FAQ

Currently, the AS Bike Shop is open Monday - Thursday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and Friday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.u00a0 The shop is closed on weekends and UC holidays.

The shop is located at building 344, Ocean Road, North of Bus Loop, adjacent to 4041 SAASB. U.C. Santa Barbara

When space is available during open hours, the shop tools and stands are available for anyone who has signed a waiver of liability to use. Use of the shop for personal projects operates on a first come, first serve basis.u00a0Our mechanics can gladly give you advice or walk you through the process of a repair, as long as we are not busy helping other customers in line.

We offer an array of repair services ranging from simple tube/tire repairs to complete overhauls and tune-ups. Please refer to our services tab for more information and prices.

The AS Bike Shop is open to the public. We pride ourselves on providing vital services to everyone in our community, not just UCSB students.

We do not work on electric bikesu00a0under any circumstance.

Our application is currently on Handshake. Because the shop is a division of Associated Students, the mechanic position is only open to UCSB undergraduate students. Please use your student login to log on to Handshake. We look at applications on a quarterly basis. Make sure you apply for the correct position. If you do not hear from us, feel free to resubmit an application or follow up in person.u00a0Here is the link to our application:u00a0UCSB Associated Students Bike Mechanic u2014 Santa Barbara, CAu00a0Part-Time On Campus Student Employment

We currently do not rent bikes.

We are currently selling a variety of new and refurbished bikes. Come check out our selection!

Depending on the workload at the shop and the nature of your repair, we can often provide service as you wait or same-day. These are 'line repairs'. More complex repairs often require one to two days to complete.u00a0 These are 'ticket repairs'. The beginnings of each quarter also often require overnight tickets due to a high workload.

Line repairsu00a0are smaller repairs that mechanics can immediately get started on while customers wait at the shop. Line repairs generally takeu00a010-25 minutes but may take longer. We ask all customers to stay at the shop for the duration of their repair.u00a0Examples for line repairs include but are not limited to: tube replacements, tire replacements, chain replacements, chain tightening, brake cable and housing replacements, brake adjustments. Line repairs are ultimately done at the discretion of the mechanic at that given time and whether it can be done in a timely manner.u00a0Ticket repairsu00a0are more time-consuming repairs that mechanics will work on once we finish all the line repairs; ticket repairs are also an option for customers who must leave their bike at the shop. In the case of a ticket repair, mechanics will collect the customeru2019s name and number, talk them through all the repairs needed, give a price estimate and an approximate due date, and bring the bike into the shop. The shop cashier will call the customeru2019s number when the bike is ready. Ticket repairs can take anywhere fromu00a0a day to over a week, depending on how busy the shop is, and whether or not parts need to be ordered.u00a0Examples for ticket repairs include but are not limited to: hub overhauls, headset overhauls, bottom bracket overhauls, tune-ups, certain shifter replacements, repairs that involve ordering an out-of-stock bike part.

We ask all customers to stay at the shop for the duration of their line repair because it allows maximum efficiency for our mechanics to ask customers about their bikeu2019s history and to return bikes as soon as the repair is done, so that mechanics can get to the next bike. In our busy work environment, in the case that the mechanic can not find the bike owner, it is very easy to misplace the bike; and if the mechanic happens to clock out before the owner comes back, the hand-over can make it difficult for other mechanics to recognize the owner when they return to the shop.

If your bike was ticketed, the shop will give you a call when it is ready to pick up. You can go directly to the cashier with the yellow slip given to you at the time of drop off. If you have lost your yellow slip, please bring an ID to verify that you are the person to whom the bike belongs to.

We do not provide bike storage unless we are working on your bike as a ticket repair. In this case, your bike will be safely stored until it is picked up.u00a0

We do not purchase used bikes, but we do take in donations for our new hires to train and practice repairs on. Some of these donated bikes may be refurbished and sold. If you would like to donate a bike, please call us in advance. You can also check out St. George Youth Center YMCA as they provide bikes for children.

Yes, you can. Come visit the shop during business hours and collaborate with one of the mechanics to help you find the part that is needed. We have a wide variety of parts available for purchase on-site which can beu00a0installed by a mechanic for a small labor fee. However, there is typically a one-two week delay for ordering special parts that are not currently in stock on-site.u00a0

Unfortunately you cannot since we do not run that program. However, you can register your bike at the CSO office which can be found in Building 300.u00a0The Building 300 Office is located west of South Hall and south of the Swimming Pool and Old Gym.u00a0Here is the link for more information:u00a0https://www.police.ucsb.edu/cso/bicycle-program

We do not cut locks of any kind outside of the shop premises, but other bike shops located in IV do cut u-locks. If your bike is registered with CSO, they provide that service for free. We only cut locks if you are able to bring the bike to the bike shop for a flat rate, $15.

Yes, the bike shop does assemble bikes at a flat rate, $40 fee.

Air and oil are provided free of charge at the AS Bike Shop.

During open hours, we provide an oil station and pumps for presta and schrader valves.u00a0

Air compressors going to 60psi are available 24/7 on the N and W sides of the shop.

First, find out what kind of valve you have. Refer to u201cwhat kind of valve do I have?u201d info sheet below. Next, look on the side wall of the tire for the recommended PSI for your tires.u00a0For Presta valves:

• Unscrew the captive nut. This allows you to add or release pressure to the inner tube.

u00a0

• After this, follow the procedure below for the respective type of pump, but be sure to use a Presta pump with a smaller, deeper hole.u00a0
• After inflating and removing the pump from the valve, screw the captive nut back in to lock the valve so air cannot escape.

For Schraeder valves:u00a0u00a0With screw-on pumps:

• Twist the chuck of the pump onto the valve. Make sure to use a Schraeder pump, with a larger, shallower hole. Inflate tire to recommended psi, using the pressure gauge as a guide. After inflating, simply unscrew the chuck and remove the pump from the valve.u00a0

With flip-lever pumps:u00a0

• Insert the pump onto the valve. While pressing down onto the valve, flip the lever open. Make sure to use a Schraeder pump with a larger, shallower hole. Inflate tire to recommended psi, reading the pressure gauge.u00a0

With air compressor [available during working hours]:

• The shop compressor is rated for 65 PSI. If your tires have a pressure rating around 60-70 PSI, you can go around the corner of the shop to the compressor shed. The hose has a nozzle on the end that fits Schraeder valves. Press this nozzle onto the Schraeder valve, making sure that it is pressed flat rather than at an angle. Air should start flowing. As you inflate the tire, make sure there are no bulges in the side of the tire that can indicate that it is about to explode. If you notice any bulges or tire damage, deflate the tire until it no longer threatens to pop and ask a mechanic for help.

What kind of valve do I have?

Schrader Valveu00a0- thicker valve with a cylindrical valve cap.	Presta Valveu00a0- thinner valve with a lock mechanism (screws in and out to allow air flow) and a conic valve cap.
Pumps to use:u00a0Air Compressoru00a0(during shop hours) for tires with au00a060 or less PSIu00a0(printed on tire), or flooru00a0pumps with a thicker adapter valveu00a0that has something sticking out in the middle	Pumps to use: Flooru00a0pumps with a thinner adapter valveu00a0that is hollow in the middle. Remember tou00a0unscrew the tip of the presta valveu00a0before attaching it to the pump.

If your bike tires are severely under-pressurized, there will be no force holding the tube valve in place. It is possible to push the valve into the interior of the tire. If this is happening, pushing a pump onto the valve may be difficult. If this is the case, here are the steps you should take:

• Press into the tire, opposite the valve, so that you are holding the valve in place. If you try to push the valve back in, you should feel the force on your hand holding the tire, and the valve should remain held in place.u00a0
• After you insert the valve into the pump, make sure that the bead of the tire remains inside the rim of the wheel and that there are no bulges in the walls of the tire.u00a0

WD-40 is a penetrating oil and (W)ater (D)isplacing spray. It ideally should only be used for getting stuck or rusted parts moving again. Itu00a0will notu00a0protect your bike from rust. In order to keep your bike properly lubricated, we recommend using a thin oil such as Tri-flow that is free of charge, located at our self-service oil station. This oil serves as an actual lubricant to keep your drivetrain running smoothly and to protect your components from rust.

Taking into consideration the vast amount of bikes on campus in relation to the numerous unguarded bike racks throughout campus, there is always a possibility that your bike and/or bike parts can get stolen. Please always make sure tou00a0properlyu00a0lock your bike, and if possible, we would highly suggest to not leave your expensive and/or sentimental bikes unattended, with or without a lock.