Unhappy with local bike shop matainence work.

[roundisland]

Hi, disappointed in my local LBS . Took my bike in to have gears adjusted, when I went to pick the bike up they said they were unable to fix the problem, then said it was an incompatible rear mech. Which I know it untrue. I mentioned the problem could be with the barend shifter and could they look at that. Unfortunately that seemed to annoy them and totally dismissed my suggestion. On returning home I Google the problem and sorted within 15 mins. I also asked them to tighten up the rear wheel as there was a little bit of lateral play it's still as bad as before. I called and asked if they had managed to look at the wheel they said yes, they had striped it down re - greased and tightend up. Should I still be experiencing lateral play now? The front wheel had a slight buckle it's better but I can still see a slight wobble. Should slight buckles be removed completely from a wheel or us that not possible? Thanks total charge £40.00 am I being unreasonable?

Thanks

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Sounds a bit unreasonable to me. I'd recommend finding another bike shop (and continuing to learn maintenance so you have to visit bike shops rarely).

 

[compo]

So they did not fix your gears, did not fix your wheel hub properly and did not true your wheel very well, and for this they charge you £40. I wouldn't have been to pleased and would be letting the shop know my feelings.

 

[SS Retro]

All sound very shoddy, no wheel that have been trued by someone who knows what there doing will be straight.

 

[roundisland]

So they did not fix your gears, did not fix your wheel hub properly and did not true your wheel very well, and for this they charge you £40. I wouldn't have been to pleased and would be letting the shop know my feelings.

Thanks for the replies.
Compo, I did call them after explaining what I did to rectify the gears and asking about the wheel. they didn't seem that Interested. Invited me to bring my bike back down but I'm reluctant now. Think I'm going to buy some tools and do it myself. Lots of Information on the Internet. If I get really stuck I will find details a different lbs.

 

[Mugshot]

Thanks for the replies.
Compo, I did call them after explaining what I did to rectify the gears and asking about the wheel. they didn't seem that Interested. Invited me to bring my bike back down but I'm reluctant now. Think I'm going to buy some tools and do it myself. Lots of Information on the Internet. If I get really stuck I will find details a different lbs.

This is the answer roundisland. I had a similar issue with my LBS recently, had been losing faith in them anyway and now it's gone. Took the bike in to have the headset done and asked them to sort my indexing out as it was playing up, I'd adjusted and recalibrated and it was still playing up so I knew the problem was a more than just the indexing. To cut a long story short they had it back three times in as many days and each time I picked it up it was exactly the same as when I had left it with them. I changed the jockey wheels and sorted the problem myself in the end, which I should have done in the first place. DIY for me from now on.

 

[Profpointy]

Put it down to experience, and never darken their doors again, nor drop any more money into their till. If you go back (eg to complain) you'll just end up with more shoddy work, which somehow you'll end up paying for, and all round grief. Best bet is do it yourself, but find some more competent shop in case you need something more complex doing - which clearly would be beyond this lot.

 

[compo]

Thanks for the replies.
Compo, I did call them after explaining what I did to rectify the gears and asking about the wheel. they didn't seem that Interested. Invited me to bring my bike back down but I'm reluctant now. Think I'm going to buy some tools and do it myself. Lots of Information on the Internet. If I get really stuck I will find details a different lbs.

Best idea! Honestly, bikes are not complicated to work on if you take your time. There is loads of detailed information on You Tube and other videos, plus you can always ask on here. No-one will think you stupid asking very basic things, we all started out knowing nothing!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

5 years since I last stepped into an LBS in Rochdale.that failed to spot a faulty tyre bead in 3 days of trying, on a brand new bike, that blew off the rim before half inflated. I left it with them & they *fixed* the problem by puttting a second layer of rim tape in and a bigger innertube, telling me that tyres could be manufactured too big or small than the size stated and this was the only way to fix it. After it blew off spectacularly 50 metres up the road, I saw the problem immediately, walked my bike 5 miles home and contacted Schwalbe with photos of the defect, they were great & sent me a replacement by return post.

 

[Stu Plows]

I had one shop put my cranks back on, but not pushed all the way through so they were slightly out of line and not bolted up properly, cost me a new chain 3 miles into London to Brighton last year.

I had no real proof. Therefore, I have now learnt to fix most stuff myself so I only have myself to blame.

 

[roundisland]

I'm sure there are great bike shop out there doing a sterling job but the replies here have convinced me to learn more. That £40.00 could have brought me a very basic tool kit. When I took my bike along to the bike shop I had a bad feeling about leaving it, the guy that signed the bike in asked me hardly anything I wanted to explain more about the issues with the bike he wasn't interested. Anyway, lesson learnt.

 

[roundisland]

Stu plows
Bad news, very frustrating not to
mention possibly dangerous.

 

[Cold]

I took my MTB to the LBS and they changed the chain and casette which was fine but they messed up my brakes and gears I didn't realise until I got it home.
Ended up fixing it myself with the help of youtube and now do everything myself.

 

[Big Nick]

The vast majority of jobs I've come across seem quite straightforward to sort yourself with the help of forums such as this and YouTube and whilst you sometimes have to buy tools, those will last you for years meaning the next similar fix is free!

Personally I'd only resort to a lbs when all else had failed!

 

[smokeysmoo]

This is a great goto vid for gear adjustment, and as you say there are loads more online. YouTube is your friend for all matters of fettling.



I still use my LBS for wheel truing though as that to me really is witchcraft! Or read the @mickle THREAD on the subject and give a go