Taking over the bike shop...

[Andy in Germany]

For me, this is very interesting.
You're effectively responsible for carrying out a plan that you had no input into, that was put together with input from a mechanic who allowed all kinds of bad habits to develop and who I'm presuming had little training in the needs of your clients? And one who knew he was leaving and wouldn't be responsible for implementing the plan!
Andy, that's not an easy thing to do.
Repeated for emphasis:
Andy, that's not an easy thing to do.

Are you happy with this plan?
Is it achievable?

Hi @HobbesOnTour. To clarify, that "plan" on the old meeting minutes mostly consists of items like:

• Storage area for bikes to be tidied up
• All bikes to be clearly labelled "repair for sale"; "Customer repair" (which we don't have at the moment) or "Private, staff or client".
• Storage of parts to be organised and clearly labelled so new clients can understand how the workshop operates.
• Documentation of how many bikes are processed each week, because this was unclear.

et, c.

And none of it had happened...

The previous mechanic wasn't "qualified". He was very experienced in bike building but not in pedagogy.

The workshop began as an initiative to repair bikes to donate to refugees, and was partly paid for by a local charity for that purpose. Then customers asked if they could buy bikes and some were placed in the shop for sale. Its turned a small profit and they want to increase this, so when the former mechanic (semi) retired because of illness I was brought in, and I'm supposed to make it more professional, and also more transparent, because no-one knew what they were doing. Eventually I'm hoping that will mean a presence in the shop itself.

OK, this kind of threw me and elevated your status towards Saint!

My wife would beg to differ.

There are so many issues with this.
I don't know if clients work a "normal" 5 day week, if it's part time or even if the bike store is open every day.
Presuming a 5 day week does that mean that clients are unsupervised 2 days a week? No wonder there's a problem with petty theft!

I don't think that's my current client, but petty theft is a problem generally. As usual it's a couple of people amongst the fifty odd we have, but it's still an issue and at the moment only the workshop itself is locked; the storage area is open (!).

There's apparently an applicant for the 2-day week position so I may soon be able to work full time in the bike shop. Here's hoping...

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Since you didn't tell me to butt out....

To clarify, that "plan" on the old meeting minutes mostly consists of items like:

• Storage area for bikes to be tidied up
• All bikes to be clearly labelled "repair for sale"; "Customer repair" (which we don't have at the moment) or "Private, staff or client".
• Storage of parts to be organised and clearly labelled so new clients can understand how the workshop operates.
• Documentation of how many bikes are processed each week, because this was unclear

OK.... that all seems straightforward but my question was around if you're happy with it and if it's achievable. You've got some real world experience under your belt now.

so when the former mechanic (semi) retired because of illness

I'm confused (my normal state)
Is he still active in the store? What is his role? Are you happy with that?

My wife would beg to differ.

I'm staying well away from that subject?

I don't think that's my current client

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that it was. It's just without supervision there can be a free for all once you're seen elsewhere. It's possible that he knows but for whatever reason does nothing or says nothing. It can actually be quite intimidating for some people when others come in and steal.

There's apparently an applicant for the 2-day week position so I may soon be able to work full time in the bike shop. Here's hoping...

I'd imagine the Bike workshop (and you!) would benefit from a full time approach. It really threw me that you were only in there three days a week.
The Boss and the Manager - do they want to see you in there 5 days a week too? Is the 2 days a week in the other department temporary because "needs must"?
If the applicant is successful are you sure they'll send you back to the bike workshop?

You're probably banging your head against something hard asking when I'll stop asking questions. Sorry. There's no compulsion to answer.

As always, the best of luck

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've finally concluded that my clients aren't even close to fixing a bike to anything like professional standard. I double checked a bike today that I'd asked a client to correct and it was still unusable; gears not indexed and not even able to change to the small ring at the front.

This is okay, I just have to readjust my expectations and those of The Manager and The Boss, and also work hard on learning and making sure I can fix bikes consistently well, and quickly. I may have no clients for several months so actually that's an achievable goal.

On the subject of goals I think I've got a better idea of ´what is achievable now, and the workshop is a lot better than a few months ago, so I'll be getting a list of goals together to present to the Manager and The Boss. I may be running them past the cognoscenti here first...

In the meantime I made a big step forward today. These arrived:

So I could finally fix some bikes with worn cassettes, and get rid of the compressor, which it turns out belonged to the former mechanic. That is now in storage:

 

[HobbesOnTour]

New toys are always good! Enjoy.

I've finally concluded that my clients aren't even close to fixing a bike to anything like professional standard.

It's one client, isn't it?
Do you think that he can't do it properly or won't do it properly?

If the former it's actually a good thing for you, I think. It gives you the chance to train someone one on one from the basics upwards. Much easier to do than with two or three and great experience for you before the next clients come in who will be "uncontaminated" by the previous standards and methods.

If the latter this is where all your training comes in to play.

Good luck!

 

[Andy in Germany]

New toys are always good! Enjoy.



It's one client, isn't it?
Do you think that he can't do it properly or won't do it properly?

If the former it's actually a good thing for you, I think. It gives you the chance to train someone one on one from the basics upwards. Much easier to do than with two or three and great experience for you before the next clients come in who will be "uncontaminated" by the previous standards and methods.

If the latter this is where all your training comes in to play.

Good luck!

That's the question. I think most people who land in the bike workshop want to do things right,and what you say, in theory is correct; it's a great chance to focus on clients and train them, which I have to admit I'm missing at the moment.

A large part of the question is how much I'll be able to do this, partly because there is still some resistance to change from the "old" culture to the new one.

There is also the question of what the organisation and indirectly the Job Centre wants, and how much freedom I have within that framework. the programme is officially about giving people work; training isn't what it's supposed to be about, and how much I'm allowed to train and invest in people will be a big factor in deciding if I stay here long term or look for something else in a year or so.

 

[CharlesF]

That does complicate things, as work without training adds little to someone’s self esteem; as you well know.

 

[Andy in Germany]

That does complicate things, as work without training adds little to someone’s self esteem; as you well know.

There's also the rather more pragmatic point that if I can't teach someone to fix a bike, then they can't work in the bike workshop.

 

[Rusty Nails]

There's also the rather more pragmatic point that if I can't teach someone to fix a bike, then they can't work in the bike workshop.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already on the thread but have you had any specific training in cycle mechanics, or any cycle mechanics qualifications?

It would be useful in helping you understand some of the techniques of training others in these skills. I would have thought your employer would probably fund the training.

 

[FishFright]

I used to volunteer with a bike repair / recycle place at very much your client level.

Even though I've looked after my own bikes for years when I started there my confidence was at a very low ebb and was making more mistakes than I felt I should be. My then boss and now friend, changed the bike building I was doing to bike assembling . I'd then fit all the parts but not actually complete the build, he would then sync up the gears and set up the brakes etc. This really helped my confidence in my abilities grow until I was back up to speed and completing the builds myself. This soon lead on to doing the customer repairs and more.

I really appreciate what you and people like you do to help folk who's lives ain't been that great.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already on the thread but have you had any specific training in cycle mechanics, or any cycle mechanics qualifications?

It would be useful in helping you understand some of the techniques of training others in these skills. I would have thought your employer would probably fund the training.

A good question and this being Germany, the answer is a little complex, sorry about that...

I don't have cycle mechanics training. It has to be said the system is a tad inflexible, largely because like most trades it's administered by the trade guilds.

The industry standard qualification is a "Bike Mechanic" which is a protected job title and the apprenticeship is two years full time. I've asked around and there's no other option like there is in the UK.

In order for me to get a qualification as a bike mechanic, I'd need to attend the college, and in the company there would have to be a "master" mechanic, which again has strict rules of accreditation, or someone accredited as a trainer by the trade guilds. I'll come back to the second option.

On the other hand, I'm theoretically supposed to be qualified to train anyone anything, especially people with extra support needs. I've worked in a theatre for example, and trained people to use professional level technical equipment; I'm not qualified as a sound and lighting technician, but the technician could explain it to me and I was able to take that information and train people in the basics, and more importantly, I knew how to present the information in different ways so people could learn in their own way.

Ironically, I have more training as a trainer than most people accredited by the trade guild, and I'm actually accredited by the guild to be a trainer. It took a real fight because they don't like doing this and call it a "Certificate of exemption" but it's legally the same thing. In other words, if I was accredited as a bike mechanic, I would be accredited as a trainer already and the company could offer apprenticeships. Unfortunately getting the training as a bike wrench is currently impossible, but as I gain experience I will be able to design a training package that I can adapt to new clients.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Good news: I've just heard that there is a likely candidate for the small shop I currently work Monday and Tuesday; if all goes to plan I'll be full time in the workshop/main shop from September.

And a question to those working in similar shops; How do you store wheels? they seem to multiply and storage is a bit of a nightmare. Any suggestions?

 

[Rusty Nails]

Good news: I've just heard that there is a likely candidate for the small shop I currently work Monday and Tuesday; if all goes to plan I'll be full time in the workshop/main shop from September.

And a question to those working in similar shops; How do you store wheels? they seem to multiply and storage is a bit of a nightmare. Any suggestions?

We use S hooks hung from lengths of scaffolding across the ceiling. They are a bit of a pain due to the axle widths so always take the QR skewers out and preferably cassettes/freewheels off.

 

[Andy in Germany]

We use S hooks hung from lengths of scaffolding across the ceiling. They are a bit of a pain due to the axle widths so always take the QR skewers out and preferably cassettes/freewheels off.

I've been thinking along those lines so that's encouraging, although we have a rather flimsy suspended ceiling so they'll have to be fastened to the wall somehow; I'll need to make sure that the skewers and blocks/Freehubs are stored correctly.

Anything is better than the piles we have infesting the corners at the moment; I suspect we'll throw a lot out when it comes to reorganise as well...

 

[bikingdad90]

Planet X currently have bike hangers on sale at 69p a pop?

https://www.planetx.co.uk/deals/q/deal-TOJOSWMBH could use these if they’ll ship to Germany?

 

[Reynard]

I've been thinking along those lines so that's encouraging, although we have a rather flimsy suspended ceiling so they'll have to be fastened to the wall somehow; I'll need to make sure that the skewers and blocks/Freehubs are stored correctly.

Anything is better than the piles we have infesting the corners at the moment; I suspect we'll throw a lot out when it comes to reorganise as well...

Surely you can get your mitts on a couple of old clothes rails with castors on the legs and hang the wheels up on those. Added bonus, you can move them around / out of the way thanks to the castors. And everything will be at a sensible level to aid future furkling.