Siu Blue Wind

Just wondering who here are certified mechanics for shops.



Edit: Or who are bike shop owners/managers?

Kontact 

I was the service manager in several shops up until 2014.

cny-bikeman

"Certified Mechanic" has very little practical meaning. There are training programs that issue certifications, but that only means one has been exposed to certain information, and perhaps been (usually on paper) tested on it. In no way does that guarantee ability to apply knowledge to a problem.

Although being paid to work at a bike shop likely means one has been exposed to many, many more issues than a home mechanic, it also is not helpful in determining one's ability to diagnose a particular problem. I say that as a person who was employed by a commercial bike shop and a bike co-op, and owned my own mobile repair and store assembly service, and as a person who taught a bike mechanic course.

Even those who have extensive experience and diagnostic skills miss things, especially in such a venue as a forum. The strength of this forum is the ability to hear from various voices that not only give different perspectives, but who can challenge others' conclusions. You did not say why you wanted the info, but if it is to decide who to believe, or who to PM with your issue, you're on the wrong track.

You can read my bio for the basics on my background, but as my last "professional" experience was in 1996 the opinions I share here probably are not worth much. The best indicator of credibility is that the person offers answers grounded in both experience and the application of logical analysis, rather than throwing out an unsupported conclusion.

Siu Blue Wind

Thank you..

Thank you for all this information, I appreciate it.

I just wanted to know who had access to certain things such as QBP or certain training classes such as what certain bike brands will have you attend and some of these shops will certify you if you took these courses. I also wanted to know who is privvy to certain things such as wholesale. And no, I'm not asking for prices or discounts, I can get them myself.

This does not pertain to me asking any questions or doubting anyone's ability or knowledge in regards to being able to repair or even build a bike, it's more in the line of access.

Im sure you are more than qualified to help out with bikes, that is certainly why you are in this section, and I thank you for that.

There's a reason I ask, and I'll explain that later.

cny-bikeman

Thank you. For future reference the quality of the answers one receives is directly related to the information provided. Although my answer is hopefully useful to others anyway, knowing the reasons for your query results in more focused answers.

Most bike shops will have access to QBP, best to deal with a local shop if you want something QBP might have. A Google search will retrieve available bicycle repair training options, almost all of which are open to anyone - people here can share their experience with particular ones. Being privy to wholesale prices, in my opinion, is not useful. I was kidding about my opinions not being worth much.

Dan Burkhart 

I'm currently working part time (2 days a week) in a local bike shop that caters mostly to the high end road market. I had a part time gig with them a few years ago, but they needed a full timer, and at the time, I was semi retired from my primary vocation, so not available full time.
Apart from working at the shop, I also build their house brand wheel line in my own home shop.
I took a brief run at bike shop ownership that lasted three years, but couldn't climb over the crushing overhead, and closed up nine years ago.
Training? Took the Barnett course almost 14 years ago. Attended STU in Colorado Springs 11 years ago. Currently working my way through the Shimano on line training for shop techs, and constantly looking up how to handle various issues that always crop up. With so many component types and designs on the market, you can run into something you've never seen before almost daily.

JonathanGennick 

There's value in that in my mind. To be exposed to the fundamentals is worth something.

Agree with you fully. Problem solving is a talent all its own.

Well, I'm dying of curiosity now....

well biked

I'm a bike shop owner/manager. I multi-task at the shop, including some of the bike mechanic duties.

bargainguy

I don't work at a shop (tho I hang out at one), but I decided to take the plunge and become "certified" in 2009. I had been refurbing bikes for a few years and wanted to get a better baseline skill set.

At the time, my options for intensive training were Barnett's in Colorado Springs, UBI in Oregon, and Winterborne in Canada. I chose Canada. It was easily the most intense two weeks of my life. 3-4 hr. of homework every night to prepare for the next day's classroom and hands-on training, and if you didn't do the homework the night before, you suffered mightily the next day. I didn't go that route, but some others in the class did, and it showed. You also had to pass an open-book test at the end (lots of math), build a bike from scratch in a set amount of time, and pass many proficiencies along the way. So not exactly easy, but as long as you applied yourself, you were fine.

Am I as experienced as a shop mechanic? No, and I don't pretend to be. My goal was to unlearn bad habits and develop good new ones. All in all, cost around $2000 USD, but an investment well spent.

Andrew R Stewart 

First paid bike wrenching job was in 1974. In 30 minutes I leave for my current few days a week LBS job. Between these I've done little else but what the LBS world offers including having my own shop for 15 years. Andy

Glennfordx4

Part Time & seasonal, Mechanic/Manager. I met a great guy that had a little shop packed full of vintage stuff & I begged him to give me a chance back in 08 & I've been there ever since, although I spend very little time there now we are still great friends. It's a one man show this time of year and if the boss needs time off I go in and keep everything going until his return.

The perks of working there are I get all my parts Wholesale including NOS & Vintage stuff we have in stock. I have also been to classes from different distributors.

Glenn

speedy25

Owner AND wrench for a specialty e-bike store. I've been on here for years. The store is a new venture.

-SP

fietsbob

There is no Certification , like there is for Auto Dealerships , and Aircraft mechanics, for bicycles.. its mostly OJT.

though Private training Schools do exist.

its winter, I help out in the Summer, When the Cycle Touring on the coast is Busy..

was full time in the 80s barely able to afford S.F. back then .. learned mechanics in the 50's..

At the LBS we work Together..






....

Bandera

I was a Schwinn Factory Certified mechanic through Stan Natanek's hands-on program back when that mattered and spent 20 years in various roles inside "the industry".

-Bandera

cny-bikeman

Of course it is. The OP asked about certified mechanics, so I merely pointed out that certification is not necessarily an important indicator. I designed and taught a course myself, so certainly know the benefits.

Glennfordx4

I am considered a certified mechanic of many power equipment brands and also Bosch E Bike electrical systems but yet I don't have a fancy certificates to hang in a office ( although Bosch said they were sending it I haven't received one lol ).

Glenn

bikeman715

I own a shop and manage two others .

cny-bikeman

Why would you not have the respect to tell us up front? Again, "...the quality of the answers one receives is directly related to the information provided."

Kontact 

For my last shop to be able to order and warranty Campy EPS, I had to drive down to Chicago from Madison and take a 6 hour course. I also had to take a Di2 online course. Both issued "certifications".

The first shop I worked in had a manager with a Wheelsmith certificate - he taught me to build wheels. No one seemed to think there was any difference between his wheels and mine, so he was the last person to attend the course.

You can also get UCI certified to be a race mechanic. I have no idea how that actually affects things anywhere other than the pro level, and maybe not even there.

The problem with training courses is that the best mechanics pick up everything they need on the job or from doing it themselves. Sending people with high mechanical aptitude to a course designed to make people who have never held a screwdriver into mechanics is not something those folks are going to need, or tolerate.


As far as QBP pricing, it is pretty much like Nashbar or Jenson, just without the sales.

Moose

Maybe she doesn't want the reason to bias the answers... it is a pretty straight forward question that doesn't really require a whole lot of background.

kingsting

Worked for one part-time since 1991. I'm also feeding used bikes to a friend who opened a small shop, I refurb them at home and send them his way. Been doing that for four years now. Much more fun that Craigslist flipping!

frankenmike 

I was a mechanic for two years in college (07-08). Are there really certifying agencies for that profession?

maddog34

hit log truck head-on, tinkered on my bikes during recovery, found there were no decent bike shops in my area.... it kinda grew from there... life-long mechanic/technician before the wreck, but not in bikes, specifically... and a certification is only as good as the student.

many of the "instructors" i ran into during my lengthy career were less skilled/knowledgeable than the "mechanics" they were teaching... one Toro Tech did not know the correct angles for bed knives on their reel mowers,... a John Deere Tech that didn't understand polarity of DC electricity... a Kubota "Tech" that had never inspected a hydraulic pump or motor.... etc... Honda M/C tech school was fun... excellent instructors, work at your own pace on the book assignments, etc... First Honda lesson? "See that dent in the ceiling? that was a battery case top... always hook the NEGATIVE terminal up last, ok? the mechanic was BLINDED"... Torrance Honda campus, 1992.


i now have the largest stock of used bicycle parts in my county.... shipped a seat(Concor Team USPS!) to Hungary early Monday morning, etc... 4 years in the bike biz, professionally. Rebuilt a Lygie Duralumin Race bike at the age of Ten, unassisted.... it had been in a CHICKEN COOP(seriously, an occupied COOP!) for over 5 years before I bought it for 17 dollars and a lawn mowing.... the front wheel was the only part i couldn't repair, too rusted/corroded by the poop. I built up a DA hubbed, Weinmann rimmed sew-up (Tubular) wheel for it... just bought a spoke wrench and assembled it myself (got several "lessons" with that first wheel... used the forks as a "truing stand"... i've never taken any of my machines to a shop for anything, except front end alignments on my cars... if i'd had the alignment setup, those trips would not have occurred.

i've been clocked at 72 mph on my Mitzutani Super Lite racer (53-12 gearing), coming west on Hwy 26 off of Mt. Hood... clocked a 53 mph at the disneyland parking lot... flat ground, minor tailwind... the security guard was amazed! I hit 62 mph catching a draft behind a Semi on I5, years before the "Breaking Away" movie........ ahh, to be young and foolish again... sigh.. i love fresh pavement.... my racing career was on an off road M/C, a wildly modified Honda Odyssey ATV, a 135cc reed Sprint Kart, and a Rally car that i wish i still owned.... won 28 of 36 races in the Odyssey... there was very few stock honda parts left on that buggy.... taught myself how to port two stroke engines along the way...


one more tidbit... i patched my first inner tube at the age of 5.... Dad helped with that one, but no other patching.... Monkey Grip and matches... blast from the past time!

Nooner

I do all my own wrenching at home and my wife says I am "certifiable", does that count?

pdlamb

My wife thinks I'm certifiable, but that probably doesn't count.