The Bike Inn offers a comprehensive range of bicycle mechanics courses and qualifications. Select the course you are interested in from the list below and click to read more, see prices, and link through to our online booking system. Please be aware that a 20% deposit is required to secure your place on each course, with the remaining balance due 4 weeks prior to the start date (or immediately if booked closer to the course date).
Due to the Covid19 Epidemic we have produced a VIRTUAL version of this course, allowing you to begin your learning in the most convenient way whilst lockdown continues and travel restrictions apply.
This means that week one is now more cost effective, whilst week 2 is far more intensive. Moving forward, as of 1st June, this will be our preferred way of teaching, this 2 weeks at The Bike Inn being run ONLY in extenuating circumstances and when student numbers allow
Our phone lines are still open, and you can call during office hours to discuss any of our courses and to get an update on the ongoing situation.
IMI Accredited / OFQUAL Approved Courses
This course takes place over a defined four week period, which after successful completion earns you the Bike Inn Foundation Certificate in Bicycle Mechanics. If you are wishing to attain your IMI Level 2 qualification this course prepares you the intensive on-site week required to attain your qualification.
You will work through online and practical assessments that will provide enough knowledge and skills to effectively enter you into the industry. This is a flexible and achievable way to study - particularly given the current Covid-19 pandemic situation. We’ll be there for you at the other end of emails, chats, phone calls and structured online meetings to answer all your questions and ensure you are not left feeling alone during your learning.
As with our traditionally structure IMI Level 2 training, we still provide additional course content over and above what is deemed to be the basic qualification requirements ,because we consider this to be essential if you are looking to work in event support, a shop or to start your own business.
The course will give you an in-depth foundation knowledge of build, adjustment and problem solving, including all of the following:
This is the preparation course for our approved IMI Level 2 Qualification in Bicycle Mechanics (OFQUAL accredited) which requires successful completion of both this and the intensive on-site practical week (see below).
These two courses together are equivalent to the traditional IMI Level 2 Weeks 1 & 2, just restructured to give you a more flexible and convenient way to train.
study at home modules Start on a given Monday each month, with a mandatory welcome video meeting on the saturday immediately prior - please ensure you are able to attend this and other video meetings throughout the course as they form an integral part of your learning and assessment.
£630.00 per person
prequalification required via our virtual foundation modules only
This week is tough, we won't hide or apologise for that. This week is required to achieve IMI Level 2 Certification. Having learned the theory with our virtual learning course and practiced where possible on your own or your friends bikes, the assessment and qualification week follows the following program
Day 1: Online IMI closed book assessments that must be passed and must be taken in our premises in Cumbria
Day 2: Brake and Hydraulic Practical - Routine Cycle Maintenance
Day 3: Wheel building (Plus time put aside for resits where necessary)
Day 4: Wheel Building part 2 - Change a Cycle Frame (Complete strip and rebuild constantly assessed for individual systems)
Day 5: Continuation of Day 4 (Plus time put aside for resits where necessary)
This week is conducted with a 2:1 student to assessor ratio allowing for a fully immersive learning experience and a high level of access to the instructors' live feedback. At the end of this week you'll know and will have practiced more than most currently employed bike mechanics giving you a springboard into the industry.
£1260.00 per person
Due to the Covid19 Epidemic we have produced a VIRTUAL version of this course, allowing you to begin your learning in the most convenient way whilst lockdown continues and travel restrictions apply.
This means that week one is now more cost effective, whilst week 2 is far more intensive. Moving forward, as of 1st June, this will be our preferred way of teaching, this 2 weeks at The Bike Inn being run ONLY in extenuating circumstances and when student numbers allow
Our Level2 IMI course is for those who want a qualification that will provide enough knowledge and practical skills to effectively enter you into the industry, taking place over two consecutive weeks at The Bike Inn training centre, Cumbria. We also provide additional course content over and above the basic qualification requirements because we consider this to be essential if you are looking to work in event support, a shop or to start your own business. The course will give you an in-depth foundation knowledge of build, adjustment and problem solving, including all of the following:- Health and Safety
- Workshop Best Practices
- Relevant Legislations
- Tool Selection
- Bottom Brackets
- Headsets
- Brakes
- Manually Operated Gears
- Hubs
- Wheel Building
- Basic Hydraulics
- Tyres
- Trade Suppliers
£1890.00 per person
£378.00 deposit
Our IMI Level 3 Diploma can be attained in one of two ways:
- Those who have either passed the IMI Level 2 certificate, or can provide proven previous learning at an equivalent level we offer a one week 'top up' course.
- Alternatively, for those wanting to qualify from the beginning through to Level 3, we run the complete programme over 3 consecutive weeks.
We are also approved to provide this course through the ELCAS scheme, for those exiting from HM Forces.
Building on the subjects covered from Level 2
- Health and Safety
- Workshop Best Practices
- Relevant Legislation
- Tool Selection
- Bottom Brackets
- Headsets
- Brakes
- Manually Operated Gears
- Hubs
- Wheel Building
- Basic Hydraulics
- Tyres
- Basic Bike Sizing
- Trade Suppliers
We then go on to cover the following...
- Frame geometry and a detailed look at how this affects bikes
- Advanced hydraulics, including rear suspension and dropper posts
- Advanced wheel systems and complex wheels
- Higher end group sets
- In depth diagnostics of all electronic group sets
- An introduction into performance bike fitting
- An introduction into cycling coaching
£1260.00 per person
for the Level 3 top up course
£3150.00 per person
for the full 3 week course
20% deposit required to book either option
Bike Inn Short Courses
Our General Maintenance course is for those who want to know more about their own bikes but don't need the in-depth knowledge required to enter into the industry. If you do require a deeper insight than this course offers then please refer to our IMI Level 2 and 3 courses above
We invite you to bring up to two bikes of your own for these two intensive days, when you will learn the following, tailored towards your bike(s) and your individual requirements:
- Tool Selection
- Bottom Brackets
- Headsets
- Brakes
- Gears
- Hubs
- Basic Wheel Truing
£340.00 per solo booking
£290.00 per person if booked as a pair
Our Hydraulics course covers complete strip, service and rebuilds of the following:
- Cable/Hydro Brake Callipers
- Hydro V Brakes
- Hydro Cantilever Brake
- Hydro Disk Brakes
- Rockshox XC 28, 30, Pike Forks
- Fox 32 Forks
- Rockshox Monarch and Monarch Debonair
- Rockshox Reverb Stealth Dropper Post
An immersive and insightful 3 days!
£750.00 per person
These 3 days will train you as a 'master' wheel builder where you learn the following:
- Parts compatibility
- Tools required
- Hubs, their design and progress
- Rims, their various types and designs
- Spokes and nipples, strengths and weaknesses, different design, materials and attachments
- Spoke length calculation
- Lacing patterns
- Tightening and truing of wheels to industry tolerances
- Building of three types of wheel covering 90% of those found on bikes today
£360.00 per person
Though this course is currently in development, but we are planning to teach the following:
- Introduction to frame parts and function
- Frame geometry and how it affects bicycle handling
- Basic bike fitting using a bike fit bicycle
- Tools required
- Material properties and selection
- Techniques in frame tube joining
- Welding and brazing techniques
- Practical sessions, which will result in you being able to take away a frame that you have designed and built
£ TBA
This course is currently being designed, but it will be based on the following:
- An introduction to E-Bikes
- Tools required
- A look at all makes of systems currently on the market
- Full diagnostics on all systems (where manufacturers allow)
- Strip and rebuild where possible
£ TBA
During this extremely intensive course you'll learn:
- An introduction to bike fitting
- Basic equipment required for an in-depth bike fit
- Basic human anatomy and how muscle groups connect and inter-relate
- The known basic setups for Mountain, Road, TT and Triathlon bikes
- Restrictions on achievable angles for health reasons and regulations
- Ways to combat common cycling ailments
- The effects of changing components within the bike fit arena
- Practical sessions with a bike fit bicycle to find a good fit when no client bike is available
- Practical bike fit with your own bikes
- Different bike fit systems and apps, and their pros and cons
£ TBA
First Aid
Emergency Cycling First Aid
On completion of training successful candidates should be able to:
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of a first aider in an outdoors
- Be able to manage an incident in an outdoors environment
- Be able to provide first aid to a casualty that is unresponsive and not breathing normally
- Be able to provide first aid to a casualty who is choking
- Be able to provide first aid to a casualty with external bleeding
- Know how to provide first aid to a casualty who is in shock
Emergency First Aid at Work
On completion of training successful candidates should be able to:
Understand the role and responsibility of a First Aider.
- Be able to assess an incident.
- Be able to manage a casualty who is unresponsive and NOT breathing normally.
- Be able to provide first aid to an unresponsive and breathing normally casualty
- Be able to manage a casualty who is in seizure
- Be able to recognise and assist a casualty who is choking.
- Manage a casualty with external bleeding. Manage a casualty who is in shock.
- Understand how to manage a casualty with a minor injury.
- Be able to manage a casualty with minor burns and scalds.
