Cycling Mechanic Pay?

vargoo · 31-12-2018 5:52pm #1

If you have gained the level 2 City & Guilds qualification, what kind of pay do bike shops offer?

vargoo · 01-01-2019 6:43pm

Anybody?

Searched the job sites and not 1 job advertised anywhere in the country, whats the point in all these places doing the courses and no demand? They know how to charge to, expensive course.

Beasty · 01-01-2019 7:43pm

Good bike mechanics build their reputation through the quality of their work. There are a small number in the Dublin area that are regularly recommended around here.

I suspect no shop is likely to pay any premium just for a qualification. If you start a job which involves repairs you should then hopefully gain experience and build reputation

Tell me how · 01-01-2019 7:48pm

I used to use a shop who billed their very decent and experienced mechanic at €20/hour. I would not think that he got all of that though.

Have you done the course or are you trying to gauge value before doing so? Call in to a shop and ask them what do they think of the course. Be helpful to build up a relationship with them, they might give you hours at which to practice.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

TheBlaaMan · 01-01-2019 9:11pm

In my experience, most LBS mechanics are effectively double-jobbing as sales assistants and the exception such as CSS, would be few and far between. As such, I can only guess that you would start at minimum wage and hope to earn more over time based on performance and experience. I suspect that you anticipated a more positive answer.......

iwillhtfu · 01-01-2019 10:49pm

It's simple lease a shop buy in some stock that'll quickly be out of date and try and sell it before the expiry. In between you get to service every whim and need of your customers from changing a tube to fixing a random clicking sound all done right away of course and while you're not busy doing these you get to try and sell stock that's available online at almost the price you paid wholesale.

Do all this and voila you get to be an entrepreneur/sales man/bike mechanic and all round good guy and you might just cover your over heads

In short you have to go all in to be a successful bike mechanic and this usually means being picked up by a team or double jobbing. I think it's something we'd all like to do but the money for most isn't there. If you are considering a course try get one that's MTB oriented as most roadies will service their own bikes where as shock/fork servicing isn't something most would consider.

I'd say minimum wage working as both mech and sales would be a fair guesstimate otherwise stick an add on adverts and try build a name and reputation for yourself.

Quigs Snr · 01-01-2019 11:35pm

Most that I know are minimum wage (or below).. one or two if they have a lot of tenure and are double jobbing / effectively partners in the business are doing better, well enough to have a mortgage.

Bottom line, do it because you love it. You'll be lucky to do as well starting out cash wise as you would working in Aldi or Macdonalds... and even when you are established you will probably be comprehensively outlearned by Factory operatives. Again, if you love it, do it. If not, skip it.. do it as a side nixer for pocket money.

easygoing39 · 02-01-2019 12:12am

Im an ex bicycle mech.Im also am ex cycle shop salesperson.I was both positions at the same time in a very well know shop that has multiply outlets and everyone has heard their ads on the radio,seen their ads in the Hearld etc.Its a low paying job,I started at €9 an hour and after 3 yrs rose to the giddy heights of €11 per hr.I was very good at repairs,am a mtber,so know hyd brakes etc,and only got the job because they knew me from racing and knew I built and maintained my race bike.Unless you own the shop yourself you wont ever earn good money.Even then you may go out of business,as seen by at least 2 high profile bike shops in Dublin in the last 2 yrs.
As mentioned above from Quigs,you'll get more money and less problems from the public working in aldi.
Thinking about it,if you do have a level 2 city and guilds (whatever that is as Ive never done one),it might get you a job elsewhere,pharmaceutical and high tech companies like Intel are crying out for technicians.

Orion · 02-01-2019 1:05am

iwillhtfu wrote: »

If you are considering a course try get one that's MTB oriented as most roadies will service their own bikes

This is true. I'm no expert by any means yet I've built my own road bike from scratch. And in doing so I learned enough to service my bikes. I drop it in to my LBS maybe once a year to see if I've overlooked anything (thankfully I've not had any major faults that needed shop repair) but when I need a new chain/brakes/cables/cassette/etc I just buy them and do it at home. I do buy them from the LBS though.

jjpep · 02-01-2019 3:13am

vargoo wrote: »

Anybody?

Searched the job sites and not 1 job advertised anywhere in the country, whats the point in all these places doing the courses and no demand? They know how to charge to, expensive course.

There are plenty of courses offered for various industries where there are little or no employment prospects or where the income is not very much. It's up to you really to figure that out beforehand. Education is as much as a product nowadays as a loaf of bread...

harringtonp · 02-01-2019 3:53pm

jjpep wrote: »

There are plenty of courses offered for various industries where there are little or no employment prospects or where the income is not very much. It's up to you really to figure that out beforehand. Education is as much as a product nowadays as a loaf of bread...

If you're in a smaller shop and get known as a decent mechanic you may well find it easy to pick up work if you later leave.

8valve · 03-01-2019 7:58pm

€10 an hour would be average; maybe slightly higher in Dublin where there are more cyclists/customers/bigger turnover through the workshop.

How do I know?

I'm a bike mechanic.

8valve · 03-01-2019 7:59pm

This time of year is quiet for bike shops, so don't expect loads of places to be hiring; if you can, build up some local business among cycling clubs, etc and get your name out there.

Easier to find work in spring/summer when bikeshop workshops are busy.

fryup · 03-01-2019 10:04pm

is it a recognised trade? with an apprenticeship?

(don't mean that in a derogatory way)

iwillhtfu · 03-01-2019 10:21pm

fryup wrote: »

is it a recognised trade? with an apprenticeship?

(don't mean that in a derogatory way)

It's not the same as your typical 4 year apprenticeship afaik I believe they're a higher qualification but it is an apprenticeship of sorts with presumably some specialized areas.