wheel truing stand
Mr Robin Warr
from Greenich – London
Robin wins the Advanced Park Tools mechanic kit
Park Tools Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit
If you have not won a prize don’t be sad, there is much to be gained from attending a Cytech course at one of ATG Training’s world class cycle workshops. Course dates and venues can be found here www.cycletraining.co
Thanks to all of you who entered.
Welcome to ATG Training and thank you for visiting us today. If you are a new visitor, we hope you can find the information you are seeking. If your are a returning visitor you will notice a few changes to the site, which we hope you like. Over the coming weeks futher enhancements are due, so please come back from time to time to see the updates.
We now have dedicated sites for all the different markets. So those of you who have been following our cycle news, there is a new home for this at http://cycletraining.co/news/. Save this address to follow and contibute to the cycle industry.
We would love to hear your opinions so please use the feed back forms on the site to let us know what you think.
Truing Stand
Lap top
DT Spoke chart
Welcome to another Cytech Top Tips Blog post! Here we shall show you how to lace a front wheel (in a three cross symettrical pattern)
Tools required:
Dishing tool
tension metre
Spoke keys
Nipple Driver
Matchsticks
Spoke Rule
Step 1:
Calculate the required spoke lengths either on-line or manually.
Step 2:
Count out the ammount of spokes you need. If you are using an already opened box then make sure you measure the spokes with a spoke rule to check for rogue spokes!
Step 3:
Oil the spoke threads using a heavy lube such as Finish Line wet lube.
Step 4:
Decide which way round the hub logo will sit and line the logo up with the rim logo (when viewd through the valve hole) by making ‘train tracks’ with the spokes either side of the hub logo
Step 5:
Ensure the spokes are located in hole 1 and hole 8 of the hub (determined by the hub logo orientation) spoke head to face out on the L/H side and inwards on the R/H side for a Symmetric lace.
Step 6:
Place the rim with the valve hole at 12 o’clock. Insert the L/H spoke into the eyelet immeadiately to the LEFT of the valve hole and the RIGHT spoke into the second eyelet from the valve hole on the RIGHT. Screw the nipples halfway down the thread.
Step 7:
At the hub start from the L/H side and miss one spoke hole before putting the next spoke in with the head facing outwards. Take this spoke and cross it over the spoke to the RIGHT. From the valve hole count three eyelet spaces (include the R/H spoke) and place the spoke into the fourth hole.
Step 8:
Follow this pattern all of the way round the rim (miss one hole at the hub, miss three at the rim) until you return to the valve hole.
Step 9:
Starting with the R/H spoke (the one with the head facing inwards) fill the remaining holes in the hub (heads ace INWARDS remember!) count three holes from the first R/H spoke and place the spoke into the fourth. You will be working anti-clockwise. REMEMBER you must interlace these spokes with the others! (The L/H ones)
Step 10:
To acertain the lead spoke on the other side of the wheel, flip the wheel over (so the pattern you have just made is away from you) and find the spoke that was to the L/H side of the valve hole in STEP 5. Follow this spoke down and place a spoke through the R/H side of this spoke (imagine drawing an imaginary line back from the spoke that the spoke you are placing in cannot cross) The spoke should sit on the ‘free’ bit of metal on the hub between spokes to the right of Step 5′s spoke.
(Tilt your head to the left to view this image! the spoke is on the R/H side…)
Step 11:
Pull this spoke through (it will be on your R/H side) so that the head faces outwards (towards you) and place it in the second eyelet to the RIGHT of the valve hole. Count back to the eigth hole on the hub (anti-clockwise) and place the spoke through so that the head faces inwards.
Step 12:
You will now have in place your ‘control’ spokes. Follow Steps 7 to 9, but make sure that you work to the LEFT with the heads facing outwards first (this will be the opposite way to the first side). after you have filled all of the spoke holes you should have what looks like a wheel!!
Fancy learning more? Then get yourself booked onto a Cytech wheelbuilding course with us here at ATG-training!!
When Jules asked me to write a blog for the ATG website I didn’t know where to begin. After some thought I realised that I should share my first experiences here.
On my first day I was pretty nervous as I didn’t have any experience as a cycle mechanic!!!
Walking into the workshop for the first time was very daunting; there were tools that I had never seen before. Jules and Mat made me feel really welcome, like there was no pressure to rush and cram everything into my head all at once. As time went on I started to use these random tools that only do one job and cost loads! I started to gain knowledge into what the tools are and how to use them. This Knowledge made me feel much more relaxed; I still had to do the usual boring jobs like:
It was cool though because it made me feel like I had contributed to the way that the workshop looks. Even now I’m obsessed with how clean the workshop is.
So far I am really enjoying it at ATG, it is so much better the college and I am going to make the most of it while I’m still here…
Today we will help you take some of the pain away from removing an internally routed cable. We are using a Commencal Meta 55, but the same procedure will work on other bikes with the cable routed in a similar way.
Step 1;
Make sure you have the correct tools before you start and always wear the correct protective equipment. Safety first kids!
You will need;
a pair of good quality cable cutters.
A 5mm allen key
A sharp pick
Some wet chain lube
Lint free cloth or wrag
Step 2;
Disconnect the derailleur inner wire from the cable clamp bolt using the 5mm Allen key. Remember to use the short edge section of the Allen key not the ball end.
Take the gear shifter dust cap out of the shifter using a sharp cross Phillips head screw driver. Note on some older sram shifters you will need to back off the top two allen key bolts on the shifter to release this dust cover screw.
Pull the cable out of the shifter and the outer cable and discard.
Step 3;
Put a drop of wet lube on the wrag and pull the new inner wire through it a few times. This pre lubes the cable and also takes away the protective transport lubricant (lanolin) that the cable is coated in from new.
Step 4;
Remove the Ferrules from the outer cable. If you do not do this you run the risk of them dropping into the swing arm and your job will take a lot longer…
Run the new inner through the old outer backwards so that the head of the inner wire is at the derailluer end.
Lightly clamp the cable into the cable clamp on the rear mech.
Now you should have your inner wire running through the old outer in the bike with the open end of the inner exposed. This allows you to pull the old outer off of the new inner leaving just the new inner wire in the bike.
You can now use the inner as a guide to fit the new outer!
Step 5;
Cut your new outer to length using as little outer cable as possible. Make sure the bikes handle bars can turn 180 degrees before pulling on the cable and that it doesn’t snag anywhere in the suspension linkage when its compressed. A clean route into your cable guides is advisable and make sure the outer cable doesn’t rub on your fork crown as this can cause wear and damage very quickly.
use the pick to widen the ends of the cable outer. Pour a small amount of wet lube into the outer. This ensures there is minimum friction in the system.
Feed the new outer onto the inner that is in the swing arm of the bike (Don’t forget to re-attach the Ferrules once you have the new outer cable routed through the swingarm).
Your new outer is now fitted without having to resort to torches, magnets and other home made contraptions to get the cable fitted……I think hey presto is the correct term!
Step 5;
Now you simply have to undo the cable clamp on the mech and pull the inner back out of the new outer and fit through the shifter the correct way.
Once fed through correctly re attach to the mech and torque to the manufacturers recommended settings. Remember to make sure your shifter is in bottom gear (9th or 10th if your posh!) and your mech is sitting in the bottom gear also before attaching the inner cable.
Fancy Learning more top tips? why not book yourself onto a Cytech course with us here at ATG-Training!!
Those of you following us here at ATG-Training will know that we ran our first Level 3 course that was aimed purely at the road scene last week.
What a week it was! We started out by building factory wheels from DT Swiss Shimano and Mavic and showed how to lace Snowflake, Crows Foot and Three leading three trailing patterns. We also showed learners how to tie and solder and correctly install tubulars.
We had a day focusing on the technical developments of the road bike and discussed things like frame materials and geometrys, how to switch a set up from one bike to another bike so that it rides exactly how the last set up did and looked breifly at the different types of fit system there are to fit bike to rider. We also demonstrated the correct steps to take to perfect clipless pedal set up and worked out the similarities and differences between gear inches from a standard and compact chainset.
The last couple of days were devoted to high end groupsets. Learners had the chance to experience the latest from Shimano (Dura-Ace 7900 and Di2) Sram (Force) and Campagnolo (Record) learning how the different gruppos required different installation and set up techniques and how to get the maximum from them with a great looking set up that a Pro would be proud of.
Everyone had a fantastic week and learned loads of valuable tips that will see them achieving a great riding road bike – every time!
If you fancy learning more about the Road bike, then book yourselves onto Level 3 road!
We are really pleased with our Level 3 Mountain Bike course here at ATG-Training and are proud to announce the addition of a Road Bike Level 3 course to accompany it.
We have invested in lots of shiny new kit that you wouldn’t necessarily get the chance to play with in the workshop, if the pictures don’t get your juices flowing then I don’t know what will!
The course covers:
Advanced Wheels – where we look at Custom Lacing patterns, tying and soldering, combination lacings, installing Tubular tyres and factory built wheels from the likes of Shimano and Mavic.
Road Bike Tech and set-up – where we look at frame materials and technologies, clipless pedal set-up, an introduction to frame sizing and correct se-up of a road bike and correct frame preparation methods for high end road bikes.
Road Groupsets – where we look at correctly installing Top end groupsets from the likes of Shimano, Sram and Campagnolo…
We’re really exited about this, what an opportunity! If you are as keen as we are to get your hands on some top end shiny kit, then get yourselves booked onto the Level 3 road course at Atg-training pronto!!
A big thanks to Madison for providing us with the Dura-ace Di2 and Dura-ace 7900, Fisher Outdoor Leisure for providing us with Sram Force and RJ Chicken for providing us with Camapagnolo Record.
Time for a mid-week TOTW top up!!
I’ve nominated the Master Truing Jig from Park Tools as this weeks Tool Of The Week.
With more dials and adjustments than you can shake a large stick at, Parks MTJ or ‘Jig of Truth’ as it has come to be known here, gives the professional Tool Meister the readings they need to build wheels to within 0.2 to 0.1mm That’s a pretty fine tolerance I’m sure you’ll agree!
Combined with the DT Swiss spoke tension metre an experienced Tool Meister can build you a formidable set of hoops.
Fancy learning how to build wheels to this high standard? Then get yourself booked onto a wheel building course here at ATG-Training toot-sweet !!
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