Repair workshop

[Trevrev]

We've just had a guy drop some flyers off where i work, for his new mobile cycle repair workshop.
Seems like a good idea, not sure if it'll take off.
I won't be using him, i'm too tight!!!

 

[Vigilies]

It's an idea that I was thinking avout trying when I retire (voluntarily or otherwise) from my present job. So what do people think? Is it a goer?

BTW was he calling himself "Bicycle Repair Man" with a picture of him in a brown working coat?

 

[mr_cellophane]

BTW was he calling himself "Bicycle Repair Man" with a picture of him in a brown working coat?

You sure it wasn't a brown boiler suit ?

Just watched the video

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01xasUtlvw

The handlebars get a bit bent in the crash

 

[Trevrev]

BTW was he calling himself "Bicycle Repair Man" with a picture of him in a brown working coat?

He's calling himself, URGE cycle repairs. Nice big, sparkly new van, all nicely signaged up, and well kitted out for the job.
Can't work out if it'll be a goer or not. I do all my own repairs, as i'm sure most people on here do.

 

[Night Train]

There's a chap featured in this month's Velovision who is doing mobile bike repairs on a Burrows 8 Freight.
http://www.velovision.com/showStory.php?storynum=1178

 

[Zoiders]

It's been tried and tried.

It's a nice idea but you would make more money with a paper round.

 

[chillyuk]

It's been tried and tried.

It's a nice idea but you would make more money with a paper round.

This is probably the case with cyclists such as off here, but thinking about some of the repairs I help people around my area with and don't charge, there could be a market. Amazing how many people cannot mend a puncture or remove/fit a tyre, make simple adjustments to brakes and gears, and as for bottom bracket or headset, don't even go there. I do agree you wouldn't get rich doing it though.

 

[Zoiders]

This is probably the case with cyclists such as off here, but thinking about some of the repairs I help people around my area with and don't charge, there could be a market. Amazing how many people cannot mend a puncture or remove/fit a tyre, make simple adjustments to brakes and gears, and as for bottom bracket or headset, don't even go there. I do agree you wouldn't get rich doing it though.

There may be some trade, you might even be busy at times but you won't actually make money.

 

[jefmcg]

I used http://cycledelik.com a year + ago. As a commuter, it was very convenient. I didn't have to drop it off or pick it up, I was able to wander out and see how it was going, and it was generally better than a bike shop.

However, the service wasn't great (they never are, in my experience) and that was the last full service I will ever have. Since then, I've been slowly learning to fix it myself.

 

[eddiemee]

They used to have a similar thing (probably still do) for the staff at the hospitals in Oxford and Cambridge where a significant proportion of staff cycle. The van would pitch up once a month or so, and people could leave their bikes there in the morning and collect them good-as-new in the afternoon. Always seemed to be doing very good business there, though outside of Oxford, Cambridge and London it may be more difficult to find a good market.

 

[darth vadar]

It may just be a 'labour of love' for the guy. How do we know that he may just enjoy working on bikes regardless of the profit motive?

And don't forget, some people are very busy or can't be ar*ed, so it just might work.

Anybody doing anything with bikes should be applauded in my book.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

We got a mobile servicing workshop that turns up where I work to service and repair bikes while you are working.He is always busy on the day he is here. From what I have seen and heard he does a good job. I have never used him as to me servicing and repairing of my bikes is all part of my cycling.

 

[jeremy284]

It's an idea that I was thinking avout trying when I retire (voluntarily or otherwise) from my present job. So what do people think? Is it a goer?

BTW was he calling himself "Bicycle Repair Man" with a picture of him in a brown working coat?

When I used to work in Brentford in an office of 3000 desks there was a guy who was able to make a living out of visiting the site once a week. I'm sure if you were able to build a business with this many potential customers, each day of the week it would be quite sustainable. The question is how do you approach these sort of companies to offer your services? I would imagine many of them would have a sustainable transport liaison officer or such like. I hope this helps.

 

[jefmcg]

There may be some trade, you might even be busy at times but you won't actually make money.

Why do you think so? Surely the service departments of Halfords and Evans make a profit? And I visited Bicycle Workshop on the weekend, and they seemed to have a successful business model - almost all repair based. The mobile mechanic has way less overhead - some of them work out of a bicycle trailer, but even a van is a lot cheaper than real estate in Notting Hill, and you just need a garage, spare room or big yellow box to store stuff.

 

[cloggsy]

I know of a few mobile bike repair mechanics. They're cheaper than shops normally because they don't have the overheads, but boy do they rely on reputation (as do LBS's I guess?)

The mobile guy who came to service the fleet of mountain bikes where I work (School) had a really lucrative little job going, until he made a couple of really major balls ups... Haven't seen him again since!