The number of stripped rotor bolts and knackered Maxle collars (two of the simplest of simple tasks on the face of it) you see working in a bike workshop would suggest otherwise..

Well given that all you have to do to avoid a stripped rotor bolt is use the correct torque, just about the absolute most basic engineering skill, you’ve severely damaged the argument you were trying to make 🙂

Well given that all you have to do to avoid a stripped rotor bolt is use the correct torque, just about the absolute most basic engineering skill, you’ve severely damaged the argument you were trying to make

How so? My point was that many people have issues performing seemingly simple tasks correctly – hence such tasks are, in fact, not ‘not difficult’ for many.

Also a bit of expectation in there. If you spend £40k on a car you can probably afford to (and expect to) pay £400+ on a service / repair. If you spend £200 on a low end bike you’d be shocked if asked to pay £100 for a repair. Higher end bike owners would have a better idea of the cost of components and effort required to service parts. Don’t think many mtb owners would be surprised by being asked £200+ for a full fork and shock service though it’s likely your “average” bike shop wouldn’t be able to do this work.

How so? My point was that many people have issues performing seemingly simple tasks correctly – hence such tasks are, in fact, not ‘not difficult’ for many.

There’s a difference between difficult and simply not knowing how to do something. Most people, having stripped rotor bolts once, would figure out not to do them up so tight next time. Even if they didn’t figure it out on their own, a quick demonstration of what a torque wrench does would explain things.

Diagnosing complex electrical issues on a car though, that requires a lot more knowledge. And actually being able to deduce a fault rather than Google for it requires a decent understanding of how it all works, and it’s a lot more complex than undo rotor bolts, replace rotor and tighten to correct torque.

Most jobs are pretty simple most of the time, the value comes in doing it quickly to a high standard.

Take bricklaying for example. It’s really easy. Take a brick, put mortar round it and lay it so it’s straight and level. But when I’ve done it at home I lay about 40 bricks a day whereas a proper brickie will do around 600. And they’ll be straighter than mine!

So where your home mechanic may take a day to build up your new frame from a box of parts, I’d do it in an hour or so. And it will be done properly, with a torque wrench.

And like most jobs, you earn the money when things go wrong. Seized BB’s? No problem to us, we’ve never failed yet. Pulled a bearing out of your frame and it’s split leaving the outer shell stuck in the frame? No problem, we’ve seen it and fixed it all before. Need an unobtainable part for your 1930’s bike with rod brakes? We can make it for you.

A lot of our customers bring their bikes in to have the tyres pumped up because they can’t work a presta valve. But they are probably a brilliant social worker or accountant.

As with most jobs, the wages are determined by supply and demand. There are a lot of youngsters who like bikes and want to work on them, but unfortunately low wages mean the really good ones go and do something a bit more lucrative when they realise a life career of being a bike mechanic means a life of poverty.

Unfortunately a large turnover of staff means standards are not as high as they could be in some cases, and the customer always wants a discount as well as instant service. I witnessed a few years ago a customer coming in to pick up his new bike which he’s negotiated a £80 discount on, as an on-line store was selling it with that discount. He had to wait about 30 mins for someone to become free as everyone in the shop was dealing with a customer. He was pretty grumpy and told the person who served him, who happened to be the manager, that he should employ more people. The manager said that the £80 discount would have paid for another mechanic for the day and he wouldn’t have had to wait.

If everyone who bought from us paid RRP then we could have a well staffed, well trained workforce. But we have to compete with the internet and of course the perception that bikes are very simple and cheap, so shouldn’t cost more than a packet of Hob Nobs to fix.

It’s difficult and there is no simple answer, but I do challenge anyone who thinks bikes are simple and working on them is a low skilled job to spend a day in a bike workshop. You might have your eyes opened a bit.

I didn’t say working in a bike shop is low skilled, just to clear that up. I said bikes aren’t difficult to work on. As you say being quick and efficient is crucial and a valuable skill.

Sorry Molgrips, I wasn’t specifically replying to you. More to Mooman who said:

Let’s not pretend fixing a bike is anything other than very simple. And whilst I accept ebikes complicate things … Your typical LBS mechanic will not be the fella actually fixing the issue; he will only check battery is charged,that there is no obvious sign of damage .. send it off to the experts under warranty.

And most LBS who are Bosch/Shimano ebike dealers will not send it away. You have diagnostic kit, you find out what’s not working and you repair it. I’ve repaired maybe 100 ebikes without sending anything away. It’s amazing how far you can get with a brain and a multi meter.

The bicycle and car mechanic jobs are not that different..

Echoing what’s been said I do work in the motor trade as a mechanic and I cycle plus s
Do all all my maintenance too….

Its called fundamental mechanical principles..
How to use the knowledge and tools is how you apply the fundamental knowledge you have..for instance timing engines..do it once and you can time almost any engine using basic methods of yellow paint and human eye(or mirrors If access is tight..

But the key difference in car maintenance is the tools needed and the knowledge of how to use them..for example I did someones front wheel bearings recently and they were shocked at how many tools it took to do it and mostly how tight the bolts were done up meaning regular small hand tools wouldn’t be sufficient to get the job done but mostly my knowledge got it done in 2 hours not 10..so mechanical knowledge is key ..especially with electrical systems..

There’s a difference between difficult and simply not knowing how to do something.

Not a great argument really. I don’t know how to

Diagnose complex electrical issues on a car

But train me up and give me a little experience and hey presto… Complex electrical issue fixed and as I know what I’m doing now it isn’t difficult. Difficulty is subjective

This is a good comment

I do challenge anyone who thinks bikes are simple and working on them is a low skilled job to spend a day in a bike workshop

I started out volunteering at a local bike recycling place. Turned up saying how I’d been working on my own bike for years blaa blaa blaa I know everything… Surprise surprise I was rubbish on anything but my own bikes…

Taken me a few years to get a good knowledge of most stuff that turns up now but everyday is still a school day and it’s never boring but I have had to accept I’m never gonna be rich 😂

OP – you can’t really compare earnings between countries like that. You’d need to compare it relative to some other positions, because tax, healthcare, holiday/sickness, cost of living are so different.