Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 42 total)
  • Why do bike shops do that?
  • fbk
    Free Member

    My brother took his bike in to have some tubeless tyres fitted – simple job and no problems with that.

    When he collected the bike, he was told that that the pads needed replacing and had been done (he had admittedly mentioned they perhaps needed checking) and that the drive chain was severely worn, requiring at least a new chain and possible cassette/rings. This is on a 3 month old bike taken out 1-2 times a week, often on roads, was shifting fine and was generally well maintained.

    I met up with him at the weekend, checked the chain length which wasn’t even close to 0.75mm stretched (on a park tool) and everything was working fine with little sign of wear.

    Now ok, I guess my brother had “novice” written on him for daring to ask them to fit tyres but why do people feel they can take the proverbial?

    fbk
    Free Member

    And no I’m not going to “name and shame” but it wasn’t one of the big chains and was a place I’d previously classed as a “decent mtb shop”

    neil853
    Free Member

    the sign of a bad shop, i had exactly the same experiance with another shop. i took my bike in to have the brakes bleed. I was just being lazy as i’d tried myself but just couldn’t seem to get it all out. I said could they check the pads to see what they were like. they checked and said that the front were worn out. i said fair enough bought some hope pads and left. got home and took the old ones out to find out that they were only half worn down!

    I got another 2-3 months out of them! still, haven’t gone back

    sweaman2
    Free Member

    To be fair to some bike shops they may have a different definition of used. If they say something is ok and it isn’t then they could get in trouble in this day and age. The chain is hard to defend as a measurement defines when it is worn but pad wear is more subjective.

    I can still remember a whole group of us going to Moab and over the course of a couple of weeks most of us needed something from a bike shop. They almost invariably told us that everything else was completely worn out. The British definition of a “broken bottom bracket” being somewhat different to a only ride in the dry definition.

    But doubtless someshops will take the mick.

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    I’d taken a bike to a LBS to have the gears setup correctly last year. I’d fitted everything myself: shifters, cables, mechs. All I wanted them to do was set the gears up for me and I made this very clear. I had stripped the bike down the day before, cleaned it thoroughly and rebuilt it so it was immaculate and in perfect working order.

    went back to collect it and the guy said “Yeah we just gave the bike a full service so that will be £50”

    No it wont. You weren’t asked to service it, you were asked to set the gears up 🙄

    pantsonfire
    Free Member

    I presume a bike shop wouldnt make much profit out of a service so they try to sell some parts at the same time.

    UK-FLATLANDER
    Full Member

    Whilst I have had a few nightmares in some LBSs, such as being sold an old stock helmet that split into when tightening it up!, I have to say that the shop I use know are great. Will talk through problems and even try to fix parts other might bin, using there stock of old parts. I realise that we all like bargains, but I like good service and advice, and the ability to pick up and handle the goods. Cycling will be a poorer place if we’re only left with the multiples!

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    The problem I’ve found is that LBS’s run by cyclists for cyclists ™ generally go out of business fairly quickly, the ones that rip people off manage to hook in sufficient newbie work to tick over, the ones that say “no, you dont really need pads, they’ll do for a few months” keel over from lack of return within a few years.

    As with car dealers, mechanics etc, I wouldnt touch them unless I had no other choice, I worked for the only one I trusted, and it went down the financial swanny for this reason alone.

    TimP
    Free Member

    I had a similar experience from a bike shop in central London. Condor couldn’t fit me in in time so I went a few doors down the road. I went asking for a service to make sure that everything was clean and running smoothly as I was due to ride 120 miles a few days later on it. Ticked the bit on the form asking to be contacted should anything have worn out and need replacing.
    The service was below
    Frame & Forks

    * Wiped down and checked for alignment

    Wheels

    * Hubs and rims checked for damage and wear
    * Bearings checked for free movement and adjusted (if applicable)
    * Wheels trued and spokes retensioned

    Tyres

    * Tyres and sidewalls checked for wear and inflated to correct pressure

    Headset

    * Checked for free movement and adjusted as necessary

    Bottom Bracket

    * Checked for free movement and adjusted as necessary

    Bolts

    * Checked and tightened to correct torque

    Drive Train (chain and cassette/block)

    * Removed, cleaned, checked for wear and re-lubricated

    Brakes

    * Checked for effective operation and adjusted

    so I was a bit annoyed when I collected it to find that they had replaced the cables for the brakes and the pads, and adjusted the front brakes to the point where the wheel would not spin as the wheel was just out of true. I was told that the wobble in the wheel was actually in the tyre so it was not part of their service, and that I would have to pay for the parts I hadn’t asked for. The headset was also adjusted so turning was difficult, but they didnt think it needed replacing
    I refused and eventually got out with my bike adjusted back to where it was before I took it in having agreed to pay for most of the service.
    That was the last time I went into one of their shops and would not recomend them to others

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    To be fair, the shop in question were probably covering themselves with the safety aspect of brakes side of things. Although they should have spoken to him about the brakes BEFORE they replaced the pads.
    No worse than most quick fit type car repair places. Thats how they make their money, not necessarily good for you, but it keeps them in business.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    ….so they try to sell some parts at the same time.
    no problems with that. But fitting parts you didn’t ask for, doing work which you hadn’t asked them to do and charging you for it..?!
    Took my bike into a lbs a few years ago for a new headset, returned to find that they’d ditched my Gore cables because ‘we don’t think they’re all they’re cracked up to be’.

    fbk
    Free Member

    Yes I know businesses have to make money and those that aren’t “focussed” enough tend to struggle – sad fact of life.

    I suppoed it’s like anything – you only realise people are trying to rip you off when you know what you’re talking about. And in most cases, if you know what you’re talking about you’re less likely to be there asking for help in the first place!

    I seem to have found a reasonbly decent LBS near where I work so am happy to pay a bit more to buy stuff off them. Hopefully they’ll stay that way

    rolfharris
    Free Member

    In our shop, 75% of bikes that come in need a new chain (at the least- they often need a new drivetrain) but the fact of the matter is that most people don’t care if the chain is worn and they’ll ride it until it starts to cause problems.

    We had a couple of cases of people getting shirty about having parts replaced that were essential to making the bike work when they think they didn’t need it, so we call everyone. But most of the time, people don’t mind- a bike is just a bike and we can’t sell them extra stuff. It’s a bit of a stiff situation to be in.

    Olly
    Free Member

    i went to order a part in my LBS, and was told not only that it didnt exist, but i was also told what part it was i ment!
    in the end i gave up, after he declined my offer of drawing him a picture

    i can overlook the bad practice, but good buisness idea of telling you you need parts, though they should have asked in advance (ide be miffed if they didnt)

    but i resent the attitude that so many of them have “i work in a bike shop, therefore i know more than you and am better than you” when in all honesty, i find the best mechanics are found in some (but not all) halfords. as they are generaly people with a genuine interest, but not bothered about making as much money as possible, so will advise you with a bit of pride and personal confidence in what they advise, but not force a sale on you.
    i had an argument in a bike shop once wherby the member of staff was INSISTANT i couldn’t physically pump up zocchis with a rockshox shock pump, to the degree he wouldnt let me buy a zocchi pump.
    hes on here somewhere (or was on the old forum, hello if your around ;p)

    dont get me wrong, the majority of bike shops and staff can be excellent, its just a certain percentage of human beings are tossers.

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    No way in hell I’d leave a place paying for anything they’re replaced without asking me, simple as that.

    dont get me wrong, the majority of bike shops and staff can be excellent, its just a certain percentage of human beings are tossers.

    I’ve found it quite the opposite, the majority couldnt tell their ass from their elbow, but some are outstanding.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    No way in hell I’d leave a place paying for anything they’re replaced without asking me, simple as that.
    well, agreed. But if they’ve taken off an expensive part and put on a sh1t part, and destroyed the expensive part in doing so…and don’t stock the good part, you have an impasse..;)

    Olly
    Free Member

    i would agree coffee king, but also know several bike shop staff who frequent the interweb, and this paticular corner of it too, and have got into trouble before (fistycuffs with staff in JEJ) thanks to forum based complainery, so am covering my ass.

    what ive written may or maynot be true nor is the opinion of me or anyone or everyone, or my cat, and either way, is not admissable in a court of law… or is it…

    hora
    Free Member

    Evans in Deansgate Manchester. The only place I’d have anything mechanical done.

    juan
    Free Member

    the majority couldnt tell their ass from their elbow

    He He translate to french and plane to use it to banter the PhD student 😀

    antigee
    Full Member

    fistycuffs with staff in JEJ

    impressed you got some attention

    hasten to add next comment not related to the above emporium(s)

    mate of mine said we had to go road cos his MTB at bike shop and they couldn’t get the parts for 2 weeks – said surprised as xxxxx xxxx is usually good – no he’d taken to a place closer to work, interestingly i had used that shop once for same reason and it took 2 weeks and a load of parts i didn’t think i needed – just confirmed my opinion at time that i thought i’d been conned

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    well, agreed. But if they’ve taken off an expensive part and put on a sh1t part, and destroyed the expensive part in doing so…and don’t stock the good part, you have an impasse..;)

    Nope, I’d demand they replaced it as it was, new for old. If they didn’t I’d take it to some higher authority. There must be a bike god somewhere that would take the case. It’s like going into a car dealers asking for your radiator replaced in your V8 and coming back to find they dropped in a straight 4 because they think its a nicer engine. You wouldnt leave until it was replaced as-was.

    epo-aholic
    Free Member

    welcome to the credit crunch…….

    rolfharris
    Free Member

    “replaced in your V8 and coming back to find they dropped in a straight 4 because they think its a nicer engine”

    That’s perhaps a bit extreme in reference to cables 😉

    Biffer
    Free Member

    i had an argument in a bike shop once wherby the member of staff was INSISTANT i couldn’t physically pump up zocchis with a rockshox shock pump, to the degree he wouldnt let me buy a zocchi pump.

    He might actually have had a valid point in that you are better off using a low pressure shock pump for Marz forks rather than a high pressure version such as a RS version due to the much lower pressures needed. The Marz pumps wouldn’t go high enough for most other forks if going the other way.
    A high pressure pump just doesn’t give you the accuracy needed – all in my opinion of course.

    ….no I don’t work a bike shop 🙂

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Bike shops, garages, electrical retailers.. notice a pattern?

    AndyP
    Free Member

    There must be a bike god somewhere that would take the case.
    I guess so. What bike god for when you get stifed by a bike shop?

    Jamie
    Free Member

    AndyP:

    Took my bike into a lbs a few years ago for a new headset, returned to find that they’d ditched my Gore cables because ‘we don’t think they’re all they’re cracked up to be’.

    Classic.

    akira
    Full Member

    From the other side I’ve had the experience a few times where a bike has been in for a service and the customer has been called repeatedly about what parts are needed and not answered or called back and then complained when they came in that the work hasn’t been done, swings and roundabouts as usual.

    schwimoid
    Free Member

    We tend to phone everyone when replacement parts are needed except cables, most of the time though when a person brings a bike in a quick glance can tell what parts may need changed.

    However on some instances if a part is unsafely worn and i cant get a hold of the person i will just do it (not if its a whole drivetrain or anything big like that mind).

    schwimoid
    Free Member

    From the other side I’ve had the experience a few times where a bike has been in for a service and the customer has been called repeatedly about what parts are needed and not answered or called back and then complained when they came in that the work hasn’t been done, swings and roundabouts as usual.

    And that also

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    and then complained when they came in that the work hasn’t been done, swings and roundabouts as usual.

    Tell them to give you a proper contact number, simple as that. No costs incurred by anyone then.

    akira
    Full Member

    Fair enough coffeeking but when you get a mobile and office number and they never get back to you there’s not much else you can do. Can’t spend all day phoning people I’m a very busy man. 😉

    pantsonfire
    Free Member

    I put my diesel Astra in for a oil and filters service while I went on holiday and came back to a bill the size of the moon. Without my permission (they said they had tried to call me) they had fitted the following cam belt,cam belt tensioner, cam belt pulley wheels, 2 new injectors, radiator hoses, 4 brake discs, brake pads and a new seatbelt inertial tensioner plus they said they had serviced the air bag.

    Total bill £2,300 car was worth about £500 (it was an ex taxi). I invited them to insert the bill up their tail pipe. Ended up with a letter threatening to sieze the car to pay the bill. I sent them the logbook and wrote it off as an expensive lesson. It was no great loss I hated that car.

    Jenga
    Free Member

    There’s a very simple answer to all this. Learn to look after your own bikes!

    The guy who took his bike to have the gears set up after fitting all the bits himself – WTF? Bought all the bits, probably of e-bay, doesn’t know what to do with them, so expects someone to sort his mess out. All the others who report taking a simple problem to LBS. What are you lot going to do if something goes wrong out on the trail, or do you all just ride trail centres with easy bail out options? There was a post on here not long since along the lines of “How do I fit new gear cables?” Oh dear.

    It’s not difficult to look after your own bike. And you know it’s done properly if you do it yourself.

    Goz
    Free Member

    The only person I trust to work on my bikes is me.

    schwimoid
    Free Member

    Bought all the bits, probably of e-bay, doesn’t know what to do with them, so expects someone to sort his mess out.

    Probably find that people that do this often get charged an annoyance fee.

    cannondaleking
    Free Member

    in the shop i work at (may soon be going under) we always phone with an estimate for repair if no anwser we leave a message if they dont reply we dont do the work we inform all customers thats how we work and most are happy with are system as there are no suprises but sometimes you get that nob that says please do the work after you give them the estimate then when you phone to say its done they say im not paying that i f***ing hate when they do that as we go out of are way for nearly every customer 😥 and i hate when mr all the gear no idea comes in and try’s telling me how to do my job im cytech level 3 and have used to be in the navy in the fleet air arm ie engineer some people ut im always polite though even when i want to scream at them

    schwimoid
    Free Member

    Yeah you always have to be polite to the “mr all the gear no idea” once had a guy in with a pair of fox talas r’s that we sent to Mojo for a service. When he came to pick it up he thought we or mojo had swapped his forks for a different pair because “the forks he gave to us had the adjusters on the bottom”, when all fox forks with rebound adjust only have there adjuster on the top!. Took me about half an hour to convince him they were the forks he gave to us.

    Olly
    Free Member

    i do all my own repairs myself, but try and get kit from LBS, but when they are such twunts about it, ide rather stick with CRC and the other bigboys thanks.

    bomberman
    Free Member

    I asked my lbs to true a wheel and it came back in bits AND they charged me a tenner for the “work”. another lbs told me that they’d taken some links out for me…. well thanks guys! when my chain snaps on the trail and i have to remove a few more i’ll know who to thank when i granny ring it home!

    another lbs informed me “you can’t get Co2 pumps with pressure gauges” I just replied “really? oh, ok then….. i think i’ll leave it…”

    You have to know how to play ’em. They don’t know you’re a geek and it’s better that way. If they find out you’re undercutting them by buying off the net and installing yourself they hold you in contempt.

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