Career profile for Bicycle Mechanic

What does a Bicycle Mechanic do?

Bicycle Mechanics repair and service bicycles.

What kind of tasks does a Bicycle Mechanic perform regularly?

Bicycle Mechanics are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Install and adjust brakes and brake pads.
Help customers select bicycles that fit their body sizes and intended bicycle uses.
Align wheels.
Assemble new bicycles.
Sell bicycles and accessories.
Install, repair, and replace equipment or accessories, such as handlebars, stands, lights, and seats.
Install new tires and tubes.
Install and adjust speed and gear mechanisms.
Clean and lubricate bicycle parts.
Order bicycle parts.
Disassemble axles to repair, adjust, and replace defective parts, using hand tools.
Build wheels by cutting and threading new spokes.
Shape replacement parts, using bench grinders.

The above responsibilities are specific to Bicycle Mechanics. More generally, Bicycle Mechanics are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Selling or Influencing Others		Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public		Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge		Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Handling and Moving Objects		Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Selling or Influencing Others

Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Handling and Moving Objects

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

What is a Bicycle Mechanic salary?

The median salary for a Bicycle Mechanic is $32,630, and the average salary is $33,530. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Bicycle Mechanic salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Bicycle Mechanics earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Bicycle Mechanics earn less than $23,740 per year, 25% earn less than $27,490, 75% earn less than $38,790, and 90% earn less than $46,240.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Bicycle Mechanics is expected to change by 3.3%, and there should be roughly 1,400 open positions for Bicycle Mechanics every year.

Median annual salary: $32,630
Typical salary range: $23,740 - $46,240
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 3.3%

What personality traits are common among Bicycle Mechanics?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Bicycle Mechanic are usually higher in their Realistic and Conventional interests.

Bicycle Mechanics typically have very strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Also, Bicycle Mechanics typically have moderate Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Bicycle Mechanic tend to value Independence, Achievement, and Support.

Most importantly, Bicycle Mechanics moderately value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Second, Bicycle Mechanics moderately value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Lastly, Bicycle Mechanics moderately value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Bicycle Mechanics must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, analytical thinking, and cooperation.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Bicycle Mechanics, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Analytical Thinking		Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self-Control		Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Analytical Thinking

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Self-Control

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

What education and training do Bicycle Mechanics need?

Working as a Bicycle Mechanic usually requires a high school diploma.

Bicycle Mechanics need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Bicycle Mechanics

20.7% did not complete high school or secondary school
47.0% completed high school or secondary school
19.9% completed some college coursework
5.7% earned a Associate's degree
5.6% earned a Bachelor's degree
1.0% earned a Master's degree
0.1% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Bicycle Mechanics

Bicycle Mechanics may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as mechanical, customer and personal service, or sales and marketing knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Bicycle Mechanics might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing		Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administration and Management		Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Engineering and Technology		Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Sales and Marketing

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Important Abilities needed by Bicycle Mechanics

Bicycle Mechanics must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Bicycle Mechanics need abilities such as visualization, finger dexterity, and near vision in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Bicycle Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Visualization		The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Finger Dexterity		The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Arm-Hand Steadiness		The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity		The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Critical Skills needed by Bicycle Mechanics

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Bicycle Mechanics frequently use skills like repairing, active listening, and critical thinking to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Bicycle Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Repairing		Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Active Listening		Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Troubleshooting		Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Repairing

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Bicycle Mechanic

Bicycle Mechanic

Table of Contents

Would Bicycle Mechanic be a good fit for you?