I will hopefully soon be in a position where i can change careers and do something i want to do rather than chase the wage. Obviously the bike industry is attractive to me. Although i am prepared to look a variety of positions my question is, is cytech 2 worth having. Yes we’ve all heard the arguments that experience counts for more than technical training and who you know will count for a lot. However i might be applying to someone who knows nothing about me. Most adverts i’ve seen quote cytech as required for mechanics but in the real world is this true. Even in a none technical job will employers see it as attractive and a sign of commitment to the trade even though it will have no practical day to day use. There is a side of me just wanting to do it just for my own personal satisfaction.

You need to ask yourself can you afford to be a cycle mechanic, not great pay by any means, I love bikes and cycling but there are a lot of times I wish I had a better paying job, however to answer your question Cytec is becoming a must have in the trade so a good idea to have it although if I was an employer experience would be a far greater asset.

@fisherboy

I would not pay for Cytech I or II out of my own pocket, because its expensive and time consuming and the bike industry pays poorly for even good mechanics

however, if you are of the right age (under 25?), the Government will pay for it as part of the apprentice training scheme

otherwise, find an employer willing to take you on, and willing to put you through Cytech I and II as an investment in your professional development; its the best way to do it as you will also get lots of “on the job training” which is just as essential as passing the final exam and getting the paper certificate

I have given freshly qualified mechanics with cytech II (who went and did an intensive “crammer” courser/exam) job interviews (including a practical assessment) who could not even assemble a road bike (Specialized Allez) to a competent level within a reasonable time frame!

Experience is very, very important; but having Cytech can be the difference of getting a job interview / job, just like having a degree can now be an entry requirement for many retail management trainee positions.

I was lucky to get Cytech I and Cytech II through Evans Cycles when I worked for them, just before they stopping training mechanics to Cytech and took it in house with their “Evans Training Academy” ‘Bike Builder’ qualification (which could be considered worthless outside of that company).

even here in London, the average wage for a Cytech II mechanic working for a big chain is only £14,000. Workshop manager with Cytech III is generally only £16,000-£17,000. LBS will generally pay a little more to poach good staff from chain stores.

One of the big problems with Evans stopping Cytech is suddenly the other chain stores and LBS have lost their source of well trained Cytech qualified mechanics 😉

I would not pay for Cytech I or II out of my own pocket,

But I would. And I did! 🙂

I was made redundant from the building industry last year, and there was no question in my mind as to what I was going to do. I’d earned reasonably good money for a long time (I’m 42) but been bored out of my skull for most of it.
I realised that I had no experience and no qualifications so I sunk £1500 of my redundancy into Cytech 2 to give me an advantage. It worked, no question about it. AND I really enjyed doing the course too. I’ve been spannering for 15-20 years on my own bikes and for mates but there’s soooooooooo much more to learn. Anyone who says otherwise is simply wrong.
Yes, if you have 10 years experience in the trade it’s probably worth more, but if you DON’T, how are you going to get it? You have to have a job to get experience!

I’ve now been working in an LBS since mid-March and it’s great. Honestly it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I bounce into work, I enjoy my job, I work with some great people, I get to mess with and talk about bikes all day…… And sell bikes: Believe me, selling someone their first decent bike, PDIing it, then handing it over and seeing them ride away with a big grin is simply the best felling I’ve ever had at work.
Some days I work myself to the bone, running about like a loon. Then I go home and I know someone is happy because I’ve built or fixed their bike…. Beat that! 😀

@PeterPoddy

glad to hear of your experiences, and that funding Cytech training from your own pocket was worth it!!

It can be expensive for people who have no funds put aside, and I would not take a “career development loan” to fund a Cytech qualification, because the return on the investment can be limited. If you can find an employeer willing to take you on and train you(if you have some experience) this is often the best route.

I would also challenge any experienced mechanic to NOT learn something from doing a formal training like C&G or Cytech

I certainly learned many new things, and also why I was doing those things, I was already doing and had been doing for years. There is nothing more worrying to me than an arrogant mechanic who feels they cannot learn anything new because they “know it all!”.

I always appreciate any day when I add something to my knowledge, whether its working on an unusual bike, or coming up with a work around for a problem on a customers bike that needs repairing

Glad to hear you are enjoying your new job. If you are ever visiting London please come look me up in Covent Garden 🙂

I certainly learned many new things, and also why I was doing those things, I was already doing and had been doing for years. There is nothing more worrying to me than an arrogant mechanic who feels they cannot learn anything new because they “know it all!”.

Agreed. Every day is a school day! 🙂

If you are ever visiting London please come look me up in Covent Garden

Spesh Concept Store by any chance?

Spesh Concept Store by any chance?

Was about to ask the same!

(It’s a Cycle Surgery really, btw!)

Shouldn’t that carbon post be in a clamp adapter :O)

I’d love to do Cytech 1 and 11.

Currently working in a store 2 days a week to help the income flow when gardening goes quiet. Fortunately I’ve got a good few years spannering experience but would still love to “get my tickets.”

@PeterPoddy ah you’ve just made my day after whats been a bad day.. I’m in a similar position with redundancy looming and you’ve just restored my faith in the fact that the future can be bright and of my choosing. Yes the money might not be great but I can deal with that. I saw somewhere else that someone was complaining that the job will come with a selling roll. Again thats fine and its what ive always done. At the end of the day selling is just talking to people. Hopefully talking to people about bikes.

Roll on the future.