Bicycle Mechanic Apprenticeship

Summary

Join our family: work on bikes and kickstart your career as a bicycle mechanic!

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Minimum of £7.55ph

Training course

Bicycle mechanic (level 2)

Hours

Number of Hours: 40 hours Lunch break length: 30 minutes Start Time: 09:00 Finish Time: 17:30

40 hours a week

Start date

Thursday 1 May 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Assembling and prepping variety of new bikes including pro-level equipment.
Carrying out warranty repairs on everything from E-bikes to downhill rigs.
Progressing to service work as you master new bike builds and warranty work.
Assisting customers in store.

Where you’ll work

The Bicycle Chain,
24-25 Coningsby Street, Hereford
HR1 2DY

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

ACTIVATE LEARNING

Your training course

Bicycle mechanic (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Use specialist bicycle diagnostic equipment to identify fault and formulate a plan to solve the problems; identifying when it is uneconomical to proceed.
Use cycle workstand correctly to safely and securely hold a bicycle on the appropriate part of the frame.
Service a cup and cone type hub, identifying worn parts and correct replacements.
Remove and replace sealed cartridge bearings using appropriate tools.
Service cable operated brake systems, correctly sizing and routing cabling using the correct spare parts and torque settings.
Bleed hydraulic brake systems.
Service derailleur gear systems, correctly sizing and routing cabling using correct spare parts and torque settings; straighten a derailleur hanger.
Tap the crank arm threads.
Identify the different standards of cranks and bottom brackets; remove and replace crank arms, bottom brackets and tap and face the bottom bracket shell.
Identify chain wear; assess compatibility issues, taking account of chain line and correctly split and install a quick link based chain.
Tape road handlebars.
Remove and replace a set of forks, taking account of the correct way to cut a fork steering column to size. Hydraulic fork servicing, disassemble and clean stations and cartridges and re-grease properly.
Remove, replace and service a headset, taking account of sizing standards.
Perform alignment checks to a bicycle frame.
Hand-build a wheel of differing complexities (for example, from simple 3-cross to manufacturer specific wheel systems) in the patterns required for non-disc, front disc and rear disc to the required tolerance and correctly dished and tensioned.
Set up and adjustment of internal gears.
Conduct quality assurance check of build or repair work completed.
Complete handover once completed build or repair is finished, including advising on further and future work required, changes to operation, required on-going maintenance and complete paperwork as appropriate.
Serve customers or clients on any required area of the store; refer them on to a more senior colleague or to ask for help; seek after market sales.
Communicate via suitable means with customers (telephone, text, email, social media) in order to ensure good service is maintained.
Use catalogues (hard copy and online) to identify parts and order to fulfil customers needs.
Use manual system and workshop diary and complete any associated paperwork.
Deal with complaints, following employer and manufacturers policies.
Identify when something has failed or is not fit for purpose.
Maintain proper tool maintenance and general workshop cleanliness and tidiness.
Use specialist bicycle diagnostic equipment to identify fault and formulate a plan to solve the problems; identifying when it is uneconomical to proceed.
Use cycle workstand correctly to safely and securely hold a bicycle on the appropriate part of the frame.
Service a cup and cone type hub, identifying worn parts and correct replacements.
Remove and replace sealed cartridge bearings using appropriate tools.
Service cable operated brake systems, correctly sizing and routing cabling using the correct spare parts and torque settings.
Bleed hydraulic brake systems.
Service derailleur gear systems, correctly sizing and routing cabling using correct spare parts and torque settings; straighten a derailleur hanger.
Tap the crank arm threads.
Identify the different standards of cranks and bottom brackets; remove and replace crank arms, bottom brackets and tap and face the bottom bracket shell.
Identify chain wear; assess compatibility issues, taking account of chain line and correctly split and install a quick link based chain.
Tape road handlebars.
Remove and replace a set of forks, taking account of the correct way to cut a fork steering column to size. Hydraulic fork servicing, disassemble and clean stations and cartridges and re-grease properly.
Remove, replace and service a headset, taking account of sizing standards.
Perform alignment checks to a bicycle frame.
Hand-build a wheel of differing complexities (for example, from simple 3-cross to manufacturer specific wheel systems) in the patterns required for non-disc, front disc and rear disc to the required tolerance and correctly dished and tensioned.
Set up and adjustment of internal gears.
Conduct quality assurance check of build or repair work completed.
Complete handover once completed build or repair is finished, including advising on further and future work required, changes to operation, required on-going maintenance and complete paperwork as appropriate.
Serve customers or clients on any required area of the store; refer them on to a more senior colleague or to ask for help; seek after market sales.
Communicate via suitable means with customers (telephone, text, email, social media) in order to ensure good service is maintained.
Use catalogues (hard copy and online) to identify parts and order to fulfil customers needs.
Use manual system and workshop diary and complete any associated paperwork.
Deal with complaints, following employer and manufacturers policies.
Identify when something has failed or is not fit for purpose.
Maintain proper tool maintenance and general workshop cleanliness and tidiness.

Your training plan

Bicycle mechanic Level 2 (GCSE).
Typical duration: 18 months.

Dedicated performance coach.
Functional skills Maths and English.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 3-4 (D-C))

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
A keen interest in bikes
Some mechanical experience

About this company

Join Our Family at The Bicycle Chain! Are you passionate about cycling and eager to work in a supportive, family-run business? At The Bicycle Chain, we believe in fostering a positive work environment where teamwork, exceptional service, and a love for bikes come together to create a rewarding career. About Us The Bicycle Chain is a family-owned business with stores in Yeovil, Taunton, Bridgwater, Weston-Super-Mare, and Hereford. We see ourselves as one big family, dedicated to providing the best experience for our customers, staff, and suppliers. Our commitment to continuous improvement means we value your input and encourage you to help us grow. Why Join Us? Family Atmosphere: Become part of a close-knit team that supports each other and works together to achieve our goals. Customer Satisfaction: Take pride in delivering exceptional service and building long-term relationships with our customers. Passion for Bikes: Share your enthusiasm for cycling with customers and help them find the perfect products for their needs. Growth Opportunities: We evaluate your performance regularly and provide opportunities for you to advance and reach your full potential.

https://www.bicyclechain.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

We aim to grow all our apprentices into master technicians. There is absolutely the possibility of a full-time position on completion.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

ACTIVATE LEARNING

Jenny Hyam

faculty.enrolments@activateapprenticeships.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000304562.

Apply now

Closes in 27 days (Wednesday 30 April 2025 at 11:59pm)

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