Kentish Town Bike Workshop

What is a drop in workshop?

You come with your bike and book in to see one of our mechanics. When it’s your turn, the mechanic will show you how to check your bike and then teach you how to do any necessary repair yourself. While you’re waiting for your turn, you can observe what others are doing and sample a piece of our cake. The mechanics have their own tools and some basic spare parts (brake pads, cables, inner tubes, repair kits) which you can buy. If your bike needs a part we haven’t got, then you can bring it with you to the next workshop.

We plan to focus on easily do-able repairs, like cables, tyres/inner tubes, tuning gears etc, as these are the type of things that people will be able to do for themselves in the future. If your bike requires a complex, time-consuming repair we will advise you as how to get it done.

The workshops are free but donations will be welcome.

Electric bikes

Our Dr Bikes are unable to provide advice as to the functioning or otherwise of the electric motor, controller or battery on a power-assisted bicycle. Although we can help with maintenance of the brakes and gears and other parts we will decline to do anything that may disturb the functioning of the electrical components. For example, it may be difficult to change brake cables without disrupting electrical connections.

Donated bikes

Although we were able to give the first unused bicycle to TKT to use with a trailer for Vegbox  for delivering vegetables every week to pick up points, we are not able to accept donations of bikes and parts for lack of space.

If anyone else wants to donate a bike for a good cause, then try one of:

•  Akwaaba who run a drop-in centre + bike project on Sundays for refugees and migrants;
• Thierry at Underground Bicycles . Thierry (phone 07551209377 or 07729 320399) is also a source for cheap repairs, possibly including electric bikes and second-hand bikes.
• Bikes can also be donated to Bikes for Good Causes in Wood Green who’ll service and sell them, phone 020 8888 1005
• The Bike Project takes second-hand bikes, fixes them up and donates them to refugees and asylum-seekers.

Pictures of earlier workshops – click to see an enlargement

Workshop on 4th December 2017, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 7th August 2017, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 3rd July 2017, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 7th November 2016, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 1st  February 2016, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 5th October 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 3rd August 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 6th July 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 1st June 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 11th May 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre

Workshop on 2nd March 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre.

Workshop on 2nd February 2015, Kentish Town Health Centre.

Workshop on 2nd June 2014, Kentish Town Health Centre. Click on a photo to see an enlargement

Workshop on 12th May 2014, Kentish Town Health Centre. Click on a photo to see an enlargement

 

 

Workshop on 2nd December 2013, Kentish Town Health Centre. Click on a photo to see an enlargement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our fourth indoor workshop was held on 3rd December 2012 at Kentish Town Health Centre. Click on a photo to see an enlargement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first two workshops were held under the canopy outside Kentish Town Station in June and July 2012.

See photos below (by Paul Braithwaite). Click on a photo to see an enlargement,

[

See illustrated report on our first workshop