Bike Mechanic on Sydney's Northern Beaches wanted

[goose95]

Howdy,

A bunch of us are sick of being ripped off for servicing/repair/replacement of our MT Bikes by a couple of local bike stores (won't say which ones). We figure there must be some good bike mechanics on the northern beaches of sydney who can work from home on a cash basis. Would be great to hear from anyone who knows one.

thanks

 

[tafi]

What seems to be the problem?

 

[531Aussie]

What seems to be the problem?

Hey Taf, I bought a Superprodigy after seeing this one that your rode in the 2003 Classics

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=photos/2003/tech/features/PRGW/bike_ch1825

 

[tafi]

Bello!

 

[goose95]

What seems to be the problem?

No specific problem, just for servicing, replacement of parts, rebuilding of bikes etc. We've just had the experience now a few times where we have put a bike in and parts were replaced without checking first (at hefty prices), poor responses (I waited 8 weeks for a response on a cracked frame, despite reminders), attitude problems for parts brought in for them (because they gave 2 weeks for sourcing) and generally advice that seems to be always in their favour. Given its always a young guy that does the work, we figure that there must be someone around happy to work for cash from home.

 

[tafi]

Waiting a while for frame assessments is par for the course. A shop mechanic can't do that. It has to be assessed by the manufacturer/distributor. 6-8 weeks is normal.

Bear in mind the following:

1) You will have to supply the parts to a home mechanic (they won't get the benefit of wholesale supply so it won't be worth their effort).

2) There are some tasks that will still have to be done by a shop, considering the costs of the tools involved.

3) The cost for the labour will be high. Mechanics are in high demand by many bike shops (there is a shortage of them in Australia as pay is a lot better overseas) and there needs to be some benefit to paying the considerable cost of setting up a home workshop.

Considering the fact that you only want parts replacement and basic servicing done (rebuilding may be beyond even a home mechanic if things need to be reamed or threaded/chased or pressed into place) you may as well get a good mechanical manual and some allen keys and spanners. Armed with these you can replace most parts and do your own servicing.

 

[Eggyolkeo]

A good thread. I’m in Brookvale and would be interested if/when someone puts their hand up.

Tafi you raise a good point, however let me illustrate with a different example.

I ride a motorbike. A new bike’s first service is apparently the critical one. However I have previously been charged $400 for what is essentially an oil change and safety check (ensure no bolts are rattling loose). I asked for two things to be done on top of the service, which was to adjust the chain tension, and inflate the tires to the correct pressures. Not because I can’t do it, but just because it should be done anyway and I wanted to ride away from the shop with everything 100%.

Neither of those things were done, yet they got upset when I questioned where my money was going?

Then a guy dropped business cards on people’s bikes in the area saying he’d service your bike from home at a reasonable cost. He charged me $70 for my next first service (different bike) because he spent 1 hour only and charged cost for oil. That was a fair price.

Shops may get wholesale, but charge you retail for parts. They also must get very sloppy with timesheets, or just mark up the service charge something chronic.

Back to bicycles, I can manage most things except gear adjustments (still trying to learn). I can’t find a bike shop to purely adjust my gears for less than $59. I’m sure this is a 5-min job when you know what you’re doing.

 

[tafi]

I thought we were supposed to be talking about bikes, not motor bikes. In the automotive industry no-one pays the real cost of the vehicle at sale time. Dealers have to make back their money in servicing. Thats why services are expensive in the automotive industry.

The bicycle industry is different. Gross profit at a shop is in the ball park of 50% of sales so shops tend to make good money on new bikes and parts etc. A rule of thumb for workshop labour is about $1 per minute of the mechanic's time. However shops should also have a scheme of standard prices for services, adjustments, rebuilds etc.

The costs of running the workshop are high: Wages must be paid at $20-$40 per hour depending on experience. Energy consumption is of the order of several kilowatts. Workshops typically spend tens of thousands on tools each year. Many consumables such as cable ends, lubes, degreaser, brake fluid and cleaning chemicals (some of which cost upwards of $20 per litre to the shop) don't appear on service dockets but also have to be paid for by the shop. Somewhere in there the workshop might be able to extract a few cents profit if they are lucky (usually they aren't and rely heavily on shop sales to stay afloat).

Of course you will pay retail for parts. That's how the retail distribution system works in all industries.

When it comes down to it you also have to pay for the expertise of a person who is doing the jobs you would rather not do or cannot do. You say that some jobs would only take five minutes. Well yes as long as all goes according to plan anyone who can wield a screwdriver and an allen key can adjust a derailleur (I have provided descriptions of this elsewhere) relatively quickly. And anyone who can find an oil pan can change the engine oil. But if the job becomes complicated by other issues, an experienced mechanic will be able to adjust to those instead of having to go back to the manual and waste valuable time.

A uni-friend's stepfather can attest to that after spending an entire sunday changing the front brake discs on a 1980's subaru sedan. Sure it cost him nothing in labour but a lot of swearing cursing, rubber gloves and going out to buy more tools. And he was still going when I left that night! I doubt that exercise was cost effective.

 

[Eggyolkeo]

I don't disagree with anything you've said tafi - and my motorcycle reference was just to illustrate a point, not change topic.

With your comments, then would it not be fair to charge for time accordingly? What I mean is, why are there fixed service costs? Instead of charging me $60 for a basic service, why not charge me $60 per hour (or whatever), pro rata? If it takes you longer and you can justify it, then charge me more. If it takes them less time, pass on the savings.

Service people are quick to call you if they need to go over time (and over budget), but never seem to pass on any saings in their time. That would be a fair way to charge, with no risk of being out of pocket.

 

[tafi]

I don't disagree with anything you've said tafi - and my motorcycle reference was just to illustrate a point, not change topic.

With your comments, then would it not be fair to charge for time accordingly? What I mean is, why are there fixed service costs? Instead of charging me $60 for a basic service, why not charge me $60 per hour (or whatever), pro rata? If it takes you longer and you can justify it, then charge me more. If it takes them less time, pass on the savings.

Service people are quick to call you if they need to go over time (and over budget), but never seem to pass on any saings in their time. That would be a fair way to charge, with no risk of being out of pocket.

I understand that it would be a lot easier to charge rigidly per minute but customers usually (those I have seen anyway) distrust mechanics and get annoyed if they don't have some idea of cost before the job is started. To put a finer point on it, they are usually disappointed when someone rings up to tell them the cost because they are always hoping for less, whether the mechanic is being fair or not. That is why most services come with a standard fee based on the average time and materials consumed for such a job. No one can ***** about it then.

 

[goose95]

These are all good points and really just illustrate my experience and frustration with the serviceI am receiving:

1. I have been quoted up front (verbally) for prices of frames, parts and services to find all of them more expensive (funnily enough) when it comes time to pick them up. Due to the length of time involved, either the young mechanic refutes it or more typically isn't around to agree, so I can either grandstand until they only charge what they quoted or pay and find an alternative next time.

2. With the waiting time for the frame - it was in stock the entire time! I got so frustrated i rang the distributor (after chasing it at the bike store 3 times) myself to hear him say "don't know what they're talking about, i have a frame sitting here". This happened with trying to arrange warranty and then get the thing in stock, it was so frustrating.

3. When the frame got there, it sat there for 2 weeks, I rang the bike store up and they said they have been waiting for a new headset to come in for the bike as they didn't have one in stock, it would take another couple of weeks. I had one purchased and in their hands from ebay in 2 days.
3. My local mechanics are about 16 yrs old anyway, so im hardly paying for experience. Since having my bike built completely and over paying for it - I have been back three times after each successive ride because it was so poorly tuned, jumping gears, slipping and thats with brand new cog, chain and near new front rings. What a waste of time. I understand new cable stretches, but the young guys rushes through it and says 'there you go'. You also wouldn't believe the way they say, "we won't charge you for this..." yeah right.

So all this to me says, i would rather have a relationship with an individual mechanic I can trust. Sourcing my own parts isn't a problem.

So are there any mechanics out there who work from home for cash?

 

[Albert 50]

So are there any mechanics out there who work from home for cash?

You're not from the ATO are you

 

[46kgToDate]

I know that Peter MacDonald to name one of the AIS guys, works in a mobile service firm and he sure knows about bike servicing.
Its not true that to say that that frim doesn't get parts at low prices 'cause they are based from a large shop in the southern suburbs.
If you are interested pm me and I'll pass on the details.