[Closed] Who else is in the bike industry?

Tried it a couple of times, didn't like it

I now earn more & work less in a far more satisfying job

Yeh seemed like a false economy to me also.

the amount I spend in my LBS keeps part of my local bike industry afloat so yeah I'm in it 😉

Ben cooper. He's our bike industry god around these parts.

Won't take anyone else seriously.
😉

What? I don't even take myself seriously 🙂

Access consultant 😉

Did it a couple of times, loved it. Both sides of the fence, retail and trade.

I now earn far more & work far more in a very satisfying job.

🙂

Part timer in a bike shop, that counts right?

I really enjoy it, it's opened my eyes too!

Been in it for 6 years ruuning a holiday co....much more work, much less money, but much happier

I was for 10 years running a shop for someone.
Loved it in the beginning, best move ever getting out.

Really miss some of the people I met, but not enough to make it worth staying there!

I been in and out of it over the years. Role call includes sales assistant, mechanic, shop manager, journo and importer. These days I like being able to walk away from bikes when I fancy a change, then coming back refreshed.

Most of my life apart from a break at one point to do a few ski seasons.

i would not consider anything else

Have been shop manager for 2 shops, moved to the trade end 3 years ago to a major suplier as wharehouse & tech advisor just taken a new position as wharehouse manager/warranty dep for the bigest online retailers and love it.

So guys/girls - what is selling bike wise now?

Wally - Member

So guys/girls - what is selling bike wise now?

hmmm 29ers 😀
or commuters for the win!

Reading your comments, worth noting that many of you actually did want to leave it.

Meanwhile I think being an indpendant frame builder might be a dream job if you can get enough money out of it...

i dont think of it as an industry 🙂

worked as Mechanic back in the Mid/late 90's left did other stuff, trained and become a licenced aircraft engineer.

But now running my own Biz, mainly as a Mobile bike mechanic, Custom builds, services etc
But also do;
Race/event support, I have and I am working for/with some top names/teams in the sport, as well as Joe public events.
Bikeability, working with kids teaching them how to ride on the road safety.
Skill coaching/Guilding (CTC & MAIS)
Maintenance courses.

Yes I know can earn a LOT more money doing A/C maintenance, but I don't really miss having to unblock/fix Toilets or trying to wiggle into a fuel tank.
I do enjoy what I do and find each section of the Biz satisfying. thou it can be long hours doing crappy paper work...lol

About 8 years building up the bikemongery.

It's good stuff, varied hard work, good for trips, and I claim £0.20 per mile for cycling for business.

It's also very good for escaping at the drop of a hat. I like the flexibility.

wally- The bmx/scooter trade is still heaving iv had 5 40ft containers in the last 2 weeks alone the xmas stock has started ariving

Working in a bike shop,i like it.Better than my last job,Money isnt brilliant though

Unfortunatley the bike trade is little pay but its one for the job satisfaction not for the case of having to have a job, being around what u enjoy an meeting all the diffrent like minded ppl.

Tried it but found even though I love bikes I don't want to do them 24/7 also worked for one of the vilest human beings I have had the misfortune to meet.

Done a few stints in retail, including just now - not in love with it but that's probably as much to do with my employer than the trade itself.

Looking for an opening in the post-it scene TBH.

Meanwhile I think being an indpendant frame builder might be a dream job if you can get enough money out of it...

It is a lot of fun making frames - just about to start a couple more today, a touring frame and a MTB.

But I don't think I'd want to rely on framebuilding as my only source of income.

Unlike most of you guys I'm just starting out. Decided with my expertise as a design engineer and experience as a long serving racecar engineer that I could happily apply these skills to my other passion mountain biking. I finished employment last month and have been concentrating on designs since. I have three MTB components designed and are currently in different stages of testing. My first products will be coming out the end of the month, hopefully 🙂

One thing I can say is that now I'm never sure when the week finishes and the weekend starts....it all fades into one.

I guess I am, although i don't like to think of myself as being in the Bike Industry, they are a nasty bunch, I'm in the board riding business but we also sell bikes. Surfers, snowboarders Kite and Windsurfers both in and out of the business are a lot more chilled, actually have a sense of humour and are more humane to each other and their customer base imv.

Having said that, we're slowly finding our way round the bike game and are forging similar relationships with the free riding baggy set and trying to stay true to our ideals.

It's not easy in a world of anoraks and geeks who grow facial hair, smoke and don't always wash, never mind swim, surf or ride frozen water even. 😉

I was, on the retail side for a while. Not anymore. Didn't seem like an overly viable route to anything more than a nominal bill paying income due to the huge players in the field, but it was a nice time in my life enjoying fixing bikes, selling bikes and writing websites to sell bike bits.