Cycle messengeringing

willhub

Someone was saying that it's apparently competitive?

I was talking to a courier today and I was surprised to hear it can be like 70 quid a day before tax, and if so, I'd certainly be interested.

I wonder if I could be a cycle messenger on my geared carbon road bike in my cycling kit?

Cleat Eastwood

sign on.

willhub

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

sign on.

for 50 quid a week

sungod

in london, the messengers are usually on grungey fixed/ss with flat bars and big tyres

simple, upright for visibility, pothole resistant, already so beat up that being chained/unchained all day won't make a difference, and they're less attractive to the swarms of pikey bike thieves

baggy shorts obligatory

snoopsmydogg

could be a good way earn a wage and ride at the same time but you may be better off with an old runaround and keep the carbon for best.

A nice bike delivering around the city will probably attract unwanted attention and may not be there when you come out.

willhub

I've got a crappy commuter road bike with panniers, but baggy shorts?? Horrible.

andy46

Sounds like a good way to earn some money

What happened to that bike messenger film that was advertised a while back?

raymondo60

I'm a Director of a well-known London Courier Company - I've been in the courier biz for 30 years. Being a Cycle Courier is one of the hardest, most dangerous, most unappreciated jobs you could imagine. Along with Motorcycle courier. How many occupations can you think of where you genuinely risk your life every single moment? Think about it. If I had my way all cycle couriers would be paid £100k a year - unfortunately our industry as whole doesn't agree and treats them like sh*t, even though they are a vital part of keeping modern commerce going. Sad but true. Ask the family of Henry Warwick, the most recent courier to be killed while delivering a package that he was probably paid about 2 quid for delivering. Sorry but you should know the reality of it before you make any decisions. Good luck.

willhub

well the guy who I was talking to rekoned 70 quid a day before tax and about 20 miles a day, I'd expect it'd probs be more than 20 miles a day.

But how is it more dangerous than riding normally? I ride through Manchester nearly every day, in rush hour, doing 20+mph down Oxford Rd and through the curry mile, why am I risking my life more than riding my bike normally? Especially on a normal bike that has breaks?

Is it the red light jumping?

Cleat Eastwood

ah it thought you said 70 squid a week. Couldnt you get a job as a courier in moss side...you'd be on a grand a day, hehe.

alihisgreat

For £70 a day it must be very competitive... If anyone knows a company in Oxford

EKIMIKE

A very good friend of mine couriered in London for two years. I think it was sort of 2006/07 kind of time.

He really enjoyed it but it's hardly glamorous (not that you were suggesting it was). It's mainly a winter occupation as that's when business thrives. In the summer everyone goes on holiday in the corporate world so business dies down. He said you can have good days where you make decent money, other where you make barely anything. It's lottery so you will have weeks where you can only afford beans and bread for dinner.

It is risky. The better you are the more work and jobs you get. He said the best guys are poor dudes from eastern europe who fankly don't care for their or anyone else's safety. It's definitely sounds like an adventure.

rolf_f

And I'd assume you'd have to do it in London. Can't really imagine there is much of a market for cycle couriering outside the capital. And that means usually huge costs of living.

EKIMIKE

Yeh he'll have to move to London but you don't have to have huge living costs just because you live in London. You just won't have a conventional lifestyle.

cougie

Remember Ray Eden - he started off as a courier - and he was a phenomenal rider.

http://www.muppetleague.co.uk/

mididoctors

dont believe the hype

£70 a day is sh1t money considering the hours/aggro and that cycle couriers were earning that or more 25yrs ago... there is more money in winter for various reasons, one being there are less couriers on circuit hence more work for those willing to work in cold rain.... as for milage...it varies a lot but the hours spent in wet clothes can be very draining... 10 hours in wet gear soaked throu? you arrive on circuit at 8.30am aand it pours down with rain...in winter...you get the idea

the amount you earn is based on 2 factors

1) knowledge; knowledge is speed. Being a fast cyclist counts for nothing if you dont know the post rooms/short cuts i]and not just the route short cuts but knowledge that saves you getting a signature or knowing which jobs are going to get chased[/i knowledge can take yrs to acquire


2) Being fed...being fed is a term used for riders that have a good relationship with the controllers and as a consequence are "fed" large numbers of easy jobs.If your face doesn't fit you may never get fed.

back in the day [early 90s] I was earning up to £180 a day averaging £90, I worked the winters then raced in france in the summer

dispatch destroys bikes...cheap shimano/single speeds on alloy frames is the way to go

Ray Eden was a monster but he rode on circuit like a old women on a shopping bike....real slow, used it as very very gentle recovery

mididoctors

the spending power of cycle couriers in London has degraded substantially

in 1990 a courier earning £70 a day would take less than 1&1/2 days on the road to pay 1 months rent in my house

A 2012 courier earning £70 a day would take 4&1/2 days to pay 1 months rent in my house [which I should add is very cheap these days]

Aggieboy

willhub wrote:

well the guy who I was talking to rekoned 70 quid a day before tax and about 20 miles a day, I'd expect it'd probs be more than 20 miles a day.

But how is it more dangerous than riding normally? I ride through Manchester nearly every day, in rush hour, doing 20+mph down Oxford Rd and through the curry mile, why am I risking my life more than riding my bike normally? Especially on a normal bike that has breaks?

Is it the red light jumping?

The more hours you ride, the greater the chance of an accident. Think of it like you and girls Will - the more you take out, the greater the chance of you losing your virginity.

Herbsman

willhub wrote:

well the guy who I was talking to rekoned 70 quid a day before tax and about 20 miles a day, I'd expect it'd probs be more than 20 miles a day.

But how is it more dangerous than riding normally? I ride through Manchester nearly every day, in rush hour, doing 20+mph down Oxford Rd and through the curry mile, why am I risking my life more than riding my bike normally? Especially on a normal bike that has breaks?

Is it the red light jumping?

70 quid a day? Maybe for someone who's been at it for a while. As a beginner you'd be lucky to make £200 a week. You'll probably have to pay a percentage of that just to do the job (hire of uniform, PDA / radio, bag). Do do a mere 20 miles over eight hours (assuming that doesn't include walking up and down stairs etc) you'd have to be doing very little riding and a lot of sitting on your arse. For which I wouldn't expect to be paid £70.

Ben6899

Herbsman wrote:

willhub wrote:

well the guy who I was talking to rekoned 70 quid a day before tax and about 20 miles a day, I'd expect it'd probs be more than 20 miles a day.

But how is it more dangerous than riding normally? I ride through Manchester nearly every day, in rush hour, doing 20+mph down Oxford Rd and through the curry mile, why am I risking my life more than riding my bike normally? Especially on a normal bike that has breaks?

Is it the red light jumping?

70 quid a day? Maybe for someone who's been at it for a while. As a beginner you'd be lucky to make £200 a week. You'll probably have to pay a percentage of that just to do the job (hire of uniform, PDA / radio, bag). Do do a mere 20 miles over eight hours (assuming that doesn't include walking up and down stairs etc) you'd have to be doing very little riding and a lot of sitting on your ars*. For which I wouldn't expect to be paid £70.

Uniform?

pinno

willhub - have you got a driving license? you can always get a job with a driving agency.

Driver Hire
(0161) 683 4333

Fax: (0161) 683 8888
476 Broadway, Oldham, OL9 9NS

Sorry mate, don't get squashed under a truck.

pinno

And in Manchester, you got to watch out for bloody great potholes:

Herbsman

Ben6899 wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

willhub wrote:

well the guy who I was talking to rekoned 70 quid a day before tax and about 20 miles a day, I'd expect it'd probs be more than 20 miles a day.

But how is it more dangerous than riding normally? I ride through Manchester nearly every day, in rush hour, doing 20+mph down Oxford Rd and through the curry mile, why am I risking my life more than riding my bike normally? Especially on a normal bike that has breaks?

Is it the red light jumping?

70 quid a day? Maybe for someone who's been at it for a while. As a beginner you'd be lucky to make £200 a week. You'll probably have to pay a percentage of that just to do the job (hire of uniform, PDA / radio, bag). Do do a mere 20 miles over eight hours (assuming that doesn't include walking up and down stairs etc) you'd have to be doing very little riding and a lot of sitting on your ars*. For which I wouldn't expect to be paid £70.

Uniform?

Yes, uniform. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform

disgruntledgoat

It's like gazing to the future...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sF6Lnxl8ZA

Ben6899

Herbsman wrote:

Yes, uniform. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform

I know what a uniform is. But I can assure you, round these here parts at least, that cycle couriers don't wear them.

mididoctors

Ben6899 wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

Yes, uniform. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform

I know what a uniform is. But I can assure you, round these here parts at least, that cycle couriers don't wear them.

metro photographic used to have a pretty strict uniform code...

mididoctors

disgruntledgoat wrote:

It's like gazing to the future...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sF6Lnxl8ZA

tyres...nick smiley used to be a real courier working for Poste Haste but never wore the baggy shorts.

Baggy shorts came to London post 1994 after the CMWC94 held in the docklands... it was a transplanted fashion from toronto

Ben6899

mididoctors wrote:

metro photographic used to have a pretty strict uniform code...

Really? They must be a one off, then?

The only item, I generally see as 'uniform' among the cycle-courier fraternity, is a pair of black SPD Sidis. Everything else seems to vary wildly: baggies/tights, jacket/t-shirt, cap/helmet...

mididoctors

Ben6899 wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

metro photographic used to have a pretty strict uniform code...

Really?

no I just made that up to make myself seem more interesting

yes really

Ben6899

mididoctors wrote:

Ben6899 wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

metro photographic used to have a pretty strict uniform code...

Really?

no I just made that up to make myself seem more interesting
yes really

Well that happens a lot in here!

daviesee

Rolf F wrote:

And I'd assume you'd have to do it in London. Can't really imagine there is much of a market for cycle couriering outside the capital. And that means usually huge costs of living.

You would be assuming wrong - http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&gs_nf=1& ... 0&bih=1016

I hear that there are actually businesses in Leeds too.