Bicycle Mechanic Apprenticeship

Summary

A small family business in retailing, selling bikes, accessories and repairs.

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)

Training course

Bicycle mechanic (level 2)

Hours

30- 40 hours per week Lunch 12pm- 1pm Start and finish time - to be discussed, flexible

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 bicycles
Basic repairs
Organising
Dealing with customers
Managing stock

Where you’ll work

185 SEVEN SISTERS ROAD
LONDON
N4 3NS

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 + 3 months End Point Assessment
Day release
Dedicated Performance Coach
Functional Skills maths and English if needed.
Cytech online theory one
Cytech technical two
Cytech technical three

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
Number skills
Team working
Initiative
Patience
Physical fitness

Other requirements

The shop is located 3 mins walk from Finsbury Park underground and railway station.

About this company

Finsbury Cycles is an independent bicycle shop established well over a decade and a member of the Association of Cycle Traders. We pride ourselves on offering first class customer service, price and products to all our customers.

http://finsburycycles.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Development within the company once completed the Apprenticeship

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 VAC1000311943.

Apply now

Closes in 26 days (Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 11:59pm)

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