Bike service

[marooncat]

Firstly thank you to everyone who wants to reply to this thread saying I should do it myself and giving links to websites. I have looked at these in the past, and been on the a day bike maintenance course (for what that was worth) but still am happier paying someone to do this so I know it is right rather than risking messing my bike up totally myself.

Anyhow, my bike has done about 800 miles since I bought it last summer, I got a "free" check from the shop i got it from in October but it has done a bit of miles since then and the gears are sometimes sticking. Therefore I was thinking that I would put it into my LBS for a service.

They do two "levels" of service...

Bike service gears and brakes adjusted any play in the bearings adjusted made safe - £35.00 plus parts.
Deluxe service as above with the addition of the hubs,headset and bottom bracket stripped and greased - £70 plus parts

Given the ages of the bikes and mileage would the basic one be all I need or should I go for the deluxe service??

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Sounds similar to my LBS in terms of prices, what they do, etc. I had a basic one done on mine last September by which time the bike had done about 2000 miles.

I have to confess that I'm not sure how often you should do the stripping and greasing thing and am now starting to worry.

 

[HLaB]

Unless you have any issues with points looked at in the £70 service and I wouldn't expect it given the age/ mileage of the bike you'll be fine with the cheaper one. Even if you do have issues the cheaper one will probably suffice and a quick mention of the problem to the mechanic will sort it out.

 

[swee'pea99]

The basic one should be fine. There's no way any of that other stuff should need doing after just 800 miles.

Almost certainly they'll run a bit of oil down your cable housings (the 'tubes' the actual cables run through) and that'll be that. Assuming it's the shop you bought it from, tho', if they're any good they'll also give it a quick once-over generally - a sort of 800-mile checkup - which is probably no bad thing.

 

[spence]

Go for the £35 one, I'm sure they will soon tell you if something else needs doing. Any mechanic worth his salts should be able to tell if the HS, BB etc. need attention just from handling the bike during the course of making the other adjustments.

 

[marooncat]

Thanks for the replies.

It is not where i got my bike (long story and had i been on here when i got my bike it prob would have been) but they are about the only local shop I get get to (excluding Halfords) without having to put my bike in the car so I do want to use them if I can.

 

[swee'pea99]

If they're any good (and most are) they'll give it the once-over anyway. It's no skin off their nose, most can't resist - goes against the grain to ignore bad stuff - plus they want your custom from here on in.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

As most new (non-bso) bikes have sealed bottom brackets nowadays, the more expensive service seems mighty expensive - double the cost for greasing two hubs and a headset.

 

[anweledig]

Just as a bit of comparison, I've just collected my bike from a service after it has done about 2500 miles since last Feb. It cost me £36 and included a full check over and replacing a brake cable, a gear cable and all the brake blocks. I was having a problem with gear changes before it went in and this has been sorted.

They checked over the rest and said no other work was needed.