is it difficult to get a job in a bike shop as an apprentice? i am just getting into working on bikes and i really love doing it i bought some tools and got a few manuals and have some old junker bikes i have been disecting and trying to learn with and i think that i have found my calling so i am looking for some advice on what my next step should be and how difficult it is to get into the industry+

Three things you need to know: What to kiss, whose to kiss and when to kiss it.

There are a lot of semi-competant young guys who have the ability to learn basic bicycle mechanics. Having the right confident yet respectful personality to deal with customers and to fit in the the other staff is the real key.

You planning on being poor the rest of your life?

sure why not as long as i'm doing something i love i am not very materialistic as long as i have a bike and a roof over my head and something to eat i'm fine with bieng poor

Hopefully the spouse and kids will be ok with it too.....

Search the web for a local bike co-op. Most of them have maintenance courses and would love to have additional mechanics. You get the skills you need, plenty of bikes to practice on and you get to help the local biking community.
Enjoy

no spouse and no kids, and who knows maybe i will get into frame building and such i'm sure there's more money in that

bicycle mechinic is a great job for some young guy going to school or older retired guy with no kids.........im the older guy.

My motto is follow your dream. When your dream dies so do you!

You might have to choose one

But seriously, I suppose you could use it to get into the industry (make buddies with the reps that come through the shop weekly), but it would be better if you used that job to fund your training in something that can afford you a living. I've never seen a head mechanic make more than $15/hour and most other mechanics just make minimum wage.

+1. Unfortunately, the money will never be that great in most shops. There are always plenty of young wrenches willing to work for peanuts just to do what they love. That's kind of a vicious cycle but it's what I observe.

But on the other hand, you should probably give it a go while you're still young and you can afford to. You can come to a conclusion later about where you want to be.

I have always been in professions that I love doing and I do not regret it. Not even the part about having less money than I think I should have. Good luck.

What made you re-open this thread?

What a shock to see sydney's post (until I looked at the dates).

You should give it a go. Doing something you love has a lot to say for itself. I have been luck to have been doing so most of my career (Technology junkie). One way to break in would be to find out if your town has any volunteer bicycle restoration or used bike places. Another would be to save up and spend some time at the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, OR. Google it. If you love working on mechanical things you could get into some kind of technical service type work. Give it a go! You only live once and remember this is not a practice run...it is the real thing.

Holy smokes! I just noticed that, too.

Maybe someone should try PM'ing the OP to see what he ended up doing.

lol I didn't even notice this thread is from before I became a member!!!