LBS WTF?

[Will Dearborn]

My buddy took his bike in for a full tune up costing $50.
Specific complaints:

Disc brakes have little stopping power.
Chain rubs on front derail.
Crank arm becomes loose frequently.

When he picked up the bike, the brakes still sucked. Shopkeep says
that is normal for discbrake power. Although I have the exact same
brakes and his are about 25% effective.

Shopkeep says it is normal for chain to rub on derail. Interestingly
enough, it didn't rub when the bike was new.

The crank arm tightened at the LBS fell off later that day. Upon
inspection, it turns out the crank arm is ruined. The shopkeep didn't
notice.

Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
standard to jerk people around? Or is it just my area? This is not the
first time to be told stupid things inside a bikeshop.

 

[Slack]

Will Dearborn wrote:

> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
> standard to jerk people around?


Yes it is, that's why many of us have become our own mechanic. "If you
want something done right, many times, ya gotta do it yerself."
--
Slack

 

[Slack]

Will Dearborn wrote:

> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
> standard to jerk people around?


Yes it is, that's why many of us have become our own mechanic. "If you
want something done right, many times, ya gotta do it yerself."
--
Slack

 

[Ride-A-Lot]

Slack wrote:
> Will Dearborn wrote:
>
>> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
>> standard to jerk people around?
>
>
>
> Yes it is, that's why many of us have become our own mechanic. "If you
> want something done right, many times, ya gotta do it yerself."
> --
> Slack
>

I do everything myself unless I am pressed for time (lazy) or do not
have the right tool (headset press / steerer tube cutter). My LBS has
four mechs. There is only one there I trust. I ask for him to do the
work personally and I know if he has. Don't be afraid to interview the
mechs.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

 

[Ride-A-Lot]

Slack wrote:
> Will Dearborn wrote:
>
>> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
>> standard to jerk people around?
>
>
>
> Yes it is, that's why many of us have become our own mechanic. "If you
> want something done right, many times, ya gotta do it yerself."
> --
> Slack
>

I do everything myself unless I am pressed for time (lazy) or do not
have the right tool (headset press / steerer tube cutter). My LBS has
four mechs. There is only one there I trust. I ask for him to do the
work personally and I know if he has. Don't be afraid to interview the
mechs.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

 

[Will Dearborn]

I do my own work, and I will be helping my friend with his now.
I just don't understand how they can stand there and tell him his bike
is just fine when it obviously is not.

 

[Will Dearborn]

I do my own work, and I will be helping my friend with his now.
I just don't understand how they can stand there and tell him his bike
is just fine when it obviously is not.

 

[Slack]

Will Dearborn wrote:

> I do my own work, and I will be helping my friend with his now.
> I just don't understand how they can stand there and tell him his bike
> is just fine when it obviously is not.
>


When I bought my first car, many years ago, and needed my brakes done, I
took it down to a local shop. The mechanic didn't know how to adjust the
brakes so the drums would fit after installing the new brakes pads. He
pulled the brand new pads off, walked over to the grinder/sander, and
proceeded to file them down till the drum fit.

This didn't look right to me, but it was the first time I had ever seen
the job performed. As I was explaining what just happened to my best
friend, all I heard for about the next 20 minutes was
http://www.thepocket.com/wavs/moneypit3.wav
--
Slack

 

[Slack]

Will Dearborn wrote:

> I do my own work, and I will be helping my friend with his now.
> I just don't understand how they can stand there and tell him his bike
> is just fine when it obviously is not.
>


When I bought my first car, many years ago, and needed my brakes done, I
took it down to a local shop. The mechanic didn't know how to adjust the
brakes so the drums would fit after installing the new brakes pads. He
pulled the brand new pads off, walked over to the grinder/sander, and
proceeded to file them down till the drum fit.

This didn't look right to me, but it was the first time I had ever seen
the job performed. As I was explaining what just happened to my best
friend, all I heard for about the next 20 minutes was
http://www.thepocket.com/wavs/moneypit3.wav
--
Slack

 

[Craig Brossman]

Will Dearborn wrote:
> My buddy took his bike in for a full tune up costing $50.
> Specific complaints:
>
> Disc brakes have little stopping power.
> Chain rubs on front derail.
> Crank arm becomes loose frequently.
>
> When he picked up the bike, the brakes still sucked. Shopkeep says
> that is normal for discbrake power. Although I have the exact same
> brakes and his are about 25% effective.
>
> Shopkeep says it is normal for chain to rub on derail. Interestingly
> enough, it didn't rub when the bike was new.
>
> The crank arm tightened at the LBS fell off later that day. Upon
> inspection, it turns out the crank arm is ruined. The shopkeep didn't
> notice.
>
> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
> standard to jerk people around? Or is it just my area? This is not the
> first time to be told stupid things inside a bikeshop.
>

I have several great bike mechanics in my area, and I still do most of
my own work. That may have something to do with my location.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

"Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation."
Edward R. Murrow

 

[[email protected]]

Slack I'll second that.

 

[Mikey]

"Will Dearborn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My buddy took his bike in for a full tune up costing $50.
> Specific complaints:
>
> Disc brakes have little stopping power.
> Chain rubs on front derail.
> Crank arm becomes loose frequently.
>
> When he picked up the bike, the brakes still sucked. Shopkeep says
> that is normal for discbrake power. Although I have the exact same
> brakes and his are about 25% effective.
>
> Shopkeep says it is normal for chain to rub on derail. Interestingly
> enough, it didn't rub when the bike was new.
>
> The crank arm tightened at the LBS fell off later that day. Upon
> inspection, it turns out the crank arm is ruined. The shopkeep didn't
> notice.
>
> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
> standard to jerk people around? Or is it just my area? This is not the
> first time to be told stupid things inside a bikeshop.
>


Depends on your LBS, I moved to a different city and I still go to the same
guy I've been going to for over 5 years now, They're like auto mechanics
once you get a good one you'll stick with them. I found them on a
reccomendation. Ask around someone will give you someone. Alot are Pimps
that don't know what the hell they're doin' but every once in a while you
come across someone good.

I ride bikes
Mikey

 

[Will Dearborn]

Passed 3 other shops on he way to current one. You have to get off
your ass and turn the wrench yourself in Utah County.

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

Will Dearborn wrote:
> My buddy took his bike in for a full tune up costing $50.
> Specific complaints:
>
> Disc brakes have little stopping power.
> Chain rubs on front derail.
> Crank arm becomes loose frequently.
>
> When he picked up the bike, the brakes still sucked. Shopkeep says
> that is normal for discbrake power. Although I have the exact same
> brakes and his are about 25% effective.

Replacement of pads is usually the only remedy for what seems to be weak
disc brakes. Sometimes you can cook the pads on the stove to burn off oil
or other pollutants, and they'll be good as new.

> Shopkeep says it is normal for chain to rub on derail. Interestingly
> enough, it didn't rub when the bike was new.

This is related to the crank arm issue below.

> The crank arm tightened at the LBS fell off later that day. Upon
> inspection, it turns out the crank arm is ruined. The shopkeep didn't
> notice.

The crank arm was ruined prior to the bike ever being brought to the shop.
The shop did what it could, but the crank arm was beyond repair. Whoever
was responsible for that is unknown, but there would have been an extra
charge for a new crankarm whether or not the wallowed-out one was tightened.
Since it was wallowed out and moving all over the place, it is of course
natural for the chain to rub against the front derailleur while pedaling.

> Alot of people here work in shops or have friends that do, so is it
> standard to jerk people around? Or is it just my area? This is not
> the first time to be told stupid things inside a bikeshop.

It sounds like the bike may be a Walmart bike, because disc brakes and
square-taper bottom brackets on the same bike usually indicate this. There
are some exceptions, however.

The shop was wrong in charging your friend $50 that did not fix anything.
Chances are good that the person who took the bike in, the front counter
person, is the person to blame, as sometimes they know little about the
mechanics of bicycles in general, and just take bikes with broken or
deteriorating parts in and make the mechanics deal with it.

Your buddy should have been charged only the price for the things that got
fixed. He should ask to speak to a manager and raise hell, especially if he
dictated exactly what was wrong with the bike before handing it over to
them.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[Shaun aRe]

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...

> It sounds like the bike may be a Walmart bike, because disc brakes and
> square-taper bottom brackets on the same bike usually indicate this.
There
> are some exceptions, however.

Yeah, like MINE you elitist pig swine thing! There is nothing wrong with
square taper - HTH!!!


Shaun aRe - AND my bike is better than yours.

 

[Will Dearborn]

"The crank arm was ruined prior to the bike ever being brought to the
shop."
I know that it was ruined before, the point is they didn't diagnose the
problem when that was his main complaint.

The bike was a Giant Yukon, $400 - 500 ish.

He didn't raise hell, but upon taking it back to the shop they replaced
the crank arm (which fixed the chain rub also), and they replaced the
brake cables which did help some. Charged $15 for the arm.
Thats sucks pretty bad considering the total do it yourself price is
about $25.

Since he had to work the weekend, I picked up the bike for him so we
could ride Sunday.
I told them I was him, they just handed me the bike no questions, no
ID. That's pretty scary.

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

Shaun aRe wrote:
> "Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email protected]>
> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>> It sounds like the bike may be a Walmart bike, because disc brakes
>> and square-taper bottom brackets on the same bike usually indicate
>> this. There are some exceptions, however.
>
> Yeah, like MINE you elitist pig swine thing! There is nothing wrong
> with square taper - HTH!!!
>
>
> Shaun aRe - AND my bike is better than yours.

Ah, ha! I put in the "usually indicate" and "exceptions" in my OP
specifically just for you!
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

Will Dearborn wrote:
> "The crank arm was ruined prior to the bike ever being brought to the
> shop."
> I know that it was ruined before, the point is they didn't diagnose
> the problem when that was his main complaint.

Sometimes they can be salvaged if the damage is minor. Maybe they thought
they could fix it... maybe they just didn't know.

> The bike was a Giant Yukon, $400 - 500 ish.
>
> He didn't raise hell, but upon taking it back to the shop they
> replaced the crank arm (which fixed the chain rub also), and they
> replaced the brake cables which did help some. Charged $15 for the
> arm.
> Thats sucks pretty bad considering the total do it yourself price is
> about $25.

I'm not sure what you're saying.... do you mean that the total cost was $75
after everything instead of $25 to do everything yourself?

> Since he had to work the weekend, I picked up the bike for him so we
> could ride Sunday.
> I told them I was him, they just handed me the bike no questions, no
> ID. That's pretty scary.

We usually remember our customers when they come back in. Plus if a bum
comes in and says they're Amanda with a Merlin, we usually cast a little
doubt on that one

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[Will Dearborn]

No this arm was beyond salvage. When I tightened it down I could still
move the arm a little with my hand.

He paid $65 total ($50 for tune up + $15 for crank arm). I'm saying
you could buy the arm and brake cables for around $25.

The guy who actually brought the bike out to me was new, he had never
seen me before. The girl that I gave money to may have recognized me
because i bought my own bike from her, but this was not my bike I was
picking up.

 

[Bill Sornson]

Will Dearborn wrote:
> No this arm was beyond salvage. When I tightened it down I could
> still move the arm a little with my hand.
>
> He paid $65 total ($50 for tune up + $15 for crank arm). I'm saying
> you could buy the arm and brake cables for around $25.

First of all, nice quoting to provide context.

Second, are you saying that $65 to purchase and install brake cables and a
crank arm is exorbitant? I don't think it is. (It's WHY we learn how to do
this stuff ourselves.) If this was your friend's bike, you might have
offered to install the new stuff yourself; otherwise, paying a bike shop
~$40 to do the work sounds pretty reasonable.

/bs