Taking over the bike shop...

[Andy in Germany]

What if there is a structural fault, for example a crack somewhere on the frame?
Perhaps it's different in Germany, but I wouldn't like to be the manager who had to answer questions after a nasty accident. I'd expect a certain amount of "weight" to be applied to the quality/safety control process, especially with donated bikes whose provenance is unknown.

This is covered under the rules for charity and second hand shops: we aren't allowed to offer any form of guarantee and we have to make that clear when the customer buys the bike. The customer legally can change their mind within two weeks and we have to take the item back, but after that there is no recourse.

This is also why I'm extremely cagey about accepting carbon bikes.

My Six month tune up offer is a compromise from my manager, because that's the closest we can offer.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I've been under pressure to relax my standards overall, which I refuse to do.

Good for you.

on the understanding that it's only specific bikes and my manager and the boss take responsibility if these bikes don't work as well as intended.

Andy, I don't want to harp on about this so I'll say this and drop it.

It would be a pretty miraculous understanding to survive if the shoot really hits the fan.

If my loved one was injured, or God forbid, worse, by a preventable failure no amount of agreements or understandings would stop me taking a fair stab at crucifying you.
The fact that no-one test-rode the bike would, for me, be the most critical thing.
(But I think it's well established that I'm a bit odd )


Edited for cross-posting:

This is covered under the rules for charity and second hand shops: we aren't allowed to offer any form of guarantee

I'm not talking about a guarantee. I'm talking about the basic integrity and roadworthiness/safety of the bike.

In a worst case scenario I would hate to be the guy answering "no" when asked "Was the bike taken on a test ride".

 

[Gillstay]

I find that sometimes a bike will shift on the stand but when under pressure won't. A quick ride helps to sort stuff like that out.

I find that occasionaly too. I wonder if the stretch goes out of the inner or outer or both.

Head bearings catch me out sometimes as well. That I think is a weight thing as it is not applied at the bench.

 

[Andy in Germany]

If my loved one was injured, or God forbid, worse, by a preventable failure

This scenario scares the "§$%&/( out of me, which is why I'm so "fussy".

On the other hand this isn't my company, so sometimes I have to do what I'm told.

The previous mechanic would send out bikes with no checks at all as "Railway station bikes"; these are common here and are basically a knackered old bike that won't get stolen at a railway station, but I held out against that.

However, the boss wants us to at least have some bikes for the local refugees and similar, but we have to make them cheap for obvious reasons.

This is the compromise between what I want, what the boss wants, and economics: bikes under 100€ are sold on the basis of no test ride and a short check up. I'm not happy but I make very sure people buying the bike understand this. I'd like to make them sign a form saying this but this is unlikely to work unless I can make them in a dozen languages.

The other side to the argument is that if I don't do this, the people looking for a low cost bike will get one online or at a flea market and those bikes aren't just unsafe, they're often unridable. I know this because they then bring these bikes to me in the hope I can "fix" them for 10€. At least this way the bike is checked over and usable.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Another bike rebuilt by a client, because he wanted to learn how cantilever brakes worked.

As this is a rather nice Stevens Double-Butted Chromoly frame we decided to convert it into a commute/school bike in the hope it would then be better cared for. The work was done by my client; I hardly touched it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Two pieces of good news:

1: My contract will be extended for six months with a view to it being permanent as soon as the company can get on its feet. It's a complicated situation but the last months have also shown that if I do leave I shouldn't have too much trouble finding something.

2: After a work stand broke terminally yesterday and nearly dropped a bike on a client, we're getting three new professional stands...

 

[tribanjules]

Great news!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

 

[annedonnelly]

Sounds brilliant. I hope it all works out for you. It sounds like a win-win situation having you working there.
It's great to think that the organisation values good employees and is willing to find ways to keep them.

 

[tribanjules]

There is a book to be written with the story !

 

[Jameshow]

This scenario scares the "§$%&/( out of me, which is why I'm so "fussy".

On the other hand this isn't my company, so sometimes I have to do what I'm told.

The previous mechanic would send out bikes with no checks at all as "Railway station bikes"; these are common here and are basically a knackered old bike that won't get stolen at a railway station, but I held out against that.

However, the boss wants us to at least have some bikes for the local refugees and similar, but we have to make them cheap for obvious reasons.

This is the compromise between what I want, what the boss wants, and economics: bikes under 100€ are sold on the basis of no test ride and a short check up. I'm not happy but I make very sure people buying the bike understand this. I'd like to make them sign a form saying this but this is unlikely to work unless I can make them in a dozen languages.

The other side to the argument is that if I don't do this, the people looking for a low cost bike will get one online or at a flea market and those bikes aren't just unsafe, they're often unridable. I know this because they then bring these bikes to me in the hope I can "fix" them for 10€. At least this way the bike is checked over and usable.

Just check the brakes work, most other things are a nuisance tbh.

Rarely will a frame / fork/ wheel give out without any warning.

If the gears don't work your often stuck in one gear.

If bearing give way then the wheel/chainset becomes sloppy.

 

[Andy in Germany]

There is a book to be written with the story !

I'd write one but I don't think anyone would believe it...

 

[classic33]

I'd write one but I don't think anyone would believe it...

We'd believe you!

 

[Andy in Germany]

You reminded me of a conversation today that could go in the book. Currently I have two clients in the workshop, both pretty quiet, and one (Hr A) is dealing with serious self confidence issues, and is just beginning to relax a bit. There's a running joke about the fact I don't really like working on the till. For various reasons this afternoon I had to take over at short notice, so I went to the workshop to tell my lads. What follows is our conversation:

AinG: Alright lads, I need to go to the till, unless one of you has some kind of serious problem that you can't fix
(Both look at their respective bikes and declare them problem free).
AinG: Oh, come on, there must be some excuse, I mean reason, I can't go to the till.
Hr A: Sorry, I'm doing fine. (perks up a bit) I could break something, if it'd help...

That one had me smiling all the way to the till...

 

[Reynard]

You reminded me of a conversation today that could go in the book. Currently I have two clients in the workshop, both pretty quiet, and one (Hr A) is dealing with serious self confidence issues, and is just beginning to relax a bit. There's a running joke about the fact I don't really like working on the till. For various reasons this afternoon I had to take over at short notice, so I went to the workshop to tell my lads. What follows is our conversation:

AinG: Alright lads, I need to go to the till, unless one of you has some kind of serious problem that I can't fix
(Both look at their respective bikes and declare them problem free).
AinG: Oh, come on, there must be some excuse, I mean reason, I can't go to the till.
Hr A: Sorry, I'm doing fine. (perks up a bit) I could break something, if it'd help...

That one had me smiling all the way to the till...

Ah, that's priceless!

 

[tribanjules]

I'd write one but I don't think anyone would believe it...

I would as would an awful lot of folks