The ultimate guide to working as a bicycle mechanic in Australia

Would you like to become a bike mechanic? Do you dream of tinkering with tools, grappling with gears and puzzling over pawl springs?

If you love taking things apart and finding out better ways to put them back together, then this could be your perfect career.

With over 40 years of experience, we’re going to give you the low-down on how to become a professional bicycle mechanic, who’s best for the job (and who isn't), and the pros and cons of working in the bike industry.

We'll also cover the crucial industry change that's happened since this post was originally published in 2022.

What is a bicycle mechanic?

'Is bicycle mechanic a trade?’ is often a trending question on Google.

Some people think that it’s only a part-time gig, or something that students do for work experience.

Other people confuse 'bicycle mechanic' with ‘bicycle assembler’. A bicycle assembler primarily takes a bike out of a box, fits the bars, front wheel and saddle, then puts it out for sale. While assemblers will often refer to themselves as bicycle mechanics, it’s a different job.

For the purpose of this post, a bicycle mechanic is someone who services all facets of a bicycle and is involved in the work's deep problem-solving aspects.

The general misconception around the bike trade isn’t helped by the fact that, for a long time, the Australian government hasn’t considered ‘bicycle mechanic’ as an actual profession. (More on that in a moment.)

Regardless, 'bicycle mechanic' is indeed a job, and it's an interesting and challenging one.

The process of actually becoming a bicycle mechanic?

Well, that’s a bit less straightforward.

But let's begin with a simpler question.

Why do you want to be a bike mechanic?

Do you love cycling? Do you want to learn to fix your own bikes?

Then you may not actually want to become a bicycle mechanic.

Whenever we've advertised for experienced workshop staff, many of the applicants for the position turn out to have never actually worked in a bike shop, let alone done any kind of mechanical work. These applicants also tend to mention a) how much they love to ride and b) that they're looking for a ‘fun and breezy’ job.

Loving cycling as a lifestyle is completely different to embracing mechanical work as a career.

Don’t get us wrong—we love our work, but it’s exactly that: work, and often very hard, physically and mentally. This is a tough industry, and it’s not easy to make a living in it.

So if you think that this job just means hanging out in a bike shop, trying out products, drinking coffee and chatting to customers about a sweet new build, that’s about 2% of it.

The rest of the time you will be greasy and solving bike-related problems.

Your coffee will usually be cold by the time you get to drink it.

Undeterred? OK, let’s keep going.

Are bike mechanics in demand?

Yes. In fact, there’s a growing world-wide demand for bicycle mechanics.

Firstly, during the COVID pandemic, many people turned to cycling. The resulting tsunami of demand for new bikes created a worldwide bicycle shortage, with shops quickly stripped of stock and consumers facing empty racks. As a result, if people wanted to ride, they had to get their old bike repaired instead.

Secondly, in the current economic climate, where the cost of everything seems to be skyrocketing, more and more people are choosing to keep their current bike running rather than spending money on a new one.

Thirdly, the proliferation of ebikes—which have their own servicing challenges and require expert knowledge—has added to the need for specialised professionals.

Finally, people are increasingly aware of the massive environmental toll that comes with adding another bike to landfill, rather than repairing it.

In short, the world desperately needs good bike mechanics.

What qualifications do I need to become a bicycle mechanic?

Trivia time! Several years back, the Victorian government dropped the bicycle mechanic component of their apprenticeship courses because they considered it to be a ‘hobby’ rather than a job.

This 'hobby' tag was not only discouraging – and, let's face it, disrespectful – but also news to the thousands of bicycle mechanics employed around Australia.

(Who did the department think actually worked in bike shops? Gremlins? Elves? Elvis?)

Victoria was also one of the last states in Australia to offer this apprenticeship option, so once it was gone, there was officially no formalised training for the bike industry in this country.

As a result, there’s technically no qualification required to become a bike mechanic.

This sounds like a good thing – no barrier to entry! – but it's not, for two reasons:

1. There’s no traditional career development pathway. Without formalised training, it’s hard to know where to start if you want to do it for a profession.
2. It also means that any chimp with a spanner can set up a shop and call themselves a bike mechanic. A proliferation of bike chimps who have no idea what they're doing devalues the whole industry. Imagine if other professions – dentistry, for example – operated the same way.

As of January 2025, there’s still no recognised apprenticeship program in Australia. However, there are a handful of course options, which can be helpful if you’re wanting to show to prospective bike shop employers that you’re serious.

Where can you learn to become a bike mechanic?

When we say ‘small number of options’, we’re not kidding.

The government’s YourCareer website lists two courses: a basic Certificate II in Bicycle Mechanical Technology and the more advanced Certificate III in Bicycle Workshop Operations.

But where can you do them?

1. TAFE Queensland.
2. Two privately owned training facilities in NSW.

That's it.

Not exactly a huge field to choose from, and if you don't live in QLD or NSW, there's no option to do these certifications at all.

Your other pathway is an independent course provider, such as Cytech, a UK-based bike mechanic training platform which is now being rolled out in Australia. However, again, it’s not available in all states.

But don’t stress. After all, most career mechanics have not done these courses, either, and many are masters of the trade.

How is bicycle mechanic regarded as a profession?

A major problem for the bicycle industry has been the fact that for many years, under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANSZCO) system, 'bicycle mechanic' was listed as a Level 5 occupation, putting it on the same skill level as a movie theatre usher or a supermarket trolley collector.

We wish we were kidding.

However, as of December 6th 2024, ANSZCO has been replaced by the new Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) rankings.

And guess what?

'Bicycle mechanic' has now been reclassified to Level 3, the same as an automotive mechanic.

This is a huge win for the Australian bike industry, who have been lobbying for a long time to get bike mechanics the professional recognition they deserve.

As bicycle mechanic is now finally classified a skilled trade, the Bicycle Industry Association can apply for it to be officially recognised as a skill shortage area.

This means we may see new certifications, qualifications, apprenticeships and industry support in the coming years. (Fingers crossed.)

In the meantime...

How do I become a bike mechanic?

While we're waiting for formalised training, the most crucial step is to get your foot in the door at a bike shop.

You’ll have the best shot of getting employed if you:

• have at least a basic level of experience of working on bicycles. Most mechanics start off working on their own, and learn as they go. (Pete began pulling apart bicycles when he was 5, and never stopped.)
• have a genuine interest in the bicycle as a mechanical machine, not just the fact that it's awesome to ride.
• are willing to do basic tasks, such as assembling kids’ bikes, pumping up tyres, and answering the phone. As a newbie, you will probably not be doing suspension repairs or bleeding brakes.

Your first taste of working in an actual bike shop, even at a very junior level, will give you a good idea of whether this is the kind of environment you’d want to work in full-time.

Which leads us to…

Is ‘bike mechanic’ a good career?

Yes! There are lots of positives.

If you’re a curious person, this job will keep your brain very busy.

To start with, there’s no such thing as a standard bike component—no standard tyre size, derailleur hanger, brake pad, bottom bracket, frame size.

Additionally, bicycles and components are always evolving; the system that makes the last generation of gears work will not necessary be the same system that the next one uses.

This lack of standardisation—which can be frustrating sometimes—and rapid evolution means that each bike needs to be approached differently to the previous one. Problem-solving is a huge part of the job, and also a critical factor that separates good bicycle mechanics from great bicycle mechanics.

It also means that there will always be new products, technologies and developments to learn and keep on top of. You will rarely be bored. Try saying that about data analysis.

You’re also never going to be stuck at a desk. You probably won’t ever have to go to a meeting, sit through a slideshow presentation, or be forced into team-building exercises, either. Hurray! No-one enjoys those things, regardless of what they tell management.

In most shops, you’ll also be dealing with customers, and will discover the mind-boggling array of people who love to ride.

BMCR customers include surgeons, teachers, judges, construction workers, stay-at-home parents, architects, and even a butler. (And we thought we worked in a niche industry.)

You'll talk to every kind of person that you can imagine. Some will want to discuss handlebar tape for an hour, some are desperate to get their kid's bike fixed before tomorrow's race, and some don't care what you do as long as you make their bike work.

As anyone who’s worked a public-facing job knows, customers can be the very best and the very worst of people. Fortunately, the vast majority of people you’ll be dealing with are lovely. Treat everyone with respect—regardless of whether their bike is worth $100 or $20,000—and you'll be golden.

From a philosophical perspective, as a bike mechanic, you’re also contributing positively to the world.

You’re helping people get fit and stay healthy. You’re giving people a way to hang out with their friends, climb up Mount Lofty, crush a PB, bomb down the Fox Creek trails, or just get to work without being stuck in traffic.

Bicycles are tools for fun and freedom, and you help make that happen.

It’s an awesome thing to be part of.

Is being a bike mechanic hard?

The yourcareer.gov.au lists one single professional drawback:

‘Considerations: stressful.’

This is correct.

Firstly, it’s physically challenging work. You will be on your feet 99% of the time. You will often be lifting heavy and unwieldy things, and frequently working in odd or awkward positions.

You will—if you’re working in a good shop, at least—also need to test-ride every bicycle you work on. This can involve sprinting the bike up and down the street while checking the gears, or riding around the block with the brakes on to bed in the pads, even if it's 40 degrees.

In addition, you’ll need excellent dexterity, strong fingers and wrists, and very good core control to help protect your back. (This is also the reason why a lot of mechanics do Pilates.)

It also helps if you don’t get easily grossed out.

You will often be working on bikes that are covered in or corroded by other people’s fluids. There’s frequently crud, mud and gunk on everything you touch, and it’s your job to get it sparkling.

You will learn to love rubber gloves and hand sanitiser.

Your hands may never be fully clean again.

Regardless of how big a bike shop's retail area is, most of their workshops tend to be small (unless they're a workshop-focused business).

You will need to have good spatial awareness and be able to deal with cramped conditions, including having other people in close proximity for long periods of time.

The lack of space can be hard to initially wrap your head around when the retail part looks like this:

... but the workshop area is this:

Being a professional bicycle mechanic actually has a lot of parallels with being a professional chef: you will frequently be working in cramped, high-pressure environments, often for sub-optimal wages, starting at the bottom of the ladder, expected to produce high-quality work at a demanding speed.

You also don’t become a chef just because you like to eat; you become one because you love the process of cooking, similarly to how great mechanics love the bicycle as a machine rather just loving cycling as a lifestyle choice. (More on this in a moment.)

It's a mindset that's crucial to avoid burnout.

How much does a bike mechanic make?

Here's the painful bit. You will unfortunately need to resign yourself to a lower wage bracket than you'd probably like.

Most people are happy to pay for a good car mechanic, a good lawyer or a good plumber, but when it comes to bicycles, we often look for the cheapest possible option. Part of this issue is the long-standing, up-until-just-now-government-perpetuated perception that a bicycle mechanic is an unskilled profession. However, as anyone who’s felt the difference between a chain store bike service and a proper, detailed bike service knows, there’s a huge amount of underappreciated skill that goes into being a good mechanic.

The industry also hasn’t helped with this problem, and has traditionally under-valued itself for years because we’ve never been taken seriously by governments at any level in this country. This has led to a general expectation that a bicycle service should always be cheap. Considering the fact that every time a person gets on a bike, they’re putting their safety/teeth/life in the hands of the person who worked on it, it’s a bit rich (no pun intended) to expect that same person to work for peanuts.

With this mindset, it's no wonder that many of the best and brightest mechanics don't stay in the industry for long when they can find better-paying occupations where their skills are appreciated. During the mining boom, for example, we knew of multiple mechanics who left their bike shops to go and earn two to three times more in that industry. (In fact, it's a well-known bike shop secret that a large number of career mechanics are able to survive doing what they love because their partner has a job that pays enough to make up for the income shortfall.)

Going hand-in-hand with this is the concept that everything should always be on sale, and that workshop labour is worth nothing. Many bike shops have learnt the hard way that if you keep fitting products for free, it's a very quick way to go broke. Not only that, it perpetuates the concept that we don't value our own time... so why should our customers?

Overall, we need a societal shift in the way people think about bicycles and how important they are – environmentally, socially, physically, and mentally. When the bicycle's true value is appreciated, we can then start to understand the importance of skilled professionals to look after it properly. As a result, the industry will be in a position to charge appropriately for the skills being offered (maybe $150 per hour as a minimum, in line with other industries) and shops can offer employees a wage that rewards being a career bike mechanic.

Of course, once shops start charging higher rates, they’ll need to back it up with a consistently high quality of service, which means more mechanics will need skill-specific training… and there’s not much of that available at this point.

Things are changing (as we've seen with the recent re-classification), but at the time of writing this post, you will never become rich working as a bicycle mechanic.

How to be the world’s best bicycle mechanic

If none of the above has put you off, congratulations! You're a prime contender to succeed in this field.

So now we can tell you the one secret that no course can teach you.

To become a successful career bicycle mechanic, you need to be in love with the bicycle as a machine. Not cycling as a lifestyle.

The bicycle marries simplicity and complexity in the same design. Since its earliest inception in the 1870s, the overall design hasn't really changed: it still has wheels, a diamond-shaped frame, and a chain-driven gear system. The fact that it's barely unchanged underscores how right the original concept was. There have of course been many refinements in terms of components – and some of the technologies that now exist in the industry are incredibly impressive – but the beauty of the original design remains the same.

This simplicity is what captures many kids who eventually become career bicycle mechanics. As a child, a bicycle is often the first taste of freedom, the thing that lets you explore your neighbourhood, do stupid stunts, or just hang out with your friends.

From a sociological perspective, the bicycle also was (and still is) an incredibly important evolution in women's rights and helping end the cycle of poverty. But you don't think of that when you're a kid, of course: you just want to ride.

Many long-term mechanics have never lost that love of the duality of complexity and simplicity, and what it brings. If you fall in love with the bicycle in this way, it will keep you going in this profession, no matter how greasy it gets.

Here are some other important career-make-or-break factors.

Be curious

No matter how skilled you are or how many years you’ve worked in the industry, remember: you don’t know everything. Staying open to new ideas is critical.

Learn by observing

You will see people making mistakes, especially when you first start out working in a bike shop. Watch everything. Even a terrible bike mechanic can usually teach you something, even if it’s how not to do something.

You might see someone break a bolt or crack a carbon component because they couldn’t be bothered walking over to get their torque wrench, or they simply don’t see the value in purchasing that tool in the first place.

Remember those mistakes. Vow never to do them yourself.

Pay attention to detail

This is a tricky one, as it seems to be a hard trait to learn (or teach). Some people are naturally better at details than others. If that’s you, develop that skill as it will serve you well, and allow you to pick up clues and information that other mechanics may miss, setting your problem-solving abilities apart.

If you’re not great at details but are still determined to become a bicycle mechanic, develop checks and balances so you can make sure nothing vital has been missed in the process.

As a critical part of this, every bicycle mechanic (detail-oriented or no) must cultivate a deep appreciation for the safety of the bicycle’s owner. One of our workshop mantras has always been 'would I be happy with this bike if I owned it?' If the answer is ‘no’, then the job is not yet finished.

Lastly, always strive to be better

This really is the biggest difference between a good bicycle mechanic and a great bicycle mechanic.

There is always a better way to do something, and it’s up to you to discover it. This may mean achieving the same result in a more efficient manner, or it may mean completely rethinking the way you tackle a process to ensure the result is better than what you’ve previously achieved.

This mindset is how we've developed a lot of the skills and processes that put our workshop apart – through constantly trying to find better servicing methods, creating our own tools and products, improving processes, making services as failsafe as possible.

So there you have it: your complete blueprint to becoming a bicycle mechanic in Australia.

There are some drawbacks to this work, for sure, but overall, it can be an incredibly satisfying and rewarding career on multiple fronts.

If you love the machinations of the bicycle, take pride in creating a great outcome and care personally for your customer’s safety and enjoyment, you’ll be able to get through even the most frustrating of days and still walk back through the door the next morning with a sense of excitement for what's ahead.

After all, isn't that what we all want out of our work?

Don't care about becoming a bicycle mechanic but just want your bike fixed? That's what we're here for.