Over the past two weeks, the Wanta Lajamanu team have been working tirelessly (pun absolutely intended) to give the community’s old bike fleet a much-needed refresh and a new lease on life.
The workshop quickly became a hive of activity, with several local students joining us after their academic classes each day. Keen to get hands-on and learn something new, the students rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into the bike repairs, learning practical maintenance skills along the way. And, in a twist we particularly enjoyed, some students even chose to spend their afternoon fixing bikes rather than riding them!
Across the two weeks, we overhauled more than 10 bikes, working through a range of mechanical issues and learning what it takes to keep a bike safe, reliable and ready to hit the tracks.
One of the biggest jobs was tackling the tyres across the fleet. Students learnt the ins and outs of repairing punctured tubes, as well as how tubeless tyre systems work. A major part of the workshop involved stripping out and replacing the sealant across the tubeless fleet, a messy job, but an important one for keeping the bikes rolling smoothly and reducing the chances of those dreaded flat tyres.
We also worked through derailleur issues, helping students understand how gears shift and get the most out of the derailleur’s life by caring for them properly. Braking systems were another focus, with the group getting an introduction to the different types of brakes used across the fleet and how to make sure they are working safely and effectively.
While there is still plenty of work ahead to keep the fleet maintained, the past two weeks have been a great opportunity to get the bikes back into shape while giving young people the chance to develop practical, hands-on skills.
And, of course, the best part of fixing bikes is getting to ride them afterwards!
With the repairs done for now, the students have been making the most of the refreshed fleet, enjoying some well-deserved laps around the community and heading down the creek track.
It’s been great to see the bikes getting a new lease on life and even better to see them back out being ridden, explored and enjoyed by the community.
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