This post was updated on December 30, 2022 to include some great suggestions from our community.
One of our members reached out with a great question – how do you become a bike mechanic? Our Board Member Jared Harber’s answer was so detailed we turned it into a blog post.
Jared has been a professional bike mechanic for nearly 13 years, he co-founded and formerly owned Oak City Cycling in Downtown Raleigh and has been a fixture in the Raleigh bike community ever since.
How do you become a bike mechanic? Or how to expand your knowledge of bicycle mechanics? That is a great question. In my experience, most knowledge comes from working apprenticeships. All the bike mechanics I know, myself included, started working at a bike shop at some point and learned along the way. This growth comes being immersed in the shop experience, learning from senior mechanics, and taking certification courses offered to bike shops. For instance, I started as a salesperson at a shop after I graduated college and grew from there. Many mechanics out there learn this way.
Now I realize that most people are unable to take on this level of commitment unless they are looking for a career change. Another way is attending a mini-college focused on bicycle mechanics. Park Tool School and the United Bicycle Institute host these. Both quite large and reputable. I have sent former employees to both of these with positive results. The sessions are usually a week long with classes daily. You will, however, have to travel some distance to attend. The closest Park Tool school is in Washington DC and the United Bicycle Institute is in Oregon.
The Triangle has multiple non-profits that host free bike repair events, and volunteering with them can be a great way to learn. Raleigh Community Kickstand is an all volunteer non-profit community bicycle cooperative project. They host monthly bike repair days at the Oak City Cares Center, and are always looking for volunteers. No experience necessary, on the job training enthusiastically provided!
The Durham Bike Co-Op is an all-volunteer nonprofit community bicycle repair project. They are always looking for volunteers, and provide repair education. The Recyclery Bicycle Co-Op is non-profit with a mission to encourage the use of bicycles for transportation and recreation. They provide bike mechanic classes and WTF wrench nights.
Oaks and Spokes also regularly hosts bike repair events in coordination with Raleigh Community Kickstand. We received a TJCOG transportation equity grant that allows us to free bike repair days for our partner, the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants to provide bikes upon request for people in need of an affordable transportation option. Check out our events page for upcoming volunteer opportunities.