Taking a career jump into the cycle trade
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It'll be ten years in August 2021 since I set up my business.
I started out part time doing mobile repairs and evolved into a proper workshop.
Now I operate out of a 1600sq ft shop/workshop and employ a couple of other staff. Life is generally good but I'm still a grumpy curmudgeon which, along with a beard, fits the bike mechanic stereotype fairly well.
The career change adverts often use 'Bike Mechanic' as a seemingly easy option which rather frustratingly undermines what this career actually involves.
I have a couple of local 'career-changer' bike mechanics who end up bringing the jobs they can't do into my workshop. I try not to facepalm too much as I change another inner tube for them. Added kudos for not needing tyre levers of course.
Qualifications are worthless compared to knowledge and experience.
(I can confidently say that having a first class Bachelors and a Masters degree to my name)
I was a career-changer once too though and for full disclosure I don't have any Cytech or equivalent qualifications.
(Nobody from the general public will ever care)
I did have years of knowledge and experience to build on before I started up.
I'm always learning still though.
Be aware that there will always be someone else setting up, undercutting you and (probably) overselling themselves.
It's sometimes frustrating knowing that there are others out there not doing things properly. Important things like not having full insurance or bodging jobs that should be done using the correct tools etc.
Don't even think about anything other than getting every job perfect unless you have an endless supply of gullible new customers, a disregard for their safety and a distinct lack of your own professional integrity.
Do everything right and there will still be times that you will hate all bikes, even your own and you'll curse sunny days when all you want to do is ride your bike rather than fix someone else's.
Don't trust anything on YouTube.
Make up words like 'bletch' to describe the chip pan fire like horrors of some customer's drivetrains.
Maintaining high standards is the only way to gain a good reputation.
Good customers will recognise this and keep coming back. The ones that don't recognise it won't become good customers.
Beware the customer who declares 'I do a bit of my own bike maintenance...' and 'I've already bought a new bottom bracket. I'm pretty sure it's the right one'.
On a practical level as JB666 points out, parts supply is a big problem at the moment.
As a new start up you may find that getting an account with the main distributors could be difficult, so expect to pay retail prices for everything.
Make an estimate on how many and how much you will need to spend on tools and then double it.
Most of my income for the first two or three years of trading went on continually buying more and more tools. I do love tools though.
And don't expect it to make you rich either, unless worn out chains become hard currency in the future.
You'll never compete with the big online retailers.
Margins are getting more and more squeezed and ten hour plus, seven day working weeks are inevitable unless you learn how to turn work away. (Or get really angry all the time like JB666)
The past year during the pandemic has been hard work. I seem to have worked twice as hard for about the same turnover as the previous year.
A lot of time, energy and money has been expended sourcing parts and stock that would have normally been available in 24hrs via a few clicks of a mouse.
The continued effects of the pandemic combined with Brexit will undoubtedly mean this coming year will probably be just as challenging in that respect.
Looking back I have no regrets at all. I'm really optimistic about the future of my business over the next few years.
But given the current climate I wouldn't want to try starting up afresh.
Good luck and best wishes.
It'll be ten years in August 2021 since I set up my business.
I started out part time doing mobile repairs and evolved into a proper workshop.
Now I operate out of a 1600sq ft shop/workshop and employ a couple of other staff. Life is generally good but I'm still a grumpy curmudgeon which, along with a beard, fits the bike mechanic stereotype fairly well.
The career change adverts often use 'Bike Mechanic' as a seemingly easy option which rather frustratingly undermines what this career actually involves.
I have a couple of local 'career-changer' bike mechanics who end up bringing the jobs they can't do into my workshop. I try not to facepalm too much as I change another inner tube for them. Added kudos for not needing tyre levers of course.
Qualifications are worthless compared to knowledge and experience.
(I can confidently say that having a first class Bachelors and a Masters degree to my name)
I was a career-changer once too though and for full disclosure I don't have any Cytech or equivalent qualifications.
(Nobody from the general public will ever care)
I did have years of knowledge and experience to build on before I started up.
I'm always learning still though.
Be aware that there will always be someone else setting up, undercutting you and (probably) overselling themselves.
It's sometimes frustrating knowing that there are others out there not doing things properly. Important things like not having full insurance or bodging jobs that should be done using the correct tools etc.
Don't even think about anything other than getting every job perfect unless you have an endless supply of gullible new customers, a disregard for their safety and a distinct lack of your own professional integrity.
Do everything right and there will still be times that you will hate all bikes, even your own and you'll curse sunny days when all you want to do is ride your bike rather than fix someone else's.
Don't trust anything on YouTube.
Make up words like 'bletch' to describe the chip pan fire like horrors of some customer's drivetrains.
Maintaining high standards is the only way to gain a good reputation.
Good customers will recognise this and keep coming back. The ones that don't recognise it won't become good customers.
Beware the customer who declares 'I do a bit of my own bike maintenance...' and 'I've already bought a new bottom bracket. I'm pretty sure it's the right one'.
On a practical level as JB666 points out, parts supply is a big problem at the moment.
As a new start up you may find that getting an account with the main distributors could be difficult, so expect to pay retail prices for everything.
Make an estimate on how many and how much you will need to spend on tools and then double it.
Most of my income for the first two or three years of trading went on continually buying more and more tools. I do love tools though.
And don't expect it to make you rich either, unless worn out chains become hard currency in the future.
You'll never compete with the big online retailers.
Margins are getting more and more squeezed and ten hour plus, seven day working weeks are inevitable unless you learn how to turn work away. (Or get really angry all the time like JB666)
The past year during the pandemic has been hard work. I seem to have worked twice as hard for about the same turnover as the previous year.
A lot of time, energy and money has been expended sourcing parts and stock that would have normally been available in 24hrs via a few clicks of a mouse.
The continued effects of the pandemic combined with Brexit will undoubtedly mean this coming year will probably be just as challenging in that respect.
Looking back I have no regrets at all. I'm really optimistic about the future of my business over the next few years.
But given the current climate I wouldn't want to try starting up afresh.
Good luck and best wishes.
Just to bump this back up -
Last few months have been working towards a big change for me. First was to buy a car -which isn’t far off being here now (company car for last 19 years). Next will be a massive jump into the unknown but not what was originally intended. To be fair it’s making me a little nervous but it’s a kind of all or nothing moment. Hoping I don’t bottle it and let minute
Last few months have been working towards a big change for me. First was to buy a car -which isn’t far off being here now (company car for last 19 years). Next will be a massive jump into the unknown but not what was originally intended. To be fair it’s making me a little nervous but it’s a kind of all or nothing moment. Hoping I don’t bottle it and let minute
TOMAS
Senior Retro Guru
Some feedback for you dude... I made the leap, around June/July last year.... previously on a well-paid/high pressure job that had seen me grow a decent wedge to be able to stick my neck out and take a few chances in life and get myself into a better head space.
I'm a qualified mechanical engineer but actually haven't used any of that quali for my last 17 years of working life haha... in terms of cycle mechanics i've gained experience over the last 20 years with friends/family/locals and my own fleet - building/collecting bikes was at one time my very expensive hobby!
So I started from home, in a large, very secure workshop but work purely mobile - in that nobody visits me at all - this aids with lowering both house and business insurances, better security and I have complete control over my working days in that unlike a shop I don't suddenly get a bus load of customers come through the door at once. I conduct the repair mobile if i'm able, if not able to do it mobile or for servicing then it comes back to the workshop and then gets delivered back completed. I COULD NOT have timed it better in fairness, right at the cusp of the massive cycle boom, got on the governent voucher scheme which saw me take HUNDREDS of these as the local shops were refusing to accept them for all manner of reasons. I'd say Oct 2020 to Oct 2021 i could not have been busier, I've done roughly 1000 services in that time, it has now slid off quite dramatically. Mixture of time of year/weather/xmas/inflation but i'm not panicking as I know i've certainly made hay when the sun was shining & that it will come back, tbh also slightly grateful it calmed as no way could I carry on at the rate I was - I'd have burt out!
You HAVE to be in the right area, be business minded and determined. I've managed to get lucky on quite a bit of decent stock from failed/closing businesses and know your market well to buy in when the price is right, you'll be amazed at how much the market fluctuates. It is hard graft, I've given myself the worst tendonitus in my left hand/wrist which won't go away and hoping to get it scanned at hospital to see exactly whats going on in there, but im struggling on - it's usually freed up after the first hour or 2 haha.
I'd say my love for bikes has changed somewhat, there were times earlier this year where I haven't wanted to see another bike but i'm over that. Also don't be afraid to say no/turn them away if it doesn't suit - i've had some serious wrecks in that have taken me hours upon hours to sort out. Know what types of job earn you the most & always have these in the forefront of your mind, for this reason i've largely stopped any wheel building as I can earn twice as much servicing in the time.
Not sure if you've been self employed before, I've been self employed since 21-ish and im now nearly 40, my previous job held huge responsibility, if I messed up I'd receive a whopping fine &/or possible criminal record. The next year will certainly be an interesting one, I'm NOT anticipating it to be anywhere near as good as the last 12 months, hell we've just had the biggest cycling boom of our lifetimes I'd say! Main factor being everyone back to work with less time to ride, less disposible income to splash on luxuries and passtimes due to inflation rising and if interest rates also increase as they are due to, this will also have a factor. Luckily I've tapped into quite a few road clubs, these are firm regular customers and loyal, i'm also big with the parents/school parent community who's teenage kids demolish bikes/get flats weekly and they tend to keep me busy too.
Final note - if you've got big mortgage/family to support/stuff on finance etc then there is obviously an inheret risk and it's a whopping decision, however if like me you've got fairly low overheads/commitments then taking risks, well, isn't so risky.
I'm a qualified mechanical engineer but actually haven't used any of that quali for my last 17 years of working life haha... in terms of cycle mechanics i've gained experience over the last 20 years with friends/family/locals and my own fleet - building/collecting bikes was at one time my very expensive hobby!
So I started from home, in a large, very secure workshop but work purely mobile - in that nobody visits me at all - this aids with lowering both house and business insurances, better security and I have complete control over my working days in that unlike a shop I don't suddenly get a bus load of customers come through the door at once. I conduct the repair mobile if i'm able, if not able to do it mobile or for servicing then it comes back to the workshop and then gets delivered back completed. I COULD NOT have timed it better in fairness, right at the cusp of the massive cycle boom, got on the governent voucher scheme which saw me take HUNDREDS of these as the local shops were refusing to accept them for all manner of reasons. I'd say Oct 2020 to Oct 2021 i could not have been busier, I've done roughly 1000 services in that time, it has now slid off quite dramatically. Mixture of time of year/weather/xmas/inflation but i'm not panicking as I know i've certainly made hay when the sun was shining & that it will come back, tbh also slightly grateful it calmed as no way could I carry on at the rate I was - I'd have burt out!
You HAVE to be in the right area, be business minded and determined. I've managed to get lucky on quite a bit of decent stock from failed/closing businesses and know your market well to buy in when the price is right, you'll be amazed at how much the market fluctuates. It is hard graft, I've given myself the worst tendonitus in my left hand/wrist which won't go away and hoping to get it scanned at hospital to see exactly whats going on in there, but im struggling on - it's usually freed up after the first hour or 2 haha.
I'd say my love for bikes has changed somewhat, there were times earlier this year where I haven't wanted to see another bike but i'm over that. Also don't be afraid to say no/turn them away if it doesn't suit - i've had some serious wrecks in that have taken me hours upon hours to sort out. Know what types of job earn you the most & always have these in the forefront of your mind, for this reason i've largely stopped any wheel building as I can earn twice as much servicing in the time.
Not sure if you've been self employed before, I've been self employed since 21-ish and im now nearly 40, my previous job held huge responsibility, if I messed up I'd receive a whopping fine &/or possible criminal record. The next year will certainly be an interesting one, I'm NOT anticipating it to be anywhere near as good as the last 12 months, hell we've just had the biggest cycling boom of our lifetimes I'd say! Main factor being everyone back to work with less time to ride, less disposible income to splash on luxuries and passtimes due to inflation rising and if interest rates also increase as they are due to, this will also have a factor. Luckily I've tapped into quite a few road clubs, these are firm regular customers and loyal, i'm also big with the parents/school parent community who's teenage kids demolish bikes/get flats weekly and they tend to keep me busy too.
Final note - if you've got big mortgage/family to support/stuff on finance etc then there is obviously an inheret risk and it's a whopping decision, however if like me you've got fairly low overheads/commitments then taking risks, well, isn't so risky.
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TOMAS
Senior Retro Guru
out of interest what new line of work you heading into, cycling related?
Hi mate ,
Thanks for all those points. I’ve never been self employed but I’ve been commission based since 18 so I’m used to my earnings being related to performance. In terms of outgoings I’m lucky that I paid the UK house off last year and have minimal living costs apart from saving for a house in Spain to move to in the future.
In terms of what my plan is, I’m moving into a self employed role outside of cycling for 4 days a week , and then take on either 1 or 2 days worth of cycling business to top up. Haven’t fully decided whether this will be taking a job in a local shop firstly or going mobile/home similair to you.
Don't think anyone has mentioned it but electric bikes are a growing sector... You'd be dumb not to get upskilled in Bosch / other makes.
I'd say up to 50% of bikes on the Leeds - Liverpool canal during the day, are electric ridden by money rich - skill poor retired folk.
Cheers James
I'd say up to 50% of bikes on the Leeds - Liverpool canal during the day, are electric ridden by money rich - skill poor retired folk.
Cheers James
Well today was kind of the proper start. I took delivery of my first new purchased car in almost 20 years and handed my notice in 30 mins later. 17 years and 4 months at the same company. Feel slightly worried , sick and skint but hey what’s the worst that can happen ….
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Good luck chap
hookooekoo
Senior Retro Guru
Huge respect for taking the leap. I once did something similar. After working at the same place for years, I handed in my notice and went back to university. Staying in your comfort zone is usually the easy option. It takes a lot of courage to risk what you have, and try something new. Hope it all works out well for you.
