Changing Careers...bike mechanic?

[wamara]

I'm seriously thinking of taking a professional bike mechanic's course and potentially leaving the corporate rat race. Time to enjoy life (riding) and family has become far more valuable to me than climbing the corporate ladder. Is there anyone out there who is or has been a bike mechanic/shop owner/manager who can offer some insight? Or is the grass just greener...?

 

[JohnO]

I was a bike mechanic during and slightly after college. To a degree, the grass is greener. Pay was modest, though not at a poverty level, and you got good discounts on cycling stuff.

What you worked on, though, wasn't all that nice. You didn't get the high end bikes, the owners take great care of them and often are accomplished mechanics themself. No, you got the K Mart special that had been sitting in a garage for five years. Not terribly interesting...

Plus, being a bike mechanic does little if anything for your riding time. If you plan on supporting yourself, and especially others, you'll be spending a lot of time in the shop, not on the road. All it ever got me was discounts on parts, and intros to other riders, though it was nice to spend most of my time on cycling related activities.

OTOH, I'm caught in the corporate rat race myself, and can't say that it's any way to spend your entire life. Pay is great, but the silly BS you put up with... I'd love to quit it and farm for a living, but the grass is definitely greener on the other side there.

 

[Zac]

I worked at a bike shop for a while and while it was pretty fun for a while after a year it really started to suck. The pay was just at minnimum wage, hours were 10 to 7, had to work weekends (couldn't race or do weekend rides), and it seemed that alot of the people that had made a career out of it were pretty bitter. I will give it one thing though, it's nice to work there for a little while, perhaps the winter, just to get that discount!

 

[Hunter]

Being a shop owner I can say that previous posters are correct in most ways. Lets face it a bicycle shop in no way compares to the earnings of a big corp. Being this is true the pay scale for wrench turning will reflect this fact.
However there are tangible benifits to it.Discounts and employee purchases are great. Working in a field you like is another. If one is not to wrapped up in the world then you can be gratified by any chosen profession. Of course if you are the sole supporter of a family then out of neccesity becoming a team mechanic would be more lucrative. Riding time can be cut into but can you honestly name a corporate profession where it does not? If riding weekends is an idea of available ride time then......

 

[Randal Lovelace]

All of the mechanics in my LBS, are very happy with there jobs, and most are making careers out of it.

Also, as far as working on crappy K-Mart bikes, I think that only about three of those have been in there since I have been going to this shop. (unfortunately one of them was my HUFFY.....lol)

On a side not, I have another bike now, a Nishiki Sport (Japanese brand - made in Korea tho), has Dia-Compe Quick release brakes, Shimano rear hub and assembly, and Suntour AR der. f/r, Champion bar (old style), and Custom Alu neck.

Will be swapping out the Suntour for Shimano Altus der. f/r (I know they are not top of the line but, I don't think this frame warrents the cost)

Haven't searched up much info on the frame yet....bought at a garage sale for $5.00

Oh it's only a ten speed (front crank/gears are Sugino {funny thing, they look a whole lot like the Shimano Octalink)

Randy

 

[rjones]

Just read your post from a couple months ago - that's awesome!! If you can do without the money, GO FOR IT!! If you haven't already that is. I'm a mechanic, part time, but still a mechanic. It's great, customers are usually cool, they're cyclists. Yeah, you do get to work on a lot of "cheaper" bikes, but they're still bikes, and somebody still rides and enjoys them. That's what it's all about. I hope it works out for you.

Originally posted by wamara
I'm seriously thinking of taking a professional bike mechanic's course and potentially leaving the corporate rat race. Time to enjoy life (riding) and family has become far more valuable to me than climbing the corporate ladder. Is there anyone out there who is or has been a bike mechanic/shop owner/manager who can offer some insight? Or is the grass just greener...?

 

[Cyclesmith]

As a shop owner and mechanic I can say I love it, the best thing that's ever happened to me...I also work 7 days a week, 80+ hours and don't make nearly as much money as I did when I was a sales rep at a computer company... I normally ride only once a week in the busy season, but my bikes are the BEST!! Most people get OUT of the bike business to spend more time with they're families...not into it. Being in a shop is a cool job... but it's still a JOB!!!! It can get on your nerves, wear you down, **** you off, and cause headaches just like any other job... But I love it, and I think its worth it!!!!! Did I mention I haven't had a day off in 4 months.... the bike business is not for everyone, but its for me!!!!

For most people...the grass is just greener

 

[mojorisin]

I have been thinking along these lines myself. I wouldnt mind working a weekend gig to learn the trade and see where it goes. I am a serviceman now for a heating company and have been a mechanic my whole life. I imagine tho its like anything, if you have to do it, its never fun.

 

[zaskar]

Originally posted by Cyclesmith
Did I mention I haven't had a day off in 4 months.... the bike business is not for everyone, but its for me!!!!

For most people...the grass is just greener

hey cyclesmith how long have you had your shop?
im a self employed hvac contractor. when my buiss
was new and i needed the $$ i loved to work 7days
on call 24/7 for emergencies, that was almost 4 yrs ago.
as the buiss grew i got more wrk and kept on working
till about 5 months ago. it ended up making me ******
& depressed then the gf complaining how we dont do
to much because when i wasnt working i wanted to
rest & ride. just give your self time away from work
as soon as your able to dont let it burn you out,
good luck with your shop.

 

[zaskar]

Originally posted by mojorisin
I have been thinking along these lines myself. I wouldnt mind working a weekend gig to learn the trade and see where it goes. I am a serviceman now for a heating company and have been a mechanic my whole life. I imagine tho its like anything, if you have to do it, its never fun.

is there a chance i can talk you into staying in the hvac buiss
and moving to Tucson for more then dbl your pay you have now??
(that is if your an hourly worker).

Tim.

 

[mojorisin]

Originally posted by zaskar
is there a chance i can talk you into staying in the hvac buiss
and moving to Tucson for more then dbl your pay you have now??
(that is if your an hourly worker).

Tim.

Hmmmm, ride all year, no more 2:00 am no heat calls at -20 degrees, beautiful arizona lady's, and a contact in the cycling community. Damn brother, let me pack my panniers.

 

[zaskar]

Originally posted by mojorisin
Hmmmm, ride all year, no more 2:00 am no heat calls at -20 degrees, beautiful arizona lady's, and a contact in the cycling community. Damn brother, let me pack my panniers.

i see your in the white mtn, i take it thats not the same
white mtns NE of Tucson, never less if you wanna talk
PM me and ill give you my phone# hope to here from ya.

 

[Basic Cycles]

Sorry, I wish that servicing bikes in Charlottesville, Va were so simple. Unfortunatly we here in C'ville are much f**king better than everyone that we expect perfect service for free. Step out of your SUV! Hang up your cell phone! Get your head out of your *ss! Don't expect me to make your piece of s**t into a good bike for free. You get what you pay for in this world. Don't put the burden on me to make your piece of c**p into a Litespeed. Thank you, Todd Ely, Basic Cycles, C'vile, Va

 

[abtour]

As a retired bike shop owner, mechanic and manager for others I can say it is like any other business with it's bads and goods. I left a VP position with a a major computer company to open my first shop and never looked back. The indrustry gave me a decent living and many wonderfu friends.

I would recommend you look into United Bicycle Intitute, www.bikeshool.com. You will learn a lot of what is needed.

abtour

 

[kingsting]

This is my 13th year as a part-time mechanic. It's a fun job with it's ups and downs. The pay sucks and the hours are long. If you're good at what you do it's still rewarding and enjoyable. Here's some pros and cons of working at a shop:
Pro: You get to see and try out the newest and most expensive stuff.
Con: You have to work on the newest and most expensive stuff only to find it's very tempermental, requires special tools and is usually overpriced junk.
Pro: You have a access to high end bikes and components.
Con: You get to deal with customers that want high end components and bikes. They usually think they know more than you, buy everything from mail order catalogs anyway and are major buttstrokes.
Pro: You get to work on and sell some neat BMX and Freestyle bikes.
Con: You get to babysit all the local kids that have a million questions and no money.
Pro: You get to do what you really like to do, work on bikes.
Con: Most service bikes are filthy K-mart bikes that the customers want to work as well as that new Klein on the floor or something with the latest hydraulic disc brake setup that takes 4 hours to bleed and adjust.
Pro: You can purchase all kinds of kool cycling stuff at discounted prices.
Con: You have no time to ride.
Pro: A lot of shops sell fitness equipment. It's fun to assemble and try out.
Con: You have to unload and deliver some of the heaviest, most akward machinery ever made to peoples homes. (Usually a minimum of two flights of narrow, steep steps are involved.)
Pro: Selling bikes to casual riders and families is one of the best parts of the job.
Con: You get the JRA (just riding along) customer that thinks the bike his kid bent in half jumping from the roof of his house should be covered under warranty. He was just riding along when the whole bike imploded...
Pro: There are other "perks" like going to seminars and trade shows.
Con: Somebody has to stay behind and watch the shop. Guess who that somebody is....
Pro: If it's a family owned business you almost become part of the family and there's a certain bond between employees. You're not a number at a bike shop
Con: You can't get away with much. You're not a number at a bike shop.