There is lots of misinformation here about Barnett's. I took a Barnett's course and was "certified" as a Master Technician so I could teach and certify others. I already had more than 10 years in the business, some of that spent working with international team mechanics, framebuilders, etc.... I went to the course thinking I didn't need it and wouldn't learn anything, much like chuck thinks.

Like Sue, I came away with a different point of view. I did learn some new things, especially from some of the other mechs there, and for those without extensive experience in the shop, it would definitely be beneficial. But I still do things taught to me by my first mentor in cycling, a bike racer from the old country, things that aren't taught anywhere I've seen, that are faster and better than anything I've learned from any school or commonly accessible method like Park or Barnett's.

Education is a funny thing. It really isn't what courses you've taken but rather how you take them and what you make of them. I remember the line about the ***** in the book Even Cowgirls get the Blues by Tom Robbins where he says something to the effect that although the ***** never got a degree, it would be a mistake to assume that he never got an education from the seemingly directionless selection of courses he took at Berkely.

Still, I don't think the certification courses are a farce and I do think they provide a valuable liability safety net for companies in today's litigious society. And I think that everyone here could learn at least something new and helpful from them.