mechanic school.
09-24-14, 09:12 PM
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mechanic school.
How do you become bikes mechanics. Is there any bike mechanic school? I work on my bikes my self and i want learn to build and repair bikes professionall
09-25-14, 04:13 AM
#2
Mechanic/Tourist
Firstly it would help greatly in discussing options if we knew where you live.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
- A flexible, curious, problem-solving mindset.
- The ability and practice of taking a logical approach to solving problems.
- The ability to observe and understand how components in a mechanical system interact.
- Some basic math skills (including geometry and the metric system) and at least some lay knowledge of physics - levers (gears are spinning levers) Newton's laws, etc.
- Especially but not exclusively for someone who wishes to work in a retail environment: Communication skills - the ability to convey information clearly to others, the ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions, and the ability to interview customers in order to determine their needs.
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
Last edited by cny-bikeman; 09-26-14 at 06:07 AM.
09-25-14, 04:32 AM
#3
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Barnett Bicycle Institute for Bicycle Mechanics
09-25-14, 05:16 AM
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Firstly it would help greatly in discussing options if we knew where you live.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
- A flexible, curious, problem-solving mindset.
- The ability and practice of taking a logical approach to solving problems.
- The ability to see and understand how components in a mechanical system interact.
- Some basic math skills (including geometry and the metric system) and at least some lay knowledge of physics - levers (gears are spinning levers) Newton's laws, etc.
- Especially but not exclusively for someone who wishes to work in a retail environment: Communication skills - the ability to convey information clearly to others, the ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions, and the ability to interview customers in order to determine their needs.
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
09-25-14, 05:34 AM
#5
Mechanic/Tourist
Thank you for the kind words. Once I finish the "money pit" projects on the house we moved into recently it will become part of a blog/website, which will have a bit more of a philosophical bent than other bike related sites, as well as some discussion of logic and problem-solving.
09-25-14, 05:51 AM
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I'm pretty sure this thread contains the best explanation of becoming a mechanic I've ever read. It applies to pretty much everything I've ever been trained to work on. From fighter jets in th marine corps to going to tech school for yacht maintenance, all the way to my currently learning to work on bicycles.
I would like to add.... Realize there aren't to many mechanics driving Bentleys... unless it belongs to a customer.
I would like to add.... Realize there aren't to many mechanics driving Bentleys... unless it belongs to a customer.
Last edited by EvilWeasel; 09-25-14 at 05:57 AM.
09-25-14, 08:20 AM
#7
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cny-bikeman provides a great overview; DOS listed the two most popular national schools in the USA.
Here's a (my) story:
Liked bikes, learned to work on my own to the point that I could build a bike up from frame and components, do basic adjustments, etc. I had previously worked a variety of retail jobs. When I got done with a professional desk job, I wanted to get into bike shop as a mechanic so I asked around and found a local shop hiring for a new shop they were opening.
Boss hired me for sales, but there was a lag time between hire agreement and new shop opening, so I sold my motorcycle and went to UBI on my own dime. Because I'd done the formal mechanics training, I was immediately shifted into mechanics/sales rather than being just sales.
Bike schools are 1-4 week affairs depending on the course you take and any additional classes. For instance, I took an intro class (1 week), the pro mechanics class (two weeks), and then two modules after that--wheel building and suspension (1 week).
Once I hit the ground running, there were technical aspects of mechanics work I learned at mechanics school which helped, but a mere two week course hardly prepares a newb mechanic for everything which will roll into the service area. I was stumped on a daily basis and 98% of the knowledge I ended up with was on the job training. I learned way more from other mechanics and the service manager than I did at bike school. And anything which stumped everyone in the shop, I could generally find online or figure out on the spot.
UBI taught out of the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bike Repair, which is available through Park Tools and elsewhere. The great part about Park Tools is they are also a repair instruction resource -- most if not all of their book is online in their Repair Help section.
While at UBI, there were others there who had bikeshop experience, and they said that while it was useful to find out what bad habits they might have been taught and were perpetuating, there was not a whole lot they were learning beyond what they'd already picked up in a bike shop. Even a year's experience in a shop makes most of the course moot. But perhaps the certificate of completion may tip a job in your favor, which is what those already in the industry were mainly looking for. Also, Ashland OR is a great place to ride.
Retail experience didn't hurt, either. Most shops do not have dedicated mechanics, instead many mechanics positions are mechanics/sales. Be presentable, knowledgeable, and friendly.
Mechanics schools are helpful and may tip a job your way, but there are also shops which would never hire someone without useful experience on their resume and just a bike school certificate.
Here's a (my) story:
Liked bikes, learned to work on my own to the point that I could build a bike up from frame and components, do basic adjustments, etc. I had previously worked a variety of retail jobs. When I got done with a professional desk job, I wanted to get into bike shop as a mechanic so I asked around and found a local shop hiring for a new shop they were opening.
Boss hired me for sales, but there was a lag time between hire agreement and new shop opening, so I sold my motorcycle and went to UBI on my own dime. Because I'd done the formal mechanics training, I was immediately shifted into mechanics/sales rather than being just sales.
Bike schools are 1-4 week affairs depending on the course you take and any additional classes. For instance, I took an intro class (1 week), the pro mechanics class (two weeks), and then two modules after that--wheel building and suspension (1 week).
Once I hit the ground running, there were technical aspects of mechanics work I learned at mechanics school which helped, but a mere two week course hardly prepares a newb mechanic for everything which will roll into the service area. I was stumped on a daily basis and 98% of the knowledge I ended up with was on the job training. I learned way more from other mechanics and the service manager than I did at bike school. And anything which stumped everyone in the shop, I could generally find online or figure out on the spot.
UBI taught out of the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bike Repair, which is available through Park Tools and elsewhere. The great part about Park Tools is they are also a repair instruction resource -- most if not all of their book is online in their Repair Help section.
While at UBI, there were others there who had bikeshop experience, and they said that while it was useful to find out what bad habits they might have been taught and were perpetuating, there was not a whole lot they were learning beyond what they'd already picked up in a bike shop. Even a year's experience in a shop makes most of the course moot. But perhaps the certificate of completion may tip a job in your favor, which is what those already in the industry were mainly looking for. Also, Ashland OR is a great place to ride.
Retail experience didn't hurt, either. Most shops do not have dedicated mechanics, instead many mechanics positions are mechanics/sales. Be presentable, knowledgeable, and friendly.
Mechanics schools are helpful and may tip a job your way, but there are also shops which would never hire someone without useful experience on their resume and just a bike school certificate.
09-25-14, 08:24 AM
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Working as a bike mechanic back in the 1970's taught me that I needed to finish college so I could earn a living wage.
09-25-14, 08:46 AM
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Firstly it would help greatly in discussing options if we knew where you live.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
- A flexible, curious, problem-solving mindset.
- The ability and practice of taking a logical approach to solving problems.
- The ability to see and understand how components in a mechanical system interact.
- Some basic math skills (including geometry and the metric system) and at least some lay knowledge of physics - levers (gears are spinning levers) Newton's laws, etc.
- Especially but not exclusively for someone who wishes to work in a retail environment: Communication skills - the ability to convey information clearly to others, the ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions, and the ability to interview customers in order to determine their needs.
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
To give my own story on the off-chance it interests/helps you, I'm a lot younger than CNY - I started working on bikes aged 14, but that was only 7 years ago. I learned a lot of what I know from reading Sheldon Brown's site and fixing my bike and my brothers' bikes, and then building a second bike for myself. By the time I was 17, I was volunteering in a community-run bike shop as a mechanic. Around the time I turned 18 I spoke to a guy who ran the little bike shop in my hometown and he said he'd be happy to take someone with my skill level on. I asked him about qualifications and he said practical experience of the type I had was more useful than a taught qualification, because I'd seen "all manner of crap those courses never prepare you for".
In the end I didn't take the job, I went off to university to study mechanical engineering, but you can be damn sure fixing bikes is what first got me interested in that area! A combination of a lack of time and a massive personal revelation midway through my first year meant that I never got the chance to go and work in a shop even as a part-time job, but I still have the option there as a backup.
09-25-14, 09:25 AM
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Thank you for the kind words. Once I finish the "money pit" projects on the house we moved into recently it will become part of a blog/website, which will have a bit more of a philosophical bent than other bike related sites, as well as some discussion of logic and problem-solving.
09-25-14, 10:34 AM
#11
Mechanic/Tourist
Yes, the skills are necessary for a variety of jobs that require diagnostic skills, even when not mechanical in nature. The troubleshooting process I learned and honed on bicycles served me well when I went to computer support.
09-25-14, 01:09 PM
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Firstly it would help greatly in discussing options if we knew where you live.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
To answer your question, many people become mechanics by first getting an entry level job assembling bikes in a bike shop and slowly progressing to other jobs, often after doing some work on their own. Some learn just by working on their own and other people's bikes. A much smaller percentage attend a mechanic's school. Some things are required, in my opinion no matter what route one takes in order to be a true mechanic, basically in order of importance:
- A flexible, curious, problem-solving mindset.
- The ability and practice of taking a logical approach to solving problems.
- The ability to see and understand how components in a mechanical system interact.
- Some basic math skills (including geometry and the metric system) and at least some lay knowledge of physics - levers (gears are spinning levers) Newton's laws, etc.
- Especially but not exclusively for someone who wishes to work in a retail environment: Communication skills - the ability to convey information clearly to others, the ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions, and the ability to interview customers in order to determine their needs.
I learned about bikes on my own starting at around 10 years old. I did not own a multispeed bike until I was 22 years old, at which time I started hanging around a small town bike shop and picking up some knowledge that way. I then continued learning on my own through observation and by reading (library only - no Internet). I learned a great amount that way by working on the three bikes I owned during the next three years and riding a huge amount. I then helped found a retail bike co-op and continued learning the same way, in addition to learning a lot from others with whom I worked and again by reading.
The biggest mistake one can make in becoming a mechanic is to take only a how rather than a why approach to working on bikes. You need to understand the reason things work the way they do, not just by rote which screw to turn in which direction to solve what problem. It's very easy these days to fall into a habit of getting a single (sometimes wrong) answer by using a powerful tool like Google and then focusing only on what you think the problem is. As I alluded to above a bicycle is a mechanical system, not just an assemblage of components. On top of that it interacts with the human body and the outdoor environment, which introduces a level of complexity that most people underestimate.
Disagree with #3 as a blind rider wrenching on his own and friends' bikes...
09-25-14, 01:17 PM
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Disagree with #3 as a blind rider wrenching on his own and friends' bikes...
BTW- I know people with perfect vision who can't see what I'd consider obvious mechanical problems.
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Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
09-25-14, 01:30 PM
#14
Mechanic/Tourist
Actually, apart from the blind mechanic issue (and I am aware of another visually impaired person who's a pretty good wrench) the "see" part is indeed somewhat inaccurate and redundant. I'll change that to "observe," as that allows for other senses.
09-25-14, 02:29 PM
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Thank you very much for the answwer. I want learn that not try guess in problem on bike but i see right away what the problems is. example on my bike i put used cassete. is skip in gears or most skip the chain when i pedal hard. I try think is the cassete worn out or is because my bike have 7 speeds chain. And the cassete is 9 speeds. Now with other cassete 9 speeds no have that problem with the same chain. Maybe is because i do that cassete i put little wider spasers
09-25-14, 03:08 PM
#16
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My apologies for being a "mule," the statement caught me at a time having recently been informed by more than one "continuing education" bike mechanic opportunities that not only could their programs accommodate a blind student but also that a blind student could not successfully complete the course material (or in one case even pick up a wrench apparently). My thinner scales were momentarily rubbed the wrong way and that's my own fault.
Back to the positive note, your post was spot on and I wish more mechanics and tech support programs had those qualities.
09-26-14, 05:35 AM
#18
Mechanic/Tourist
Thank you very much for the answwer. I want learn that not try guess in problem on bike but i see right away what the problems is. example on my bike i put used cassete. is skip in gears or most skip the chain when i pedal hard. I try think is the cassete worn out or is because my bike have 7 speeds chain. And the cassete is 9 speeds. Now with other cassete 9 speeds no have that problem with the same chain. Maybe is because i do that cassete i put little wider spasers
Also, there is a bike co-op (an option I have suggested before to you) in Atlanta, if you are able to get there. https://sopobikes.org/ In-person help is almost always superior to remote help on the Internet.
Last edited by cny-bikeman; 09-26-14 at 06:06 AM.
09-26-14, 06:07 AM
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In the end I didn't take the job, I went off to university to study mechanical engineering, but you can be damn sure fixing bikes is what first got me interested in that area! A combination of a lack of time and a massive personal revelation midway through my first year meant that I never got the chance to go and work in a shop even as a part-time job, but I still have the option there as a backup.
09-26-14, 08:43 AM
#20
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09-26-14, 02:50 PM
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As a matter of fact I know at least one of my professors works on bikes, although I think it's something he's been doing for years rather than something he's started since being an academic. I've got another one who works on vintage cars. Mind you, for every mechanically competent professor, I could name five who couldn't hang a picture, so your point does mostly still stand
