Shade tree guy -> pro wrench : D
05-27-13, 04:18 AM
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Shade tree guy -> pro wrench : D
So I've been fixing all kinds of stuff including bikes (my favourite machine) for something like 30 years now, and after volunteering at my co-op, the Bike Shed for nearly a year, I've finally landed a gig doing what I love 
It's a bit of a challenge shifting the basis from sharing the mechanical TLC to a more mercenary commercial proposition, and it requires all my experience and vigilance when I come across one of those bikes where everything you touch somehow turns to poo, but I'm having a blast. Get this - I'm riding a cargo bike around, mainly to various high-rise garages in the CBD, fixing folks' treadlies while they work. Neat, huh? And I was losing my fitness since getting my license back too
There's quite a bit of variety, and I get to work on some pretty nice bikes. Although I think we'll be stopping short of stuff like the $10k Look I saw one guy fetching from his work's garage. You don't call a mobile mechanic to work on your Ferrari; you take it to some bloke with a shiny floor wearing cotton gloves...
But that could be me one day; my employers are putting me through formal training (yay for Recognition of Prior Learning), which I gather is a relatively recent development at least in Australia. Are there any formal qualifications you can get for this in the US or Europe?
I guess it's cool to link my new employer since it's on-topic for this post at least, and Good Cycles is a not-for-profit anyway.
But I wonder if I can bung a link in my sig?
I suppose not, huh?
It's a bit of a challenge shifting the basis from sharing the mechanical TLC to a more mercenary commercial proposition, and it requires all my experience and vigilance when I come across one of those bikes where everything you touch somehow turns to poo, but I'm having a blast. Get this - I'm riding a cargo bike around, mainly to various high-rise garages in the CBD, fixing folks' treadlies while they work. Neat, huh? And I was losing my fitness since getting my license back too
There's quite a bit of variety, and I get to work on some pretty nice bikes. Although I think we'll be stopping short of stuff like the $10k Look I saw one guy fetching from his work's garage. You don't call a mobile mechanic to work on your Ferrari; you take it to some bloke with a shiny floor wearing cotton gloves...
But that could be me one day; my employers are putting me through formal training (yay for Recognition of Prior Learning), which I gather is a relatively recent development at least in Australia. Are there any formal qualifications you can get for this in the US or Europe?
I guess it's cool to link my new employer since it's on-topic for this post at least, and Good Cycles is a not-for-profit anyway.
But I wonder if I can bung a link in my sig?
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Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
05-27-13, 06:22 AM
#2
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Kimmo, Congrats on earning a living involving what you prefer! Recognition of Prior Learning (ie. life skills) is a bit recent around me, certainly a boon to older folks that want to attend a school.
Brad
Brad
05-27-13, 07:03 AM
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AFAIK, there are no licensing provisions for bike mechanics the way there are for Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Teachers, etc. here in the US. There are several bike mechanics schools that teach various levels of maintenance and building skills. Completing one of their courses gets you a certificate that does give credibility and perhaps a bit of legal protection in that you can demonstrate some formal training but it's not a government sanctioned license.
05-27-13, 07:17 AM
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AFAIK, there are no licensing provisions for bike mechanics the way there are for Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Teachers, etc. here in the US. There are several bike mechanics schools that teach various levels of maintenance and building skills. Completing one of their courses gets you a certificate that does give credibility and perhaps a bit of legal protection in that you can demonstrate some formal training but it's not a government sanctioned license.
My ticket from Barnett filled the bill, even though my head mechanic had no such certification, but was at least the mechanic I was.
05-30-13, 04:47 AM
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A shame the newspaper guy didn't get a shot of our Yuba Mundos for the article.
Damn, now I look at the page for the bike, I'm spewing my boss didn't get one with the NuVinci 360 option.
__________________
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
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