Mecca for MECh-anics
These high-end bike specialists are the new trend in the city for your complex and uber pedal machines
By : ashwin aravind
Update: 2015-06-03 23:57 GMT
In a city full of engineers and IT graduates, a unique profession has taken the city by storm. Servicing high-end bicycles! And it is not as easy as it sounds. ‘Cycle Mechs’, as they are called, are specialists who know their machines like motor technicians know their cars and bikes.
Some of these mechanics have learnt from schools abroad, and are now professionals in the field. “I worked for ‘Bumsonthesaddle’ for almost a year, but now I freelance and conduct workshops and help people learn more about maintaining their bicycles like adjusting their brakes and derailleur (gears).” says Shamala K S, who has learnt the art of Frame building from Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association in the USA in a five- month course.
With more and more people getting into mountain biking and bike racing, there is a requirement for high-end bicycles, that need precision and engineering skills. These complex man-powered machines with parts like suspensions and derailleur require mechs or specialists. “Bicycle mechs are not very different from motorcycle mechanics, the only difference is the engine,” explains Faizan Ahmed, a 20-year-old who works at ‘Crankmeister Bicycle Works’. Shashankh CK, a mechanic from Bumsonthesaddle, elaborates, “Bicycles have evolved over time, and are getting more complex, that is why specialists are needed, I sometimes work 12 hours and there are always new customers with problems.” The 24-year-also old claims to be in a state of ‘Zen’ when working on a bike.
Mohammed Riyaz, the head mechanic at Crankmeister, earlier worked at BSA and has been working with cycles for eight years. He is now working on high-end bikes, “There is always a lot of work when it comes to servicing a bicycle, and we spend four hours on a full service,” he says.
With an increase in expensive bicycles, Karan Bhuta, a 25-year-old mechanic from Pune, says, “We fix a lot more advanced problems; For local bikes, spares are of lower value. If we were to charge the same as local mechanics, we would not survive. The cost of tools and professional bike mech’s kits by brands like Pedros and Park Tool are high. Good tools can cost Rs 3 lakh.”
With newer bicycle stores emerging, the Cycle Mech is in demand. A mech is paid around '10,000 to start with, but this varies. You can make a lot of money depending on your progress and quality of work. “The money is sufficient for me to travel and I can also buy more bikes if I save,” says Archana Sheshagiri, a 24-year-old electronics engineer.
Many customers prefer stores with these mechanics to local ones. “When I enter a good bicycle store, I feel welcomed. The tools they use are bicycle-specific and the services are done right and thanks to them, my ‘KSH alite’ is in tiptop shape,” ends Rithvik Bhat, a cycling enthusiast.