LBS wont service Bikes

cletus

Ive never had a bike worth bringing to a shop to be serviced before, but on calling into a particular lbs (not where I bought the bike), I was informed that they don't work on bikes they haven't sold.

Is this a common thing? Will I need to go to Halfords any time I need something done on my bike

Cee-Jay-Cee

cletus wrote: »

Ive never had a bike worth bringing to a shop to be serviced before, but on calling into a particular lbs (not where I bought the bike), I was informed that they don't work on bikes they haven't sold.

Is this a common thing? Will I need to go to Halfords any time I need something done on my bike

Screw them, go somewhere else. I have brought my bike to my two LBS several times, neither of which sold it.

They obviously have enough business without yours, go elsewhere.

cletus

So I can take it that its not custom and practice so

RobbieTheRobber

cletus wrote: »

So I can take it that its not custom and practice so

Absolutely not standard practice, I bought my two most recent bikes online and have never been turned away from a shop.
As said already take your money elsewhere

Thomyokk

Not standard practice but understandable if they have enough business

Look after their own buyers first

Thomyokk

Thomyokk wrote: »

Not standard practice but understandable if they have enough business

Look after their own buyers first

At what cost to them in the long run though? I'd probably remember that the next time I was in the market for a new bike and not consider them.

Wildly Boaring

[Deleted User] wrote: »

At what cost to them in the long run though? I'd probably remember that the next time I was in the market for a new bike and not consider them.

I suppose they must be so busy that they genuinely cannot fit it in?

Surprising really. Would think in the day of the internet you are exactly the sort of customer they need.

My local fella here always services mine once a year. I buy all my tubes, gels, lights off him.

He's gonna sell me a set of wheels at some stage in the spring he just doesn't know yet.

irishrover99

Name them. It will stop others from wasting their time on shops that don’t want business.

LollipopJimmy

Most bike shops make very small margin on bikes, they money is in servicing and accessories. Crazy business decision

magicbastarder

irishrover99 wrote: »

Name them. It will stop others from wasting their time on shops that don’t want business.

mod note - please don't name the bike shop. i'd have to check official boards policy but i'm pretty sure they're not happy with 'name and shame' actions on boards which could get the site in trouble.

however, @OP if you give your rough location, maybe others here might be able to suggest other shops which *do* service bikes.

Magilla Gorilla

There’s an LBS local to me that has the same policy. Sells others equipment too and same policy applies.

swarlb

Probably going off topic a bit, but this caught my interest.
I'm old... as in I remember working on bikes with 'rod brakes', as well as cutting tubulars, repairing punctures, and re-stitching same, but not that old that I've kept an interest with newer technology.
Back in the late 70's, and up to the early 80's I worked as 'mechanic' with my club, on various races, Tour of Irl, The Ras etc. Mostly building wheels, the odd frame repair, and the like.
Heading to retirement, I saw a vacancy in a shop local to me looking for a 'bicycle mechanic', only to be told that for health and safety concerns I would need a 'city and guilds' in bicycle mechanics. Now I tried to point out that I've over 40 years in the motor trade, repairing things slightly heavier, faster and much more complex than bicycles, as well as my experience mentioned above.
He was having none of it... 'city and guilds' or no job.
Now, not to demean bicycle mechanics, but maintaining a bike is a skill every bike owner should be able to do themselves. Back in the day, most bikes came with an instruction manual. I still have several old Raleigh books. Basic skills, adjusting brakes, gears etc. I'm not trying to preach, but these are well worth learning.
As for the City and Guilds, well it does exist, and depending on the level required, costs a few thousand to achieve.
I've never paid anyone to fix anything for me, be it bike, car, bus or truck.
Do it yourself, save money, and enjoy the experience.

07Lapierre

360 Cycles will do it for free!

https://www.facebook.com/360CyclesClontarf/

360 Cycles Clontarf
23 hrs ·
FREEEEE SERVICE TIME!
It's not Black Friday yet but this Friday (tomorrow) we've decided to reward our Facebook fans. Everyone who wants to get a free service (yes, FREEEEE SERVICE, which normally costs €45) please like our page and share this post. Then please email to info@360cycles.ie your booking request. Offer code to be quoted in Subject field “FBFREE”. Also include your full name, phone number and bike make, model and colour so we can make the booking.

Bookings will be taken until 6pm on Friday 09/11/2018. The bike must be dropped in to us by 8pm on Friday 09/11/2018.

Standard Bike Service €45 (FREE IF BIKE DROPPED IN BY FRIDAY 8PM):
• Full check of frame and components for wear and/or damage
• Bike wash and drivetrain degrease
• Lubrication
• Seat tube grease up
• Stem bolts check, wheel bolts/quick releases check, pedals check, chainset and crank bolts check
• Tyre pressure set
• Spoke tension check/wheel alignment
• Wheel bearing compression set
• Headset bearing compression check
• Bottom bracket bearing compression set (where applicable)
• Brakes adjustment
• Gears adjustment
• Testing the bike on the road for the best performance
*parts are not included and they are optional extras

super_furry

Thomyokk wrote: »

Not standard practice but understandable if they have enough business

Look after their own buyers first

And make sure they don't get any new ones. I wouldn't be back to them after that.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

What a terrible business plan. If they are too busy, then simply say that. "We would love to take your bike, but it will take about 2 weeks to get to it. We don't want you to be disappointed" bla bla bla, whatever, but what's the logic with only servicing bikes bought from them? A bike is a bike.

mossym

the call for shaming is a bit OTT in fairness.

if a shop decides that it only wants to sell bikes to left handed people wearing red t-shirts and can make a valid business model out of it, then who cares?

there are grounds you can't discriminate on, age, race, gender. reasonably sure the location a bike was purchased isn't one of them

saying no here doesn't mean they don't want business, they don't want this business. if they are making as much money they can from the business they are taking then fair play to them. they've chosen a business model and if it works they make money, if they don't then they won't last long and they prove it's the wrong decision

(and for the record if i had a bike shop i'd service anything. but this is their shop and they can do whatever they like)

Wildly Boaring

swarlb wrote: »

I've never paid anyone to fix anything for me, be it bike, car, bus or truck.
Do it yourself, save money, and enjoy the experience.

Love to

I have 2 young kids, a job, a house, a garden, a wife, 3 sporty hobbies and 1 competitive sport.

I'll wash my bike, change a puncture and change brake pads.

I'll wash my car and keep washer fluid in it.

I pay someone who knows what they're doing to do the rest.

cletus

swarlb wrote: »

Probably going off topic a bit, but this caught my interest.
I'm old... as in I remember working on bikes with 'rod brakes', as well as cutting tubulars, repairing punctures, and re-stitching same, but not that old that I've kept an interest with newer technology.
Back in the late 70's, and up to the early 80's I worked as 'mechanic' with my club, on various races, Tour of Irl, The Ras etc. Mostly building wheels, the odd frame repair, and the like.
Heading to retirement, I saw a vacancy in a shop local to me looking for a 'bicycle mechanic', only to be told that for health and safety concerns I would need a 'city and guilds' in bicycle mechanics. Now I tried to point out that I've over 40 years in the motor trade, repairing things slightly heavier, faster and much more complex than bicycles, as well as my experience mentioned above.
He was having none of it... 'city and guilds' or no job.
Now, not to demean bicycle mechanics, but maintaining a bike is a skill every bike owner should be able to do themselves. Back in the day, most bikes came with an instruction manual. I still have several old Raleigh books. Basic skills, adjusting brakes, gears etc. I'm not trying to preach, but these are well worth learning.
As for the City and Guilds, well it does exist, and depending on the level required, costs a few thousand to achieve.
I've never paid anyone to fix anything for me, be it bike, car, bus or truck.
Do it yourself, save money, and enjoy the experience.

Thanks for the reply. While i'm not a mechanic, I'll turn my hand to pretty much anything, including working on my own car. Where this came from was dropping my bike back for its 6 week check to halfords, I stopped into the lbs, just to enquire about the costs, time frames etc around bike servicing, and was just surprised at the response. I'd imagine that I can figure how to do most maintanence jobs on my bike (especially with the help of Google), and apart from specific tools for the likes of a bottom bracket, I'm pretty sure the extensive and ever expanding array of tools my wife is always giving out about will cover most eventualities

I've no interest in "outing" the shop, I'm sure it wasn't a personal attack on me. I was just surprised that they would turn potential business away

Macy0161

Are you sure it wasn't that they wouldn't do the 6 week check on a bike they hadn't sold? That sounds a bit more reasonable. It could just be a misunderstanding, given the 6 week check is usually free/ included in the new bike price.

07Lapierre

swarlb wrote: »

Probably going off topic a bit, but this caught my interest.
I'm old... as in I remember working on bikes with 'rod brakes', as well as cutting tubulars, repairing punctures, and re-stitching same, but not that old that I've kept an interest with newer technology.
Back in the late 70's, and up to the early 80's I worked as 'mechanic' with my club, on various races, Tour of Irl, The Ras etc. Mostly building wheels, the odd frame repair, and the like.
Heading to retirement, I saw a vacancy in a shop local to me looking for a 'bicycle mechanic', only to be told that for health and safety concerns I would need a 'city and guilds' in bicycle mechanics. Now I tried to point out that I've over 40 years in the motor trade, repairing things slightly heavier, faster and much more complex than bicycles, as well as my experience mentioned above.
He was having none of it... 'city and guilds' or no job.
Now, not to demean bicycle mechanics, but maintaining a bike is a skill every bike owner should be able to do themselves. Back in the day, most bikes came with an instruction manual. I still have several old Raleigh books. Basic skills, adjusting brakes, gears etc. I'm not trying to preach, but these are well worth learning.
As for the City and Guilds, well it does exist, and depending on the level required, costs a few thousand to achieve.
I've never paid anyone to fix anything for me, be it bike, car, bus or truck.
Do it yourself, save money, and enjoy the experience.

Dont think im as old as you, but your post reminded me of my first part-time job when i was in school...fixing punctures, removing cotter pins, adjusting push-rod brakes etc.. I worked in Charleys bike shop...great memories..loved it! https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0929/731070-bicycle-sales-soar/

cletus

Macy0161 wrote: »

Are you sure it wasn't that they wouldn't do the 6 week check on a bike they hadn't sold? That sounds a bit more reasonable. It could just be a misunderstanding, given the 6 week check is usually free/ included in the new bike price.

Nope, never mentioned the 6 week check to them, just asked about servicing cost, first thing I was asked was if I bought the bike from them

Its really not a big deal, and like I said, having thought about it, don't see why I can't do the work myself

Alek

I have 2 young kids, a job, a house, a garden, a wife, 3 sporty hobbies and 1 competitive sport.

I'll wash my bike, change a puncture and change brake pads.

I'll wash my car and keep washer fluid in it.

I pay someone who knows what they're doing to do the rest.

I have 2 young kids, a job, a rented flat, a garden, a wife and way too many hobbies.

I build all my bikes, and service them, also for family and friends.

...

But hold on, I don't have any car time!


Conclusion: hidden costs of having a car can be quite unexpected

CramCycle

cletus wrote: »

Nope, never mentioned the 6 week check to them, just asked about servicing cost, first thing I was asked was if I bought the bike from them

Its really not a big deal, and like I said, having thought about it, don't see why I can't do the work myself

It seems like a bad idea, if they can't fit you in and your not a regular, apologise and warn you it will be at least two weeks with the back log. You don't get annoyed, they may get business off you in the future.

My own LBS have serviced both bikes i have bought from them, bought on here and bought online. They are busy but they never refused custom.

enricoh

Local guy beside me sells bikes n lawnmowers etc. He wont service anything he doesn't sell himself.
Some customers come in n take barcodes, photos etc and then go off n buy online. He said he cant compete with the vat 3% lower in the uk, sterling slump and a lad on the Internet with lower business costs.

So if there's an issue in a year or two dont come crying to him. Not saying hes right or wrong.
But especially with lawnmowers and stuff with engines people weigh up the fact he won't touch them and the hassle to get someone else when looking at the savings online.

LollipopJimmy

My bike will be going in for minor stuff I could definitely do myself. Time is just not my friend at the moment

07Lapierre

Depends on the circumstances of the business. I knew a guy who ran a bike shop. He was over 65, he owned the shop, had very few overheads etc. so he could afford to open/close the shop when he wanted, fix what ever bike(s) he wanted etc. If someone came in with a bike that in his eyes was a cheap BSO bought from a supermarket or online etc., his logic was that he simply didn't need that kind of hassle and would advise them to bring it back to where they bought it and ask them to fix it.

magicbastarder

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do.
mine was replacing a broken spoke, and tightening a bottom bracket, two separate jobs. no grumbling about having to do so.

i have been present there when people got a little annoyed at how much was being quoted to fix a bike, and even more annoyed at how much they'd get for the same bike on a trade-in. i suspect that's one of the less enjoyable aspects of the job.

cletus

Alek wrote: »

I have 2 young kids, a job, a rented flat, a garden, a wife and way too many hobbies.

I build all my bikes, and service them, also for family and friends.

...

But hold on, I don't have any car time!


Conclusion: hidden costs of having a car can be quite unexpected

I didn't know we had to list all of our time drains. I've a wife, two kids, dog, house, garden, full time job, and more mama fights, bjj matches, and youtube engineering videos than I'll be able to watch in a lifetime. Not to mention a large variety of side projects half completed in my shed.

Still reckon I could service a bike, though

mloc123

Based on the job I saw a popular bike shop do on a friends bike a few years back I would never drop my bike in anywhere for a service.

Half the enjoyment for me with bikes is building, servicing, upgrading and fixing them.

LollipopJimmy

magicbastarder wrote: »

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do.
mine was replacing a broken spoke, and tightening a bottom bracket, two separate jobs. no grumbling about having to do so.

i have been present there when people got a little annoyed at how much was being quoted to fix a bike, and even more annoyed at how much they'd get for the same bike on a trade-in. i suspect that's one of the less enjoyable aspects of the job.

Only yesterday I got them to put a set of cleats on my shoes. Mine came loose on the ride home and were worn out anyway. To be fair I asked to borrow a screwdriver and they said they couldn't for insurance purposes but they fit them for free

Wildly Boaring

I dropped a wheel into my guy for a spoke 2 months ago. Picked up after work.

CramCycle

Called into mine as I could not get the front derailleur to line up after working on the BB. Turns out the BB I replaced was still attached to the cranks but so neatly and uniformly, it looked like a spacer. Took two minutes to fix, and I done it myself but they wouldn't even take money for a coffee to say thanks for pointing out what I missed.

The reason it was so quick was he said they were really busy and wouldn't get to it for a week, I said fair enough, I could book it in and not take up space and drop it in then. He was about to go for coffee so he said, let me have a quick look. I am buying my next bike there because of it as even when they are to the wall, they still make time for their customers.

They tapped the BB on the previous frame I bought in, bought from Dolan. Never queried it once, just said they were great bikes but a number of them have very minor issues. Even then only charged me 2/3 of what he quoted me.

A good bike shop is worth its weight in gold.

magicbastarder

also should mention i spun into 360 cycles on my old MTB to see if they'd be able to service the forks for me. the chap there gave them a once over, and reckoned they just needed a pump and did so and wouldn't even take a fiver for his trouble.

CramCycle

enricoh wrote: »

Local guy beside me sells bikes n lawnmowers etc. He wont service anything he doesn't sell himself.
Some customers come in n take barcodes, photos etc and then go off n buy online. He said he cant compete with the vat 3% lower in the uk, sterling slump and a lad on the Internet with lower business costs.

So if there's an issue in a year or two dont come crying to him. Not saying hes right or wrong.
But especially with lawnmowers and stuff with engines people weigh up the fact he won't touch them and the hassle to get someone else when looking at the savings online.

It just seems an odd business model. By all means prioritise the business you have had before, charge a bit more for stuff bought elsewhere to be repaired or take a bit longer, but if business gets quiet, it will be because everyone is returning to the sop down the road who would service regardless, fair enough they charge for it and it takes a week longer than you'd think but at least they took it in and not flat out refused it. There are exceptions of course.

07Lapierre wrote: »

Depends on the circumstances of the business. I knew a guy who ran a bike shop. He was over 65, he owned the shop, had very few overheads etc. so he could afford to open/close the shop when he wanted, fix what ever bike(s) he wanted etc. If someone came in with a bike that in his eyes was a cheap BSO bought from a supermarket or online etc., his logic was that he simply didn't need that kind of hassle and would advise them to bring it back to where they bought it and ask them to fix it.

This would be a prime example of an exception, he knows it will cost as much as the person paid for it to get it to an acceptable standard. I have seen my LBS do it as well, very politely, simply, listen, you got it from Argos or the cheap range from Halfords and there simply is no use in repairing them as you will pay as much as it cost to buy them. That's not being rude, that is simply doing your customer a favour. He may feel its not worth the hassle and that's why he is not doing it but on the flip side, he is doing the customer a favour, there is a slim chance they will get it replaced or refunded by the MNC selling BSOs but either way, he is saving them time, money and teaching them a lesson about the value in good equipment.

Another bike shop I haven't been to in awhile, during the recession anyway were fitting parts from online. They were out the door, the number of customers they said who started simply buying directly from them after they made their first mistake was staggering. Weekly they had customers coming in with the wrong parts for a bike, they couldn't fit, and so they dropped them in and found out the truth. The rest were simply people who bought the parts from CRC and they charged them labour, it was in fact handier and a bigger profit margin for them.

EDit

I might be way off base here, but is there any possibility that they could be stung in terms of voiding someone’s warranty? For example, if you buy a bike in the giant store, does the warranty stipulate that it could be voided if you get a service done elsewhere? Just wondering as, if some manufacturers have those rules, that lbs may have been stung in the past.

cdaly_

magicbastarder wrote: »

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do.
mine was replacing a broken spoke, and tightening a bottom bracket, two separate jobs. no grumbling about having to do so.

Back in the days of freewheels rather than freehubs, I (as a student with no money) would call into the bike shop to have a freewheel unscrewed 'cos they had the tool. Was always free in those days...

magicbastarder

EDit wrote: »

I might be way off base here, but is there any possibility that they could be stung in terms of voiding someone’s warranty? For example, if you buy a bike in the giant store, does the warranty stipulate that it could be voided if you get a service done elsewhere? Just wondering as, if some manufacturers have those rules, that lbs may have been stung in the past.

wouldn't be the lbs stung by them, it'd be the giant customer in that case. and if that was the reason, surely they'd mention it?

ednwireland

Nearest lbs is 40 mins drive away so normally do it myself

Heard a podcast on cyclingtips last year talking about how lbs need to evolve with the times and focus on providing a top service instead of sales because of the availability of deals online (was based on the US market).
https://cyclingtips.com/2017/09/cyclingtips-podcast-episode-41-how-bike-shops-can-survive-in-an-amazon-world/

But the point of CramCycle is still valid if a bike repair will cost more than the bike is worth, they're only doing the customer a favour.

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do....

For me it has usually been when something becomes problematic while I'm out on a ride and in the vicinity of a bike shop. Went into Richies in Swords to get the RD straightened after crashing as I would be passing the shop- 20 second job. One of my cranks suddenly became loose when heading to Wicklow last year. Fortuitously, I happened to be within walking distance of Joe Daly's and one of the lads there had me back on the road in minutes and wouldn't hear of a charge.

magicbastarder wrote:

...i have been present there when people got a little annoyed at how much was being quoted to fix a bike....

I was in Humphries one day and a local gent came in with a BSO needing work. DH said he wasn't interested in the job. He was telling me afterwards that the work would cost more than the bike had cost and, through experience, knew that whatever he charged would be disputed and it simply wasn't worth the hassle.

AndrewJRenko

magicbastarder wrote: »

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do.

It's not unusual to see people coming in to Joe Daly's with a puncture. The older ones look a bit strange when they're told that they're going to replace the tube rather than fix a puncture.


If the OP would like to give details of where they live/work, I'm sure they'll get some good recommendations for shops that do good servicing.

magicbastarder

yeah, was similar to when i was there. the chap offered to trade in the bike when derek told him how much it would cost to fix, and when derek named a price got the 'but this cost €600 five years ago!' response.
derek responded with 'yeah, five years ago! and i have to spend at least another €100 on it before i could consider selling it'

Thomyokk

I don't get the issue at all with this

It's entirely reasonable if the lbs wants to service their own sales

Plenty of other businesses don't want want stuff coming in for repair they didn't sell

magicbastarder

what sort of businesses?

i'd be rather bemused if i brought my car to a garage and got a 'but we didn't sell this to you?' response.

Thomyokk

Domestic appliance sales

cletus

Folks, thanks for all the replies. I didn't expect to generate so many responses, I was just genuinely curious.

I'd rather not give a location either, don't necessarily want people trying to guess the shop. I honestly wasn't upset or insulted, just slightly perplexed.

Anyway, I figure I'll probably give most things a shot myself, and anything I can't figure out, I'll be back here for advice

magicbastarder

Thomyokk wrote: »

Domestic appliance sales

most domestic appliance places don't do repairs/maintenance though?

tomasrojo

magicbastarder wrote: »

would be interested to know what the smallest job people have asked an LBS to do.

I do most repairs myself. But I remember being in a bike shop in Irishtown and a local coming in with a wheel wanting the mechanic to change the tube because he had a puncture and needed to go to work.

(I see AndrewJRenko has mentioned similar already.)

Wishbone Ash

I'm surprised some think puncture repairs are unusual for bike shops. In my experience it's their 'bread and butter' especially in city locations. Many cyclists only use their bike for relatively short distances - i.e. to get from A to B. They are not particularly into cycling and if they puncture, they just walk to the nearest bike shop.

tomasrojo

Oh, I'm not surprised. I was just responding to a question about the smallest job anyone might have gone to a LBS for; that and he went to the bother of taking the wheel off, but not the extra 50% to finish the job.

There are much smaller jobs than replacing tubes/fixing punctures, and I imagine people with hub-gear bikes might drop the bike in for this repair pretty often.

tomasrojo

I remember reading on Copenhagenize a post that was not smug, pervy or facetious, and it was about some health-and-safety measure in Denmark which was jeopardising the trade in puncture repairs, due to rules about exposure to solvents. I don't how it was resolved, but I got the impression that bike shops there might do patches more often than bikes shops here. Again, it's a quicker job to patch than replace with a hub-gear bike. In my experience anyway.