Cytech Courses and Working in a Bike Shop

drewesq

Hi all

just wanting to try to get a feeling about working in the bike industry. I am considering a career change and working in a bike shop really appeals, but wondered if it was a bit of a cliche?

I have various reasons to want to change career, mainly because I changed career from hotel management to IT about 8 years ago because it suited my lifestyle at the time, sadly though I was never really that interested.

I now find myself with a bit of money saved up so I figured I could do a job that I would be genuinely passionate about and a job in a bike shop with a mix of customer service and mechanics would mean I could actually look forward to going to work!

So, I have signed up for the level 1 Cytech course (already done theory) and plan to carry on in current role until june next year when I'll take some time out and do the Cytech level 2 course.

A friend though suggested that the Cytech courses are a waste of time and experience is what counts, which I understand, but I feel like I would benefit from the courses and would also show any potential new employer that I was serious about my career change.

Hopefully there are some members on here who work in bike shops and can maybe give me an idea of what it's like, what I could expect to earn etc?

Thanks a lot

A

StillGoing

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

drewesq

philthy3 wrote:

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

Thanks, I only really have basic experience - I have removed and regreased the BB on my MTB, but changed chainrings, RDs, cassettes, gear cables and bar tape on my cross bike. I wouldn't be confident now to be able to work in a BS.

I appreciate that people say the money is poor, but it would be useful if it could be quantified... is £18 -£20k a year likely? Ultimately I'm not changing career for money but for interest, that being said I still have mortgage/bills to pay!

First.Aspect

drewesq wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

Thanks, I only really have basic experience - I have removed and regreased the BB on my MTB, but changed chainrings, RDs, cassettes, gear cables and bar tape on my cross bike. I wouldn't be confident now to be able to work in a BS.

I appreciate that people say the money is poor, but it would be useful if it could be quantified... is £18 -£20k a year likely? Ultimately I'm not changing career for money but for interest, that being said I still have mortgage/bills to pay!

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.g ... hanic.aspx

drewesq

First Aspect wrote:

drewesq wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

Thanks, I only really have basic experience - I have removed and regreased the BB on my MTB, but changed chainrings, RDs, cassettes, gear cables and bar tape on my cross bike. I wouldn't be confident now to be able to work in a BS.

I appreciate that people say the money is poor, but it would be useful if it could be quantified... is £18 -£20k a year likely? Ultimately I'm not changing career for money but for interest, that being said I still have mortgage/bills to pay!

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.g ... hanic.aspx

Excellent, thanks. So anything from £13k - £25k! I think I saw that site before, but I was really after real world scenarios from people on here that work in a shop already....

First.Aspect

drewesq wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

drewesq wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

Thanks, I only really have basic experience - I have removed and regreased the BB on my MTB, but changed chainrings, RDs, cassettes, gear cables and bar tape on my cross bike. I wouldn't be confident now to be able to work in a BS.

I appreciate that people say the money is poor, but it would be useful if it could be quantified... is £18 -£20k a year likely? Ultimately I'm not changing career for money but for interest, that being said I still have mortgage/bills to pay!

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.g ... hanic.aspx

Excellent, thanks. So anything from £13k - £25k! I think I saw that site before, but I was really after real world scenarios from people on here that work in a shop already....

I'd say real world would be nearer the £13k mark to be perfectly honest.

StillGoing

drewesq wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

drewesq wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Personal view is they are a waste of money, just to get a piece of paper that says you've done a course if you already know how to do things. You may well learn a few things you didn't know or couldn't learn from You Tube videos, but hardly worth the expense if you're experienced but have no written qualification. It also depends which qualification the bike shop recognizes; Cytech or C and G which Bike Inn do/did. You might be better off doing some "voluntary" hours in the LBS so they can see that you know what you're doing. Eventually, if a vacancy comes up, you might be in a position to apply. Bear in mind though that the hours are long and the wages poor.

Thanks, I only really have basic experience - I have removed and regreased the BB on my MTB, but changed chainrings, RDs, cassettes, gear cables and bar tape on my cross bike. I wouldn't be confident now to be able to work in a BS.

I appreciate that people say the money is poor, but it would be useful if it could be quantified... is £18 -£20k a year likely? Ultimately I'm not changing career for money but for interest, that being said I still have mortgage/bills to pay!

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.g ... hanic.aspx

Excellent, thanks. So anything from £13k - £25k! I think I saw that site before, but I was really after real world scenarios from people on here that work in a shop already....

Plenty of LBS mechanics never obtained a formal qualification. They invariably worked their way in by anything from helping out occasionally to being known to the owners as someone that can do what was required. I don't think anyone at the best LBS around here has a formal qualification. After all, bikes aren't rocket science and most jobs are dull routine stuff. You might get jobs where you have a problem figuring out what the customer did to create the problem and want to educate them, but other than that, there's nothing to tax the brain.

ugo.santalucia

It's not a career... it was in the days when you would then open your own shop, but these days independent shops that succeed are very few... you'd be better off churning a decent cappuccino, there is more money to be made in a cycling cafe'. I think you'd be better off going the wheel building or even better frame building route. The money is similar, but you don't have to work as a slave and there is a lot more job satisfaction than fixing punctures and replacing brake pads. If you have a garage or a decent shed you virtually have zero costs too, other than tooling. Both industries are not regulated, so you don't even need to pay money for a worthless piece of paper

drewesq

ugo.santalucia wrote:

It's not a career... it was in the days when you would then open your own shop, but these days independent shops that succeed are very few... you'd be better off churning a decent cappuccino, there is more money to be made in a cycling cafe'. I think you'd be better off going the wheel building or even better frame building route. The money is similar, but you don't have to work as a slave and there is a lot more job satisfaction than fixing punctures and replacing brake pads. If you have a garage or a decent shed you virtually have zero costs too, other than tooling. Both industries are not regulated, so you don't even need to pay money for a worthless piece of paper

Wow, all pretty negative stuff but I guess I did ask for real world!!

Maybe I'll go ahead and do it for a year to see how it is and what opportunities arise, I can always go back to IT after a year of it doesn't work out, but at least I'll be able to fix my own bikes!!

ugo.santalucia

drewesq wrote:

Wow, all pretty negative stuff but I guess I did ask for real world!!

Maybe I'll go ahead and do it for a year to see how it is and what opportunities arise, I can always go back to IT after a year of it doesn't work out, but at least I'll be able to fix my own bikes!!

I understand the appeal of doing something manual rather than pressing keys staring at a screen. If you don't mind a frugal lifestyle, it might even pay dividends. Ideally you'd want to be in a place where you can grow as a mechanic with very experienced people... somewhere like Condor cycles or Sigma sport, rather than Evans cycles or Halfords.

drewesq

ugo.santalucia wrote:

drewesq wrote:

Wow, all pretty negative stuff but I guess I did ask for real world!!

Maybe I'll go ahead and do it for a year to see how it is and what opportunities arise, I can always go back to IT after a year of it doesn't work out, but at least I'll be able to fix my own bikes!!

I understand the appeal of doing something manual rather than pressing keys staring at a screen. If you don't mind a frugal lifestyle, it might even pay dividends. Ideally you'd want to be in a place where you can grow as a mechanic with very experienced people... somewhere like Condor cycles or Sigma sport, rather than Evans cycles or Halfords.

I'm already living that frugal lifestyle because I'm saving so hard at the moment to afford me the summer off next year and give me some security for a job switch.

My plan was to work in one of the independent shops where I live rather than a chain like Halfords or Evans.

I'm still excited about it even if the pay sucks!

hucko003

Hi there,

I work in a bike shop part-time and have done so for the past 2 years now. I'm not a Mechanic / Bike Builder but I have taken the time to learn how to do bike mechanics and am fairly confident on some jobs. I find working in a bike shop great fun and rewarding, there is great camaraderie with the staff and if you like bikes, which it seems as if you do, then it is a great environment and of course, staff discount schemes. However for a full-time job, you might find it menial and you will undoubtedly have to deal with some difficult customers and most of the bikes that you will probably work on won't be top-end ones and the pay isn't great. You'll be looking at around the £16k mark I would expect and there isn't really anyway of working your way up. But in my circumstances working there part-time whilst studying, it's a perfect job and one that I will be very sad when I have to leave.

ugo.santalucia

hucko003 wrote:

Hi there,

I work in a bike shop part-time and have done so for the past 2 years now. I'm not a Mechanic / Bike Builder but I have taken the time to learn how to do bike mechanics and am fairly confident on some jobs. I find working in a bike shop great fun and rewarding, there is great camaraderie with the staff and if you like bikes, which it seems as if you do, then it is a great environment and of course, staff discount schemes. However for a full-time job, you might find it menial and you will undoubtedly have to deal with some difficult customers and most of the bikes that you will probably work on won't be top-end ones and the pay isn't great. You'll be looking at around the £16k mark I would expect and there isn't really anyway of working your way up. But in my circumstances working there part-time whilst studying, it's a perfect job and one that I will be very sad when I have to leave.

at least you are not surrounded by property obsessed tories... that is priceless!

StillGoing

Can you post anywhere without bringing your personal politics into it? :roll:

drewesq

This is all good stuff, thanks for your replies!

I have decided that the best thing to do would be to try to get a job at a LBS on Saturday mornings. This will enable me to expand my mechanical experience and give me a taste of what it would be like to work in one full time!

It may also negate the need for me to do my level 2 Cytech, and, as you say there is the staff discounts!!

Seems like the perfect solution, now just need to convince a shop to take me on!

shipley

Another thought is to get the Cytech 'swimming badges' which give you credibility, and create your own business as a mobile mechanic. There is a guy around here doing that, offered discounts to both the local tri club and 2 x cycling clubs - made himself very visible on social media and is doing really well for himself.

He too was chained to the IT lifestyle and hated it and is a very happy man.

kingrollo

I considered this when I was a stressed out IT manager - sadly I couldn't support a house and a couple of kids on those wages.

I did quit IT - a move I never regretted - horrible industry.

kingrollo

I considered this when I was a stressed out IT manager - sadly I couldn't support a house and a couple of kids on those wages.

I did quit IT - a move I never regretted - horrible industry.

AK_jnr

Fair play to you. On a related job change note I finally decided to change career this year at 28. Potentially halving my wages if not more to be a PT but just doing the courses has given me a new lease of life.

StillGoing

I changed careers at 52. I retired. Bliss.

spankwilder

If you're enthusiastic about it, you'll get a job fairly easily. Workshop roles at a guess vary between 14-15k for a mechanic, 16-20k for a senior mechanic/manager. Add a bit for London. Cytech courses will be desirable, although most places won't really care as it'll give them an excuse to pay you 'dick' while you've no quals. Providing they want to keep you, you'll probably get the courses as part of the role.

mallorcajeff

The wages are shocking and i think youll find in a list of wages for a job last time i looked it was actually the lowest job on the list. I have done it when working abroad albeit it not for that long and not for a great company and the money wasnt great. That said we had a laugh now and again but working in your hobby is something i woukd never do again.

I changed career a got a proer job and now im 40 morgage free and am ashamed to say vastly overpaid for what i do but i do enjoy my job now as its interesting. Im working another 5-6 years then calling it a day and then going back to live in spain and go cycling.

Go for it as its better to have a go and regret it than to not have bothered. I regretted spending 11 years living in spain but when i think back to all things i did, i wouldnt change it for the world. Its not all about money, if you have enough then thats enough. The uk is very money focussed but when you live abroad its not as important as people in the uk seem to be as obsessed with it.

Give it a go i would say £15k a year over here.

giropaul

ugo.santalucia wrote:

hucko003 wrote:

Hi there,

I work in a bike shop part-time and have done so for the past 2 years now. I'm not a Mechanic / Bike Builder but I have taken the time to learn how to do bike mechanics and am fairly confident on some jobs. I find working in a bike shop great fun and rewarding, there is great camaraderie with the staff and if you like bikes, which it seems as if you do, then it is a great environment and of course, staff discount schemes. However for a full-time job, you might find it menial and you will undoubtedly have to deal with some difficult customers and most of the bikes that you will probably work on won't be top-end ones and the pay isn't great. You'll be looking at around the £16k mark I would expect and there isn't really anyway of working your way up. But in my circumstances working there part-time whilst studying, it's a perfect job and one that I will be very sad when I have to leave.

at least you are not surrounded by property obsessed tories... that is priceless!

My observation is that where bike shops still exist, it's the bankers and similar who keep them going - but they do bring their own expectations from other service sectors.