Originally Posted by brendanmcgrath
i was just wondering if anyone here actually works with bikes for a living and what kind of degrees/experience they have. i'm currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and i'm hoping to somehow make cycling a big part of my life. any experience, ideas, comments, suggestions? just trying to get an idea of what people are doing. thanks a lot!
I work in the CNC shop at Serotta. Cycling is a huge part of my life, and working in the industry is very rewarding. I will preface my comments by saying that you should by all means get your degree, but that it will not replace the need for hands-on, non-academic experience. We get quite a few engineering grads that come in for interviews, but none of them have - in the words of the venerable N. Dynamite - "skills". You will do yourself a lot of good in the long run if you work for a year or two (or more), on the production floor. Trying to get by on hourly wages may not sound like the most logical step after graduating with an engineering degree, but I assure you, it will pay off. Working for a small builder is advantageous, because you will learn about every aspect of framebuilding, and it is all under one roof. Working at the big companies is sometimes better financially, but that is about it.
I hope this is helpful.
PS. I worked at a shop for seven years, and my major was math.