regular service at bike shop

[Cycle power]

Hi all,

Winter is starting to take it's toll on my bike a Dawes heritage. Only got it in May, i use it every day commuting and in the resent weather the gears are not working as they should the back brake sticks on if used and it generally needs a look at. Don't get me wrong i think it is standing up very well considering the cheaper bikes i have had in the past and the wet and snow of late Just the two problems i have mentioned and a general grease and lubricate. I have tried tightening the brake cable up but after a ride it starts sticking again. Gears well i have never been one to sort them out so have stuck it on the highest [7th] and kept on that one be it head wind or back.
How much would i be looking at for a service at a local bike store. I use to live near another local and he use to charge £27 to £30 and i must say it just seemed like he had a quick look at it with no real effort as after only a few weeks things started going wrong with it [cheap bikes] again.
What do all you people who take their bikes to bike shops pay is what i would like to know.

Regards.
C.P

 

[numbnuts]

Sorry why can't you do it yourself it is not rocket science have a look here
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help
and if you don't have any tools buy them as you need then and after a year you will have a nice little kit
ps if you get stuck on something ask on here

 

[Fiona N]

I guess that there won't be many on the forum who take their bikes to a LBS for a service, only for trickier stuff like new bottom bracket or headset. So no idea about prices.

But on the sticking brake - that just sounds like the pivots are getting rusty if the blocks are not springing back from the rim when the lever is released. Try washing any obvious dirt and rust off then apply a generous amount of Muck-off Bike Spray, WD40, GT40 etc. - spray-on teflon lubricant of some sort, in other words - while moving the brake arms around (taking the wheel out makes it much easier - don't get the spray on the rims, of course, or the back brake will work even less). A bit of regular TLC could see the brake functional without any bike shop intervention.

There's loads of advice on here about general maintenance - chain, brakes and gears are the main things and really easy to do yourself with minimal tools and kit.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

+1 re numbnuts' suggestion. Many of the repair and maintenance tasks, including those associated with the problems you have described, are doable by most, and can indeed be done in a jiffy when one is experienced, but do take care when you are inexperienced since some components are safety critical. You might also want to consider joining a class such as this too.


But to answer your specific question, this seems to me to be as comprehensive and typical list of rates as any, but that is not to say rates can't vary significantly between suppliers.

 

[byegad]

Yes it's well worth learning how to do the various jobs on a bike. I broke my Bottom Bracket duck last year, easy once I did it and the correct tools were less than the charge an LBS would have charged! Now for wheel building and fully replacing headsets!

 

[stephec]

I guess that there won't be many on the forum who take their bikes to a LBS for a service, only for trickier stuff like new bottom bracket or headset. So no idea about prices.

But on the sticking brake - that just sounds like the pivots are getting rusty if the blocks are not springing back from the rim when the lever is released. Try washing any obvious dirt and rust off then apply a generous amount of Muck-off Bike Spray, WD40, GT40 etc. - spray-on teflon lubricant of some sort, in other words - while moving the brake arms around (taking the wheel out makes it much easier - don't get the spray on the rims, of course, or the back brake will work even less). A bit of regular TLC could see the brake functional without any bike shop intervention.

There's loads of advice on here about general maintenance - chain, brakes and gears are the main things and really easy to do yourself with minimal tools and kit.

Blast some of the WD40 down the inside of the cable outers as well.

Do you know how to free them from the cable stops? If you do then you can grease them while you're at it as well.

The Parktools website that's already been pointed out is a good one. Why not have a go yourself, if you knacker it then it won't be in much worse a state than it is now by the sound of it, then you can resort to the LBS.

And if you do a good job then you've saved yourself a few quid and learnt something.

 

[TheBoyBilly]

I have a Brompton and it's first year was particularly hard. Early 2010 was extremely wet (it seemed to rain throughout Jan & Feb) and I too thought it was holding up well. But in October I decided to go to South Coast Bikes to give it the care it deserved and wouldn't get from me before winter set in. A full service, replacement chain and a new spoke on the rear wheel cost me £70. The bike came back spotless and was a revelation to ride.......they know their bikes. I won't hesitate to get the bike serviced again next spring. I did odd jobs like lube the chain and general cleaning but SCB did the trickier stuff.
So my advice is, if you really care about your bike, to get a good relationship going with a reputable LBS or cycle workshop and have your bike serviced properly at least yearly, it'll pay in the long run.

Bill

 

[Dayvo]

Hello CP and (a belated) welcome to the forum!

If you live near an Evans bikeshop (http://www.evanscycles.com/servicing/free-bike-maintenance-classes) or an Edinburgh Bicycles shop (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...1&f_SupersetQRY=&f_bct=c007789&f_topmenu=7789) you can have a go yourself under tuition!

This thread is currently a topic, https://www.cyclechat.net/, so hopefully you'll be inspired to have a go!

Otherwise a general check-up and adjustment, shouldn't cost more than £20-£30.

Good luck!

 

[Cycle power]

Thanks to everyone who have replied with advice. I do the very basic stuff washing, and jet washing, wire wool on the on spots of surface rust, a few drops of oil on the chain, wd on the cables, and i wire wool the chain to get rid of the rust that appears. [ I don't know if this is the right thing to do.] and tighten up any loose bolts screws etc. I know this is extremely basic stuff to some on here.
I don't live near any Evans shops so cannot partake in their scheme. but thanks for that Dayvo and record ace from new
I have however decided to try and do the gears and the brake myself as I'm on holiday for a few days now so will have some spare time as Stephec says if i knacker it it won't be in much worse state as it is now.
As The boy billy says i think it would pay to have a decent service at least once a year.
Thanks to Fiona for the advice on the brakes and Byegad phew not quite ready for bottom brackets and wheel building at the moment but once I've tried this who knows.

Thanks once again and regards
c.p

 

[Bayerd]

Another good resource is the Bicycle Tutor website. It's helped me to understand the brakes and gears properly and as a new to me problem crops up, I always watch a related video.

http://bicycletutor.com/

 

[P.H]

Hello CP and (a belated) welcome to the forum!

Otherwise a general check-up and adjustment, shouldn't cost more than £20-£30.

And that is part of the problem. Bike shops charge £30 because experience has told them that that's what the average cyclist thinks it should cost. A decent service would take around an hour and half, but who wants to pay for that time in a dedicated workshop with the right tools and equipment? £80 plus parts plus VAT would be a more realistic price. If someone charged me less I'd know they weren't going to do a thorough job, which is why I'd rather do it myself.

 

[zacklaws]

I do the very basic stuff washing, and jet washing,

Jet washing could be causing you more problems than you think, its easy to blast grease out of bearings etc and water up cables all leading to components that do not work like they should and stick etc.

If you must jet wash stick to the frame and well away from components that require lubricateing, unless you are planning a major overall, degrease, strip down and proper relube.

 

[Bayerd]

And that is part of the problem. Bike shops charge £30 because experience has told them that that's what the average cyclist thinks it should cost. A decent service would take around an hour and half, but who wants to pay for that time in a dedicated workshop with the right tools and equipment? £80 plus parts plus VAT would be a more realistic price. If someone charged me less I'd know they weren't going to do a thorough job, which is why I'd rather do it myself.

My lbs would typically charge about a fiver above what the part he was fitting cost. It's closed now.......

 

[heretic]

I taught myself back in the 70s because the LBS charged too much and didn't do it properly. They haven't changed, I have, to the point where I get the frames built locally and do the rest in the shed, wheels included. LBS labour charges are extortionate, and the money doesn't go to the guy doing the work, believe me I've been there.
Look out for the twice a year cheap toolkit offer in Lidl, for £25 you can do almost anything, you won't use it enough to wear anything out quickly so there's no point paying more except maybe on a decent pair of cable cutters.
Info from Sheldon Browne, Parktool, here or the CTC forum.

 

[slowmotion]

I bought the bike from an LBS and had a first service. All well so far. Then the chain started slipping. They said it was a frayed cable. Still slipping a couple of months later, they said I needed a new chain and cassette. Still slipping two weeks later, I took it elsewhere. £20 "gear service" from a ritzy highstreet chain. The chain still slips.

Are they all entirely useless?

BTW, I know I will be doing it myself when I learn how to.