Don’t you wish some days that your job was to ride mountain bikes? You could open a bike shop in your town (though more than likely you’ll lose you ass) or train 8 hours a day to become a pro rider. Maybe you could start a touring company, guiding people on trail rides around Colorado? Too bad those guys usually live in tents and end up begging for cash for a Big Mac.
While the new bike jobs section on Singletracks certainly doesn’t offer the full time mountain bike employment you might be looking for, we do have some stuff you can do for cash and merchandise. Think of it as a way to defray the cost for your epic trip to Moab or beer money for your next post-ride bash.
Bike jobs certainly aren’t for everyone, we all know what happens when a hobby starts to remind you of work (ask a certain person I know who used to love mountain biking before she started working for the bike “man”). But if you are interested in a full-time career in the cycling industry here are some places you might want to look:
- Trek bicycles
- Performance bike (also owns Nashbar)
- Santa Cruz
- REI (not all bikes, but close enough)
- Boutique bike manufacturer (dozens of these all across the country)
- Local bike shops (might be best to do this part-time, that way you can get discounts without working your ass off)
- Bike touring companies and/or ski resorts (these are usually seasonal positions)
- Specialized
- Bicycle courier agencies (dangerous but sexy)
Pro deals and industry discounts are a major perk for industry workers (you’ll also find you suddenly have new friends eager to take advantage of your deals). Don’t expect a big paycheck though; every cycling Joe who wishes he could work for a bike company is willing to take a pay cut just to get in the door. It’s a competitive industry to get into but certainly rewarding for the right person – just don’t be offended when I ask you to hook me up with a deal.
