Paying for a bike service

[united4ever]

So, I'm not so bike savvy but I commuted down the canal towpath for a couple of years now and my hybrid (hoy Shizuoka) has become a bit of a pig to ride recently. Feels like riding in treacle (ok I exaggerate but relative to how it used to feel like flying effortlessly). The gears slip quite a bit, there are some parts that are a bit loose, I don't see any lateral movement in the pedal bars but sometimes it feels like there is a clicking (more feeling it than hearing it). Lots of loose little parts (like the plastic cog protector and even the mudguards seem too close to the tyres and sometimes touch but I try to use cable ties to pull it away from the tyre and keep it close to the frame.

I realise a lot of the above can be done by me but I'm thinking it would take me best part of a day and there may be some things that I wouldn't do very well and wouldn't notice something (like bearings going or something else that needs slightly more knowledge than I have).

Maybe my chain maintenance has been lacking - I generally try to clean, degrease and lube but on the canal towpath there is loads of mud and the bike stands at work are unsheltered so sometimes it's in the rain all day.

Anyway - I am thinking of paying for it to be serviced.

looking at somewhere like this:

http://www.kenfosterscyclelogic.co.uk/workshop.php

http://www.bikeshak.com/workshop/

Talking about £60 to £100 but should I be expecting to be paying plenty more for parts (I know it depends what they find?). If it's going to be closer to £200 then I would probably just look at just getting another bike.

Also, the bike servicing seems to be a very set list of things - would they also fix the niggly things that I don't like that fall off their fixed list - like plastic cog protector tightening, mudguard correction and tightening etc?

Any recommendations of a good bike repair service in Trafford/South Manchester/Altrincham?

Thanks in advance

 

[vickster]

Maybe find a mobile mechanic to do the fiddly bits, be cheaper than a full service at a shop. I'm sure they'd look at everything. A full service at my lbs is a complete strip down, adjust, clean and re lube etc. Make sure the bike is relatively clean, some mechanics understandably don't work on filthy bikes

Slipping gears probably mean new chain and cassette potentially. The pedal thing sounds like bottom bracket?

What's a plastic cog protector? Aka dork disc? Just take it off if so

A new decent bike could well cost you more than £200 but it's your cash

 

[bikingdad90]

Reading the description I think you may need the following:

New bottom bracket £20 plus £15- £20 labour
Gear service £30-£40 including parts
Adhoc things like mudguards, brake pads.£15.00- £20.
Possibly a new chain, cassette and fitting about £30.

 

[vickster]

Don't think you could get new chain, cassette and fitting for £30 at LBS RRP costs (mine you can provide the parts but they charge a surcharge)

 

[Pale Rider]

Commuting is the hardest use for any bicycle, and no bicycle responds well to being left outside in all weathers.

Neither of which you can avoid.

The Hoy is a decent bike, and more importantly, you like riding it - when it's up together.

Assuming it can be largely put right for about £200, I think an annual maintenance cost of £100 is reasonable for a commuting user who doesn't wish to do a great deal of their own fettling.

You could spec a new bike which would require a little less maintenance, a hub gear and enclosed chain are two things that would make a difference.

But I think you would struggle to find such a bike for less than £750, and whatever you bought there would still be some maintenance to pay for.

 

[united4ever]

yeah, dork disc Vickster - new word for me

Pale Rider, you are right, £100 a year for maintenance is reasonable. I'll look for a LBS to help me out.

cheers

 

[Siclo]

You won't go far wrong with either shop, I've used both for various things. Ken Fosters is likely to work out cheaper and the waiting time for a workshop slot at bikeshak tends to be long.

 

[Philhh]

If you are in leeds -you drop in at the peddlarsarms 37 margate green a cycling charity that helps and lends you space and tools to do your own maintenance and supplies all the bits you need at a fair price-tel 0113 245 7274 for more details.I've just done a weekends maintenance course with them-16 hours working on your own bike or one of theirs-a realy great course with a pupil to instructor ratio of 4:1.I stripped a bike down hubs bearings tyres brakes bottom brackets wheell trueing gear adjustments head sets etc brill.

 

[vickster]

@Philhh he's in Manchester if you look at the OP. Not sure where Leeds came from?

 

[lpretro1]

Couple of really good mobile units in Manchester: http://www.revolvemcr.com/ and http://fixbikego.co.uk
Both good genuine blokes and C&G qualified

 

[united4ever]

cheers, contacted fixbikego

 

[mjr]

You could spec a new bike which would require a little less maintenance, a hub gear and enclosed chain are two things that would make a difference.

But I think you would struggle to find such a bike for less than £750, and whatever you bought there would still be some maintenance to pay for.

I'll happily sell you such a bike for £750! They're currently £300 for Decathlon's offering (not full chainguard and not hub brakes), £400 for Dutchie (when not sold out), £450 for a Gazelle Esprit or £544 for an Azor Highlander.

 

[Tom B]

A colleague of mine uses

http://www.popupbikes.co.uk


Near to Victoria . If you ever get towards Bury I could help you fettle a few bits...

 

[united4ever]

Couple of really good mobile units in Manchester: http://www.revolvemcr.com/ and http://fixbikego.co.uk
Both good genuine blokes and C&G qualified

Ended up using revolve mcr who came out to media city to do mine with his trailer of tools. I'm quite new to it but the guy seemed very knowledgeable. Was £66 for a new cassette and chain plus a bit of fettling with the mudguard that was loose. Only thing was he didn't have the right gears to replace them and any spare pedals so will need to return for them next week.