My Next Career

[bigbill]

When I leave my job in May, I plan on being a semi-professional cyclist until the end of June when my son leaves for college. After that, I want to sell the house and move on. I'm a retired Naval Officer with some VA as well. I don't need much income on top what I already get, I just want to work on bikes.

I'm looking at United Bicycle Institute to take some classes on my GI Bill dollars and then get a job in a bike shop somewhere. Does anyone have any insight on this or have suggestions about getting educated for a bike shop career? I'm pretty mechanically inclined plus I'm an engineer, I could probably do ok without the schools, but my GI Bill is just sitting there unused and will cover all of the training plus some dollars for lodging while I'm there. I'd look to take as many classes as possible including wheel building.

[spopepro]

Sounds rad.

I don’t have current enough info on UBI (I did have a teammate who took classes there and went on to wrenching for domestic pro teams, but that was 15 years ago). Remember to see if you can switch your Montgomery GI* to the post 9/11 GI. If you haven’t spent it yet, I believe you should be able to switch it, and it’s a lot more money.

*I’m assuming that’s what you have estimating when your service occurred. I could obviously have this all wrong.

[j44ke]

I think I'd move to Boulder and sign over my soul to Vecchios.

90% of the work I did in a bike shop was tires and tubes and adjustments. No rocket science there. If you want to be involved in rocket science, you have to find an area with the market for pro-shop type dealers where you will get the sort of jobs like full bike builds, custom wheels, frame repair, etc.

As far as UBI, if you have unused money lying on the table, I think that would be a great catalyst for making a transition just because you would be among similarly minded people and have an excuse to focus on the whats and wherefores of bike repair. Wheel building mathematics are good to understand, but I am proof that you don't have to be a fully educated genius to build a wheel (that's definitely not a boast - I am still shocked that anyone would ride the wheels I built, but so far no deaths that I know about.) In terms of top quality bike builds, you do have to know where on the bike there are specs for optimal installations of the different systems, but you can look them up. And most of your skills will revolve around negotiating the sub-optimal.

I guess what I am saying is the best way to learn (especially with wheels I think) is to do a lot of it, so you'd be best off finding a context in which that was possible. UBI might get you a way to do a lot of it for a short amount of time, and then perhaps get hired more quickly to do more of it as long as you want. And it could add some confidence into the equation. But yeah, most of the learning is doing and repetition.

edit: Just thinking - if I had money that could only be spent on education, I'd take welding instruction as long as the money lasted.

[bigbill]

Sounds rad.

I don’t have current enough info on UBI (I did have a teammate who took classes there and went on to wrenching for domestic pro teams, but that was 15 years ago). Remember to see if you can switch your Montgomery GI* to the post 9/11 GI. If you haven’t spent it yet, I believe you should be able to switch it, and it’s a lot more money.

*I’m assuming that’s what you have estimating when your service occurred. I could obviously have this all wrong.

It converted to post 9/11 and I put my son on it. Now that's he's going to a service academy, he won't need it.

[bigbill]

I think I'd move to Boulder and sign over my soul to Vecchios.

90% of the work I did in a bike shop was tires and tubes and adjustments. No rocket science there. If you want to be involved in rocket science, you have to find an area with the market for pro-shop type dealers where you will get the sort of jobs like full bike builds, custom wheels, frame repair, etc.

As far as UBI, if you have unused money lying on the table, I think that would be a great catalyst for making a transition just because you would be among similarly minded people and have an excuse to focus on the whats and wherefores of bike repair. Wheel building mathematics are good to understand, but I am proof that you don't have to be a fully educated genius to build a wheel (that's definitely not a boast - I am still shocked that anyone would ride the wheels I built, but so far no deaths that I know about.) In terms of top quality bike builds, you do have to know where on the bike there are specs for optimal installations of the different systems, but you can look them up. And most of your skills will revolve around negotiating the sub-optimal.

I guess what I am saying is the best way to learn (especially with wheels I think) is to do a lot of it, so you'd be best off finding a context in which that was possible. UBI might get you a way to do a lot of it for a short amount of time, and then perhaps get hired more quickly to do more of it as long as you want. And it could add some confidence into the equation. But yeah, most of the learning is doing and repetition.

edit: Just thinking - if I had money that could only be spent on education, I'd take welding instruction as long as the money lasted.

I was thinking that I'd like to learn Di2 and some other skills including getting better at disc brakes. I'm a noob about wheels, but I could probably remedy that with some basic instruction and some time on a truing stand. But yeah, I did think about welding and brazing classes. UBI offers frame building starting with brazed steel and that would be paid for my GI Bill as well. I think Garro went there long ago. I've also thought about parlaying these certifications into a job at REI working on bikes and other outdoor equipment. That might be more satisfying plus there's the employee discount.

A lot of this is really about finding a job that I enjoy that also supports my habits. Like an alcoholic working at Jack Daniels.

[AngryScientist]

i'll be the voice of the other side and give my opinion that it's a bad plan, and depending on the shop you may land at, a terrible plan.

unless you find a gig at a super high end shop like signature or above category, etc - you'll just be working for the man, and have the same position and level of responsibility as high school "wrenches", putting together low end treks and giant's all day. you'll be the new guy and wind up working weird hours and weekends, and you'll probably wind up hating bikes. it sounds like an ideal move to turn your passion into a career, but i dont think that's the direct translation when you're working for someone else.

you were a naval officer and presumably held a decent position in the engineering world - the step to being the lowest guy on the list at a run of the mill bike shop may likely be a nightmare. i also dont know what they teach or how at UBI, but dude - i've been to nuc power school myself - i think the level of education with you sitting side by side with other students who barely passed shop class in HS might be a little less stimulating than you think. there remains exactly zero things on bicycle mechanics that i cant teach myself how to do, with an occasional youtube assist.

i say this not to discourage you, but when i read your post it's what popped into my head. just some food for thought.

[TMB]

When I leave my job in May, I plan on being a semi-professional cyclist until the end of June when my son leaves for college. After that, I want to sell the house and move on. I'm a retired Naval Officer with some VA as well. I don't need much income on top what I already get, I just want to work on bikes.

I'm looking at United Bicycle Institute to take some classes on my GI Bill dollars and then get a job in a bike shop somewhere. Does anyone have any insight on this or have suggestions about getting educated for a bike shop career? I'm pretty mechanically inclined plus I'm an engineer, I could probably do ok without the schools, but my GI Bill is just sitting there unused and will cover all of the training plus some dollars for lodging while I'm there. I'd look to take as many classes as possible including wheel building.

Bill,

i am pretty sure that Platzner did some time at UBI. Shoot him a line.

[bigbill]

i'll be the voice of the other side and give my opinion that it's a bad plan, and depending on the shop you may land at, a terrible plan.

unless you find a gig at a super high end shop like signature or above category, etc - you'll just be working for the man, and have the same position and level of responsibility as high school "wrenches", putting together low end treks and giant's all day. you'll be the new guy and wind up working weird hours and weekends, and you'll probably wind up hating bikes. it sounds like an ideal move to turn your passion into a career, but i dont think that's the direct translation when you're working for someone else.

you were a naval officer and presumably held a decent position in the engineering world - the step to being the lowest guy on the list at a run of the mill bike shop may likely be a nightmare. i also dont know what they teach or how at UBI, but dude - i've been to nuc power school myself - i think the level of education with you sitting side by side with other students who barely passed shop class in HS might be a little less stimulating than you think. there remains exactly zero things on bicycle mechanics that i cant teach myself how to do, with an occasional youtube assist.

i say this not to discourage you, but when i read your post it's what popped into my head. just some food for thought.

That's why I was mentioning REI. I've worked 27 years on nukelar reactors and then another 6 years on high speed manufacturing. I know I could move on to another engineering gig, but I'm tired of doing this kind of work and the hours that go along with it. I was looking at large metropolitan areas like Seattle where there are large shops and several REI's. I used to run large facilities with hundreds of people working under me, engineering officer on a carrier, all that stuff, but the last two years have been "independent ops" where I get assigned an issue and solve it. It's been a good transition to get away from supervising and being responsible for people.

I've got the luxury of a steady retirement income to give me time to find a fit in either an REI or higher end shop where I might find my happiness and a sweet discount on parts.

[dgaddis]

I'm with Angry on this. I don't think you need the UBI classes and spending your GI bill (which I admittedly know nothing about) to be a better mechanic than many mechanics already working in shops. I think with your current skillset, working with someone who knows the things you don't know well (like Di2, discs, etc) you can catch up *very* quickly. Bicycles are incredibly simple compared to what you're used to working with, you don't need 'college' to bridge the gap.

What I would do: go get a job, do the work for a while, see if you like it. Do that for six months or a year, then go from there. Back to school, a higher end shop, 'eff this', whichever works.

It's been said before time and time again, and I'll echo it: the reality of working in the bike biz is way less glamorous than it seems. Even owning my own custom wheel shop...the romance wears off quickly. It's work like anything else. But a normal bike shop? Man. It's fixing neglected ragged out crap most of the day. Just hanging out in bike shops and seeing the stuff that comes through the door, eh. Plus, at most place, you've got to deal with The Public.

Also, speaking of wheels, if you want to learn how to build wheels go buy this ebook. It's only $12, it's money well spent, and is the most up to date book on the subject, it'll teach you everything you can learn without actually building wheels. Whenever he updates it you can even download the new version for free.

[j44ke]

REI can be the least glamorous, because I think you are mostly doing assembly day in day out. As a company, however, they have the ability to offer you an employment package no regular bike store may be able to match.

Dustin’s advice is good, because it will give you a pretty quick sense of what you don’t want to do.

I’ll suggest this too - we have a non-profit called Recycle-a-Bicycle. Their goal is to educate kids and adults to repair bikes on their own so that they can attain some economic self-sufficiency and keep their inexpensive mode of transportation around the city in good shape. With the advent of bike share, they’ve also been running the classes on maintaining and repairing CitiBikes for future employees. You probably have enough skills right now to help with a similar effort local to you. Might be a rewarding alternative idea, albeit without the parts discounts. ;-)

And if you want to use the GI Bill money for something, use it for something you want to learn about. Wheels, framebuilding, 18th Century Art History, etc. Can just be learning for learning’s sake, not necessarily employment. My dad is a regular know it all curmudgeon, but his wife has gotten him into Road Scholar courses (used to be Elder Hostel) and he’s gotten hooked on those.

[TMB]

REI can be the least glamorous, because I think you are mostly doing assembly day in day out. As a company, however, they have the ability to offer you an employment package no regular bike store may be able to match.

Dustin’s advice is good, because it will give you a pretty quick sense of what you don’t want to do.

I’ll suggest this too - we have a non-profit called Recycle-a-Bicycle. Their goal is to educate kids and adults to repair bikes on their own so that they can attain some economic self-sufficiency and keep their inexpensive mode of transportation around the city in good shape. With the advent of bike share, they’ve also been running the classes on maintaining and repairing CitiBikes for future employees. You probably have enough skills right now to help with a similar effort local to you. Might be a rewarding alternative idea, albeit without the parts discounts. ;-)

And if you want to use the GI Bill money for something, use it for something you want to learn about. Wheels, framebuilding, 18th Century Art History, etc. Can just be learning for learning’s sake, not necessarily employment. My dad is a regular know it all curmudgeon, but his wife has gotten him into Road Scholar courses (used to be Elder Hostel) and he’s gotten hooked on those.

Following this line of thought ... using his education money for something that is just learning ... it would make far more sense to take a Vini/Viticulture course. Maybe followed up by a Sommolier’s course.

[nahtnoj]

I think you should buy a vintage muscle car, start smoking pot, and try to bang high school girls.



In other words, I'm with Angry and Dustin.

[72gmc]

As long as I'm not responsible for your finances, I'll second the suggestion of a co-op where you'd get to set kids up with bikes. I donate to bikeworks and it would probably be a good place to work on lots of wheels, among other things.

Don't do what Spacey did in that movie. Except the Firebird. The Firebird was ok.

[echelon_john]

I did the UBI framebuilding course (brazing) and TIG Welding workshop. I say go for it, and take as many classes as you can. Hell, there are a lot worse places to camp out than Ashland! If your plan will pay for it all, do it! You'll soak up a ton of knowledge.

I'll give a counterpoint to some of the other recommendations you're getting here: You may well find a shop that can use your skills! With your career background, you bring experience, gravitas, and, more than likely, a high degree of trustworthiness and reliability with you. Having managed shops where just having some staff show up on time and ready to work was a miracle, the day I hired an ex-Navy guy was a seriously great day. He was a good guy; decent mechanic, took the job seriously but had a bunch of fun, and raised the game of everybody (mostly younger/less 'serious' guys) he worked with, myself included. Perfect "Right hand man" for the shop.

So why not? Get trained on stuff you're interested in for free, use word of mouth to find a shop for the season and give it a try. If that shop doesn't pan out, find another.

[nahtnoj]

I've done volunteer work at a bike co-op here in Philly.

Keeping ragged out bikes going for people who basically need them to survive is immensely rewarding in the way doing the same thing in a shop for money is not. You get to be a lot more creative.

[rwsaunders]

Bill...I have a friend who just retired 31 December, about 3 years short of his goal. Fortunately, he secured a great exit package and he won't be sleeping under a bridge anytime soon. He was a tax attorney who managed a pension fund and I connected him with another friend who's a college finance professor. It looks like he's going to teach a tax class next Fall which requires 1/2 days a week, and he's really looking forward to be working with a bunch of college kids. I.e., do what makes Bill happy.

[Rich Beaudoin]

Sounds like income is unimportant since you’ll be getting enough retirement income, so I’ll add that a bike shop is fun in my opinion. I have a full-time sales rep career but still work in a local shop in summer. I work and ride with guys in their mid 20s (I’m 52) and we laugh and get work done all day. I worked in the bike industry long ago and I enjoy most retail customers. I also helped open the Tempe AZ REI store and REI is/was not nearly as fun - corporate jobs are good for benefits but tend not to be nearly as fulfilling IMHO compared to the small ski and bike shops I’ve worked in.
Also, I have met tons of men and women at the shop, so working retail is a great way to meet people in your new location. I’ve lived here for 20 years and thought I knew everyone in town until I began helping out at the shop a few years ago.
That brings me to my last thought - if you take classes in Ashland, I live a 5-min walk from UBI and know several folks there including Ron. You should get in touch if you decide to come here vs Portland

[Peter Polack]

Working as a bike mechanic could be a stepping stone for bigbill.

My background is as a veteran, a bike mechanic, as well as having invested in and read the UBI Manuals. From reading the material alone, I'd expect a UBI graduate to have the same respect and earn comparable money to any educated technician (me) or mechanic. Unfortunately, the reality is different.

The UBI credentials would seriously over-qualify him for most bike shops; they have neither the tools nor the need for the expertise.

He would find himself of more value at a large metropolitan bike shop in a bike-crazy locale or where disposable income is high, so relocating would be imperative.

His long military career would make him easy to graduate to a management position. It might not be his current career desires but one never knows where our jobs lead us. In a management position his income, although he says is not important, would be more in line with his skill set, age, a maturity.

I just don't think the environment will be that stimulating. He'd be much older than much of the workforce and might discover bike mechanics at many shops don't carry the same work ethic nor will understand or take a liking to his leadership skills. This can be frustrating to say the least.

Nevertheless, if he wants to take the journey and has the time, money, and situation to do so, I say take it, as you don't know what other opportunities it will lead to.

[ChristianWong]

Bill

You heart burnt bikes. Go burn some bikes.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take as many classes at UBI as possible (especially framebuilding). From there I'd try to get a job with a custom builder, part-time, lending a hand where needed (assembly). That would likely shield you a bit from the general bike shop B/S and you'd end up interacting with like-minded folks.

[Too Tall]

I was thinking that I'd like to learn Di2 and some other skills including getting better at disc brakes. I'm a noob about wheels, but I could probably remedy that with some basic instruction and some time on a truing stand. But yeah, I did think about welding and brazing classes. UBI offers frame building starting with brazed steel and that would be paid for my GI Bill as well. I think Garro went there long ago. I've also thought about parlaying these certifications into a job at REI working on bikes and other outdoor equipment. That might be more satisfying plus there's the employee discount.

A lot of this is really about finding a job that I enjoy that also supports my habits. Like an alcoholic working at Jack Daniels.

I like that idea. Benefits of a diversified workforce not to mention with scheduling you are less likely to be stuck indoors every weekend fixing flats.

Bill with your abilities I agree it won't take much more than working hip to hip with someone who knows their poop to get you up to speed.

If I was in your shoes I'd buy a real nice RV and live the life until it got old and or aligned with something more permanent.