Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine

• Overview
• Bike Forum
• Chat Forum
• For Sale
• Wanted
• Forum Help
• Classified Rules

Bike Forum

1. ibnchris - Member

   I imagine Bike Shops are inundated with well meaning cycling enthusiasts wanting to come and help out in their lovely shop so they can learn a few new skills etc.

   But I don't know if this true and I think there are a few bike shop owners and employees on here so I'd love to know if it is or not?

   I imagine part of the problem would be the quality of the 'volunteer'...

   Anyways...on the off chance any bike shop London does want a volunteer for evenings work please do get in touch.

   I've been riding for a fair few years so know a little about bikes (but want to learn much more) and I have around 10 years of marketing experience I'm happy to share if that's the kinda thing you want help with. There's no catch - I'm just looking to get myself a bit more bike related work experience...

   Posted 5 months ago #
2. Chris S - Member

   Don't you mean intern !!! London's full of them.................official slave labour!

   Posted 5 months ago #
3. scu98rkr - Member

   Is nt this like stealing some one elses job

   Posted 5 months ago #
4. jackthedog - Member

   If you're going to volunteer, do so for a charity. You might even find a bike charity who wants another pair of hands.

   All you'll be doing by volunteering at a private enterprise is saying to the owners that they don't need to pay their already low paid staff.

   Posted 5 months ago #
5. bristolbiker - Member

   Is nt this like stealing some one elses job

   Dave says this is the big society, no?

   Posted 5 months ago #
6. thomthumb - Member

   i did when i was at school.

   Posted 5 months ago #
7. poly - Member

   Its a business why would you want / them expect you to volunteer?

   I believe some bike shops do attract a kind of "hanger on" brigade, (as you are in marketing you will have some b*ll*cks phrase for this like "loyal following" or "frequent visitor"). I've no idea of bike shops like that or not - I'd guess it has a lot to do with how much £ the loyal following actually spend and how much of their time the just hover around trying to pretend they are best mates with the owner.

   Now, if you are trying to reposition your career into the bike world then I can see that a bike shop who you have built up a good relationship might help you do that IF they don't see you as a threat. I can't see many bike shops welcoming a total stranger who wants to learn who their business operates if they think there is a risk they will be competing with them soon.

   Posted 5 months ago #
8. druidh - Member

   ibnchris - Member
   I imagine Bike Shops are inundated with well meaning cycling enthusiasts wanting to come and help out in their lovely shop so they can learn a few new skills etc.

   The problem here is that you're either an employee or you're not. So, working on the shop floor, stacking shelves etc. might be OK, but there's no way any decent bike shop would let you loose in the workshop to "learn a few new skills" on a customers bike. You might learn a little by watching a trained/qualified mechanic, but why would any bike shop want you in their workshop learning things you could otherwise be paying them to do?

   Posted 5 months ago #
9. sas - Member

   You could see if Hackney Bike Workshop want some help
   http://hackneybikeworkshop.com/what/

   Or Druid cycles
   http://druidcycles.wordpress.com/about/

   I haven't been to either, though I've seen them mentioned on several mailing lists.

   Posted 5 months ago #
10. ibnchris - Member

    Point taken about stealing other people's jobs. In some respects I'm not sure why volunteering (or interning) for a company is actually that much different to volunteering at a charity. Charities generally also pay their staff and paid staff at charities can often feel threatened by volunteers but I take your various points. And agree it is traditionally more accepted that charities will take on volunteers.

    But if you knew someone was trying to get experience in your industry (whether it be biking or whatever) how would you suggest they do it, short of offering to do it for free? I'm guessing you wouldn't want to pay someone...

    Posted 5 months ago #
11. zilog6128 - Member

    Apprenticeship? Guessing you are too old to be a LBS "saturday boy"!

    Posted 5 months ago #
12. justatheory - Member

    I believe some bike shops do attract a kind of "hanger on" brigade, (as you are in marketing you will have some b*ll*cks phrase for this like "loyal following" or "frequent visitor").

    

    Posted 5 months ago #
13. seosamh77 - Member

    aye volunteer for one of the charity bike places all over the shop. not a commercial business, that's just silly.

    Posted 5 months ago #
14. rootes1 - Member

    I've been riding for a fair few years so know a little about bikes (but want to learn much more) and I have around 10 years of marketing experience I'm happy to share if that's the kinda thing you want help with. There's no catch - I'm just looking to get myself a bit more bike related work experience...

    what is the reason for the work experience? for fun? to get into the industry?

    If it is just for fun, perhaps go on a few bike courses?

    You could also just apply for a a job with a shop and take it from there.

    Posted 5 months ago #
15. poly - Member

    But if you knew someone was trying to get experience in your industry (whether it be biking or whatever) how would you suggest they do it, short of offering to do it for free? I'm guessing you wouldn't want to pay someone...

    
    What do you want experience of in "my industry" (big difference between web marketing a bike shop, replacing a bottom bracket, helping Mrs Jones buy first bike for her kid and doing a deal on a £4k MTB for some IT manager with too much money). Obviously in the smallest shops that might all be the same guy doing it - but in many that will not.

    Obviously it would be easier for you if you had some relevant experience / expertise - but it needn't be bike related. With absolutely no expertise we probably wouldn't even consider you for an internship in our totally non-bike related industry; so whilst we might let you sort web marketing (if thats your thing) we wouldn't be letting you do repairs.

    Posted 5 months ago #
16. ibnchris - Member

    My interest is getting some general bike industry knowledge. Getting a better idea of what makes the customer buy, what frustrations face the bike shop owner, where the industry is going next. I'm on the process of setting up a bike related company (of absolutely no threat to a bike shop) and think that it would be helpful (and sensible) to have some more general knowledge of how they operate.

    I wouldn't want to do anything that wouldn't be useful. I could probably offer some advice on marketing (although given I'm looking to gain knowledge of the market it would be pretty theoretical) and could probably help sell a few bikes if trusted to do that. But to be honest I'd be happy to make tea, sweep the floor and generally graft. Despite what people might think about marketing folk I'm happy to do what I'm told!

    Anyways, it looks like I might have missed the point so drawing board!

    Posted 5 months ago #
17. rogg - Member

    Blimey, seems like there are some needlessly aggressive answers to what looked to be a genuine request for help and advice.
    I'd just get on the phone, ibnchris. Maybe start off with one of the charities, then try LBS's. Going from some of the responses here it sounds like you might get short shrift from some grumpy managers, but if you're honest and upfront about your intentions, someone should be able to help you out. And who wants to work with grumpy **** anyway.
    If someone contacted me, seemed well educated, informed and was genuinely interested in learning my business I'd do what I could to help them out - if I couldn't offer them a placement (and most of the businesses you call won't be able to) I'd probably make a couple of calls on their behalf.

    Posted 5 months ago #
18. ibnchris - Member

    Thanks Rogg, I will. Hopefully people won't be quite as suspicious and cynical as some of the folk on STW. Although I guess cynicism is all part of the fun on here! Gotta suck it up!

    Posted 5 months ago #
19. walleater - Member

    We often 'hire' a volunteer during the peak season to help with bike builds, keeping the place tidy etc. They get great deals on product in return, so for a teenager so spends fook loads of bike stuff, but doesn't have the experience to get a job, this is a good way of getting into paid work. They are not stealing other peoples jobs, as we are pulling our hair out trying to get sheet done, and amazingly bike shop owners don't have a huge pile of money to just hire hundreds of people.

    Posted 5 months ago #
20. dingledan - Member

    I often help out at local bike shop gain in maintenance knowledge and a free service for the cube ltd race thrown in + cheap parts .beats sitting around in the house doing nowt !!!

    Posted 5 months ago #
21. o96192083 - Member

    Volunteering has it's problems from a management perspective. You can't replace someone, as when the boss says "go wash the toilets", you can easily turn around and say "no, im not paid to do that". So in that respect, the management will find it hard to please you.

    Also why would you choose to volunteer? just go get a job there!

    Posted 5 months ago #
22. ibnchris - Member

    Good to hear Walleater. I have to say I was kind of surprised people would not want someone for free if they could vet them etc.

    And o96192082, you're right it does have its problems from a management perspective but if handled correctly volunteers won't refuse to do work they've been briefed to do. In my experience volunteers tend to be more likely to do the 'toilet washing' than the paid staff! You just need to be sure they buy in to the company vision and values so they feel they are contributing.

    There you go, used a bit of marketing speak for you Poly. Couldn't resist.

    Posted 5 months ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.