Getting the bike serviced....

[Marazzi Mick]

I dropped of my bike this morning for a service and was astonished to see three other people turn up with their machines for exactly the same thing as me. Being a novice to all this a few things occurred to me:

I’m probably at the right place

It’s nice to see a small business doing well (JJ’s Ferrybridge)

These cyclists really do look after their kit

I will be interested if I can tell any difference to the ride when I get it back assuming the rain stops. It’s four years old with very, very light use but I did detect a slight creak when getting on the peddles going up hill.
It’s never had a service but probably has covered less than 200 miles since new.

I’m tempted by a Garmin 820 too —

 

[fossyant]

You are best off learning how to fix them yourself. That way you don't actually do a full service, but maintain the bike as you go along ensuring everything is working properly.

You tube is quite helpful. It showed me step by step how to service a hydraulic dropper seat post on my MTB. A £300 part that cost me about £25 to service rather than send it away for £90.

 

[smutchin]

Yes, it's good to learn how to do routine maintenance yourself, but it's also good to support local bike shops - especially if you are a novice and don't know what you're doing. Did you explain the creaking to them? It will help them to know what to look for. Although the source of creaks can be hard to track down...

If the bike has only done 200 miles, it shouldn't need much doing to it and there probably won't be much noticeable difference, but it's worth getting everything checked over to make sure it's running smoothly - mainly gears and brakes. Existing tyres and brake blocks should still have plenty of life in them.

I hope your serviced bike inspires you to rack up many more miles this year!

 

[fossyant]

PS a queue of folk taking bikes in doesn't necessarily mean their bikes are looked after.

Road cycling is much less demanding on a bike than off road. My MTB is completely washed down every ride and the chain, cassette, mechs and chain rings are oiled and wiped spotless. The suspension is silicone lubed and wiped down and the same goes with the dropper post. All whilst avoiding getting any contaminants on the brakes. If you didn't do all this every ride, you'd soon have a large repair bill.

Learn how to oil and clean the drive chain.

 

[Brandane]

These cyclists really do look after their kit

Sorry to disagree, but if they looked after them properly then there would be no need to get them "serviced". Bicycles are actually very simple machines and maintenance on an on-going basis would mean there was no need to get them serviced. Keep the gears sweet (which is only a matter of cable tension), lubricate in the right places, and replace consumables (chain, cassette, cables, brake pads, tyres etc.) as and when they need done. Seriously, all these things are easy to do - and it means your bike is kept in good order all the time rather than only after a service.

 

[Brandane]

I’m tempted by a Garmin 820 too —

Sorry to sound negative about this too! But.... I have a Garmin Edge Explore 820 and although it is an "OK" bit of kit, that is about as much enthusiasm as I can muster for it. It's an expensive bit of kit, and for the price I was expecting a whole lot better. It's just not very user friendly, and if you follow it's navigation instructions they are a bit hit and miss too. There is a review here on Cycling Weekly who aren't over impressed either.

 

[derrick]

I dropped of my bike this morning for a service and was astonished to see three other people turn up with their machines for exactly the same thing as me. Being a novice to all this a few things occurred to me:

I’m probably at the right place

It’s nice to see a small business doing well (JJ’s Ferrybridge)

These cyclists really do look after their kit

I will be interested if I can tell any difference to the ride when I get it back assuming the rain stops. It’s four years old with very, very light use but I did detect a slight creak when getting on the peddles going up hill.
It’s never had a service but probably has covered less than 200 miles since new.

I’m tempted by a Garmin 820 too —

Forget the Garmin look at a wahoo.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

I am glad to hear it, support of your local LBS is great! The shop my brother works at is booked up for 2 weeks solid for maintenance and repair appointments so that is good, they also sold a ton of bikes as soon as we had sunny days here. Now it is snowing sideways again... nice to get the bike done in time for warm weather.

Also for everyone telling the OP to learn to do it him/herself, that is all well and good but some people are not handy (like my partner) or have no spare time, or it is just not something they have an interest in. Just like cars, I enjoy working on my car and am always surprised when people take their car in for a simple oil change or something but not everyone wants to learn or has the time.

 

[PaulSB]

Forget the Garmin look at a wahoo.

I have an 810 and I’m thinking of getting the Wahoo as I’m so tired of Garmin idiosyncrasies. At least have a look, everyone I know has been happy with their Wahoo purchase.

If you don’t feel confident to do your own service it’s definitely better to go to the LBS. I’m simply not mechanically minded. Often I know what to do, gear adjustments for example, but it always goes wrong for me!! There is also the need for specific tools for some jobs.

Absolutely agree bikes are very simple machines but even that simplicity can defeat some of us.

The best maintenance riders like me can give is to keep everything scrupulously clean and correctly lubed - a very worthwhile contribution to good cycle maintenance.

 

[MarkF]

Support your LBS if it suits you, it's not as if it's car like service money......usually I do my own work but sometimes I use the LBS, when I am lazy or want to just enjoy/ride in my free time. I've a folder there now, the bill might be £20, so what?

 

[Jimidh]

I’m just about to take two bikes into my local mechanic for probably simple jobs but I am one of those people who always makes any problem worse no matter how many videos I watch.

So don’t feel bad about taking your bikes into your Lbs for TLC.

 

[Soltydog]

I’m probably at the right place

It’s nice to see a small business doing well (JJ’s Ferrybridge)

I will be interested if I can tell any difference to the ride when I get it back assuming the rain stops. It’s four years old with very, very light use but I did detect a slight creak when getting on the peddles going up hill.
It’s never had a service but probably has covered less than 200 miles since new.

JJ's does have a good reputation. A few wessies who ride with the local club rate them highly, so hopefully you will receive good service
Not sure you'll notice a massive difference though, gears might change a bit smoother & chain run more freely if it's been a little neglected, but having covered <200 miles it shouldn't be in too bad condition to start with.

My nearest 'LBS' is about 15 miles away, so I've learned to do many things myself, but occasionally I'm not brave enough to tackle a job (recently it was servicing a hub dynamo) or I don't have the correct tools & it's cheaper to pay the LBS. There's plenty of advice & helpful folk on here for covering general servicing stuff & videos galore on youtube

 

[bpsmith]

...I get to spend my free time riding my bike rather than searching for tools...

Except you can’t because your bike is at the LBS.

 

[vickster]

Except you can’t because your bike is at the LBS.

Who only has one bike?

 

[bpsmith]

Who only has one bike?

Me at the moment!