Last weekend took two bikes to shop for some work as follows:

Bike A, fit new fork and while it is here new chain and cassette.
Bike B, fit new head set so it is same as A and I can swap forks with minimal faff. Set up with new wheels, swap cassette and caliper and give it a check over.

Collect bikes just before closing time tonight and bring home.

Bike A, put some air in the fork and rode down street, chain gets stuck between chain stay and small ring, comes free and then drops off on the road. Power link not correctly tightened.

Bike B, rode down the road to check it, gears not indexing correctly, turn round the steering is really heavy.

Onto work stand, rear mech cable is looser than a Rob Warner commentary and rear brake sticks, caliper incorrectly aligned. Headset is making a terrible rubbing noise and is really stiff when the bars are turned. The headset bolt has virtually no preload in it, I can turn the spacer under the stem with two fingers.

I am despartely trying to think of any reason for this level of incompetence, but really I’m struggling. The bikes will be back there tomorrow anyone care to predict the excuses I’m likely to get?

…anyone care to predict the excuses I’m likely to get?

Depends entirely upon your approach to them. Your choice 🙂

Did you pay them in money or biscuits?

I paid a considerable sum of real money.

I will remain calm while making my displeasure quite clear.

Remember they’re only human.

Have you used this shop before?

I’d give them one chance to get it right (they should at least offer to do it FOC).

If they don’t sort it, and at least offer to do it for free, then they’re blackballed.

I’ve done it with a couple of things. A nearby curry house who let me down twice with very late deliveries, now never get used. I even threw out the menu so I wouldn’t be tempted. No hatchet job, no online campaign. If my experience was typical, they’ll either realise quickly that they can’t mess people around, or they’ll slowly go under if they piss enough people off.

Your money, your decision on who to spend it with.

I am a regular customer, both bikes were originally bought from them. What I find astonishing is the catalogue of cock ups on this job, none of which should be a challenge to get right.

Remember they’re only human.

…and bad mechanics apparently.

Evans?

DIY next time.

Not Evans or any other of the big chains.

If it’s a one-off / first time issue then give the place a chance. They might have a new guy in the workshop who is still learning the ropes.

If it happens again though then take your money elsewhere.

Sounds like the place I used to work in…

and there you have one of the reasons I left* got sick of being left to answer to pissed off customers
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* N.B. I wasn’t the mechanic, I hadn’t got the bit of paper with the ink still drying on it, but there again I didn’t have 10 years of marketing experience either. 25yrs as an engineer and I still knew fek all.

I anticipate it to be sorted without a great fuss, shouting, or swearing. I would also like some sort of explanation for what is a complete cock up. If they had ridden either bike for 50m they would have found the problem.

Remember they’re only human

It takes a special type of human to make that many cock ups in a row.
They need to look for another line of work or a mahoosive training plan.

Start of the spring busy season?

The last time I was in my LBS, he had so many bikes in for service that they were on the main sales floor, too!

But they should still do the job correctly…

Sounds like they jobs have been started then put aside but not finished – then whoever was doing them forgot/went home. Not an excuse but more of thoughts on why that would have happened.

They should apologise and finish the job that you have paid them to do.

As always go in and explain politely whats happened and most people will sort it out. Last thing anyone needs in the first instance is Mr Angry Keyboard warrior 🙂

It’s not right, but give them a chance to explain/sort it.

Then learn to do it yourself

Busy season it is, which is why I took the bikes in last weekend was clear there was no rush but would like them back for this weekend to ride. I know the headset job was completed Tuesday because they called to tell me. Fork fitting on the other bike followed and was completed yesterday.

DIY is the default setting, it went in this time because of the new headset and matching everything up to allow the fork swap. Not having done that I thought it would be easier and probably quicker for them to do it “properly”.

As I said, calm is the way forward but I does now look like I won’t be able to ride that bike this weekend as I probably can’t get to the shop till tomorrow morning. Double annoyance.

It was a bad case of lbs spannering that made me decide never again and that I would do my own repairs from then on.
I am sure the mechanic knew how to do the job properly, but just didn’t care.
Now doing repairs and general fettling are an enjoyable part of owning and riding a bike.

come on let us know what they said 🙂

Just spoken to the manager and explained the problems. He says it will be sorted as a priority if I take the bikes back in. As to an explanation he is going to look into it but suspects the only answer is “stupidity”.

Same with cars, the garage usually do a crap job and I could do better myself but I need the warranty stamp!

I have my LBS do my wheels for me but most other things I attempt myself.