Working for the man
#1
Thread Starter
You know you want to.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 0
From: Norman, Oklahoma
Bikes: Pinarello Prince, 1980's 531 steel fixie commuter, FrankenMTB
Working for the man
There are 3 LBS's in my area. One of them is crappy and like a used-car lot in terms of ethics. One of them is awesome and knowledgeable, and popular, but a little intimidating. The third is sorta a loner shop. The clientele is less-extreme, but the staff just as informed, and very comfortable. Plus, they have a big bucket of random used parts you can usually buy for .50 when you just NEED a derailleur hanger bolt. It's always secretly been my favorite, though I shop more at the intimidating one since they are literally 100 feet from my classes.
Anyway, I've been joking with my girlfriend (who thinks that I should start charging my friends for all the bike work I do for them
) that I was going to get a job at my favorite shop, but I never meant it. Then, this afternoon, I discovered an ad that there was a "Bicycle mechanic and customer service" position open at a store in town. Sure enough, it's my favorite store!
I'm headed in Monday (are all bike shops closed Sunday for riding purposes? They are here.) to demand my interview, and hopefully I'll start working there very soon, and maybe even do some of the easy mech work until they learn to trust me with a wrench
Anyway, I've been joking with my girlfriend (who thinks that I should start charging my friends for all the bike work I do for them
) that I was going to get a job at my favorite shop, but I never meant it. Then, this afternoon, I discovered an ad that there was a "Bicycle mechanic and customer service" position open at a store in town. Sure enough, it's my favorite store!I'm headed in Monday (are all bike shops closed Sunday for riding purposes? They are here.) to demand my interview, and hopefully I'll start working there very soon, and maybe even do some of the easy mech work until they learn to trust me with a wrench
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Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
#3
Hey, awesome. Being a high school kid I've wanted a job at my LBS for a while - it seems fun. I haven't had enough hands-on technical experience on bike repair yet, so my choices are probably limited to the checkout counter or so.
#4
Good luck on getting the job!
But to be a great bike mechanic don't you have to grow a beard, smoke cigarettes and ride a fixie?
But to be a great bike mechanic don't you have to grow a beard, smoke cigarettes and ride a fixie?
#5
Thread Starter
You know you want to.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 0
From: Norman, Oklahoma
Bikes: Pinarello Prince, 1980's 531 steel fixie commuter, FrankenMTB
Originally Posted by randya
Eats donuts...posts thread about working for the man...sounded from the title like you were gonna become a cop...


Originally Posted by hillyman
Good luck on getting the job!
But to be a great bike mechanic don't you have to grow a beard, smoke cigarettes and ride a fixie?
But to be a great bike mechanic don't you have to grow a beard, smoke cigarettes and ride a fixie?

__________________
Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
From: northern California
Bikes: Bruce Gordon BLT, Cannondale parts bike, Ecodyne recumbent trike, Counterpoint Opus 2, miyata 1000
One shop tested future wrenches by having them strip down a bike to component parts then reassemble it. If you got it done in a good time and it was rideable you could be hired. Are you ready to do that? Merde.
#7
Thread Starter
You know you want to.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 0
From: Norman, Oklahoma
Bikes: Pinarello Prince, 1980's 531 steel fixie commuter, FrankenMTB
Originally Posted by ken cummings
One shop tested future wrenches by having them strip down a bike to component parts then reassemble it. If you got it done in a good time and it was rideable you could be hired. Are you ready to do that? Merde.
I think I could do this job, but I expect there are tricks I'll learn, and certainly there's going to be something that a customer brings in that I've never even thought about, and I'll have to learn how to fix it, but I think that's true of starting any job.
__________________
Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
Weather today: Hot. Humid. Potholes.
#8
Originally Posted by ken cummings
One shop tested future wrenches by having them strip down a bike to component parts then reassemble it. If you got it done in a good time and it was rideable you could be hired. Are you ready to do that? Merde.






