[Closed] Hello JoblessTrackWorld, can I come in?

[i]Scary thought, huh?[/i]

Not at all and good luck finding something.

*makes mental note to avoid bike shops around Farnborough* 😉

Buy a van and go mobile 💡

Mobile.. not a bad idea.. come to people's offices. You could also go around their bike sheds leaving cards on the crappily maintained bikes 🙂

Good luck tho.

Good luck.

I am in a similar-ish position but am about to leave an LBS (not enjoying it TBH) and may start again fromn scratch.

Why can't you go for another job doing what you have been doing or are you sick of it anyway " I get that"

Trekster, I'm seriously thinking of doing just that. Problem number one being that there's already a mobile mechanic in Farnborough......

But, if anybody wants their bike serviced, email in profile, I can pick up and deliver. Seriously. 🙂

Why can't you go for another job doing what you have been doing or are you sick of it anyway " I get that"

good luck PP

My missus works for the Brett group (same industry). If you want me to keep tabs on vacancies let me know.

If you go mobile I would give you business.

Good luck with it.

Good luck , there's an apprentice position i know of in a bike shop in Daventry, but I think it's a bit far!! Hope you get sorted soon

Yoss, much appreciated thanks. I'll never say never but I will say hopefully not!
I don't think Brett's have any presence round here do they?

Trimix, thanks for the vote of confidence! 🙂

waheyy more time for cycling, Jammy git!

Why not offer Bike valeting? There must be a gap in the market esp.in winter. Wish someone would do mine!
Wash and lube and a quick safety/wear and tear check.

I don't think Brett are in Hampshire at present but depending on your background (i'm guessing you are a quarry site supervisor?) they are always on the lookout for experienced industry people.

Best of luck PP. Starting again from scratch is a great opportunity to give yourself and can be very rewarding.

Good luck PP!
Keep [url= https://www.bikebiz.com/jobs/?q%5Bk%5D=&q%5Bc%5D=0&q%5Bl%5D=0 ]THIS[/url] bookmarked 🙂

No, not that far up the chain. Weighbridge Clerk. I decided I didn't want to be a quarry manager, too much responsibility. I've done all sorts of stuff in the past, technician, concrete plant supervisor, shovel driver.....
I've wanted out for years but Hanson pay and treat me well, and it's easy to just keep turning up and taking the money isn't it?
The whole industry is falling apart. And it's not going to improve in the near future, sadly.

So that's why I'm chucking some of my redundancy money into Cytech qualifications. We can get by with me on a lower wage, especially if we have a bit of money in the bank, and I've always been a tinkerer. I love fixing stuff and taking it to bits, so why not get paid for it?

Dez, that's my new homepage mate! 😉

I've Got a list stuck to my screen at home of around 22 bike shops I can feasibly get to. I'll be visiting them all in the new year.

good luck mr.

Good luck with the bikeshop search, but don't you have SAP skills/knowledge?

These will be transferable to other industries and may offer you a stop gap until the bikeshop thing works out.

PP ,just remember the wise donkey

"Once you take a bite of the apple ,you will never go back to carrots"

It will all be fine 🙂

Best of luck. Nothing like striking out with nobody to get your back but yourself. I did it years ago. Will it make me rich? No. Am I happier? Yes. So, get out there and JFDI!

fair enough. I'll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if anything surfaces. I think a number of the major players are looking at JVs in the short and medium term, particularly on specific projects.

Sounds like you have a great opportunity to move into a area that a. you are good at and b. that you really like. Take it with both hands cos it might never happen again.

I seem to remember you created a mod for rebas didn't you? Perhaps you should try and start up a kind of home-tuning service for forks rather like trout does with lights?

may the force be with you

i to am being made redundant tomorrow
hopefully find something relatively soon in the new year
i dont think ive got the balls to follow my dreams and retrain though!

Good luck dude, if you need help setting up customer databases/websites you know where I am.

edit:
I need a wheel building so let know which shop I need to ring when you get the job!

Cycle surgery have a vacancy in Chertsey (short hop up the M3 for you). It's on the Snow and Rock Careers page.

Link to above - http://www.snowandrock.com/job-mechanic-chertsey/content/fcp-content

Good luck - all the good karma from bike charity thing you have been working at will pay out no doubt.

Personally love the idea of a traveling valet company, my bike would definitely benefit from that.

But, if anybody wants their bike serviced, email in profile, I can pick up and deliver. Seriously

I'll be in all am tomorrow if you want to pick up from Aberdeen. 😉

Some of our staff used www.onyabike.me.uk and www.bike-support.co.uk for mobile mechanics.

There is a need for them from some, and I reckon lots of people who are stuck in an office but need their bike fixing before the next ride would pay for it.

I normally fix mine fine, but sometimes I just run out of time. Work all day, only have one bike and ride Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Weekends.

Cycle surgery have a vacancy in Chertsey (short hop up the M3 for you). It's on the Snow and Rock Careers page.

Application was in yesterday, but many thanks for mentioning it anyway. 🙂

Pete, yes, I do have SAP Trainer as an arrow in my quiver, but it's not me really.

Pete - how about mobile/freelance mechanic?

Might work similar to medical Locums. Get known locally, and maybe not be employed by the shop permanently, but can 'locum' (i.e come in at late notice) to help out in busy periods.

Bike valeting sounds good too, perhaps?

I think you'd love to work from home/back of a van - if you could get happy doing 'simple' fork servicing and brake bleeding 'on site', that might appeal to some? I.e. they book up a slot in an evening, and you come and basically sort the hydraulic/oil filled components - things most people don't want to get involved in?
Can set up the forks/shocks too... People simply don't get sag/rebound do they!

Good luck bud!
If you want to come down to Sussex in your free time, gimmie a shout!

DrP

I seem to remember you created a mod for rebas didn't you? Perhaps you should try and start up a kind of home-tuning service for forks rather like trout does with lights?

That's already covered by TFTuned and LoCo etc, but I can certainly do basic lube services on forks and aircan + bushings services on shocks at waaaaaaay cheaper than they can right now.

There is some kind of funding deal for Cytech isn't there ? Pretty sure someone I know undertaking a Level 3 course soon had secured it.

You're being made redundant - why am I the last to know...[img] [/img]

*applauds MrsP*

DrP, yes, back of a van, that would suit me. Well guessed. 😉
But first I have to be qualified and maybe experienced. I know a lot about certain things, and little about others.
I don't know whats going to happen. I'd love to give it a shot, I've even got a 'brand name' in my head, and more, but it'd be stupidly hard work, 7 days a week, to get myself known and respected.
But never say never.

Rich, cheers, don't suppose you can do websites can you? 🙂
That onyabike one is pretty pathetic IMO.

It may take time, I might have to take a shit job to pay the bills for a while, but the chances are that one of you lot is going to be riding round on a bike that I've built or serviced at some point in the future.
Scary thought, huh?

already do, i bought your mrs's old tourer. Still going really well, hasnt missed a beat and done lots of miles. 🙂

from the responses above sounds like youve the skills to go mobile.

good luck.

LOLs at t'missis 🙂

😆

Pies, tell me more, any chance you could ask your mate and let me know please?

already do, i bought your mrs's old tourer. Still going really well, hasnt missed a beat and done lots of miles

Good bike that Trek 🙂

As it happens, it's my last day on Friday, too!

I'm leaving my job due to a re-org and it seemed like an excellent time to go do something different with a bit of a cushion to fall back on.

I'm going to do some web freelance work to start with and see how it goes. Got a couple of contracts already and should have enough work to last till April when I'll be unable to work for a couple of months anyway.

Still a bit scared, though!!

EDIT - oh, probably should say, Drupal web development, Information Architecture and Agile Project Management 😉

Rachel

That's already covered by TFTuned and LoCo etc, but I can certainly do basic lube services on forks and aircan + bushings services on shocks at waaaaaaay cheaper than they can right now.

Easy tiger!

How about a niche - brompton servicing praps?

Good luck with it Peter - I've been saying for several years that you are my bike mechanic of choice 🙂 Would be happy to pay you for it and hey..... you've even got a proper bike mechanics head set press 😉

Cheers Anna, love ya, 😉

This just came my way.......

[i]There has also been talk within the borough council and with Hants County Council about setting up a 'bike hub' in Aldershot. This might be based around a cafe, but also offering bike repairs, bike recycling etc. There might be some money available to cover set up costs, but it would have to be mostly self sustaining. They're particularly excited about the idea of using it to train NEETs (those not in education or employment) as mechanics.[/i]yy

I think I'll stick my name in the hat for that, eh?

Ignoring emails, are you? 😉

Go and see Simon at Switchback Cycles.
Top guy - one of the only Giant dealers that works directly with the factory.
He has one in Knaphill and another Guildford way.

Flashy, have you emailed me? Nothing in my inbox.....

Oh, damn. Let me check my sent items then!
Yep, sent at 1339. Might be in a spam folder!

Ahh. It went to spam. Cheers mate. 🙂 it's nearly bedtime now and I'm knackered form the gym, I'll reply tomorrow
Many thanks though 🙂

nickc - Member

Good luck , there's an apprentice position i know of in a bike shop in Daventry, but I think it's a bit far!! Hope you get sorted soon

there is? at leisure lakes?

i fix and build my own bikes so no need for a mechanic but one thing i have no patience for is wheel building, maybe offer that as a service or at least repairs and truing. or perhps cleaning bikes after races for a few quid, get your services known, may not pay all the bills but would supplement your other plans

Good luck sir. I like bike shops where I feel welcome and I trust people. Reckon you could fit the bill there 🙂

Good stuff Pete - glad you are finally getting out of Hansons. Lets catch up over the break.

Pp - mildly pissed but sensible mail to you

Peter I know it was different for me as I made the decision .But similarly I had a safety comfort thang with Royal Mail of nearly 27 years .Its been 3 years now and in that time I've spent 5 months in Canada 3 weeks in NZ had several different jobs and am now doing 20 odd hours driving . It WAS scary as hell at 1st and I guess as it was my doing if it all went tits up it would have been my fault . You had the decision made for you.Not showing off BTW about the travelling just saying how things change , if someone had told me 10 years ago that I would get health problems, be told never to MTB again and I would walk away from a secure steady job I wouldn't have believed them .Oh and I've become a granddad as well ! If you fancy / can afford the fuel for a trip to the Qs next year give us a shout and ill see if I can get some of the usual suspects together .Hope you both have a great Xmas in the circumstances and a fresh positive New Year. Roland

I'm in the very same boat as you after working for the same printing company for 24 years since leaving school. I'm now going to retrain in another field but it feels as scary as hell. Everyone keeps telling me I should have done it ages ago and it'll be the making of me but it still makes me nervous. I'm sure everything will work out for you, so good luck and let us all know how you get on.

There is a place in Surbiton that was advertising -by the station (not cyclopedia - although they may also be worth a try) , might be a direct train from Farborough.

Nick

and YOU are not being made redundant your is.

Best of luck PP!!! Years ago, I jacked in a very good job, with a very good company to go back and study what I really wanted to do. Everyone thought I was insane! But I never looked back. Despite earning far less than I could, and it being bloody hard work to get there, I absolutely love what I do for a living, and just can't imagine how miserable I'd probably be if I'd spent years doing what I did before.

You're doing the right thing! Be bloody minded about it! Just so, when its all worked out, you can be annoyingly smug about it! 😉

Binners, too right mate!

Oldfart, I've wanted redundancy for a while now. I've nothing against Hanson but I'm bored shitless at work. When I got the at risk letter I asked to go voluntarily.

And now I have to work to get where I want to be. Yes, it's probably madness and in 3 years I might hate it, but if I don't try I'll never know will I?

^ This is getting emailed to a few people tonight me thinks,

DrP

Yeah, it sort of struck a chord with me......

http://www.re-cycle.org/

http://www.aidforafrica.org/member-charities/world-bicycle-relief/

http://www.thebicycleacademy.org/about/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbtI-SyQAA0

If you are looking for something meaningful.....?

Good luck PP - I would love a service where someone picks up my bike and sorts it out ready for the weekend, there must be more (lazy ****s) like me! Especially so in the South East where everyone is rich

Macavity, yes, that sort of thing is great, fantastic even, but I have a mortgage to pay and as such can't work for free, although I have done similar UK based projects in the past.
🙂

-----------------------------

Generally, as regards the 'mobile' thing, it may happen, it may not, but there's absolutely no point in 'specialising' in anything. I'd have to do anything and cover a fairly wide area to make it even viable. Any type of bike, any time of day, race support, events etc

If your redundancy will tide you over for a while then setup on your own. That'll be far more satisfying than trading one boss and associated hierarchy for another even if you're doing something you enjoy.
I can't see it being easy to make money operating a mobile service as there would be a lot of dead time driving.
You could fit out a small shop and stock it for under £10k (I did) and then build a reputation for good service and economical repairs. If you can keep your overheads low then unless your home area if very different to mine, there should be scope for making a living repairing lower end bikes for people who would baulk at the big shops rates.
I think there's more room in the market for individuals who can fix bikes than there is for another Evans.
we've met at Big Bike Bashes so if you get down to Totton call in and say hi.

What PerfectlyBalanced says makes sense. He runs a small bike shop just down the road from a bigger (but still locally based) bike shop and survives/thrives by being better, different and not just trying to be the same as the rest.

Innovate and thrive.

Fair play to you PP - I don't often post up here but somethings just strike a chord....

Left my job as site manager 15 months ago as I felt the whole industry was going tits up - set up on my own and have never looked back, scary and thrilling at the same time - especially with two young 'uns and the wife still in training at the time.

Happier now then I've been for ten years.......good luck to you!!

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/assistant-inventory-controller-944937672?src=search

http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/main.asp?sitepages=jobs_at_hargroves_cycles

http://www.bikebiz.com/jobs

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/journo-has-a-go-at-bastards-who-work-in-bike-shops/012276