Estimate £ of my LBS job.

[Spinney]

You are also paying for the fact that the LBS has the specific tools needed and you don't - just one of the many overheads vickster mentioned.
£30-£40 doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[byegad]

Best thing to spend your money on is the right tools and a few classes, formal and paid or informal and picked up from a mate as he does his own maintenance. With a bit of patience you can learn to do most jobs, and while the first time you do something may not save you any money as you need to buy the tools, over the years those tools, and the knowledge to use them correctly, will save you a lot of cash. Plus a job you've done is done correctly and a job paid for isn't always!

 

[Roadrider48]

It would cost you more than £10 to £15 for a decent set of tools for the job.
As others have said, they're using their facilities, insurance etc. £30 to £40 isn't unreasonable.
The bike shop is not your friend that you can just bung a tenner to!

 

[SteCenturion]

I can tell you have never owned a business.

Local authority consultant my boss - not the only pie he has his finger in.

Me however 1% pay rise in 4 years.

He - not governed by the same rules imposed by Cameron & his 81TCH - Clegg.

Still I can be happy knowing that -

"We are all in it together".

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I've no idea how anyone on here can give a "quote" when the LBS would not without seeing what was required.

 

[SteCenturion]

All you have to do is copy him or her and you will get the same. After all most peoples bosses are useless thick time waster who could not run a pxxx up in a brewery, well according to a lot I have read on this forum.

Adding a smiley for safeties sake.

Smiley most welcome.

 

[jay clock]

I am a complete non techy and have happily done all the things above. So many online videos etc. I am not too hot at front mechs, or and there are certain headset and BB issues I would avoid, but generally bikes are simple. Having said that, bar tape is an art. I just did mine and for once was happy with the result. This video was what I used but there are loads of others
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxFdOnaRGVM


I think the reason he was cagey is because you might have turned up with a knackered old bike and a bag of non compatible parts...

 

[SteCenturion]

Hi vickster.

Just a social comment about hourly rates etc - not LBS rates which I agree £30-40 might be reasonable.

Just that you expressed surprise at jack smith's comment "£10 - 15".

My aim here (not directed at you vickster - but for all) is too avoid getting the young girl goes to buy new car gets ripped off scenario.

 

[coffeejo]

Best way to do that is to take the bike to a few different shops and see what the differing quotes are - then you can judge that against the cost of the tools and the time it will take and then decide which you prefer.

 

[helston90]

Those jobs are excellent jobs to cut your teeth on- spend the money on decent tools and you'll reap the reward over time, my LBS charged me £5/6 I think for a cassette swap when I bought a new wheel off them, since then I own a chain whip and have done my own change once and my mates change for his turbo wheel- slowly paying for itself!

 

[JoeyB]

I've done everything you mention in your first post myself, with no previous knowledge. I bought the Aldi toolkit and that has had everything I've needed (bike specific) so far...

 

[SteCenturion]

I am a complete non techy and have happily done all the things above. So many online videos etc. I am not too hot at front mechs, or and there are certain headset and BB issues I would avoid, but generally bikes are simple. Having said that, bar tape is an art. I just did mine and for once was happy with the result. This video was what I used but there are loads of others
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxFdOnaRGVM


I think the reason he was cagey is because you might have turned up with a knackered old bike and a bag of non compatible parts...

Cheers jay clock - I did in fact turn up initially with just the cassette job to do (probably 10 min job) & that's where the "no job under £25" thing came up.

I had in my hands a brand new Ritchey rear wheel with brand new cassette attached & a brand new Easton rear -
Shimano/Sram compatible hub.

When he said the £25 thing a asked how much to do full job (all things mentioned in o.p - this is when he got all - "I will have to see it" etc.

To be honest I got the impression he didn't really want the work.

The icing on the cake (which I forgot to mention) was he said "maybe my dad could do it - but it will have to wait 'till Saturday when he helps out".

Gonna look for someone else or do it myself - but want it up & running & right soon.

Cheers for the video link - will do some googling after work.

 

[JoeyB]

Cheers jay clock - I did in fact turn up initially with just the cassette job to do (probably 10 min job) & that's where the "no job under £25" thing came up.

I had in my hands a brand new Ritchey rear wheel with brand new cassette attached & a brand new Easton rear -
Shimano/Sram compatible hub.

When he said the £25 thing a asked how much to do full job (all things mentioned in o.p - this is when he got all - "I will have to see it" etc.

To be honest I got the impression he didn't really want the work.

The icing on the cake (which I forgot to mention) was he said "maybe my dad could do it - but it will have to wait 'till Saturday when he helps out".

Gonna look for someone else or do it myself - but want it up & running & right soon.

Cheers for the video link - will do some googling after work.

Definitely time to find a new LBS

 

[SteCenturion]

To add - this is a £2500 bike too - not a 15 year old Apollo MTB brought in by Heroin Dave the local smack-head.

Don't know what the problem was really.

I suspect had this been the U.S.A it would have been "yes sir, when would you like it done ? Yesterday ? No problem ! Have a coffee & a biscuit.

 

[jay clock]

the problem is that bike shops are busy busy busy in a boom market. My LBS (part of a chain of three) said his January figures are up 25% on last year, which was 25% up on year before. So they have business coming out of their ears. Sadly my mechanic (working in his back garden/garage) just died suddenly (e.g. GB paralympic and TdF mechanic sp knew his stuff). Last work he did for me was a service on a bike I was selling, included a new gear cable and new bar tape and the total was £30. He once spent four hours on my bike and charged me £40. And often trued a wheel for free.