Velotech training courses

We can provide the following courses, which are broadly split into two areas - those primarily aimed at members of the public and those that are aimed at persons employed in the cycle trade or who are in very regular contact with the mechanical aspects of bicycles in their work.

Courses are offered at our fully equipped training workshops in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, or on location at your shop or other cycle-oriented business, or we can import everything that we need to train a course to a venue that has been hired, either by the client or by ourselves. As long as we have adequate light, access, running water and heat to allow basic health and safety standards to be maintained, we can train almost anywhere.

We also have a nationwide network of training providers, the Velotech Training Workshops (VTWs), who run the same syllabus as we provide at Shelton and who provide assessment services to exactly the same criteria that are used at Shelton, thereby replicating the Velotech technical training offer at a location near you. Some of the VTWs are also in a position to run training courses remotely from their own premises.


In general, though, the best training experience is gained by a visit to Shelton or one of our partner VTWs.

Velotech Foundation 1 (formerly "Red") through to Professional Plus awards are modular, requiring achievement of the standards required in the preceding module before the candidate moves onto the next. There are no differences in the standards required of candidates from the cycle industry and those taking the course for their own interest. Course modules that might be seen as suitable for enthusiasts / members of the public are marked with a (P). Those targetted more squarely at trade customers as well as members of the public, are marked (T).

Attendance on the course does not guarantee an award at the level of the course - assessments are run on a continuous basis on the training day or days.

Foundation 1 (Formerly "Red") (P)

The aim is that the candidate will be able to:

• name the parts of a bicycle.
• identify which parts to lubricate.
• demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate oil or lubricant to use and the reasons for this.

Basic Health and Safety matters are covered.

Basic workshop practices are covered.

Evidence of knowledge can take the form of work sheets or quiz. All part names are to be the industry standard

Foundation 2 (Formerly "White") (P)

The aim of this award is to show progression from the Foundation 1 Award. The candidate will be able to:

• use a “Quick Release” to remove and refit a wheel in a bicycle.
• Use a pump to inflate the tyre and demonstrate ability to do so with all three types of valve commonly in use.

Further Health and Safety matters are covered.

Further workshop practices are covered

Evidence is shown by worksheets and practical assessments. In addition the assessor will complete a record sheet.

Foundation 3 (Formerly "Blue") (P)

The candidate for the Foundation 3 Award will be able to complete the Foundation 1 & 2 awards. The candidate will also need to show the ability to:

• Remove the tyre from the wheel
• Repair and replace the inner tube into the tyre.
• Safely replace the wheel onto the bicycle.

Further Health and Safety matters are covered.

Further workshop practices are covered

The evidence for this award is gathered in the same manner as the White award.

Bronze (P)

The candidate for the Bronze Award will be able to cover all parts of Foundation 1,2 and 3 Awards. In addition the candidate must be able to:

• Carry out a basic assessment of frame and fork condition / alignment
• Accurately adjust a loose or tight hub.
• Assess a wheel for trueness.
• Accurately set up three types of brake i.e. V brake and calliper type.
• Set up an adjustable bottom bracket
• Accurately set up three types of gearing system
• Set up a headset
• Assess and correct the safety and set-up of a handlebar and saddle / seatpost assembly
• Understand and complete a Pre-Delivery Inspection document.

Some further aspects of Health and Safety Law are covered.

CE / British Standards as they currently apply to bicycle retail are covered

Evidence will take the same form as the previous awards with the addition of a multiple choice question paper.

Industry note: The Bronze Award is parallel with any "Level 1" accreditation (Cytech, City and Guilds, IMI, etc).

Silver (P)

The candidate for the Silver Award will show the ability to have completed the four previous Awards before commencing the Silver Award. In addition the candidate will need, on a like-for-like basis to:

• Replace a brake cable (inner and outer) and correctly set the brake.
• Replace a set of brake pads and correctly set the brake
• Assess the alignment of a gear hanger and correct it where required
• Replace an index gear system cable and correctly set the indexing.
• Replace a cassette and chain and correctly set the indexing.
• Demonstrate the ability to service hubs.
• Demonstrate the ability to service two types of headset.
• Demonstrate the ability to remove cranks and to service three types of BB assembly

Evidence is by demonstration, testing and questioning.

Industry note: The Silver Award goes somewhat beyond the normal content of a "Level 1" accreditation allowing a greater degree of independent working for the technician. Technicians trained and assessed to this level, though, should still be properly and carefully supervised.

Gold (P)

The candidate will need to show the ability to complete all of the provisions of the Silver Award but on a non like-for like basis:

• Assemble a bicycle from a bare, prepared frame, or strip and reassemble a bicycle, replacing or modifying parts in the process showing an understanding of the technical considerations around those operations
• Strip and service / maintain hubs, bottom brackets and head sets to industry standards.
• Fit a replacement spoke into and true a conventional wheel

Evidence will be shown using the same methods as the Intermediate 1 Awards.

Professional (T)

This candidate will need to show the ability to fulfil all the requirements of the Gold Award and to be able to Service and maintain all areas of the bicycle other than those requiring brand-specific knowledge:

• Frame preparation (alignment checks, thread chasing and facing / reaming operations)
• Understand the operating principles, relevant safety considerations and the basic set-up and maintenance of hydraulic brake systems
• Assess the parts required to, and then to lace, tension and true a standard pair of 32 or 36 spoke, 3x wheels for rim brake.
• Understand and apply proper and complete safe workshop practice and health and safety at work measures.

Industry note: This award, which incorporates our stand-alone 2-day "Foundation" or "Introduction to" Wheelbuilding course, requires the same technical competencies as any industry "Level 2" accreditation and the standards of proof and assessment are exactly as those required during the assessment phase of a level 2 VRQ / NVQ. The “non-practical” elements of numeracy and literacy are covered within the operations required for the award. There are no separate tests of numeracy or literacy.

Taking it further ....

Click here for information on our basic wheelbuilding course.

Click here for the requirements for Professional Plus (formerly "PLatinum Plus"), our top-level accreditation ...

Click here for stand-alone courses which will count towards Platinum Plus if you wish, or can be taken to increase your general knowledge of cycle mechanics ... please note that the essential precursor to Advanced Wheelbuilding is Basic wheelbuilding. For the others, it is Velotech Gold or similar.

Single-day & Two-day Stand-Alone Public Courses

Trailside Maintenance (P)

This course runs over a single day and is ideal for those who are enthusiast riders wanting to know what to do when "something goes wrong" on the road or on the trailside - puncture repair, spoke breakage, vhain breakage and on the fly gear adjsutment are all covered in this single-day course. These courses are currently by arrangement.

Velotech "Intermediates" Tool School (P)

This course we have referred to in the past as Silver Plus, too. The candidate for the Velotech Intermediates Tool School will be taken through a strip-down and reassembly of their own or a supplied bike and will be shown how to fulufill all the needs of a Velotech "Silver" certification. In addition the candidate will need to:

• Accurately set up two types of brake, i.e. V brake and calliper type.
• Accurately set up a Gyro system.
• Demonstrate the ability to service hubs.
• Demonstrate the ability to set up one type of derailleur gear system

Evidence is by demonstration, testing and questioning.

This is a very "hands-on" course and is quite intense for a two-day teaching period, but feedback is very positive - on average well over a 95% approval rating!

Industry note: The Intermediates Award is in many respects similar to CyTech 1, but includes some servicing elements absent from CyTech 1, whilst excluding some of the Health and Safety training and assessment provisions of CyTech 1. It is suited to those working with Youth groups and has in the past been widely used as the basic accreditation for Sustrans Bike-It and Active Travel officers.

Taking it further ....

Click here for wheelbuilding, a popular course for many of our candidates ...