Mobile Bike Mechanic

mattmarsden78

So I am thinking of setting up a business but am at a very early stage. I thought I would start off by finding out to see if there is a market for it.

The idea is as it says above, a Mobile Cycle Mechanic offering pick ups and drop off of bikes from home or workplace, performing a full range of cycle maintenance from minor serving to full overhauls and pro bike fitting services etc. n addition, I would offer my services to businesses to service their bikes and their employees bikes with the employer paying the labour and the employee paying for parts. Basically, I will come to you at a time convenient to you to sort out your bike, rather than you having to find the time to drop off the bike at the shop.

So, simple questions...
1. Would you use this service?
2. Why would you use this service over a conventional bike shop? or
3. Why would you use the conventional bike shop instead of this service?
4. What additional services would you like to see?

Thank you for taking the time..

cooldad

1 - No.
2,3,4 - N/A

bennett_346

I think you'll find most people on here will say they wouldn't use it, because most active members here are pretty clued up on their own maintenance.

You might be better off asking in the beginners section or on websites not dedicated to cycling but with an off topic forum. Then you could guage interest from people who rarely ride their bikes but can't service them on their own.

I know several people who ride about once per month but take their bike to a shop every month because they can't tune the gears etc on their own.

supersonic

1. Possibly. What is the full itenary of services? Can you chase the threads on my bottom bracket? Ream out the seat tube? Rebuild a wheel? Face the headtube? Service the forks and fit new bushes?

2. I don't have all these tools as above. If you do, and can beat the price of my LBS then I would consider.

3. As above. What can you do?

4. As above.

bluechair84

As Bennett says, you're asking people who can build bikes from the gorund up. I myself even recondition my bearings to extend their lifespan. The only times I need to send the bikes to an LBS are when there are expensive tools involved - all the things Sonic points out. If I could afford the tools, I'd do them jobs myself too.
Where a mobile mechanic will have a market would be near the trails, repairing bikes so people can continue their ride. Out in the Alps, there's a mobile mechanic above chatel that works out of a van, right in the basin of the bike park. Because riders are a hella long way from any shop, he has your options in a choke hold. And believe me, his prices reflect this! The hundreds of riders in the valley looked to keep him very busy too.
Now, you're going to struggle to find a perfect spot like that in the UK, Lee Quarry springs to mind but it isn't exactly the busiest place. Antor Stiniog is destructive to bikes and there's no LBS there. People would appreciate a van of goodies to stop a mechanical from ruining their day. But again, it's seasonal work and might not have enough trade to make a business out of. Innerleithan (a busy place) I don't think has a bike shop, but it's around the corner from The Hub at Glentress. Style Cop (Cannock) or Chicsands maybe? There are carparks right next to both these bike parks where you could potential set up. If you were planning on being in a city and helping people out as they call you, your market is bikes that aren't put under much hardship. Mechanicals aren't particallarly frequent on commuter bikes that only see long flat dry tarmac in the summer months. And busy cycling places like Cambridge have loads of mechanics; on the markets, in cellars, in proper shops... I bet there are mobile mechnics scraping a living too.
Why not jump ship and hit an uplift park in Europe somewhere - at least for the summer period? Enjoy the sun, enjoy the trails yourself, and potentially have considerably more trade?
As with any business - it's going to be your location which makes or breaks this idea. Find the perfect spot and get in there before someone else does and you could make a business. I don't think the UK has a location busy enough to warrant a mobile mechnic though.

thekickingmule

bluechair84 wrote:

Now, you're going to struggle to find a perfect spot like that in the UK, Lee Quarry springs to mind but it isn't exactly the busiest place. Antor Stiniog is destructive to bikes and there's no LBS there. People would appreciate a van of goodies to stop a mechanical from ruining their day. But again, it's seasonal work and might not have enough trade to make a business out of.

As you say, Lee Quarry doesn't get enough footfall to warrant this, and if I had a mechanical there (which I have), I'd just pack up and go home rather than spend stupid money just to climb back up the hill to play a little longer. Please don't say that about Antor, I'm going there in a couple of weeks! Can't afford any more breakages :twisted:

I echo everyone's thoughts on here. You're asking the wrong people and I don't think it would work. You could ask local businesses if they have staff that would be interested, but very few businesses would pay you for labour. Most employees don't care how their staff get to work, as long as they're there!
As Bluechair said, location is everything, sadly I don't think the UK is the right place.

The Rookie

Depends on how you target your business, there is a mobile mechanic local to me, he goes round the local Uni's and colleges, having a drop in day at each once a fortnight, he doesn't carry the major tools listed but can fix up the BSO's or borderline BSO's mostly on the spot, he's conveniant and gets a lot of passing trade, bigger jobs he takes the bikes away, he also does home vists by apointment.

bluechair84

thekickingmule wrote:

Please don't say that about Antor, I'm going there in a couple of weeks! Can't afford any more breakages :twisted:

Twisted my Flow, ripped off my chainguide, burnt through a set of pads, lost all pressure out of my Lyriks on one run BUT, I fixed everything there and then, only missed a few runs. Lesson learnt: Take the Socom next time!

thekickingmule

I'm going to give my Blender and Pikes their first real beating! I'm hoping it can stand up to the abuse. Of course, if it can't, that just helps m equation of n+1....

EH_Rob

your blender looks fit. ive got a mate with one and his is a proper scabby thing, nice to see a well kept one. you'll do well to break it, they're pretty built.

in reference to the OP, id echo what has already been said. other than wheel building and rear shock servicing i do everything myself so wouldn't use such a service. i reckon there are people who might though, the difficult bit is figuring out how best to reach them with a) the service itself b) marketing.

there are a number of services similar to the one you're proposing in Edinburgh already - the bike station used to (and possibly still do) a service whereby they come to your office with a van to do basic maintanence. they also have workbenches and tools for hire at their premises. there is also a service called grease monkey, who come and pick your bike up and drop it off when its been worked on. and a new workshop just popped up in stockbridge.

maybe worth talking to some of them? maybe also worth doing some research to see what the competition is near you.

GT_Dave

I have a mate in North Yorkshire who is a bike mechanic and he does extremely well!

I think the people who have replied so far are an exception to the rule here, I have built several bikes but I have required some professional assistance with each one.

Your average cyclist cant and wont even attempt to service forks, bleed brakes etc but there are the odd few who will (Who all happen to be members of Bike radar!)

There are millions of cyclists out there who dont appear on cycling forums who use local bike shops/mobile mechanics etc you just need to tap in to the market!

Best of luck mate, just hope youre not setting up Oop North or he will break your legs

mattmarsden78

Lol. Well at least the the replies ended on a positive one. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Im a roadie so interesting to get the MTB riders POV. Also very interesting to see the contrasting comments between the Road and MTB forums.

GT_Dave, funnily enough I am up Norf! Can you PM me where he is based? It might be a good idea to have a contact to refer customers to during busy periods and to know someone else who may be a better located for a particular customer.

Thanks again all

bennett_346

So you want him to hand over business to you for nothing?

cooldad

No, he wants to effectively 'partner' up. It's quite common in business, with or without a kickback.
As you'll find out when you finish wasting my taxes and get a job.

bennett_346

But i love every minute of wasting your taxes.

supersonic

mattmarsden78 wrote:

Lol. Well at least the the replies ended on a positive one. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Im a roadie so interesting to get the MTB riders POV. Also very interesting to see the contrasting comments between the Road and MTB forums.

GT_Dave, funnily enough I am up Norf! Can you PM me where he is based? It might be a good idea to have a contact to refer customers to during busy periods and to know someone else who may be a better located for a particular customer.

Thanks again all

All the replies seem positive to me. It is about where and who you pitch your business at. I only use the LBS when I don't have the tools.

Woodmonkey

We're looking at it from mountain bike point of view, theres loads of road/ sportive events it would be worth turning up at to sell some consumables and give some cards out

SteveH28

Could you give out cards to LBS and have a sign made for your car/van and try out the business while doing your current job?
If you get good results then go for it, if not then youve only lost a couple of quid in advertising.
Maybe spend a day or two in car parks of industrial estates or city centres see how many cyclist commuters are near you then a day or two at local trail centres or such like, see what response you get there. In your car/van with signs over it of course.
I would also pop into LBS and just see how much business they get for repair work and see whether they think it could work too. Go to cheap bike shops as well as 'brand' ones too.

EH_Rob

if i owned an lbs i doubt id be interested in promoting other methods of getting your bike serviced.

GT_Dave

mattmarsden78 wrote:

Lol. Well at least the the replies ended on a positive one. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Im a roadie so interesting to get the MTB riders POV. Also very interesting to see the contrasting comments between the Road and MTB forums.

GT_Dave, funnily enough I am up Norf! Can you PM me where he is based? It might be a good idea to have a contact to refer customers to during busy periods and to know someone else who may be a better located for a particular customer.

Thanks again all

PM sent Mate

97th choice

I'd guess that for every oddball on here with a fully functioning toolset there are 10 mtbers without a clue.

But the basic premis that you have to offer useful services and be competitive against lbs workshops still stands.

Jolly Swagman

If you pick your market right, and market yourself properly you will do fine. I turned a hobby into a business that way. As for bikes I can do my own stuff but sometimes if it needs special tools or I am just lazy/too busy with other work then being able to ring someone up and have them come do it would be a great option for me.

Of course I could always buy this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Park-Tool-MK2 ... 429wt_1345

Good luck.

paul.skibum

I considered this as a possibility in London - get a bike with a trailer and tool round all the big offices offering a service to the day bikers at all those offices - my thoughts were liability insurance costs, how much you could do in a day and what spares you could carry.

I figured the cost outlay to get started might be hard to recover!