Perhaps the most practical class on our roster is Basic Bicycle Maintenance, which will be taught by Emily Thibodeau of Hub Cycle Company in Cambridge. Emily is a passionate cyclist and loves to travel abroad during an annual off-season sabbatical from her shop. Check out this awesome sculpture she spotted in a botanic garden on her recent trip to Singapore:

We take it you’ve had a passion for bicycles for a long, long time. When and how did your love of cycling begin?

I learned to love bikes when I started going for ‘long’ bike rides with my dad. I was seven or eight and we’d ride an eight-mile loop near our house—which at the time seemed like an impossibly long distance. I thought it was very cool to ride so far from home.

What’s the longest you’ve ever cycled in a single day?

I rode to Portland, Maine a couple of summers ago. At the end of the ride my computer read 123.4 miles.

What’s your all-time favorite route?

When I ride for fun I usually ride mountain bikes. There are so many great places to ride in New England I probably can’t name a favorite, but Harold Parker in N. Andover, MA, Bradbury Mountain in Pownal, ME and FOMBA in Manchester, NH are on my short list.

What can Skillshare participants expect to take away from your class?

Folks will leave with knowledge of the two things they need to do to maintain their bikes (two—that’s all you need), as well as how to deal with flat tires (the number one bicycle repair).

No previous experience necessary, right?

Definitely not—all experience levels welcome!

Out for a ride at Tyler State Park.

We bet a lot of your Skillshare students are going to get the “cycling bug” after taking this class. How can they connect with other cyclists to enjoy some social exercise in Somerville and Cambridge?

We’re really lucky here in the Greater Boston Area—there are tons of opportunities to connect with other bike folks. I, personally, look to the Boston Bike Party, New England Mountain Bike Association, and (here’s a shameless plug for my team…) Team Monster Truck when I’m looking for good people to ride bikes with.

Visit Emily at her shop at 1064 Cambridge Street or online at hubbicycle.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.