Hi all. i am very intrested in getting a job in the bike industry. What would be the best way to train? Do you need qualifications for jobs etc? Thanks.

Cytech

Here goes…some pointers for you!

1 – Learn on your own bike. Sounds simple, but it's great advice really. Get confident doing the simple things, like brakes and gears. Then, move on to learning how to true wheels and suchlike. There are plenty of great guides on the net, but might also be worth geting a good bike maintenance book – Clicky

2 – Practice, practice, practice. Service the bikes of your friends and family. Do it for free, as the learning and skills will really help.

3 – Befriend your local bike shop(s) – Pick the one you shop with and let them know you're keen on developing your skills/career in the trade. Many shops will let you look over the shoulder of their mechanics and pick stuff up. Some will then develop to offer you a bit of part time work, building bikes for stock, for example.

4 – Did I mention practice? The only way to get good is to keep on doing it!

Good luck! The bike industry is some of the hardest work I ever did, but also some of the most fun.

Self teach is good – but if you want a qualification to work in a shop on other peoples bikes try http://www.pjcsonline.co.uk

Qualification teaching is now open to the public as well as the trade.

Enjoy!

A blend of experience and passion combined with an ability to communicate with customers and a Cytech qualification is the ideal package.

And…… they are accredited by Cytech.

Ask for Pete.

being Cytech Accredited, and being good at maintaining bikes, are two different things sadly, and they dont go hand in hand.

its like learning to drive in that respect:
driving to pass a driving test, is different from driving in the real world.

but if you want to do training and get an official qualifictaion, cytech is the one!
i would imagine some shops wont touch you without it, some will employ you as you do it through them, and some shops wont care either way about it.

http://www.cycle-systems-academy.co.uk

Olly – Have you met/worked with Pete?

He is brilliant – has been in the business for ever and a day and really knows his stuff!!

As far as accreditation works – he is the only guy with the right to train outside of the ATG – under liceince if you like.

Mind you – does help if the pupil has an ounce or two of common sense and some mechanical ability! LOL

im not poo pooing the cytech scheme, but i dont think its safe to assume everyone cytech qualified is a spannering god.

especially when one has had some work done in a bike shop, whove ballsed it up and made a real hash of it (as in, it works-ish, but its a really poor job) and then had them defend themselves with :

"we are cytech qualified, you are not, so you know nothing"

I'm sure there are people who arnt old enough to drive yet, but are able to drive on private property, who have better driving skills, and road manners, than some of the morons on the road legally.

Very true – the qualification is just the start – the experience is what really matters and thet takes lots of practice and time to achieve. I'm cytech qualified and work all day long on bikes but my experience is limited compared to most on here. Every day i learn something new to put a tick in the 'book'.

Honesty and attention to detail is my USP! 😀

Honesty and attention to detail is my USP!

A great start!
I used to employ a simply brilliant mechanic, way back when. Looked a little like Stressed Eric! The main reason I chose him was that he could, and would, fix anything but crucially he would do so properly. Not cutting corners, not bodging (Unless a bodge was the proper way to do it!). He was also excellent at explaining to customers in proper English (not bike-geek-speak) what he had done/was doing.

Thanks for all the advice peeps. There is also thoughts in my head about my own bike shop.

Captain 😀