Ahctogi

I assume these are averages based on a nationwide view....

I know out here in the northeast, if you have at least basic experience, you should be able to start in most shops for around $8 to $8.50 hr, or $16,640 to $17,680 a year. Most managers/assistant managers are making around $21,000, and it goes up from there. A person who is strictly a "bicycle repairer" for a number of years most likely shows no sign of moving up, which is paramount in ANY organization to acheiving higher pay scales.

And don't forget the main reason most people start working in shops...the discounts on bike and parts !

I know when I started in retail bike shops many years ago, I was making $12,000 a year as a wrench/sales person. Since then, I have moved up in my profession, and make more than twice the money quoted ($23,704) for the upper end of repairer. My assistant manager, who still wrenches and does sales a spart of his duties, is making about $30,000. Obviously, if your area is like ours here, experienced people are hard to find, and can get a higher wage than an area that may be flush with talent, but very few outlets to hire them.

And to answer Raiyn question as to why someone would want to "jump right in", I think I can shed some light...When I was growing up my old man had a good paying job with job security, pension, etc that he ended up staying with for over 30 years. He made a decent living, paid off his house, always had decent cars, took vacations every other year, etc. And for my entire childhood, I remember he was a bitter, nasty SOB who hated getting up and leaving the house every morning to go to the plant. He missed every sporting event and school function while me and my brothers were growing up. He always dreamed of doing something he enjoyed (carpentry, masonry, etc) but never pursued it, and regrets it to this day.

I swore at a very early age that I would not do that with my family....

So I found something I enjoyed, had a passion for, and wanted to do forever. I started early, paid my dues, and I have acheived those goals. I LOVE coming to work every day, and it offers me flexibility to be at my kids functions, and I make a decent (not extravegeant) wage. My wife likes that I come home less stressed (most of the time). To this day, I have customers who might make more than I do, but say "I always dreamed of working with bikes for a living...you guys are so lucky". My kids think its cool that thier dad works with bikes all day. In a nutshell....it's ALL good!

Sometimes it's not about the money....it's about a whole lot more.....