Fix People's bikes!

I want to set up a repair service at my home.

I've only worked on my own bikes, but I have never worked on other people's .
I'm not looking to build up a business just to have a little extra cash.

Does anyone have an recommendations for me?

I was thinking of doing it for free at first so I can get more experience.

What do you think?

Do you have a bike mechanic qualification etc? Not being a downer on your idea but you probably need a few things including liability insurance. If you work on a bike and then they have a crash and sue you then insurance will cover it. That's not to put you off but if you're going to do it I'd get some advice about setting up a business, and get advice from people like LCC etc.

Good luck!

No bicycle qualification's. I didn't realise that I would need insurance.

LLC a member on here?

I've just looked on the Internet and I can get PL insurance for £50 per year.

But if I don't have a bike mechanics qualifications will no one want me to fix their bikes?

well that'll be down to your marketing. few more things to think about, what sort of bikes can you fix? can you strip the suspension of mountain bikes and do you have proper tools, a full set of park tools is really expensive. Who are you competing with?

Road and fixie bikes really.
Most tools I have. But I will be getting some more.

The only place near me that I will compete with is a hardware shop that fixes bike on the side and he's expensive.

LCC = London Cycling Campaign

I've just emailed them for some advise.

Well I hope I can start up something.:)

I'll tell you what, a friendly beer share and advice for noobs would be something I would have been interested in. Or probably still interested in, even with a payment for time - I built up my own bikes (2 of them now, so not a huge number), and I still have a niggling 'Fuck, what if I got something wrong?' feeling when Im going down something fast and bumpy.

Hasnt clown car'd on me yet, mind.

But yeah - friendly 'Let me teach you to help yourself' would be great. You could probably sell some tools and stuff to folks who didnt already have them too.

I'll tell you what, a friendly beer share and advice for noobs would be something I would have been interested in. Or probably still interested in, even with a payment for time - I built up my own bikes (2 of them now, so not a huge number), and I still have a niggling 'Fuck, what if I got something wrong?' feeling when Im going down something fast and bumpy.

Hasnt clown car'd on me yet, mind.

But yeah - friendly 'Let me teach you to help yourself' would be great. You could probably sell some tools and stuff to folks who didnt already have them too.

I mean I'm not an expert at from it, but I'd love to fix people's bikes.
I want to set up home repair so if anyone wants a bike fixed then I can do it for them.

I'm looking into courses but I want to see if I can do a course at home?

You will need a supply of inverse shims.

You will need a supply of inverse shims.

Why?

Would any of you let me fix your bikes?

Why?

And plenty of elbow grease

I'm good with my hands much better than working in an office. I'm not your average girl.:)

didn't you just put together your first bike about 2 months ago?

About 6months ago and I've done 4bikes.
I want to do more.

Sumo needs a hand with his new bike.

https://www.lfgss.com/thread88838.html#post2998721

negged

I'm good with my hands much better than working in an office. I'm not your average girl.:)

Or, let's say, you're someone who doesn't allow their life to be run by stereotypes about what men and women can or can't do.

On any reasonable supposition, there should be just about as many women as men, perhaps some more, perhaps slightly fewer, who enjoy mechanics/are good at it.

Just because there are still gender stereotypes doesn't mean that women who don't get into mechanics are average. It just means that they haven't realised a talent if they are good at it, or doesn't matter if they're not good at it.

:)

While you're probably pretty good just by talent, it doesn't hurt to go on a training course. There are several in London, e.g. Cycle Systems Academy's:

http://www.cycle-systems-academy.co.uk/

If you just want to fiddle with bikes on occasion, you could do worse than start an LCC workshop (from memory, you live in North-west London, where I don't think there is one yet, or was it Watford?). Anyway, here's some more info:

http://lcc.org.uk/articles/bicycle-maintenance-courses

If you can travel, you could volunteer at a workshop like this:

http://lcc.org.uk/events/kentish-town-bike-workshop-1

The Hackney workshop is also quite busy, with a large volunteer community attached to it, but it might be too far for you.

Good luck in any case!

I'm good with my hands much better than working in an office. I'm not your average girl.:)

I think you'd struggle to find many that described themselves as average.

You might want to have a chat with Jenni at London Bike Kitchen (http://www.londonbikekitchen.org.uk/) about the more business side of things. There's also an evening on Monday nights that a few of us go to so maybe a good time to pop up?

I'd also recommend BikeWorks for mechanic courses. The courses are expensive, but a great investment if you're planning to do maintenance seriously.

Good on you girl, I too am female and fix/build other people's bikes at home.

But I am a qualified L2 mechanic. I did the course with the aforementioned Cycle Systems Academy, they are an excellent training provider and always has some fundings / apprenticeship offers.

Personally I do this on the side for some extra cash to supplement day job. As I belong to several tri / running / swimming clubs and a tri squad, all my clients are club mates. I only do road / TT bikes and due to speciality tools, I don't do headset fittings or frame repairs. In saying that, most people only wants their gears tuned, brake pads changed, with the odd cassette / chain / BB installed. I offer a basic service for £30 with a one hour turn around which seems to be mighty popular in the summer when all the bike shops have a waiting list.

It would be harder to persuade strangers to hand over their bikes if you don't have a qualifications to prove your ability, but then a lot of people don't want to shell out 20 quid (a la Evans) to fit a pair of tyres, so why not give them a hand?
I think if you be specific with what you can offer (to only things you're confident with) and undercut others by a lot, it's a great money spinner. Outside of this forum, too many people can't even fix a puncture.

PS insurance is quite important, or you get people to sign liability waiver

Good luck with your business.

PS insurance is quite important, or you get people to sign liability waiver

+1

At the moment, if I build somebody a bike it's for no charge and I ask them to sign a waiver.

Yeh I'd do that. Just need some customers. I'm not in central I'm a little out the way but I think at first ill do it for free but get them to sign a waver until I have a few people I can do work for.