Keeping your bicycle honed and on-point will do the same for you. That weird click? Sometimes can’t stop very well? It’s easy to ignore it until you can get to the shop but…
Gracie’s Wrench is a place for you to get intimate with your bicycle, learn its ins and outs and give it the caring it deserves.
Tori Bortman started Gracie’s Wrench after struggling to find mechanic teachers and mentors as she was learning to repair bikes. Frustrated with her experience, she created classes for the every day rider– folks who knew enough but were ready to take their bike’s maintenance in their own hands with a special focus on their individual bicycle(s) and learning styles. Most Gracie’s Wrench classes (with the exception of the Sorella Forte Team workshop pictured here) only have one or two students total so that the student gets the personal, patient, hands-on learning experience that makes Gracie’s Wrench so special.
Gracie’s Wrench is a program that is designed around the DIY (Do It Yourself) credo. All classes, tutoring, and clinics are based on the philosophy that the best way to learn is to physically do it yourself, with your own hands on your own bike. Students work on their own bicycles, which gives more active time for them to absorb the information and really feel how things work. The lessons go beyond the basics into the tricks and tips that mechanics use every day.
Classes offered at Gracie’s Wrench include:
-Basic Tune-Up Class
-Project-Based Learning – you chose the project!
-Wheel Building
-Basic Review Class
-Individual Tutoring
-Everyday Riding Consults
Tools, space and work stands are provided for the courses. Class and tutoring location is in a small, private studio space in NE Portland at the Gracie’s Wrench Workshop unless otherwise arranged. Students bring their bicycles, parts, rags and eagerness to learn.
Learn where to put your hands, how to push, pull or manhandle your bike (as you’ll find it sometimes needs a little extra coaxing) to get the job done. At Gracie’s Wrench, mistakes are welcome as they provide an opportunity to see what can go wrong and how to fix it, as well as extra experience in a supportive environment.
Thanks to Daniel Sharp Photography for all of the photos.
Visit Gracie’s Wrench online
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