Paying attention to how things work is probably the best quality of a good mechanic. Having a good memory helps.

I learned mostly by just doing. I read things early on...I started when Bicycling Magazine printed out a lot of “how to” articles...but much of what I learned was just by doing and doing and doing. Repetition is key.

So is a little bit of fearlessness. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Be very afraid to not learn from mistakes, however. As a scientist, I learned long ago that long ago that I learn more from mistakes than I learn from success. I tell my mechanic students that the difference between a newbie and a master mechanic is the cost of parts that have been ruined.

A good place to get lots of repetition is at your local co-op, if you have one. I was a very good mechanic before I started volunteering at mine...the mechanics used to ask me questions about bike repair...but I’ve gotten even better after about 10 years of volunteering and having worked on around 15,000 bicycles. I can work on as many as 30 bikes in a typical Saturday shift. Working on that many bikes at a time requires quick analysis of the problem and a whole lot of knowledge of how to fix the problems. I also have to tell the customer how to fix the problem...they are supposed to do their own work. And there are at least 5 other people in the shop needing my help as well as a couple of volunteers.

It also helps to realize that 99% of bicycle problems are related to derailer cables. Once you realize that and figure out how to fix those problems, mechanic work gets a whole lot easier. You’d be surprised how easy it is to look like a magician.

I, by the way, would make a really crappy paid mechanic. I get things fixed so fast that I would make zero dollars for an employer based on an hourly rate. I’m more like an emergency room mechanic...I treat ‘em and street ‘em!

If you don’t have a local co-op, think about starting one.