Bike shops face mechanic shortage as repair skills fade

Up to half of Denmark’s bicycle repair shops lack qualified mechanics, according to the industry organisation Danske Cykelhandlere, DR reports. The shortage comes as fewer people know how to handle basic repairs, such as fixing a puncture or putting a chain back on.

Vestbyens Cykelhandel in Aalborg has struggled to recruit. Co-owner Rasmus Lyngby said the shop received four applications when it advertised for a mechanic last year. Three applicants were unqualified, while the fourth had been away from the industry so long that he could not remember how to work on a bicycle.

Lyngby and the shop’s mechanics are starting work early to keep up with daily repairs. He warned that more customers could mean longer waits.

Danske Cykelhandlere chairman Karsten Hansen said the growing number of electric bicycles also added to demand for skilled workers. Their advanced systems require specialist knowledge, he said.

Hansen said children used to learn basic bicycle repairs from their parents, but that was happening less often. He hopes schools will introduce pupils to practical trades, recalling that metalwork and engine classes at school helped spark his own interest in mechanics.