LBS just quoted £30 to true 2 wheels

[Tynan]

mine is pricy and charges £10 a wheel, as someone said, if it comes in on the wheel it's extra work for them

there has to be a minumum charge for the mechanic to do a job, and if they're to pay their way on the high street they have to be a business rather thanan hobby

 

[spandex]

That is it some things that need doing on a bike are very easy but some can not or will not do it so they take it to there LBS to get it done. But then start having a go when they get the bill (why) the shop has to pay the bills and still be there next year.

 

[GrahamG]

I find that the more reasonable charges, and I don't mean cheap just realistic given the many views expressed above, come from shops where the workshop provides a large chunk of the turnover. They know exactly what they need to charge in terms of labour rates and new bikes/parts/accessory sales are run as a separate entity to keep track of profitability.
I find these places are normally 'in the middle' price-wise but generally very reliable and also have the tools and expertise for the odd job out of the norm - for example I got mudguard eyes brazed on to a frame, some other braze ons removed and a totally stuck bottom bracket removed for the grand sum of £30.

 

[GrahamG]

That is it some things that need doing on a bike are very easy but some can not or will not do it so they take it to there LBS to get it done. But then start having a go when they get the bill (why) the shop has to pay the bills and still be there next year.

I was chatting to the manager of my old LBS a few months back, a good chunk of their turnover is through the workshop, and he had a customer collecting a repair (tune up of gears/brakes) complaining at the £6 charge - I gathered this was a regular occurrence when he calmly shouted back into the workshop to ask how long the mechanic has spend on it before quoting their hourly rate (15 minutes - £24 an hour). Personally, I was astounded that someone would question such a meagre charge.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The sad fact is that most people - and that includes "real" cyclists, who should know better - think of bikes as toys and expect repairs and servicing to be carried out for a nominal sum.

People who accept £400 bill for having a rubber belt changed on their car with just a shrug of the shoulders will scream blue murder at having to pay a tenner to have a wheel spoked, tensioned and trued skillfully enough to be trouble free till the rim decomposes.

 

[spandex]

I was chatting to the manager of my old LBS a few months back, a good chunk of their turnover is through the workshop, and he had a customer collecting a repair (tune up of gears/brakes) complaining at the £6 charge - I gathered this was a regular occurrence when he calmly shouted back into the workshop to ask how long the mechanic has spend on it before quoting their hourly rate (15 minutes - £24 an hour). Personally, I was astounded that someone would question such a meagre charge.

It is up to £45 PH now

 

[jpembroke]

I have never heard of wheel builders making emergency house calls

I did this for a customer just before christmas: went to his house and trued his rear MTB wheel for a tenner.

 

[silverbow]

I've just been quoted £15.00 to replace a bent spoke. The wheel isn't out of alignment; the spoke is bent because it was attached to my lawn mower when I hurriedly pulled my bike from the garage. I think this does seem a little pricey, hence why I've posted asking for advice on replacing the spoke.

 

[P.H]

If it transforms the machine built wheels currently supplied by Dawes into the sort of thing they should have supplied in the first place it'll be £30 well spent.
Machine built wheels rarely stay true and therefore often snap spokes, decent handbuilt ones shouldn't need any attention until the rims wear through. At least this has been my experience with those built by Hewitt, Thorn and Spa.