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What just happened!?

4K views 49 replies 22 participants last post by  Spec7 
#1 ·
Was talking (on ph) to a guy at a local lbs in my town, re getting a derailleur tune and a new chain.

I asked him cost/price - he replied $40-ish for chain and $20 for tune + time = around $70.

I say 'sweet' I'll bring bike in this arvo...

I bring in bike and now I'm looking at $210!?

Bike needs a deluxe service apparently... headsets a little off, rear bearing has a little lift, rear cassette might need replacing!

Holy sh*t!!

Bike is a year old and has had two services in that time, last being just before xmas both basic services I would say...

Now to tell the wife :eek:

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#3 ·
Sounds like a bike shop that doesn't want you as a customer any more! Did they actually do all the work without discussing it with you first? If so, I'd be just a little mad at them for not even having the courtesy to talk to you first about what (allegedly) needed doing.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, we have some like that at one of the places around here. I asked about a syringe to refill/measure my fork fluid and they try to sell me a $50+ brake bleed kit. I couldn't help giggling and the guy says, "well, it comes with other stuff". I didn't bother to explain that I already have a bleed kit and don't want to mix brake/fork fluid for a syringe that should cost all of $5-10 retail. It's no wonder some shops don't make it.
 
#5 ·
This is where you can really save yourself a lot of money and headache by learning to do this stuff yourself. A simple chain replacement should not warrant a derailleur tune unless you already needed the tune.

Once you learn to do it yourself, then you'll know what parts you need and you'll be able to ride more since you won't be waiting for the bike to get finished at the shop.
 
G
#7 ·
Bike needs a deluxe service apparently... headsets a little off, rear bearing has a little lift, rear cassette might need replacing!
Not sure what rear bearing you're talking about, but if you bought this bike from this shop and they have an lifetime adjustment policy (most have something similar) the Der adjustment and headset should be free, so you're looking at labor for the chain replacement. If you're chain is worn the real question is how worn. It would be hard for me to imagine that your cassette is worn out in a year unless it was neglected, used very hard or an ultra-light performance cassette. I'm 212# and replace my chains pretty frequently and still get 5-6K out of my chainrings and cassettes. I think the general answer you'll get here is learn how to do the basics yourself (cassettes take two tools to change, the tools can be purchased cheaply and the job takes less than 5 minutes, chains take one tool and two minutes, Der adjustments are quick, you have a multi-tool with the right stuff on it already and you can youtube the process or download the manufactures .) I wouldn't get too steeped in anti-LBS setiment, they gotta make a living too and they may be right about the cassette, but that's easy to check yourself and a worn cassette will affect shifting and riding as much as a worn chain.
 
#8 ·
Just hitting the other side of the coin. Sounds to me like the OP asked about a service over the phone, and then more was found when he brought the bike into the shop. In all the shops I have worked in, bikes are inspected as they come through the door. It is unclear in the original post if the price quoted was before or after service was provided.

While I think some folks are very capable of fixing their own bikes, many are not, and I would go so far as saying the vast majority of LBS customers ride way past the point that adjustments will fix the problem. $200 parts&labor for a bike that has been ridden hard and put away wet doesn't seem that extreme to me. On the other hand, if the last service was in December, and the bike hasn't been ridden, then the OP is likely being taken for a ride (or the previous mechanic just did the basic tune, and failed to check all the other systems)
 
#10 ·
Of the dozen or so bikes I've built and owned throughout my life, none have, nor shall they ever see the inside of a bike shop.

Its a sad downward spiral, as fewer people support the LBS, they start to get panicky and start drumming up business which may not be absolutely necessary. Much like the questionable auto mechanic. I hate to ever suggest not to support the LBS, but unless you place a high amount of trust in them, you run the risk to get taken for a ride.
 
#11 ·
Sounds like a bunch of pretty vague stuff to me.

What does 'headset is a little off' mean? Out of adjustment? That's a whole 2 minute fix if you're slow about it. Same with the 'rear bearing' - what rear bearing? Are they saying the hub has a little play?

I dunno - I can't begin to see where a $210 price is coming from.
 
#12 ·
I disagree with the post above entirely. Having been in the bike industry for over 25 years, this scenario is not uncommon, or unjustified. If you buy a bike and inadvertently fail to maintain the care of your chain, it can cause expedited wear of the cassette...an expensive item. So, take a $40 chain, a $75 cassette, throw in some labor to install these bits, and put that in with some other adjustments, and sure...$200 is easy. But....JUSTIFIED.

No one said bikes are cheap.
 
#13 ·
No one said bikes are cheap.
My take after 25 years of learning how not to get suckered by "the industry" - bikes can be a lot cheaper than a lot of people make them out to be.

There, I said it.

;)

As already mentioned - buy the parts and tools you need and stay the hell out of the shops if at all possible and you'll save tons. Bikes are simple machines, learn to work on yours.
 
#15 ·
As it happens, I do my own work. What I will say is that when working on my bike, I'm often surprised at how some things that should be simple end up taking 3 times as long as expected. It even takes up time to identify and order the correct parts.

If the shop is being honest with you about what the bike needs, the charges don't sound unreasonable to me, keeping in mind they have to cover overhead and pay the mechanic. Not many people want to work for peanuts these days.
 
#16 ·
I've never understood why people chide bike shops as such evil-doers ripping people off. It's a silly assertion and makes me wonder if people like slapheadmofo give away their professional services for free.

Bike shops are no different from any other business that sells products and services. If you happen to be someone who needs their product, and/or their services, it seems only fair to pay them for it, right?

I can work on my own motorcycle, but don't have the space or time, so I end up biting the bullet and having someone else do it, then paying them. That doesn't make THEM crooks, that makes ME in an unfortunately place to have to part with my money.

To the OP - the charges you mention don't sound out of line, but as has been pointed out, if you knew how to do the work yourself, you could save some bucks. That only makes you a better mtb owner. It doesn't make the LBS any less necessary to a lot of people, or bad in any way.
 
#23 ·
I've never understood why people chide bike shops as such evil-doers ripping people off. It's a silly assertion and makes me wonder if people like slapheadmofo give away their professional services for free.
.
I don't think shops are evil or anything - got plenty of friends that own or work for shops and some that build and sell bikes too. I just think the prices are can run way high given how simple most of the work is (once you spend a little time figuring things out of course). Yeah, it's definitely more convenient, and for certain things like wheel building and some suspension work, etc, it can make more sense to deal with a pro, but for most regular maintenance, a couple tools, a rack of brew and the internet will get you through fine. And of course the added bonus that now you can fix your bike on the trail, which is the most likely place for things to go wrong.

I don't give away my services for free, but I also don't do something that your average shmoe can take care of in the shed with a few specialized tools. As far as bike work, for what the OP needs done, I'd typically charge a tasty 6-pack. ;)

The exchange rate makes a big difference - I was thinking US $$.
 
#17 ·
By the way, even after a lifetime working on my own bikes, I do find myself in a greater supply of money than time these days. Not that I'm flush with cash, but there are times when I'm more than happy to pay someone at a good shop to work on my bikes. More time for me to ride. To me...that's worth a few bucks here and there.
 
#21 ·
There are many variables to cassette wear including the quality of the cassette itself. How well or poorly the chain was lubed, or even the conditions in which it was used. The decomposed granite dust where I live is very abrasive and neglect to clean the drivetrain regularly can accelerate wear.

Even the user inputs during shifting can accelerate wear by increasing damage to the shift ramps and pins. Shifting regularly under load as an example.

There's a lot that influences mechanical sympathy and that in turn impacts service life above everything else.
 
#22 ·
Lots of comments ^^

Chain is just at the needing replacement stage... which I had guessed as I've been dropping a few chains up front... $40-50NZD for a chain probably equates to $25 USD...

The guy was spinning the wheels whilst holding stanchions and fork looking for play in those areas.

They arrived at the conclusion that I needed a full service i.e. taking everything apart and giving things a good clean and lube.

I do my own basic maintenance - lubing moving parts, truing tyres, fiddling with rear derailleur (not very good at it yet)...

I'll pay it out this time and if there is a noticeable improvement in how it feels, I'll continue to return for major servicing - if there's no noticeable difference in ride... I'll go elsewhere.

Cassette seems fine to my untrained eye (they won't replace it without contacting me first). Bike is probably due for the rest. But it begs the question... the first two services I paid for (other lbs) did they actually do anything?

Will endeavour to receive some tutelage in tooling other than the basics.

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#24 ·
My Father-in-law is a mechanical whizz but he lives out of town... don't really know any tooleez in my area - which is a shame...

Get Father-in-law to train me up I guess... I am mechanically challenged though ^^

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Opinions are like A-holes... everybody
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#26 ·
New development... bike rear derailleur hanger (think that's its name... thing that connects RD to bike) was slightly bent.
Tooley at lbs tried to straighten it, and broke it... they've ordered another one.
I may not have my bike this weekend :boohoo:

Question is should I pay for new part? They broke it...
Should I expect a discount? Should I demand some recompense?

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Opinions are like A-holes... everybody
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#27 ·
Mmmmm....the plot thickens.

Think of a derailleur like a bike's testicles. It's the most exposed, and delicate part on a bike, and dang important. You never want that part to get hit too hard, and when it does, take a moment to make sure it's not damaged. This applies almost more so to the derailleur hanger.

Seriously, if you bent your derailleur hanger, you had to have hit something somewhat hard. This happens, but it shouldn't happen regularly and when it does, it can unleash holy hell for problems. You're lucky you didn't shift into your wheel, which is what follows when you bend your hanger. That can blow up your derailleur, hanger, spokes, chain, cassette... I've seen people bend a hanger (not that they gave a crap) only to then shift into their wheel, and then stare at a big $600 repair bill with their lower lip sticking out as if to say, "...wasn't me." :)

So, in reality, they broke the hanger because it's somewhat meant to break before the derailleur itself suffers, but it broke only because YOU bent it first. Bent hangers are often a sign of abuse or at the very least an accident on the part of the bike owner, which again, happens. But, it's not the bike's fault or the shop's responsibility to make it right for free. You bent it. You get to pay for it.

A good rider inspects MANY points on a bike before every ride. The condition of your hanger is a good one if you tend to ride "hard." I say, "hard" and that is not to be synonymous with "well" or "aggressively." Good riders can go fast as hell, but because they have mechanical sympathy don't cause any damage to their bikes. Sounds like you may be beating the piss out of this poor bike.
 
#28 ·
Fair enough ^^ suck it up on my part...

Still my $210 bill will now likely be $310!!

Should not have let myself get talked into the extra service my bike likely didn't require...

It won't happen again... Lesson learned

Sent from my Kin[G]_Pad ™
 
G
#30 ·
They're charging $100 for a der hanger and labor? Seems steep. That's normally a $10-$20 part and 5 minutes of labor. If it was bent (and that happens a lot) it kills derailleur performance and needs to be fixed. They can be aligned sometimes but they are designed to break. $50 seems more reasonable than $100 for parts and service (USD).
 
#32 ·
I link bent hanger back to a wee tumble I took a couple of weeks prior.
Front wheel got caught in a rut (and came out unscathed btw) and I did the slow motion sideways dismount. Rest of ride went off w/o a hitch - even did my first gap jump.
A few days later I did some bike prep for upcoming ride. Tires, shocks, drivetrain... the bend must have been small enough not to be noticed. On the following ride I noticed gear slippage on rear big cog. I tried to index gears myself post ride and still didn't pick up any issue re, bent hanger.
So, I decided to let the pros have a look i.e. get rear derailleur indexed and buy a new chain (after 1200+ km's I thought it was due).
Lbs wrote down on my docket $210 (NZD) - $150 for deluxe service, $40 for new chain and the other $20 for god knows what!?
Maybe I was being a little pessimistic re, $310 final cost. But I'm sort of expecting the worst ^^

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Opinions are like A-holes... everybody
has one & they're usually full of...??
 
#33 ·
As has been said multiple times here - just start doing your own work. This is a classic example of what Robert Persig was saying in 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' which talked about quality as a life-philosophy... When you mentioned the snapped hanger I immediately envisaged the ham-fisted motorcycle mechanic taking to the timing cover with a cold chisel...

Don't be afraid to pick up some tools and teach yourself; you'll find it rewarding and you won't get shafted near as much.
 
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