I called myself a bicycle mechanic the other day...

[outskirtscustoms]

I just say I have worked on bikes for 20+ years. .

it shows.. :wink:

Thanks. I wish I'd have taken more pictures along the way. Some of my earlier ones before I found this site were really cool. (When I had a garage and a welder and tools instead of a small shed and a few basic hand tools)

 

[outskirtscustoms]

This is America, it's your right as a free American to call yourself whatever you like.

Try calling yourself a doctor, lawyer, police officer, airline pilot, college proffessor, etc. and see how that works out for you..... :?
Just flash that Detective's badge and say "Its OK, this is America." :shock:

Oh that's nothing, I was the President of the United States! (5th grade school play) :mrgreen:

 

[Terry66]

This is America, it's your right as a free American to call yourself whatever you like.

Try calling yourself a doctor, lawyer, police officer, airline pilot, college proffessor, etc. and see how that works out for you..... :?
Just flash that Detective's badge and say "Its OK, this is America." :shock:

I've done all those things.

Yeah, me too....especially when I was single... :shock:

 

[yoothgeye]

Great, now I need a time machine.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

just curious, how much liability insurance are you carrying since you are "fixing" bikes for other people and the general public..

As soon as the reflector disappears from sight, warranty is over :lol:

 

[yoothgeye]

just curious, how much liability insurance are you carrying since you are "fixing" bikes for other people and the general public..

How many times have you had customers come back to you with a pending lawsuit over a bicycle failure? Not sarcastic, just curious.

I know things happen, but I'm not fixing tri bikes. haha I will not take the brakes off of kids bike, they ask me to all the time and I refuse. I ask them why they want them off and explain why it's stupid (without using the word stupid). When they come back to me having removed the brakes themselves and usually doing away with "gyro" parts and have loose bearings in their headset, I will tighten them up for them. I don't patch tubes, only give them tubes without holes and replace their tires when theirs are skint. I clean and properly install grips that are slipping or coming off. I replace broken parts that are already dangerous. I don't "build" any specialty bikes for kids (swing bikes, tall bikes, they see mine and want one too). Since there is no bicycle shop for 50 miles, the parents are just grateful I am keeping their kids junk Walmart and ordered online Danscomp bikes riding.

 

[user 135]

..... sometimes I think life would be easier if I were selfish, but I just can't wrap my brain around it.

My guess most people are grateful for the service that Justin provides. I would say he is the best Volunteer bike mechanic that RoRap(Roanoake Rapids) has seen.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=54939&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

 

[yoothgeye]

..... sometimes I think life would be easier if I were selfish, but I just can't wrap my brain around it.

My guess most people are grateful for the service that Justin provides. I would say he is the best Volunteer bike mechanic that RoRap(Roanoake Rapids) has seen.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=54939&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Thanks cman (I also get the "best Volunteer bike mechanic that RoRap has" joke).

Seems like there are a lot of definitions, I was just wondering if anyone calls themselves a mechanic based on knowledge and know-how, not on classes and such. I'm sure many of you have seen an official "bicycle mechanic" at a bike shop who you thought was a bit clueless or under qualified.

So, I did what I should have done in the first post, I googled it:

A mechanic is a tradesman, craftsman, or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery. Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics (millwrights), air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, aircraft mechanics, diesel mechanics, and tank mechanics in the armed services. Auto mechanics, for example, have many trades within. Some may specialize in the electrical aspects, while others may specialize in the mechanical aspects. Other areas include: brakes and steering, automatic or standard transmission, engine repairs or diagnosing customer complaints. An auto technician has a wide variety of topics to study. A mechanic is typically certified by a trade association or regional government power.

That last sentence there tells me that I'll always just be someone who likes to mess with bikes, though I do feel too many people have been classified a mechanic too easily just by getting a job at a garage.

Wiki also has a page on bicycle mechanics, I think I'll go read it now, maybe I'll learn something. I learn more and more about bicycles everyday, mostly from this website, I'm relatively new at this and all you guys I'm getting advice from, you're all bicycle mechanics in my book... there, it's official. :mrgreen:

 

[jerrykr]

"An auto technician has a wide variety of topics to study".

I think you should go ahead and step up to "bicycle technician"!

If you can't convience 'em confuse 'em!

(just kidding of course)

 

[mikeeebikey]

Mom said you can pretend to be whoever you want as long as your chores are done :mrgreen:

 

[CCR]

just curious, how much liability insurance are you carrying since you are "fixing" bikes for other people and the general public..

Are you saying you need to have a certificate ($2000 @ UBI and 11 days) and insurance to be a mechanic ? In Illinois, standard liability insurance is $50 a month. Experience is always better than a certificate in my opinion (though a certificate may be necessary to get a job in other areas) I don't know of any bike shops that require you to have a certificate. They just want someone who can work on their own reliably or be able to train them what they want done and how to do it right.



From the U.B.I. website

"Professional Repair and Shop Operation

...

Prerequisites: None - this is an entry level class."

I can see how someone who actually obtains a certificate is showing a lot more dedication to fixing bikes though than the average guy in a bike shop.

 

[CCR]

...
I can see that someone who's livelihood is doing any given profession, that they don't want to share the same credentials with a backyard neighborhood bike fixer-upper.

I think you just said it best, someone who does it for a living doesn't want to be lumped in with all the diy guys, there's a lot more on the line. Obviously the term will meen more to someone that takes it as seriously as paying his bills by doing it than someone who does it for fun.

 

[CCR]

If that is aimed at my post CeeBee, I'm not trying to trivialize the efforts made by Smoopy, he runs a business, builds awesome stuff I have seen myself and obviously knows what he is doing. I have nothing but respect for a guy that can make a living as he does and I'm sure he has earned every bit of what he has accomplished. When anyone says you need a certificate to be able to casually call yourself a bicycle mechanic, I don't think it is as simple or as complicated as what we seem to be making it. If I have offended anyone, I apologize, just throwing out my opinion. :wink:

 

[yoothgeye]

I also see that this Youthguy doesn't take constructive criticism very well as he answers with smart butt comments..just my opinion and observation though

Then you are obviously reading my posts incorrectly. We don't know each other, you can go read my introduction in the intro forum, can you post one for yourself in there?

 

[deorman]

While I do plenty of mechanic's work at my job, and am considered the company "mechanic", I am not a "mechanic".

Certified bicycle mechanic/repairman=Smoopy.
Professional bicycle mechanic/repairman=Smoopy.
Bicycle mechanic/Bicycle repairman=sorry, still Smoopy, imo, though I would extend it to include anyone with experience successfully employed as such.
Shade tree bicycle mechanic/repairman=Yoothguy and 98% of the other members on here, including me (and sometimes pro's like Smoopy :wink: ).
Amatuer bicycle mechanic/repairman= Sorry Smoop, you and some of other guys just don't make the cut. :| :? :lol:

Of course, opinions are like bicycles. Almost everyone here has one. :mrgreen:

 

[yoothgeye]

While I do plenty of mechanic's work at my job, and am considered the company "mechanic", I am not a "mechanic".

Certified bicycle mechanic/repairman=Smoopy.
Professional bicycle mechanic/repairman=Smoopy.
Bicycle mechanic/Bicycle repairman=sorry, still Smoopy, imo, though I would extend it to include anyone with experience successfully employed as such.
Shade tree bicycle mechanic/repairman=Yoothguy and 98% of the other members on here, including me (and sometimes pro's like Smoopy :wink: ).
Amatuer bicycle mechanic/repairman= Sorry Smoop, you and some of other guys just don't make the cut. :| :? :lol:

Of course, opinions are like bicycles. Almost everyone here has one. :mrgreen:

I agree with Deorman... I tend to agree with most people taller than me.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

I worked at a bike shop professionally for 6 months, I don't consider myself a bicycle mechanic, I worked alongside a certified mechanic and learned alot while working there, the difference between me and my coworker, I have a passion for bicycles, to him it was just a job, not saying thats the way with all bike mechanics but like the old stereotype the mechanics cars are always the ones that need repair. Smoopy does impressive work, and I know he has a passion for what he does and it shows. Youthgeye also has talent and a heart for his community, nothing wrong with that, when you help people its the chance you take, but unless your altering a frame or doing something crazy for someone else, myself I wouldn't live in fear. For instance you send your kids on a mission trip to build a house, do they have a contractors license ?
Just my opinion, take it as you will :|

 

[yoothgeye]

Yeah, I totally agree with you GoldStreet, and I'm still not worried about the repairs I do around here, I've got Faith insurance.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Ok, so Bicycle MECHANIC = Smoopy
All the rest of us are just "bicycle grease monkeys" :mrgreen:

 

[Walker]

not me I'm Barnett's Bicycle Institute Certified Must be some other's here that have been through formal training/instruction