General Cycling Discussion - how does one start as a bicycle mechanic ?

i was just wondering how does somone become a bicycle mechanic ?

I started with a often jumping chain, a borrowed Sutherland's book(library), and my father's toolbox. That was at 11.

Apply at a shop that is hiring bike mechanics.

I fell in love with a road bike I found at a garage sale when I found that I could fix it up and have it run very nice and not need to buy a new bike. From there I realized there was something special about fixing up a bike.

you also have to have no desire to make a decent wage

I bugged a friend of a friend until he finally let me come in to see how I was. At all the shops I worked at, new guys started on bike builds (usually simpler ones first) and progressed from there if their skills warranted it. Previous experience wasn't necessary, but the desire to learn and work when you want to ride for low wages is a definite bonus.

Apply at a shop that is hiring bike mechanics.

Or you could appy at a place that is hiring doctors and become a doctor. :)

I would hope that a shop needing a mechanic would not hire a guy with no rep.

However, going to work in a shop is not a bad way to get a taste for shop life. If they have a good mechanic and it is slow he might even help you out with learning what it is to be a good mechanic.
As much as you may hear how easy it is to fix bikes, there is a lot to being able to diagnose a problem from(the often limited) description of the problem the customer gives. Sometimes there is no description beyond "It's broke" Then you need to do the repair quickly and correctly, over and over.
You will also need to be able to deal with people, sell bikes, make parts orders, describe in detail just why a ladies seat is a ladies seat, to a lady. Wash windows, clean the toilet, spend twelve hours on your one day off pumping up tires at the local Ride for "disability here", for free.

If you still really want to do it, then go to a school like this, http://www.bikeschool.com/ , that will give you the basic skills to start with.

If you still really want to do it, then go to a school like this, http://www.bikeschool.com/ , that will give you the basic skills to start with.
Did you go to bike school?

Yes, bike shops do hire for "entry level" positions. Yes they are entry level- fixing flats, moving boxes around, building bikes up, sweep in up after work etc..

Nope.
I went to tech school for heavy equipment mechanics(training including: welding, machine shop, drivetrain, parts inventory/ordering, psych class, applied physics, etc) Then I spent ten years working my way thru several shops, up to managing. Then I got tired of it. Then I went to work part time for a bike shop(The owner of the shop had his tractor burn up in a leaf fire, and I rebuilt it from the ground up, that was my qualifier) And then I was trained by a bike mechanic with twenty years experience.
There is a big difference between entry level tube fixer and mechanic.

Does being a "bicycle mechanic" necessarily mean you work in a bike shop?

" how does one start as a bicycle mechanic ?"

Where does one end as a bicycle mechanic?

i pretty much walked in off the street with a well written resume, talked directly to the owner, behaved as the model 16 year old, and got a job building bikes. its just like getting any other job. apply at as many shops that will accept you resume, and then go back in a few days to remind them that you gave them your resume.

If you want to make a million dollars working with bikes? Start with 2 million!!

I took an after school enrichment course in bike repair when I was in Jr. high.