Repair workshop

[mickle]

It's been tried and tried.

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

That's what I used to say, until a friend started making a good living at it: http://www.cyclorama.net/viewRetailer.php?id=320

 

[Angelfishsolo]

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.

Agreed.

 

[abo]

It's been tried and tried.

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

As a standalone it might struggle (not that I have any experience) but I wonder whether it could work as an extension of an existing LBS. They just stay in their shop doing the normal day-to-day stuff, punter phones up with a problem and one of the mechanics goes out in a van. If they can fix it at the cyclist's house/by the road/wherever then fine, if not they offer to take it back to the LBS and go from there.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

As a standalone it might struggle (not that I have any experience) but I wonder whether it could work as an extension of an existing LBS. They just stay in their shop doing the normal day-to-day stuff, punter phones up with a problem and one of the mechanics goes out in a van. If they can fix it at the cyclist's house/by the road/wherever then fine, if not they offer to take it back to the LBS and go from there.

Or as a franchise. A proactive arm of the bicycle equivalent of the AA

 

[calibanzwei]

I'd aim for any big business estates near you, they usually have some kind of bike user group and travel management plans incorporating a cycle scheme (I know, the other half does it) - you'll have a high instance of bike users and won't have to trawl to and from individuals business'.

 

[Zoiders]

That's what I used to say, until a friend started making a good living at it: http://www.cyclorama...iler.php?id=320

It's not quite the same thing though is it.

He had an established customer base first and local authority contacts so he has just gone from what he did before to being self employed in the same field. That's a lot of time money and effort thrown at the prep for having your own business over a very long time.

As a start up business it's still a hiding to nothing.

It's like when the dot-com bubble burst and all the graduates claimed they would retrain as plumbers to make "40k a year" - it might make sense on paper but in reality it's not that simple.

 

[mickle]

It's not quite the same thing though is it.

He had an established customer base first and local authority contacts so he has just gone from what he did before to being self employed in the same field. That's a lot of time money and effort thrown at the prep for having your own business over a very long time.

As a start up business it's still a hiding to nothing.

It's like when the dot-com bubble burst and all the graduates claimed they would retrain as plumbers to make "40k a year" - it might make sense on paper but in reality it's not that simple.

Gosh, you seem to know an awful lot about my friend Posh and his bicycle repair business.

 

[Zoiders]

Gosh, you seem to know an awful lot about my friend Posh and his bicycle repair business.

I know enough about the bicycle repair business if that matters so much to you.

Not quite sure why you feel the need to be rude and snidey about it.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Pulls up chair and picks up a bucket of popcorn

 

[calibanzwei]

Pulls up chair and picks up a bucket of popcorn

Seems to be the day for it

 

[mickle]

I know enough about the bicycle repair business if that matters so much to you.

Not quite sure why you feel the need to be rude and snidey about it.

I thought I was being quite polite actually. I could have said 'you are talking out of your arse', but I didn't.

 

[mickle]

Zoiders, are you claiming to have worked in the bicycle repair business? If so, for how long, and are you still employed in the bicycle repair business?

 

[Zoiders]

Zoiders, are you claiming to have worked in the bicycle repair business? If so, for how long, and are you still employed in the bicycle repair business?

Me?

I have been involved in my own time with a recycling project for about 6 years now on top of just the stuff we all learn along a way if we are keen enough, I turned down a mechanics job with one of the UK fabricators as it wasn't enough money, of course I don't feel the need to go on about this all the time and claim it as a position of authority as I am not an arrogant prick who uses it a stick to beat people with all the time - you trying to call people out on things like that all the time is rather odd.

I also know several other guys who have tried the mobile mechanic thing and it's been a hiding to nothing as a stand alone business without an existing customer base and workshop to operate from, or you find someone with more money to throw at it as vanity project will undercut you and make it not worth your while as my mate Ant found in Sheffield. Maybe in some areas if there is enough disposable income floating around it might work - but that's the exception and not the rule when it comes to the rest of the UK.

I am not sure what your problem is here, this is not P&L and no one is getting at you so I think you need to calm down a bit.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I actually find Mickel one of the calmest most level headed people on the forum. He just doesn't tolerate fools is all.

 

[mickle]

Me?

I have been involved in my own time with a recycling project for about 6 years now on top of just the stuff we all learn along a way if we are keen enough, I turned down a mechanics job with one of the UK fabricators as it wasn't enough money, of course I don't feel the need to go on about this all the time and claim it as a position of authority as I am not an arrogant prick who uses it a stick to beat people with all the time - you trying to call people out on things like that all the time is rather odd.

I also know several other guys who have tried the mobile mechanic thing and it's been a hiding to nothing as a stand alone business without an existing customer base and workshop to operate from, or you find someone with more money to throw at it as vanity project will undercut you and make it not worth your while as my mate Ant found in Sheffield. Maybe in some areas if there is enough disposable income floating around it might work - but that's the exception and not the rule when it comes to the rest of the UK.

I am not sure what your problem is here, this is not P&L and no one is getting at you so I think you need to calm down a bit.

Calm the eff down. I was simply asking what your bicycle industry experience was since you do, regularly, imply that you have some.

Now that I know that your bicycle industry experience amounts to 'about six years' of recycling work 'in your own time' I can give you the respect you deserve.

This is the point in the proceedings where I would usually be tempted to try to explain to you - with quotes and examples - that it is your regular, nay serial, pontifications on subjects about which you know bugger all which exposes you to critcism. I would like to help you come to the realisation that you wouldn't get called out all the time if you weren't such a bullshitter. But there's no point. So I wont.