Taking over the bike shop...

[Big John]

Walsall/Bloxwich is just down the road from me. Next time you're over give us a shout and you're welcome to take a look at our place. It will at least show that you're moving in the right direction. You can give us a few pointers 👍

 

[Gwylan]

This was a big problem when I started: the pedals were all just thrown in and not taped together, likewise chainrings, which is one reason I had to throw out some otherwise perfectly decent chainrings yesterday. In my first week I discovered that even the v-brakes were not paired; I just had a massive box of single brakes, usually with the stumps of the cables. hanging off them.

A client since did a pretty decent job of pairing most things, but yesterday I discovered they'd kept all the half-missing, broken, and otherwise useless parts left over. I've noticed this before, especially amongst clients who were homeless at some point; it seems to leave them with an inability to throw things away in case they need it; that the item in question probably won't be used because it'll be buried and forgotten doesn't seem to register.

Also people don't know what they are allowed to do. Like throwing something away because it is broken.
Reusable cable ties to put things in pairs. Heavy duty plastic bags, resumable cable tie to deal and a sticky label for identification for bigger bits.
Very big bits, a sticky label to identify it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Also people don't know what they are allowed to do. Like throwing something away because it is broken.
Reusable cable ties to put things in pairs. Heavy duty plastic bags, resumable cable tie to deal and a sticky label for identification for bigger bits.
Very big bits, a sticky label to identify it.

Another goal on my list. I'm currently using single use cable ties (because I want things to stay tied together) and labels are masking tape.

I also have two work areas to organise because tghe bikes we don't use are taken to bits in another town. As mentioned above the people in the other location have more severe problems, including issues reading and understanding things, so I have to keep things really simple...

 

[tribanjules]

Walsall/Bloxwich is just down the road from me. Next time you're over give us a shout and you're welcome to take a look at our place. It will at least show that you're moving in the right direction. You can give us a few pointers 👍

I live near Cadbury so likewise could tie up

 

[Jameshow]

Another goal on my list. I'm currently using single use cable ties (because I want things to stay tied together) and labels are masking tape.

I also have two work areas to organise because tghe bikes we don't use are taken to bits in another town. As mentioned above the people in the other location have more severe problems, including issues reading and understanding things, so I have to keep things really simple...

How about a 100 velcro ties??

 

[Andy in Germany]

How about a 100 velcro ties??

Trouble with reusable cable ties is that I suspect people will reuse them, by which I mean they'll nick then them off'f whatever I'm using them to tie together.

 

[Gwylan]

Trouble with reusable cable ties is that I suspect people will reuse them, by which I mean they'll nick then them off'f whatever I'm using them to tie together.

A big sign above the door
"Personen die ohne Erlaubnis der Geschäftsleitung Kabelbinder entnehmen, könte bestraft werden. Or words to that effect.
Just have to get the works council to agree. That's kicked the can miles down the road

I remember all the signs we had around the factory about not abusing the vending machines. Euphemism for kicking them until the beer bottles fell out. Usually on a night shift.

 

[roley poley]

Trouble with reusable cable ties is that I suspect people will reuse them, by which I mean they'll nick then them off'f whatever I'm using them to tie together.

ball of string ...... rubber bands ?

 

[classic33]

ball of string ...... rubber bands ?

Old inner tubes, cut to size.

 

[cico]

As mentioned above, I'm trying to get the supply of used parts sorted out. Part of the problem here is that the storage room is a mess, and that most of the mess is junk.

After a great deal of tidying I'd got the storage to this stage last year:

View attachment 676217

Not great but at least you could get into the room: the heavy boxes on the high shelf were not a good idea, but it was better than stacks of luggage racks which fell off en masse when one was taken down.

View attachment 676220

However, last week things were getting out of hand again: I couldn't find a pair of unbroken pedals and those mudguards were largely useless, and apparently breeding. Also, those metal bins were wasting space and were awkward and far too big. It looked like someone had set out to make the most ineffecient, messy and awkward storage possible.

More tidying took place:

View attachment 676221

Previous clients were either not allowed to throw anything away, or unwilling; I'm not sure which, either way the result was a vast amount of rubbish that can't be used. Most of the lights in the baskets were broken or missing their fittings; I threw two baskets of pedals out because they were mismatched or loose, and about 3/4 of those chainsets above were incomplete or broken. There was even a pile of dismantled chainsets, all mixed up. Goodness knows what they thought they'd do with them.:

View attachment 676224

But then I found the assorted wheel bands; all different shapes and sizes mixed up together...


View attachment 676225

Anyway, by the end of the day the storage looked like this:

View attachment 676226

Still only a step on the journey: eventually this should be replaced by kitchen units and the wheels should hang along the wall, but at least the scrap isn't getting in the way and the dangerous shelf has gone, and soon I'll have enough space to tackle the wheel breeding colony.

Now for the next wall...

Looks great! 🙂

I did something similar at my workplace the other week. My colleague and I found sooo much that we didn't actually need. Old motors from 2020, old parts for bikes that were never used or that we didn't have a use for.

I honestly think that we threw away about 60 kg of parts that was taking up space and was not usable 👀

Stacked up the remaining parts that we need and it looks like a proper workshop now.

I'll try to upload a before and after photo as well 🙂

 

[Andy in Germany]

A potential step forward today: I've finally managed to contact the local trade guild to ask about us potentially offering apprenticeships in cycle maintenance and they didn't laugh. In fact the contact person wants to talk with my boss in a few weeks after local exam season is over.

Apprenticeships here are accredited by the trade guilds, and almost all occupations are protected so without a guild apprenticeship you usually can't call yourself a carpenter or bike mechanic. It's also quite hard to get accredited to train people; usually you need a masters qualification (€€€€€) or a teaching licence from the trade guild, but I have an exception on the basis of my Occupational Therapist qualification, which in Germany includes a licence to teach at a technical college.

Our parent organisation also offers 'protected apprenticeships' (an extra year for people with learning difficulties) in bike maintenance so I can get assistance there.

I haven't told my boss as yet; I'll probably do that in a few weeks when we discuss my contract renewal...

 

[HobbesOnTour]

A potential step forward today: I've finally managed to contact the local trade guild to ask about us potentially offering apprenticeships in cycle maintenance and they didn't laugh.

That sounds very impressive, Andy.

I'm presuming that is to offer your clients the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship as opposed to joe public?

Have you thought about what this will involve? I'd imagine that it would be a lot more work for you? I'm thinking a lot of paperwork?*
Is your workshop set up the way you want it and equipped to the standard required? (It being Germany I'd be confident that it is all documented?)
I can see great advantages for you professionally plus perhaps making your workshop more attractive to potential applicants.

How will it impact your own goals? I recall you mentioning wanting to get more experience in the café?

I know that I'm probably coming across as negative (and I don't mean to) but I'm a great believer in "preparing for the worst while hoping for the best".

* I once hired a guy on a work placement from a college. The paperwork was a nightmare.

when we discuss my contract renewal...

I'd suggest you have a good read of this thread before then and remind yourself of just how far you've come and how much you have achieved.

Best of luck

 

[Andy in Germany]

That sounds very impressive, Andy.

I'm presuming that is to offer your clients the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship as opposed to joe public?

Thanks @HobbesOnTour. The offer would be for both. a bicycle maintenance apprenticeship lasts 2 years normally and a protected apprenticeship would allow another year on top of that. We are half owned by a nationwide charity, so I suspect we'd get people sent through them.

Have you thought about what this will involve? I'd imagine that it would be a lot more work for you? I'm thinking a lot of paperwork?*
Is your workshop set up the way you want it and equipped to the standard required? (It being Germany I'd be confident that it is all documented?)
I can see great advantages for you professionally plus perhaps making your workshop more attractive to potential applicants.

This is part of the current process; finding out what it will involve. If my employer agrees (and he may well do so because it makes us eligible for extra finance) the next step is a visit from a representative of the "Chamber of industry and commerce" who would accredit us. Then the question of what we need and how much experience I need will be answered. I expect I will need a set number of hours experience before they allow me to take a student.
The other advantage is that I then have a concrete set of requirements which will need to be fulfilled, and a deadline to fulfil them, once that's set up I can use that to make sure the workshop is improved.

How will it impact your own goals? I recall you mentioning wanting to get more experience in the café?

At the moment they don't need anyone to work in the cafe, so I'm concentrating on this instead; either will be beneficial for future goals. Also I really miss training people. I'm also slightly aware that this job isn't 100% secure, so being more skilled will either make me harder to make redundant, or give me more skills to offer a new employer.

I'd suggest you have a good read of this thread before then and remind yourself of just how far you've come and how much you have achieved.

Best of luck

That is a very good idea, thanks...

 

[Andy in Germany]

In other news I have a new client from tomorrow, and hopefully this one won't vanish after three days...

 

[Jameshow]

That sounds very impressive, Andy.

I'm presuming that is to offer your clients the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship as opposed to joe public?

Have you thought about what this will involve? I'd imagine that it would be a lot more work for you? I'm thinking a lot of paperwork?*
Is your workshop set up the way you want it and equipped to the standard required? (It being Germany I'd be confident that it is all documented?)
I can see great advantages for you professionally plus perhaps making your workshop more attractive to potential applicants.

How will it impact your own goals? I recall you mentioning wanting to get more experience in the café?

I know that I'm probably coming across as negative (and I don't mean to) but I'm a great believer in "preparing for the worst while hoping for the best".

* I once hired a guy on a work placement from a college. The paperwork was a nightmare.

I'd suggest you have a good read of this thread before then and remind yourself of just how far you've come and how much you have achieved.

Best of luck

To get more experience in the cafe is my professional development goal too!! 🤣🤣