My husband is currently serving a 6 month detachment in Afghanistan and as a surprise for him I am trying to have his bike resprayed and some elements upgraded. (New bottom bracket, carbon bars and seat post and new brakes).

I emailed 3 bike shops in my area (Cosford/Shrewsbury). None of the shops replied to my email. After a week I phoned each of the shops and they all found the email!

I have received some information back from the shops regarding rough prices for the respray but when I asked for more information on parts and prices, I am still waiting.

I work out that the total cost will be between £600-£800, I thought any bike shop would be interested in the work.

I think if I had been a bloke looking for this work done I would have been taken more seriously.

Any suggestions?

I wouldn’t worry so much – there are a lot of threads on here about poor service from local bike shops (albeit some about very very good ones)

A very quick google search brings up this which may be useful. Now stick the kettle on and make us a cup of tea love 🙂

STW opinion

Dunno, but that sounds like a lot of cash. A simple re-spray/powder coat shouldn’t be more than a couple of hundred at most – at least that’s what a couple of LBS have quoted me. Spose it depends what othe stuff you are speccing?

http://www.argoscycles.com/renovations/prices/

Respray / coat shouldn’t be much more than 150 (I’ve had both SS and FS done for about 80 in total) so yeah, it does seem very steep

Seat post and bars should be about 160 new
Bottom bracket about 25-40 depending where you buy it (LBS prices – not German websites)
Brakes – again, a few hundred maximum – or 300 for hope)

So yeah – mebbe 600 at the very outside but could be done considerably cheaper

Found in the past Bike shops in Shrewsbury can be a bit hit and miss, it seems as they are always very busy. One day bend over backwards, the next a bit frustrating.

Recently got my frame powdercoated. It was really good professional job. They were charging (for a hard tail frame):

£50 for a normal colour (eg white, red, blue, black etc)
£60 for pearl / metallic colour
£100ish for fancy colour options like 2 tone

There is quite a bit of labour involved in stripping the bike down and building it back up, plus postage if required. £200 isn’t crazy, but maybe ask them to breakdown the costs (coating, labour & postage) and it might make more sense.

Don’t think it’s because your a women , lots of shops are poor with there customer service.

As for respray try Argos racing cycles though not sure if they will do the strip and rebuild of a whole bike

What a lucky fella

My mrs would just have a list of DIY jobs waiting for me if when I came home from a 6mth tour.

Don’t think its because you’re a women. I’m sure there are exceptions but I personally haven’t found any local bike shops which were particularly good at answering emails…I’ve been grateful to get any response most of the time!

Wouldn’t want my mrs respraying and messing with my bike while i was away.

How many ‘saucy maid’ outfits can you buy with £600?

Just saying,like.

TBH, unless he already has a very specific list of the bits he wants, I’d be thinking that £600-800 goes a helluva way towards the cost of a new bike. Bear in mind that even if he’s said “I’d rather just have this one painted” he’s probably lying 🙂

What a first class pressie!!!

(don’t forget the helicopter tape)

I was quoted £290 for the shop to strip down the bike, courier to Argos for a respray and then courier back and rebuild. The respray is £140-£160 on the Argos page so with courier fees thought the prices was reasonable. Then with parts and labour for the other upgrades it will be close to £600.

Saucy maid sitting on a resprayed and upgraded bike will be his heaven!

He’ll love it!

Wouldn’t take it personally, I think you’ve just picked a bad time of year. Bike shops will be maxed out with work at the mo as everyone decides to buy and service their bikes in the nice weather, plus you’re asking a lbs for a respray, which will have to be done by a specialist at more logistical cost to your lbs.

Edit: oh, and what scotroutes said

I find you need to work at building up a relationship with bike shops, mate of mine gets fantastic deals from Dave Mellor’s, I tend to do better at Stans, there’s a new shop called Trailhead just round the corner from Dave’s (I think he has something to do with it actually), that might be a bit keen seeing as they are new 01743 537124.

I was impressed by http://www.thebicyclehub.co.uk/ when I popped into their original little shop in Iron Bridge, seemed very friendly and passionate, have you tried them?

Lizzie, I’m also posted near Cosford and may be able to help you out a bit. Email in profile.

Lizzie, I’m also posted near Cosford and may be able to help you out a bit. Email in profile.

Uh huh! Man away for 6 month sort of help 😉

Have you tried Fred Williams Cycles in Wolverhampton, they are an established helpful family run shop?

Have you tried Fred Williams Cycles in Wolverhampton, they are an established helpful family run shop?

Unless there is a road race on Eurosport, then the staff are glued to the TV 😉

as a surprise for him I am trying to have his bike resprayed and some elements upgraded

aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggh nnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

2nd Fred Williams

I shared a flat with an army couple once. When he came back (slightly early) from 6 weeks in Kenya all he got was an Aussie barman in the cupboard ! True story. Poor guy was stuck in their for hours. I had to leave I couldn’t keep a straight face.

I think that sounds like a very nice present !!

I often found bike shops patronising, somebody needs to tell them that women have their own money now, we can vote too, and drive.

Do you know exactly what Bars and brakes he would want upgrading to?

Women ! you will want equal pay as well next ! 🙄

like others have said, i doubt its because you are a woman.
the majority of lbs offer little to no customer service.
hope the refurb of hubbys bike goes well.

K – he would like Shimano SLX brakes

Houns and Tomaso – I have emailed Fred Williams, waiting on a response.

Nick – Dave Mellor did not respond to by email and even after I called them 3 times they have still not replied. Will try the new ones you suggested.

I reckon that I’ve been lucky as my lbs have been fantastic over many years. They supported me when I organised ladies only rides, organised demo bikes, get honest advice and always go the extra mile.

I think that your problem is e-mailing bike shops, you’d be better off visiting in person. However, I would question whether it’s worth spending that sort of money and that would depend on what the bike is, age, age of components etc.

Lizzie, it’s not because you are a woman, it’s because they are bike shops.

All bike shops are NOT the same!

The problem is all the shops are 30 mins – 1 hour away so difficult to visit in person to arrange works. As if I take the bike they might say no and a wasted trip and if they say yes there could still be a waiting list and I need to return at a later stage.

I just thought bike shops would be keen on the work.

Use the phone, emails and bike shops dont normally mix.

I understand what you’re saying and would suggest that you post up here the model of bike and its components, approximate age etc. There’s some really helpful folk on here who would be happy to advise.

All bike shops are NOT the same!

No, some are even worse…….

As above, call them. Certainly don’t go without calling, you will likely stand for ages waiting for some attention with an unhelpful result anyway.

OP if you were localish I’d have helped you out find a decent powerdcoater and even fitted the bits (ordered by you mail order) as I’ve ‘had abit of practice at frameswap/builds and resprays’ 8)

Is there anyone more local to the OP who can assist?

600-800 is too much IMO.

What bike is it? There are a fair few good options out there

Good bars

Good brakes

If ANY business lists an email it should mean its used/read/replied.

I’ve found alot of companies will reply even when they don’t stock or can’t help. Thats the mark of a good customer service/shop IMO.

I have a cycling friend who does lots of long distance, solo cycle touring around all parts of the world. She is however thoroughly uninterested in bikes and maintenance. She’s into riding, not bikes, so though she knows how to fix/bodge things at the side of the road to keep going, she has no idea what parts are good, what are bad, what standards have changed, what bits fit which other bits etc.

Whenever she has cause to go to a bike shop she first asks me what she needs to be telling them, then asks for a list of patronising crap they’ll likely spout back, and what comebacks might best stub them out. I’m usually quite on the mark.

If I ran an LBS it would be a priority to have women on the team. The boys club feeling you get in many local bike shops is a relic from a darker age.

All that said, to the OP I do feel inclined to point out that if anyone – no matter how much I loved them – so much as adjusted the brake lever reach on my bike while I was away I’d probably have an aneurism. So tread very carefully.

It is a Surly Karate Monkey singlespeed with a Moonlander fork and large marge lit front wheel.

I am looking to add carbon flat bars

Carbon layback seat post 27.2mm

Hope stainless steel bottom bracket

Shimano SLX brakes full fit including discs middle burn cranks and chain ring.

Does he have a bunch of riding mates? that can help, One of my riding buddies did a tour in afganistan with 2 para a few years ago and we (the riding group) did a similar thing for him. I stripped his old frame down and sent it off to argos for a re spray we got some decals made up (the cove logo on a union jack rather than the maple leaf) new drive train brake service etc etc

Back to the point if he has a group of riding friends can you ask them to help to get the bike sorted and the new parts fitted/ordered etc?