How does one become a Bike Machanic?

[JGR]

8 - 10K for a good qualified and I mean qualified mechanic.Can be more with commissions

 

yip sounds better but as you eluded to - qualified. My younger brother is a crane mechanic (quite specalised) and he only gets about R10k without overtime (also in the EC)

[Caerus]

It costs about R30 000 to be trained as a mechanic with a City & Guilds qualification in the UK - 14 days and you're good enough to open your own workshop, apparently. A senior mechanic in the UK is expected to earn £18K.

[Shebeen]

And what do these guys get paid?

Curious....

ask Wendy

 

http://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/tax-matter-holds-up-machanik-case-1.1291882

[Johan Bornman]

I think the answer is that you simply call yourself a mechanic and away you go. There are no rules other than what the poor customer will tolerate.

 

I'd prefer to suggest what it takes to be a good mechanic.

 

1) You should be technically fluid. This is something that comes from years and years of making mistakes in your dad's workshop. You need to know how to hold a hammer, how to saw straight, how to judge whether a nail will split a piece of wood, learn a bit about screw threads, welding, epoxy usage, various metals and their characteristics, how to cut a thread, drill a hole, file straight, know how hydraulic systems work etc etc.You should have a good command of all basic tools which should include saws, files, ball-peen hammers, spanners, punches, knives and cutters; screwdrivers and other drivers. You must know the difference between a Torque Wrench and a Talking Wench.

 

2) You should understand basic science. No need to be an engineer but at least matric science. You must have a basic understanding of chemical reactions of metals, salts, water, inert materials, expansions, co-efficients of expansion, galvanic action, basic tribology and the dfifference between toughness, hardness, elasticity, maleability and yield. Basic forces such as compression, tension, torsion and shear should be no mystery.

 

3) You should be a cyclist.

 

4) You must be able to measure accurately and understand measurement errors such as parallax errors and percentage errors and,the limitations of your measuring instruments. You must own a vernier.

 

5) You must know the difference between Ale, Pale Ale, Weissbier and Stout. You must own a bottle opener.

 

6) Basic welding, brazing, screw cutting, driling and light machine will be a big bonus.

 

7) You must have an insatiable sense of curiosity. If it ain't broke, fix it. Be confident in your knowlege and ability and don't be shy to realise (out loud if necessary) that manufacturers perpetrate some very poor products on us from time to time.

 

8) Your skills must span all mechanical disciplines of cycling - wheelbuilding, hydraulic suspension repair, bike build, bike set-up and a triple degree in troubleshooting.

 

9) You must have experience on lots of bikes over many years. If you can tick off 101% of the above, I'd call you a good mechanic.

 

If yiou find this person, please send him/her my way. I usually get CVs where the most redeeming action is that the applicant is a non-smoker, of sober habit, a good Christian and claims a sub-6-hour Argus time. Even then, they smoke skelm.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Johan Bornman

['Dale]

@ J B

 

Post Of The Week!

 

Brilliant.

[awesme]

Johan

 

how does the space look at your next training, I got the date as some time in Oct, anything earlier?

 

G

 

I think the answer is that you simply call yourself a mechanic and away you go. There are no rules other than what the poor customer will tolerate.

 

I'd prefer to suggest what it takes to be a good mechanic.

 

1) You should be technically fluid. This is something that comes from years and years of making mistakes in your dad's workshop. You need to know how to hold a hammer, how to saw straight, how to judge whether a nail will split a piece of wood, learn a bit about screw threads, welding, epoxy usage, vatrious metals and their characteristics, how to cut a thread, drill a hole, file straight, know how hydraulic systems work etc etc.You should have a good command of all basic tools which should include saws, files, ball-peen hammers, spanners, punches, knives and cutters; screwdrivers and other drivers. You must know the difference between a Torque Wrench and a Talk Wench.

 

2) You should understand basic science. No need to be an engineer but at least matric science. You must have a basic understanding of chemical reactions of metals, salts, water, inert materials, expansions, co-efficients of expansion, galvanic action, basic tribology and the dfifference between toughness, hardness, elasticity, maleability and yield. Basic forces such as compression, tension, torsion and shear should be no mystery.

 

3) You should be a cyclist.

 

4) You must be able to measure accurately and understand measurement errors such as parallax errors and percentage errors and,the limitations of your measuring instruments. You must own a vernier.

 

5) You must know the difference between Ale, Pale Ale, Wiesbier and Stout. You must own a bottle opener.

 

6) Basic welding, brazing, screw cutting, driling and light machine will be a big bonus.

 

7) You must have an insatiable sense of curiosity. If it ain't broke, fix it. Be confident in your knowlege and ability and don't be shy to realise (out loud if necessary) that manufacturers perpetrate some very poor products on us from time to time.

 

8) Your skills must span all mechanical disciplines of cycling - wheelbuilding, hydraulic suspension repair, bike build, bike set-up and a triple degree in troubleshooting.

 

9) You must have experience on lots of bikes over many years. If you can tick off 101% of the above, I'd call you a good mechanic.

 

If yiou find this person, please send him/her my way. I usually get CVs where the most redeeming action is that the applicant is a non-smoker, of sober habit, a good Christian and claims a sub-6-hour Argus time. Even then, they smoke skelm.

[Johan Bornman]

Johan

 

how does the space look at your next training, I got the date as some time in Oct, anything earlier?

 

G

 

Next one with space (in Jhb) is end-August. One space left.

I'm planning to come to Cape Town in Septermber. Plenty space left 'cause I haven't advertised it or made up my mind about the exact date yet.

[awesme]

Johan

 

Jhb Space is mine please, will email you offline quickly, lets get it officialized...

 

G

 

Next one with space (in Jhb) is end-August. One space left.

I'm planning to come to Cape Town in Septermber. Plenty space left 'cause I haven't advertised it or made up my mind about the exact date yet.

[JA-Q001]

Johan, I'm your man!

(Although I have a degree in mechanical engineering, have been cycling for 14 years and only once handed my own bike to a shop for a service. I could already at 14 notice that most mechanics at a bike shop knows diddly squat about ixing a bike properly)

[Dealer01]

I think the answer is that you simply call yourself a mechanic and away you go. There are no rules other than what the poor customer will tolerate.

 

I'd prefer to suggest what it takes to be a good mechanic.

 

1) You should be technically fluid. This is something that comes from years and years of making mistakes in your dad's workshop. You need to know how to hold a hammer, how to saw straight, how to judge whether a nail will split a piece of wood, learn a bit about screw threads, welding, epoxy usage, various metals and their characteristics, how to cut a thread, drill a hole, file straight, know how hydraulic systems work etc etc.You should have a good command of all basic tools which should include saws, files, ball-peen hammers, spanners, punches, knives and cutters; screwdrivers and other drivers. You must know the difference between a Torque Wrench and a Talking Wench.

 

2) You should understand basic science. No need to be an engineer but at least matric science. You must have a basic understanding of chemical reactions of metals, salts, water, inert materials, expansions, co-efficients of expansion, galvanic action, basic tribology and the dfifference between toughness, hardness, elasticity, maleability and yield. Basic forces such as compression, tension, torsion and shear should be no mystery.

 

3) You should be a cyclist.

 

4) You must be able to measure accurately and understand measurement errors such as parallax errors and percentage errors and,the limitations of your measuring instruments. You must own a vernier.

 

5) You must know the difference between Ale, Pale Ale, Weissbier and Stout. You must own a bottle opener.

 

6) Basic welding, brazing, screw cutting, driling and light machine will be a big bonus.

 

7) You must have an insatiable sense of curiosity. If it ain't broke, fix it. Be confident in your knowlege and ability and don't be shy to realise (out loud if necessary) that manufacturers perpetrate some very poor products on us from time to time.

 

8) Your skills must span all mechanical disciplines of cycling - wheelbuilding, hydraulic suspension repair, bike build, bike set-up and a triple degree in troubleshooting.

 

9) You must have experience on lots of bikes over many years. If you can tick off 101% of the above, I'd call you a good mechanic.

 

If yiou find this person, please send him/her my way. I usually get CVs where the most redeeming action is that the applicant is a non-smoker, of sober habit, a good Christian and claims a sub-6-hour Argus time. Even then, they smoke skelm.

 

How much do you pay someone like that JB?

[Coenie]

Next one with space (in Jhb) is end-August. One space left.

I'm planning to come to Cape Town in Septermber. Plenty space left 'cause I haven't advertised it or made up my mind about the exact date yet.

 

Hi Johan

 

Please can you keep me updated on this planned Cape Town course. I was considering flying up to do a course, but if you are coming down here, it would fit me better.