What I do

I perform a wide range of repairs on bicycles.

Hear more about James' role by watching the video below...

How I became a technician

I studied maths, physics, design technology and chemistry at A-level and then went to university to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering. But as my course progressed, I realised most work opportunities were in the military. I wasn’t interested in this, so I left my degree early. It took me far longer than it should have done to leave university. By the time I left, I was very unhappy, and it was clear it wasn’t going to work for me.

As a youngster I built a bike and a computer to play video games on for fun, so I did have a passion for building things and seeing how they work. It was during the summer holiday between my first and second year of university that I went to my local bike shop to ask if I could get a holiday job. And it just went from there.

A few years later, after I’d left university, I did an apprenticeship to become a Bike Technician, but it was mainly learning on the job – there were only two contact hours a fortnight. I didn’t go to a college for it, every now and then somebody would come by the shop and check in on me. There was a fortnight where I went to a training centre, which was very close to the bike shop. The course was run by a company called Cytech – most bike shops would want you to have a Cytech qualification. I’ve been at Clever Mikes for nearly seven years now.

A typical day in my
working life

There is not really a typical day as there is not really a typical problem. At our bike shop, we get every type of bike and every problem. There are some shops where you will exclusively get commuters or only get Sunday bike club bikes, but we get the full spectrum.

There are only three of us at the shop, so we have to wear all the hats. We are appointment only, so most mornings we are taking bookings, talking to customers about their bikes and we also might get walk-ins who I sadly have to turn away. As the day goes on, I get to look at bikes, check them over, work out the issues, then contact the owners by text or email about what the issues are and how much it will cost to sort them. Assuming that has all gone well, I then get to fix them. I do a lot of puncture repairs which has given me strong hands!

The shop provides most of the tools, but sometimes I bring my own tools in. We each have our own work bench that we use.

One thing I do before I leave each day – I clean up my bench and make sure everything is where it should be.

I went to university and dropped out, so I would say if you’re on a study path that you are not enjoying, then don’t do it. Don’t feel forced down a traditional route.

Problem-solving is at the heart of everything I do, and I have to use this skill in virtually every job I undertake.

A surprising fact about my job

I have to have very good people skills to do my job as dealing with customers, either face-to-face or on the phone, is something I have to do every day.

A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

I love getting to just do something with my hands. You do something and you see it to completion; it is very gratifying. I enjoy the problem-solving side of it too.

The best bits about working in a team

It is very helpful to have other people to doublecheck things you might not be sure of, but for the most part, we work independently and just get on with it.

What I am most proud of

I have built two frames myself; I have welded the tubes together. I’ve done that myself, not at work.
We had someone in to do work experience and I was in charge of him most of the time and it was really nice showing someone how it all works and what to do.

The next steps in my career journey

I am not really sure and I’m just enjoying where I’m at now. Coming into this profession, I was quite keen on the idea of starting my own bike shop, but I’ve changed my mind on that a bit. I would love to be able to make something of frame building, but I think it is quite a saturated market already and pretty niche.

My hobbies

I cycle a lot. I don’t have many friends who like to cycle as much as I do, so I’m often on my own, but it is very meditative. I live in London, so the bulk of my cycling is city cycling, visiting friends and stuff. On the weekends I will cycle out north of London or get a train out and then cycle in the countryside.

When I was younger, my spare time was spent playing computer games. I got a bike from my aunt when I was 15 and I fixed it up and converted it to a fixed gear and built the wheels for it, so that was a starting point. I have a terrible habit of acquiring bikes and never getting rid of them, so I still have it. It is a fixed gear, so you have to pedal constantly, which I find is a nice way of getting around in London.

The advice I'd give to
someone younger

If there is stuff you are interested in, there are so many resources now – you can learn more about it on YouTube or other online resources.

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