Bike Shops/Mechanics & Customer Service

Postit

Is it just my experiences or do bike shops take a ridiculous amount of time to carry out servicing/repair work? The crowd near me quote two days to do a simple service! They don't look very busy any time I'm there and customer service is non-existent......bordering on rude.

What are peoples experiences?

iregk

I think it really depends on the individual store. To give an example there are 3 stores within driving distance from me. 1 will only carry out any work on a bike he sold. Another will take an age to do anything and at times annoyingly will take the bike, tell you 2 days, call you 3 days later and tell you he hasn't had time to look at it. Lastly the othe one is brilliant. They've had anything I needed do e within a day, at times while I wait and on occasion not even charging me if it was something quick and simple.

So three very contrasting experiences which tells us it's all about the store you go to.

Mycroft H

Shop around and ask on here for the best place. Lots of crap bicycle shops about and very few good ones.

skelethal

Just rang up Ranelagh Cycles to see if they were open over lunchtime and the guy said yes, so biked over from Ballsbridge. Made the mistake of saying it was my first bike! Was just looking for a bit of friendly assistance, which I was quite willing to pay for. Asked what I needed to do to lower the seat and adjust handlebars, also to tighten up (clip-on style) mudguard.
First the guy tries telling me "Handlebars are tricky, need a lot of little adjustments etc so it would take some time" - confused, I said "No, I can see it there, it's just a little bolt that needs turning, I don't know what the tool is I need though". So he sells me a set of Allen keys, grand, then when I politely asked if he wouldn't mind quickly giving me a hand with it / showing me since I'd never done it before, he says "Well my lunchbreak is just coming up so you'd have to leave it in with me". Wtf I called ahead to check he was open over lunch? And told him I was the one who rang in when I arrived so wasn't like he didn't realise!
Next, re the mudguard, he says "To adjust the mudguard you'd have to take the front wheel off". Whaaaaat?! I know nothing about bike parts and even I could see that all it was was adjusting a clip, I just didn't know how to do it and didn't want to have the thing fall off when someone who knew what to do could have tightened it in seconds! Not a soul in the shop other than me as well!
I ended up saying I'd figure it out myself and leaving - I had other stuff I wanted to ask / buy, but was so put off by then I felt I was much better taking my time and money elsewhere. Just lost himself a customer, and a reputation if anyone else asked me where NOT to go!

Wheely GR8

My local shop is humphries and they've done a few jobs on my hybrid for me ,same day service and I didn't buy the bike there. I was only charged very small amounts.

Crashed my new bike and bent the rear derailer and they fixed if for me free ,straight after I walked in.

seamus

I imagine in most cases they'll somewhat overquote you so that you're not up banging on the door looking for your bike when they're only halfway through it.

Part of the problem is likely that people except a drop-in service for bikes, unlike cars where you book it in and then pick it up a couple of days later - and you ring first to confirm that it's done.

Bikes are simpler obviously, but time still has to be managed. So while it's quite literally a ten-minute job that needs doing, they mightn't be able to get to it until tomorrow. It would look bad to take the bike and give you a timeframe they can't keep, but they also don't want you to leave the shop and bring it elsewhere.

In some shops you'll also find that they're not all experts in everything. So when you drop in your forks for a service, the fork guy might be already booked on other jobs for the next 7 days, even if the other mechanics aren't that busy. I remember going into CSS and asking how long it would take to get a wheel trued and I was told "at least a week, we're booked up".

Long turnaround times would seem to me to be indicative that the workshop is either very busy, or very poorly managed time-wise. A proper booking system alongside a first-come-first-served system would lead to great customer satisfaction cos then people would know that their bike is being looked at, as soon as it's dropped in.

Wishbone Ash

I'd like to give praise to Richie's Bike Store (Swords, Co Dublin). I got a deep cut in my front tyre recently resulting in a puncture. I fitted the first of my 2 spare tubes but only got a few hundred metres when it punctured also. I fitted the 2nd spare knowing the same would probably happen which did after a kilometre or so. I was forced to walk a few kms to Richie's - the nearest LBS. The lad there (not Richie himself) fitted a new tyre and tube on the spot. While he was at it he also adjusted my brakes, lubricated my chain and adjusted my spokes. He only charged for the tyre and tube (itemised recepit) No charge for labour even though he spent about 30mins with it.

Contrast that to London where I got a puncture recently (on a hired bike). I had to walk for miles trying to find a shop which would do it on the spot. They all wanted to have it overnight even though I offered to pay extra. I finally found a shop willing to do it on the spot and they charged £10 (sterling) for the tube and £20 labour to change it.

Caroline_ie

Beecycles are spot on. They serviced my race wheel with the love and attention it deserved. They've also built wheels for a few of my friends and pimped out another pregnant friend of mine commuter with integrated hub wheels etc and she's delighted with it. I would definitely recommend them for servicing. They re on the SCR in Dublin opposite some church off Cork street in Dolphin's barn.

ROK ON

Caroline_ie wrote: »

. . . and pimped out another pregnant friend of mine

Thats appauling, and illegal (AFAIK).
:rolleyes:

Caroline_ie

arggghh! LOL HER BIKE ...

el tel

I'm very keen to know what these mythical simple services entail.

They sound like some kind of strange paradox: so simple, yet so complex they have to be done by a bike shop; so simple, yet it takes the shop so long to do; and so simple yet they cost a ****ing fortune.

I suspect however the solution to the riddle involves obtaining some Allen keys and an adjustable spanner and a screwdriver and wising to **** up a little bit.

Anyone know what the price of a wheelbarrow service is these days?

kincsem

Bee Cycles on South Circular Road are good. I called in today at about 13:00 with my Specialized Allez and asked if he could service it this afternoon as a favour. The bike is in good shape as I "service" it myself. I'll be calling back at about 17:30.

On the flip side I have had a Shimano Alfine 11 hub with him for at least a month for a wheel build. Parts delivery is slow for the rim. I'm not in a rush and the delay is fine. I worked in a parts buying and selling business so know that things are not delivered instantly.

At the start just ask how long it will take, and let them know what suits you.

Wheely GR8

el tel wrote: »

I'm very keen to know what these mythical simple services entail.

Anyone know what the price of a wheelbarrow service is these days?

I had a bad buckle in my back wheel from a pothole and dropped the bike in on a saturday at 11am and got it back before 5pm. The lads are always working on bikes in there ,often see them thruing zippe wheels.

Hungrycol

DIY. I treat myself with kindness and respect and general great customer service. I'm not too bad with allen keys and occasional brute force and more importantly I'm really cheap to myself meaning no labour costs except perhaps rolled eyes from wife :P. I'll even lend myself a pump

I just don't ask myself to build a wheel and I'll get angry and tell myself to eff off and "get outta my shed".

Mycroft H

kincsem wrote: »

Bee Cycles on South Circular Road are good. I called in today at about 13:00 with my Specialized Allez and asked if he could service it this afternoon as a favour. The bike is in good shape as I "service" it myself. I'll be calling back at about 17:30.

On the flip side I have had a Shimano Alfine 11 hub with him for at least a month for a wheel build. Parts delivery is slow for the rim. I'm not in a rush and the delay is fine. I worked in a parts buying and selling business so know that things are not delivered instantly.

At the start just ask how long it will take, and let them know what suits you.

I saw your specialized in there today, nice looking bike.

Great service in there. Got the dropouts alligned and a few small things done there this afternoon. He was going to do it for nothing too, so I put a few euros in his hand as I was leaving. Cheers holyboy

manwithaplan

Dropped into Eurocycles in South William Street at lunchtime today with a banjaxed bottom bracket and my own spare that they had taken off a frame they built up for me previously. I also reckoned I could do with a new chain and thought I would save myself the bother. They replaced the BB gratis, charged me very little for the chain and I picked it up before closing time. Major thumbs up.

triggermortis

I've had good service from Richies in Swords when that was my LBS, and would still pop in whenever I'm in the area.
My new LBS in Carrickmacross is good too. Nothing is too much trouble and I've stopped buying online to give them the business - even if its just been a few odds and ends so far - as they've done odd jobs without charging me.

daragh_

I dropped my Road Bike into Bee Cycles a few weeks ago. Slightly bent rear mech turned into a worn chain, new cassette and a new rear mech, plus cables, plus endless messing about with it to get the shifting right.

Fiddly, annoying and mindbending repairs. Lots of bike shops would have chased me away with a stick. Holyboy has the patience of a saint, and is pretty relentless in getting things 'just right'. I have no idea how he is still in business retaining his sanity.

Lawrence1895

I always get my stuff done in McDonald's on Wexford Street. It's usually done on the same day there.