How to become a bike mechanic?

Try volunteering at a bike co-op there was one advertised here last week in a thread of it's own with other bike co-ops listed. That way you can learn alot. I personally think a good bike mechanic is also just good at mechanical things in general, so take everything to pieces and have a play, become accustomed to standard engineering systems. Bikes are very simple to work on. There are as ever standards that need to be known and the history of x and y group set / technology but that will come with time. Just take any and every thing apart and tinker.

that's a really good idea.
there was one that me and dave were gonna go help out at. i'll find the details for you.