January News

PBMA January Newsletter

A New Year and so much to do
An overview of 2017 Goals

The PBMA is in full swing for 2017. The holidays offered a brief respite from the daily hustle and bustle of normal life. 2017 brings a new year and even more opportunity. Surveys, we can't say it enough, your help in gathering data is hugely important.

With an eye on certification and training the PBMA has hit the ground running with trips and visitis to potential partners in the certification project. Building a purposful tool for the whole of the cycling industry is a large project. As these meetings happen and begin to form the basis of what certification looks like we will soon unveil initial partners, opportunities and overall timeline and plan. The goal remains to show the full vision at Interbike this fall, there will be pieces and facets of the whole plan revealed and discussed along the way.

We understand that our industry has traditionally utilized a rather unique method for hiring based on experience, quantified in whatever capacity based on years worked in the shop environment. Some may hesitate to support a certification program initially due to fears of what the process may entail, but it is certainly in the vein of this experience-based tradition of analysis that we will carry forward with the certification program.

By creating a community and network within the industry, we see the manufacturers, organizations, shops, and educators all contributing to the successful pathway towards certification. Every facet within the bicycle industry involved in this effort will reap the benefits of a better organized, more concise method for ensuring success for mechanics, the shops they work in, and ultimately the consumer.

You'll find us at the IBD Summit this week and CABDA in February. We hope to see many of you out at these events!

THE PROFESSIONAL BICYCLE MECHANICS ASSOCIATION'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE, DEVELOP, AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL BICYCLE MECHANIC.

Exceptionalism of bicycle mechanics

Bike mechanics are exceptional but we’re not speaking about challenging technologies, enjoyable test rides, benefits to the planet, or low pay. This is about a fundamental difference between bike mechanics and nearly every other type of mechanic, a difference with implications too often overlooked.
Bicycle production is a complex chain of managers, vendors, assemblers, and distributors but the last stage of manufacturing occurs in the store. While bicycles are better made than ever, key preparation must precede delivery to each customer. These tasks, fundamentally manufacturing, are the responsibility of the mechanic, and go far beyond department store type assembly.

Why so different than most commodities and vehicles? This system began at the dawn of mass production, pioneered in large part by bicycle ingenuity. In 1890 the US hosted more than 3,000 bicycle brands. With so many builders, invention and rapid evolution was unleashed and mechanics both repaired and fabricated. So capable were these widespread skills that a century later bicycle factories depend on store mechanics to finish their products. Part assembler, part customizer, and part troubleshooter, the mechanic manages issues of fastener torque, pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, and ergonomics. Their concern for fit, function, compatibilities, and safely enables millions of new bicycles each year to perform dependably for a wide variety of riders.

Considering this dependence on shop mechanics, the cycling industry should be giving top priority to training, accreditation, and compensation. What maintained the tradition of bike mechanic recruitment, education, and accountability is long gone. Today, bicycle mechanics are among the lowest paid in the service economy. We are grateful numerous heroes keep the scene from detonating but a hero system is not sustainable.

Without a large cadre of trained and motivated mechanics, cycling’s growth could be risky and dangerous. E-bikes and cargo haulers are being added to the category and new issues abound. It is not enough to rename “mechanic” to “technician.” Increased opportunity, accreditation, and compensation for the World’s bike mechanics will benefit the business of cycling.

- R. Hjertberg

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK... ABOUT TORQUE (PART 1)

T = c D F

T= torque required
c=coefficient of friction constant
D=nominal bolt diameter
F=bolt tension desired

Above is an equation used to determine the relationship between torque and tension in a steel bolt. Do you really need to understand this as a bicycle mechanic? To some degree, yes… but let's partially simplify the concept of torque, and think about how it applies to our daily work.

We know, of course, that fasteners need to be torqued properly for the safety, security and longevity of the components of a bicycle. We use torque wrenches to help us achieve proper torque when necessary, but there are other factors involved which need to be considered. Materials used, amount of lubrication, thread engagement, size of bolt head, all factor in to the concept of torque and the application of said torque.

When applying concepts of torque to bicycle fasteners, first we need to make sure the proper fasteners are used. Generally, manufacturers will have the proper sizes, materials, and thread engagement considered and implemented so that the mechanic doesn't have to worry about those factors. However, as bicycle mechanics, we know that occasionally things that come through the door are cobbled together, have been unfastened and refastened who-knows-how many times, or have other unknown origins. This is where experience comes into play and is so important. Knowing the look and feel of how things should be versus how they appear before us in the bike stand is a key difference in what procedures need to be followed. A torque wrench however well-calibrated may not save a situation where the standard is no longer the norm, or what you have in front of you.

Threads should rarely, if ever, be dry; proper lubrication (thread lockers behave as lubricants initially in this regard) affects torque and the feel of thread engagement. It is often observed that small bolts are over-torqued, and large ones under-torqued. One practical case in point seen rather often is when the tiny 2.5mm bolts on lock-on grips are not greased, the result is too much torque is then needed to keep the grip from slipping when twisted, and often those little bolts break when additional torque is applied to prevent the slip. The solution, is of course, to remove the bolts before installation and grease them… the effect is to reduce the actual amount of torque required to secure the grip. When threads are dry, friction in fact is distorting the feel of torque, since the threads are not slipping past one another as smoothly.

Another point to be aware of, is that when threaded components are torqued together, the threads themselves distort a certain amount, spreading slightly further apart. This is what allows the security of the bolt to hold the component… and so, when threads are engaged to a point of slight over torque, that slight distortion increases, eventually rendering that bolt and it's corresponding interface to weaken over time, especially when under significant stress loads. A study was done at the Tour De France one year, checking on the torque of fasteners on the team bikes before the event, and after the event. Many bikes were found to have their fasteners over-torqued by an average of 20% by the end of the tour… the conclusion was that the mechanics had "checked" the torque on the bolts at the end of each stage, adding a certain amount of torque to each bolt that ended up adding up quite significantly. Knowing that team bikes often have their components replaced or are replaced entirely rather frequently compared to your average rider, it is not of as great a consequence, ultimately. But we've all seen bolt heads break off, threads stripped, and the point of elasticity on metal components brought to the extremes in our work stands… hopefully this all helps a bit in understanding why.

- J Kallista

On the PBMA Interwebs

PBMA Feature Interviews
A collection of interviews with some leaders of the industry

PBMA Job Portal
Looking for a job or needing to hire someone? This is is the perfect place for both

Find a Mechanic
If you're a mechanic you'll want to be listed here. Available to PBMA Members Only

Closing Thoughts

As we conclude this month's update we want everyone reading to think about what the cycling industry future holds for them. If you're a shop owner, what does business look like in five or ten years? If you're a mechanic what does your day-to-day look like next year or the year after? We seem to agree that change is accelerating in our industry. Without trying to predict the future, how are you already adapting?

We've talked about certification and will speak much more about it in the coming weeks and months. For the PBMA to lobby and work for a brighter and better future it's going to take everyone coming together and realizing common smaller goals. The large goals will be achieved, it's the milestones along the way that will build a strong foundation for success.

The PBMA is excited to be partnered with Snap-on Industrial Brands for a great promotion. What other companies, bicycle specific and otherwise, would you suggest a partnership would build value for members?

Keep the wrenches turning!

- J Rowe