Bike services...What do they do?

[Globalti]

Jeeesus, I just would NOT entrust my bike to a shop. The only time I've ever done that was a couple of years ago for a BB change when I bought a new chainset and even then I watched the mechanic change it.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Cheers for your replies

I took my bike back the LBS for a service, i'd been told it was 'free' & a complete service.
I drooped it off before my holiday in August, told them there were probelsm with the front gears - not chnaging,sticking & skipping, and of course the obvious cables needed tightening etc.
I picked it up the afternoon on the FNRttC (martlets) on my way home from work, I noticed as putting on the rcak the chain was filthy & the frame seemed to have some sort of sticky residue all over it. I had time to hose it down, quick spray with MucOff then relube, but didb't have chance to test ride until on the way to the station, where I found the back brake was actulay worse then when i dropped it off.. As in when needed due to stupid car driver nothing happened! I adjusted them on the train.
Once into the the ride I found that the gears where just as bad as before, sticking on 2, wouldn't go bcak up to 3 on the front, then skipping down to 1 instaed of 2 - On Ditchling this caused my chain to jam & ended up with me hiting the deck pretty sharpish!
After the ride my bike hung in the garage for week, before I managed to go back to the LBS, they insisted they had carried out a full & proper service. TBH I couldn't be bothered to argue with them.
I volunteer at a local community bike project so the Spesh was riden in & between myself & one of the other chaps we got it all running smooth, all cables stripped cleaned, lubed & rethread, the bcak wheel retrued, & replaceing the large ring as Adam declared it a pile of inferior crap!!
So why didn't I just do the work myself to start with..? Well I was told that any work carried out on the bike should be done by the LBS or it could invaildate any warranty on the bike.
Up until this I couldn't parsie my LBS enough, but they certainly won't be getting my custom anymore

This is the sort of service from a LBS that is 'worthy' of a 'recommendation' in my book. just to tell others what they can expect.

 

[funnymummy]

This is the sort of service from a LBS that is 'worthy' of a 'recommendation' in my book. just to tell others what they can expect.

I tell anyone who asks to bring their bike to the LCBP (Lancing Community Bicycle Project) & we'll show them what to do!

 

[brockers]

Jeeesus, I just would NOT entrust my bike to a shop. The only time I've ever done that was a couple of years ago for a BB change when I bought a new chainset and even then I watched the mechanic change it.

I'm with you on this! Apart from getting a wheel checked and an old steel frame straightened, in twenty-ish years I've only used a bike shop once to fix something. And even then the creak in the BB re-occurred so I ended up sorting it myself.

 

[julesdavis1965]

my lbs are bril, they did a pretty long list of checks and adjustments,plus two i requested not on their "list" for the first check over for free as promised. i checked they did in fact do what they said they had with "secret marks" , i always do this with workmen! but then i don't relish getting greasy etc and fiddling around on my bike is not fun for me i would rather be riding