Some bike mechanics told researchers that even after decades in the trade, they earned less than people starting out in unrelated retail or logistics jobs. That detail sits at the centre of a new warning. Europe's bike industry says it has to find about 105,000 more mechanics by 2032. Without them, more riders will give up because nobody can fix their bikes.
The warning comes from the NextGen Mechanics Report, written by Shimano's NextGen Mechanics initiative and the trade group European Cycling Industries (ECI) and presented at the ECI summit in Brussels on September 30, 2026. It draws on more than 600 responses from bike retailers, employers and mechanics in 30 European countries. The hiring target counts people who leave the trade as well as new jobs, and it would mean growing today's workforce by roughly 40%. ECI chief executive Paul Walsh summed it up: "A bicycle that cannot be repaired is a bicycle that stops being ridden".
Blame the paycheck before the battery
Some headlines, Electrek's among them, have blamed the shortage on ever more complex e-bikes. The report's own survey points somewhere else first. Low pay and low status came top of the list of reasons the jobs go unfilled, cited by 72.5% of respondents, ahead of a lack of training (55%) and the complexity of modern bikes (50%). The report says mechanics' pay sits below the national median for full-time work even in Northern Europe.
E-bikes do make the job harder, though. Mechanics now have to work with firmware, battery systems and digital drivetrains as well as brakes and chains. The report also warns about fire risks and an informal repair scene that includes shops working on illegally modified e-bikes.
Riders are already pulling back
Shimano's own State of the Nation rider survey of 25,000 people, published on February 4, 2026, estimates that 121 million Europeans ride less because keeping a bike running is a hassle. Young riders are hit hardest. Repair costs were the biggest complaint, ahead of long waits and having no shop nearby. Keep in mind that this figure is a projection from a survey run by a company that sells bike parts, not a headcount.
The report lays out 27 recommendations, including a shared European qualification for mechanics. It doesn't make a specific funding request to the EU. Instead it suggests looking at existing funding streams aimed at skills shortages, social mobility and green jobs. ECI's next step is a new Education and Skills Expert Group, whose first jobs are mapping Europe's workforce needs and working with vocational training providers on common standards.
Sources
- 1.E-bikes are causing a surprising new problem in Europe · Electrek
- 2.Europe needs 105,000 more bike mechanics by 2032 · BikeBiz
- 3.Europe needs 105,000 bike mechanics as 121 million people prevented from cycling more, report finds · BikeRadar
- 4.Shimano report: 121 million Europeans cycle less due to poor maintenance · Cyclingreview
- 5.NextGen Mechanics Report · European Cycling Industries / Shimano
- 6.Europe Needs 105,000 Bicycle Mechanics by 2032, While US Employment Data Reveals a Different Challenge · Todo Mountain Bike
Reported by the WattsUpNext desk from the sources linked below. Spot an error? Tell us at corrections@wattsupnext.com.
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