vacation: BIKE MECHANIC SCHOOL or riding in ITALY ??

[raygunner]

Well I have a nice block of time off work coming up in mid-to-end March and I have a few ideas in mind. I'm not of the type to lounge on the beach so I'm trying to decide whether to spend two weeks at UBI Bike Mechanic school in beautiful Portland, OR or two weeks in Italy with my bike.

Where I've been to Portland and I'd love to chance to both relax, learn and ride around on my vacation. I'm not planning on becoming a mechanic, just to expand my limited technical skill set.

But I'd also totally love to do some "epic" rides in Italy, not to mention the food.

And although March may not be an ideal month to travel...anywhere will be better than Chicago. Well except Detriot.

That being said if anyone has advice or more specific Italian riding itinerary ideas let me know! From my searches on the forum I've read a few things about the Bike Hotel in Italy which sounds good. The guided tours are a little too much for my tastes but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks & happy holidays!

- Eric :beer:

[rice rocket]

Do you really need a school to learn how to turn a wrench (especially just as a hobby)? Read Sheldon Brown's site (RIP), and search Google to fill in any holes, of which there are few on his very thorough site. And if all else fails, ask on a forum. And practice makes perfect.

Go to Italy.

[qjetha]

Italy hands down. Riding around in the vineyards, the food, and most importantly watching Milan San Remo (march 19th) :)

You can always get one of your bike shop buddies to teach you all the logistics of a shop and the bike repairs.

Have fun!

[dave thompson]

I did a week here: http://www.belvederericcione.com/en/ and am going back for 3 weeks in 2012. The best vacation that I've ever had and I used to live in Italy! Great bikes, food, riding, adventures and people.

[eddief]

a zillion cyclists in springtime and the most wonderful place i have ever cycled. i did an andy cook camp as described below. but if you google spring training in mallorca, many others offer similar resort-based camps.

https://www.andycookcycling.com/products-page/bike-camp-mallorca/

If I'm not screwing up the currency, that's about a $1K for private room with food for a week. Not gourmet, but really nice, plentiful buffet.

[Ken Robb]

when you write "epic rides" I think you mean in the hills in the North. If so, what will the weather be like there in March?

[Ray]

I taught myself decent mechanical skills over the course of a few years just by doing it a lot and making a few good mistakes. I spent some time riding in Italy last summer. One of these things I'll have incredibly great memories from for the rest of my life. The other was gonna happen one way or another over time anyway.

Friggin go to Italy... Far enough south so the weather's decent in March. Should be doable.

-Ray

[bike22]

i'm sure there's a bike co-op in chicago of some sort that you could learn mechanics from.

in boston there are shops that will do teaching on a drop-in basis, run classes during the night, etc etc

[Bob Loblaw]

Buy a book on bike mechanics and get thyself to Italy!

[AngryScientist]

Buy a book on bike mechanics and get thyself to Italy!


read it on the plane!!

i'll echo everyone else, bicycle mechanics are largely a matter of common sense, and there are youtube videos and books for the rest, italian cycling vacation will be much more rewarding!

[rcnute]

:banana:

[Jack Brunk]

???? I'm with Ray, if you even think about the other then you are well I won't say. Setting anywhere in Italy is better than any bike maintance class. Really? I think your jerking our chains.

[Karin Kirk]

This is like a guy's version of Eat, Pray, Love.

First you should take the class, but somewhere more exotic than Portland. Denmark, perhaps.
Then go to Italy and surround yourself with riding, scenery, food, wine, fashion, coffee, etc.
And top it off with a transcendent experience in the 40 degree rain while spectating at the spring classics.

Wrench, Ride, Cowbell.

[Ray]

This is like a guy's version of Eat, Pray, Love.

First you should take the class, but somewhere more exotic than Portland. Denmark, perhaps.
Then go to Italy and surround yourself with riding, scenery, food, wine, fashion, coffee, etc.
And top it off with a transcendent experience in the 40 degree rain while spectating at the spring classics.

Wrench, Ride, Cowbell.
This is great, Karin - HILARIOUS!!! :D :D :D

Somehow I don't think this movie is gonna get made though...

-Ray

[oldpotatoe]

Well I have a nice block of time off work coming up in mid-to-end March and I have a few ideas in mind. I'm not of the type to lounge on the beach so I'm trying to decide whether to spend two weeks at UBI Bike Mechanic school in beautiful Portland, OR or two weeks in Italy with my bike.

Where I've been to Portland and I'd love to chance to both relax, learn and ride around on my vacation. I'm not planning on becoming a mechanic, just to expand my limited technical skill set.

But I'd also totally love to do some "epic" rides in Italy, not to mention the food.

And although March may not be an ideal month to travel...anywhere will be better than Chicago. Well except Detriot.

That being said if anyone has advice or more specific Italian riding itinerary ideas let me know! From my searches on the forum I've read a few things about the Bike Hotel in Italy which sounds good. The guided tours are a little too much for my tastes but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks & happy holidays!

- Eric :beer:

Go ride in Italy. If you want to improve your wrenching knowledge, go apprentice with a good local wrench or pick up a few of many books, vids, websites that talk about such things.

[steampunk]

i've toyed with going to UBI's mech school just to get a certificate. a bunch of co-workers and i have been volunteering at charity bike events wrenching and putting bikes together. but lately the organizers cut us off, saying that only "licensed bicycle mechanics" are allowed to work on bikes citing insurance, liability etc. i looked into how much it would cost to get said certificate, and i thought forget it. it is like taking a real vacation somewhere. putting together a bike isn't rocket science - i've built all my bikes with no issues (self-taught).

i'll save up for a framebuilding class though, that is a real skill.

[John M]

I'm thinking along the lines of Ryan (rcnute) on this one.

[bobswire]

Go to Mechanics school you can always buy some Chef Boyardee Spaghetti or grab a pizza if you crave Italian besides there are plenty of climbs that'll test yer mettle in and about Portland without having to fly halfway across the World.
Put the monies to good use in the Good Ole USA! Just to be contrary.... :rolleyes:

[rpm]

Wow, the Hotel Belvedere looks great! I like vacations where you can stay in one place and take neat day trips out from it. That looks like a terrific place to do that.


I did a week here: http://www.belvederericcione.com/en/ and am going back for 3 weeks in 2012. The best vacation that I've ever had and I used to live in Italy! Great bikes, food, riding, adventures and people.

[dave thompson]

Wow, the Hotel Belvedere looks great! I like vacations where you can stay in one place and take neat day trips out from it. That looks like a terrific place to do that.
They even wash your bike clothes so they are fresh every morning. I've traveled all over the world and the Belvedere consistently gave the best examples of hospitality that I've ever experienced. I stayed there at the recommendation of forumite abqhudson and thanked him many times for his advice! :banana:

[jeo99]

First I take exception to Detroit! The weather is a little warmer here but the wind chill is much warmer. Anyway, to the point, have you thought of Southern Spain in March. There are several reasonable (cheap by some comparisons) week packages in Spain and the weather is usually very good. If interested I can send some websites.

:beer:

[raygunner]

It's funny, before I posted this I was just about to make my reservations in Portland. I was out there twice this year & liked it more each day I was there. Plus I would be staying at the very nice, though modestly priced, Portland International Guesthouse.

But thanks to everyone's input I really have to reconsider my plans.

And I will probably be PM'ing the folks who posted things about the Bicycle Hotel, since I continually hear great things about the place.

All the best & happy holidays!

[Ray]

Wow, the Hotel Belvedere looks great! I like vacations where you can stay in one place and take neat day trips out from it. That looks like a terrific place to do that.
I spent a week there last summer, on Dave's (and a couple of others') recommendation, and I can second everything he said. In the summer its a bit more of a beach hotel than cycling hotel, but they still cater very nicely to the cyclist. Even "out of season" there were probably a dozen cyclists staying there and they had multiple guided rides going out every morning. At least one for the hammerheads and one for the more leisurely riders. I ended up having a private guide on two of the days i was there and just rode on my own a couple of days as well. The riding just inland from Riccione is INCREDIBLE (a couple of pics below just to whet the appetite) - I believe Marco Pantani's hometown and primary training area is only 40-50 kilometers from there. The staff of the hotel is wonderful, the food was better than what we had on a really nice cruise that we did just before staying in Riccione, and the town of Riccione is a real pleasure. Nice beach too, so its a perfect place to go for a couple where one is into riding and the other is more into beaching...

-Ray

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5166439966_3d8756767b_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4857856578_c00d41e16f_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4857235943_cc2719205a_b.jpg

[dave thompson]

Dimmit Ray, stop posting those pics! Makes me want to go there now.

Did I mention the food?

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6302/dscn0302i.jpg (http://img715.imageshack.us/i/dscn0302i.jpg/)

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/8131/dscn0332u.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/dscn0332u.jpg/)

[97CSI]

That place looks great. I'm convinced. Who wants to put together a 2-week trip during the 2012 Giro? Ride 4-5 days, see a couple stages, ride another 4-5 days, catch the end of the Giro and head home.

[drewski]

That place looks great. I'm convinced. Who wants to put together a 2-week trip during the 2012 Giro? Ride 4-5 days, see a couple stages, ride another 4-5 days, catch the end of the Giro and head home.


Count me in. I am open to camping, staying with some monks
what ever.

[raygunner]

Jeez, after seeing those photos how could I possibly go to dreary old Portland?!

[FixedNotBroken]

Italy hands down..I am going to Spain this coming year to visit family and a trip to Italy is in the plan as well.

[velotel]

Actually at least one and maybe two of those pictures were not shot in Italy, namely the third and maybe the second. The third was definitely shot in another country entirely, San Marino, an independent republic for almost 1800 years, and yes you read correctly, 1800 not 180.

Aside from that the riding in the region is indeed excellent but if you head into those hills in the pictures, be prepared to climb on steep grades. I've done some grades there that are up in the 20s, as in percent. Don't know about that hotel as I'm always in San Marino when I'm there but you can definitely eat very, very well in the region.

[Ti Designs]

I would vote for Italy as well, not 'cause I've been ('cause I haven't) but because it's really what cycling is about. As for learning how to turn a wrench, I have to question if the classes are the right way to go. I see it much like what I do in coaching, my riders are far better off than someone who goes out and hires some coach to do evaluations and write up workout plans. Why? 'cause it takes a lot of time and people do things for a few reasons. Most coaches do it for the money, so they're looking at their hourly rate. Some people do it for the love of it, some of them are very good at it, and some can even teach - I'm talking both coaching and mechanic work here. I charge my riders next to nothing when I'm working with them on the road 'cause it's what I love to do. Likewise, if a friend offered to bring a good meal over I would gladly spend a few hours building a bike with them. If they also have a good bottle of port for after the build I'll even put those crimpy things on the end of the cables...

I call this my Little League model - parents don't charge kids to coach the Little League team which is why so many people know how to play baseball. Could you imagine how much the program would cost if the coach was paid on a per child/hour base? We would be a nation of the worst baseball players ever. There are some things that take too much time to work on the normal education system, and with any luck (and good friends) it doesn't have to.

And I lied in the thread about Chistmas when I said I got nothing. One of my clients is taking me to Italy this October for a week of riding. I suspect this will be slightly better than beer and pizza in my basement building bikes.

[oldpotatoe]

i've toyed with going to UBI's mech school just to get a certificate. a bunch of co-workers and i have been volunteering at charity bike events wrenching and putting bikes together. but lately the organizers cut us off, saying that only "licensed bicycle mechanics" are allowed to work on bikes citing insurance, liability etc. i looked into how much it would cost to get said certificate, and i thought forget it. it is like taking a real vacation somewhere. putting together a bike isn't rocket science - i've built all my bikes with no issues (self-taught).

i'll save up for a framebuilding class though, that is a real skill.

Finishing this school or the one in Colorado Springs may give you a pretty certificate but you are not 'licensed'..no such animal like auto ASE. Should be but there isn't.

[Sheldon4209]

I am not saying that I would take UBI over Italy but I attended UBIs week long beginners class and it was fun. The other participates were interesting and UBIs staff shared many of their experiences along with learning bike mechanics. It made for a nice vacation to Oregon.

[Britishbane]

ATMO I'd go ride in Italy.

[Doug Fattic]

Raygunner, no, no, no, no, no. No (again for emphasis) don’t go to Italy. Think of how this will affect your friends. You will come back and gush about the great rides, the tasty food, the wind was always on your back, blah, blah, blah. They will only pretend to listen. Then you will waste more of their time by showing them beautiful pictures of something they can't do anytime soon and maybe never. You will just make them miserable and they will hate you for this.

On the other hand, you can go to UBI (it really is an excellent school) and learn how to be a bike mechanic. Now your friends will love you when you invite them over to fix their machines. It’s a no brainer. Put off what is fun now for long term benefits later. This is the value that has made America great. Say hi to Ron (the UBI boss) for me when you get to Portland.