Mountain Bike Mike--The Apprentice

One of the bikes I built on Saturday

A few weeks ago, the guys at Brick City Bicycles here in Ocala asked me if I wanted to come in a couple of hours a week and learn how to build, fix, and maintain bikes. My dad said it was like an apprenticeship. It sounded to me like a job, with pay. Actually, I was offered store credit, but to me, it's pretty much the same thing. Of course, I said, "Sign me up!!"



Me goofing off with one of the strider bikes

It's awesome because I get to do the Saturday morning group road ride with my dad, and then I just stay to work afterwards. So far I've worked 13 hours in 3 weeks. Last Saturday, I built 2 mountain bikes all by myself, 1 road bike mostly by myself, and changed 6 tires for customers. Thomas and Scott have been really cool about teaching me how to do these things and helping me when I get to something I don't know how to do.

Today, I got to put my new skills to work on my own bike. My dad and I went for a training ride and my brakes weren't working right. I was able to fix them on the trail, which is something I wouldn't have known how to do if not for Scott and Thomas.

Here I am road testing one of the first bikes I helped to build a couple of weeks ago.

Everyone at Brick City Bicycles has been very nice to me as I learn about the shop and the bikes. On top of that, I've had a chance to look at (and ride) some of the new bikes and find a couple that I'd like to work to get (one road, one mountain).


Isn't it awesome? I have my eye on this one.

I think this is about the best job ever, and I am one lucky kid!!