so due to the search for the ‘creak of doom’ I think that I need to to replace the bearings to at least eliminate them from the search. What’s a reasonable cost from a bike shop to do this? I don’t have the bearing presses etc to do it myself so need to get it done but don’t want my pant pulled down.

Well, I did my Giant Glory last month at home. It cost me 2 evenings of sunny ride time, about £35 in bearings and a bruised thumb.

What’s that worth to you? What’s the hourly rate at your job?

It’s reminded me about how much I love single pivot bikes.

I would estimate 2 hours labour, but with a warning seized bolts/separated bearings are charged at hourly rate.

There are a lot of variables, bring it in clean or dirty, what components need to be removed, overall condition of bike, do the bearings come out intact or do they separate, are the pivot axles seized in the bearings etc

If you bring in a clean bare frame its a lot cheaper as it saves a lot of time.

Cheapest is just bare components to press out/in the bearings.

As a rough guide, most multi-pivot frames that need new bearings rarely leave our shop for much less than £120. As bigyan says, there are lots of variables to take into account though, often pushing the price up rather than down.

If your keeping the bike it might be worth buying the tool and doing it yourself. I just bought the tool and did a frame for the very first time and it was a little easier than I thought it would be. Having the right tool really helps! When I asked at a Giant shop they estimated something like £45 for labour and £60-£90 for bearings. I paid about £65 for a set of Enduromax bearings from simply bearings and £85 for the tool.

^^ so it could have cost you  up to 135 at the shop and you paid more to do it yourself?

I think it’s fairly easy to bodge a home made bearing press. Google thinks so too.

If you are patient and don’t mind bodging tools from various sockets and threaded bolts etc its not a bad job to do at home and can save a lot of cash over the lifetime of a frame.

I had to change 11 bearings on my jeffsy. Yes,11 but it’s quite a satisfying job to do if you don’t need to rush it…. You can also pack the bearings out with marine grease etc. as it’s surprising how dry some bearings are straight from the factory….

I had the full bearings changed on my Reign a few months back at a Giant store. Tried to charge me £100 but the mechanic mangled my paint when using the tool. Every bearing he took out he took just as much paint off as well!

I wasn’t best happy as the bike was mint going in so they reduced the price to £50.

It comes to something when you take a bike to the actual dealer and they mangle the paint.

And you still paid them?

£25 labour (West Yorkshire).

^^ so it could have cost you  up to 135 at the shop and you paid more to do it yourself?

I think it’s fairly easy to bodge a home made bearing press. Google thinks so too.

It will save me money in the long run as we plan on keeping the frame for a good few years.