United Bicycle Institute

United Bicycle Institute (UBI) is a private career school for bicycle mechanics and custom bicycle frame building in Ashland, Oregon, United States.[1] The school offers one and two week courses[1] in addition to continuing education seminars, and has hosted students from over 45 different countries. Licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, UBI educates veterans and those with VA education benefits, as well as traditional students ranging from home mechanics to experienced mechanics looking to certify or continue their education in more specialized avenues like wheel-building, suspension work, and frame building.


Ron Sutphin, the current owner, has been an instructor since it was founded in 1981 by Wayne Martin.


In the summer of 2009, the institute opened a second campus in Portland offering the same curriculum as its campus in Ashland. In 2019, the Portland campus closed, and the school once again became housed under one roof in Southern Oregon. The campus features a mechanics classroom with custom-designed workbenches and professional grade tools, as well as a frame shop with access to drafting tables, frame jigs, torches and welders.


After graduation, the school offers graduates certificates of completion and access to a graduates-only area of their website.

Classes Offered edit

Bicycle Mechanics Classes edit

  • Introduction to Bicycle Maintenance, 5 days
  • Professional Repair & Shop Operation, 10 days

Frame Building Classes edit

  • Cromoly Brazing Frame Building
  • Cromoly TIG Welding Frame Building
  • Titanium Frame Building
  • TIG Welding Seminar

Advanced and Continuing Education Seminars edit

  • Certified Suspension Technician
  • UBI/DT Swiss Certified Wheel Builder
  • FOX Master Tech Clinic
  • UBI Disc Brake Seminar
  • Shimano Di2 Course
  • Bosch Technician Training
  • Dropper Post Seminar

Prominent Alumni edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "United Bicycle Institute". Retrieved 2008-01-22.

External links edit