Ok… so this happened last week but the more I have thought about it the more it has annoyed me to the point I find myself compelled to do something about it!
I wont mention names etc as I dont want this to be a witch hunt and if the other party happens to be reading then I would prefer not to have a keyboard warrior style slanging match!

So…Picture the scene…

I take my newly acquired steed (used) into LBS with a box full of nice bits.
I was quite specific in the fact that I would be using the bike for last weekends welsh XC so a week for some relatively straight forward assembly would be about right.
I took a full bike in less front wheel as this was one of the jobs LBS had undertaken a couple of weeks prior to this.
The main jobs were to change the chainset and BB and shorten the steerer on the forks.
Additionally I asked for my shorter stem and bars to be fitted in place, fit my xx disc brakes, remove the shimano rear mech and shifter, fit my xx and set up.
The front (slx) was already set up and I wished to keep it that way so assumed this would be just a case of sliding off the bars, fitting new bars and stem and then sliding back on and tightening…

I bid farewell, thanked kindly and we forward on to last Friday….

I hadnt heard anything so decided to call to make sure everything wa ok.
The immediate response was that there had been some difficulty fitting the new chainset and bb and that spacers were required.
To elaborate on the above my frame is a BB30.The original slx chainset and BB was fitted to a BB30 to shimano adaptor.
My new chainset is BB30 although came with external cups (larger ID for the BB30 axle).
It was suggested that I utilise the BB30 frame with my new chainset which made sense…
So the old one was removed, BB30 bearings fitted to the frame, the guy then realised the axle was slightly longer and would require a couple of spacers which he didnt have.
I explained on the phone that although I understood I could of done with knowing a couple of days prior when he found out so I could have had some made at work.
Again I explained that I needed the bike for the weekend and the only option was to remove what had been fitted, re-install the original adaptor and fit the new chainset to that.Fair enough I said but ” I want to be a little mindful of the cost”.
I wondered how long this would all take and he said it would be ready that evening, I said well I will pop in midday on Saturday to give a little extra time.
He agreed so that was that.
Anyway, roll on the next day, midday, I am on dad duty so took a drive up to the shop with my little girl.
I walk in and I say to the assistant I am here to collect my bike, he walks out the back and returns with a box of bits and my bike.
All looks good, I get the bill and there is nearlly £100 for labour over and above what I was expecting for the wheel…
I look over the bike and to my amazement there is no rear cable outer or inner.
I said to the assistant why were the gears not assembled and he pops off to see the boss.
He comes back and relays the message that he didnt realise he was supposed to do that…
I mention that I instructed the bike to be completed to race on and the guy trunddles off to the back again, a couple of mins later he returns and relays another message.
Now the first thing that got my goat is the fact that there is obviously an issue out front but the boss cant even be bothered to come out and chat to me instead sending his assistant out.
I said look can you go and get the boss to which a few minutes later he appears…
I mention that Im not very happy about the amount for what has been done to the bike (I probably would have just about swallowed it if the bike was ready to go).
I said that I now have to go home and work on it myself and explain that I cant really understand where the extra charge has come from.
He explains that he had to take the old one out…(fair enough), put the new one in (fair enough) remove the new one again and re fit the old adaptor with new chainset.
I said surely you cant charge me removal of the new one and refitting of old as it wasnt my fault that you didnt have any spacers and that you couldnt finish the job?
He then mentioned that it wasnt as straightforward as that and that he had to machine the adaptor inside the frame!
I said that I am engineer by trade and that if I offered it up on a laithe it would take approx 5mins…
He took a step back hands outspread and exlaimed so where do you see a laithe in here?
I queried how he had machined it without a laithe then? To which he replied I used a dremmel???????
I am now fuming inside, he explains that he had to replace the front gear cable (which I know he didnt, as why do the front with the back??).
I said the upshot is that I still dont have a bike that I can use tomorrow, he says the reason the other bits werent done was because I had said I wanted to watch the cost….yes I said but I still wanted a bike that I could use which I havent got??
Another point to mention was that I had told him to not adjust the calipers and leave them looseto save some time but fit th elevers onto the bars.
My little girl is getting a little restless by this time which is further amplifying things….
I say right thats fine then, you havent done what I have asked, given me an inflated bill but i guess that is the way it is…
Right he says If it means that much to you I’ll do the rear gears…
I said no dont bother, I will pay the bill and just want to leave, he snatches my bike away and goes off into the back, I follow and again say look just give me the bike and let me leave to which there is no response.
I go back through to the shop and pay the bill…
5 minutes later he comes back through dumps my bike, says nothing, turns around and goes back out.
I leave….
So next day comes, bike all sorted….Nice drive to sunny margam park, arrive a little late, not time for a paractise lap, only a slight warm up and we are off!!
Condtions are horrfic, up the first climb, levels out along the top, first descent, get to the bottom and my bars turn 45 degrees, LOOSE BLOODY stem!! No the other job I had him do was cut the steerer of my forks, refit and fit my other bars and stem….
I turned them back around and theought I would see how they faired, not wanting to give up after the drive and half a lap so I ran, gingerly descended around the first lap.
I decided to carry on, same as before, climb, level out, descent a as I went to brake my blood brake levers rotate around LOOSE BLOODY bars!!
After a few choice words I collect my thoughts, straighten everything as best I can and run/ride around to the end of 2nd lap where the kind mechanic by the sign on tent tightens both for me to allow me to finish the race…..

So now we are a week on and this whole situation has been brewing inside me, not least for the fact that I could be layed up in hospital right now!!
Secondly the way I was just dismissed, and the bill was what it is!!
Has really annoyed me, I have been going there for years and although I have always known the guy is fickle does he really have the right to say it is what it is and me deal with it just because he says so??

I apologise for the novel, maybe I just need to grow up and stop being so sensitive, this forum is good for venting so maybe this is what it is??

Or maybe he is completely out of order and I should be writing to trading standards or at least letting him know that he shouldnt be able to p*** people around like this??

I would appreciate any advice, or even a slap around the face telling me to man up!!

many thanks!!

I would name and shame as a warning to others not to use their workshop.

I’d then forget about it and get on with my life.

Find a new LBS

I can’t see any law preventing you from expressing your opinion of a certain business, unless you’re intention is to unfairly damage their reputation. Which you don’t appear to be doing. So I say go ahead and name them; that way, we may get a response from them too, which can only help bring about greater objectivity.

It’s all about accountability; don’t make a fuss, and nothing changes/improves.

You used the word steed – you deserve everything you get

I feel that returning to the shop and causing a scene is in order.

Shouty tantrum FTW.

Well, I don’t think you’ll be going there again will you?
That’s THE whole function of a LBS mechanic out of the window IMO.

Summarise please.

Based upon what you have said the customer service seems pretty unforgivable. However the are occasionally issues when customers turn up with parts to fit that may or may not be the right size etc. My recommendation is also to find a new shop.

By the way, saying ‘I’m an engineer’ to bike shop folk is like rags to bulls. Even the guys who put satellites into space have probably not repaired as many bikes as a good bike shop mechanic and so a customer’s engineering experience is always treated with caution.

Jizz on the door handle of the lbs… then maybe set the shop on fire…. well that’s what the voices are telling you to do…

Can we not limit these sort of posts to one paragraph and/or five bullet points?

Name and shame, get a quote first next time or learn to build your own bike!

Not a lot else you can do or say mate. We’ve all had people do crap jobs…which is why we need to keep the good guys sweet 🙂

On that note, if it’s anywhere near Reading, use Rotec Cycles… top top spanner guy there 🙂

If you’re an Engineer, why didn’t/don’t you do your own bike wrenching/maintenance?

You go into a RACE without checking your own bike CRAZY CRAZY.

Name and shame. You’ve paid to fit new bars and stem to a safe standard, I’d want to know if I am using them as it could easily cause huge damage.

Yeah name and shame.

You have to take on some responsibility. Any responsible rider would check their bike before riding it, especially if any type of repair had been carried out.

Also, you expect your LBS to fit parts you have purchased from somewhere else with a smile and not sting you for labour ?

If you are an proper engineer, then you wouldn’t have let LBS repair your bike. You would have done it yourself as it would have taken less time and be done correctly.

I reckon there are two halves to this, or maybe 3 thirds.

1. Taking in a box of bits does leave you liable to stuff not all being there and the shop not having the bits they need to sort it out.
2. They are clearly demonstrating dubious competence and really should not be letting a bike out without having test ridden it. Clearly they are either not very good, very rushed and or have very poor quality control. Although on the stem and forks point of view if the front wheel was not there they probably did not tighten the stem on the grounds they could not align properly (I got lost in the essay).
3. You should probably have done a quick run through the bike prior to the race.

Outcome – maybe you should think about doing your own maintenance. Personally I would not be heading back for either purchase of goods or service.

To be fair to the LBS it sounds like you gave them a lot of fussy instructions and perhaps had high expectations. However, their attitude and spannering ability sounds very poor.

Personally I’d chalk it up to experience, never go back again, and tell everyone I know what a shower they are.

As for continuing to race once your bars had spun…. foolish.

nick1962 – Member

Can we not limit these sort of posts to one paragraph and/or five bullet points?

*Bought some bits that didn’t fit my bike.

*Paid someone to try and fit them.

*They cocked it up.

*Despite me knowing they were ****, trusted their work on safety critical components.

How’s that?

Although on the stem and forks point of view if the front wheel was not there they probably did not tighten the stem on the grounds they could not align properly (I got lost in the essay).

I sorta see this… but either use a spare wheel, or let the guy know.

This is the very reason why I, and I’d imagine quite a few of us have learnt to build and service our own bikes.

It doesn’t excuse the bad customer service and work, but surely a pre race ritual is to check everything is machanically sound?

IN RATS.

Is it a sticker?

andyrm – feast on this!

SBOB – thank you.

*you should have gotten all the desired work in writing, along with a quote for said work.
*they should have written down what you said if only for their records.
*they should have done a proper job of the work they did do.
*they should have test ridden it. if they couldn’t test ride it (no front wheel for example) then they should have made double sure that everything was done up to relevant torques.
*they should have called you as soon as they knew there was a problem and discussed the cost implications.
*having had issues with them it would have been advisable for you to check the bike quickly before riding it.

im not saying you were in the wrong or indeed that you should just suck it up. they are negligent at best. you should have raised it with them by now or at least do it asap. they need to know that they didn’t do it right to at least give them the chance of rectifying it or learning from it.

This is the very reason why I, and I’d imagine quite a few of us have learnt to build and service our own bikes.

I have always had good advice and service from bikeshops. I do most of the work on my own bikes because I like the tinkering and take a little bit of pride in being able to do it myself.

It seems that many expect much from their LBS and expect to insult them by paying with a packet of biscuits. I wouldn’t dream of taking a second hand bike and box of assorted junk into a shop and expecting them to build me a bike from it. I know if my customers treated me with such disrespect I would treat them with equal contempt.

The whole scenario is completely of your own making.

Some good comments!
And a certain of flack which I can deal with…

A recurring statement though that I feel derserves a response is; if you are an engineer why not do your own spannering?
Fair point but there are many types of engineer, and to be honest after a week of working 45 hours plus; the last thing I want to do is get my hands dirty!
It was the first race of the season, I thought it would be nice to have the bike professionally built…
And you are right with regards to pre-race bike check but if you were to take your bike to a bike shop for work with a view of riding at the weekend would you really re-check your bike before you rode?
It kind of defeats the object of a professional sorting your bike if you have to double check their work does it not?

really apreciate all comments, think the best was the sticker one!! 😀

I struggle with long sentences, but if you brought me a frame and a box of bits, I’d charge you about £100 for assembly as well.

Always always do a shakedown ride before a race. Even if nothing on the bike has changed you should still do a pre race ride and spend 15 mins checking for obvious wear and tear damage.

Also do the work yourself or find another lbs. Taught.myself mountain bike maintenance, got my first road bike this summer and made the mistake of taking it in to be serviced due to fiddly sram gears. Bloody expensive paying retail and labour….won’t do it again

at end of day they havnt done job paid for properly and a loose stem could prove fatal in certain situations

To MSP,

I would like to see what you ride if you consider sram XX, a BOR666 chainset, XX brakes, FRM stem and carbon bars junk??

Only the brakes and gears were used, the rest new….

Im not insulting my LBS, I have; albeit a novel; written a true account of events…
I also mentioned that I wouldnt of minded paying the amount so much if the bike ended up as requested??

When people pay for a service from an expert of course they should expect a quality of workmanship….and from a business point of view it is in their own interest to do a good job so that customers returns again and again!!

got my first road bike this summer and made the mistake of taking it in to be serviced due to fiddly sram gears.

I took delivery of my TT bike last week and spent Saturday going over it to ensure everything was okay got to the Sram Red R2C shifters and thought I’d adjust the angle on the extensions.

As I undid them the insides burst over the floor. Panic followed at the thought of wrecking a £180 pair of shifters. I managed to find all the components and spent the next two hours trying to figure out how to put the together correctly. I got there in the end and I am now an expert in the internals of said shifters! 😀

The loose stem is pretty bad. The consequences could’ve been severe. But then it could’ve been on their to do list until the OP walked in and demanded his bike back that moment.

It does sound like crap service, but it appears the OP wasn’t polite either, so perhaps it was partly of his own making?

Didn’t take a multi tool with you in a race = School boy error!

Any spesh pitch pro owners having a problem recently in their LBS? (Down south?)

bencooper – Member

I struggle with long sentences, but if you brought me a frame and a box of bits, I’d charge you about £100 for assembly as well.

Sounds about right, good god what sort of bike mechanic is insulted by being asked to make a few modifications to a bike and get paid for said work. Whats the world coming to, wanders off shaking head and muttering incomprehensibly. Name and shame, their workmanship is dangerous to say the least, could ov bin a kids bike for gawds sake!

This was in my mind. Surely you’d carry at least a spare tube, pump, multitool, levers to be able to get around if something went wrong.