Bicycle mechanic (level 2)
Building, repairing and servicing all kinds of bicycles.
- Qualification level
-
2
Equivalent to GCSE. - Typical duration
- 18 months
- Apprenticeship category
- Engineering and manufacturing
- Maximum funding
-
£7,000
Maximum amount government will fund
for apprenticeship training. - Skills
-
Skills an apprentice will learn
- 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.
Full information on Bicycle mechanic (level 2) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.