While inclement weather stalled the Martin Middle School students from riding this week, it did not stop them from learning maintenance skills to practice on their bikes! As an integral part of the Bike Club Program, Maintenance Day equips students with the basic skills needed to keep bikes safe and functional. This way, when students continue riding outside of the program, they carry the knowledge over to keep their own bikes in great shape.

Martin Middle School student, Victor, oversaw the entire maintenance project. He took charge and helped the entire class learn how to clean chains, clean rims, and adjust brakes. Helping Victor were students Giselle and Michael, who had immense enthusiasm regardless of the weather for learning how to change flat tires. They were tube-patching machines!

Victor, along with his fellow bike riders, earned some milestone badges this week that are given to students for the completion of certain goals within the program. The students were excited to receive these badges for the maintenance practiced to add to their developing collections. Maintenance days are not only a fun, hands on way to educate students like Giselle and Michael but the repairs done to the bicycles in the fleet are always much needed. A big thank you to the students for keeping their bikes in top shape!

The students were able to earn their Inflate Tires & Basic Chain Check Badges:

Here’s Michael pumping up his tire with a patched tube installed: