Reasonable repair time?

DeepBlue · 31-01-2019 5:12pm #1

I dropped my bike into my LBS almost 3 weeks ago for a couple of repair jobs.
It's still not ready for collection. Something similar happened the last time too where it was in for a service and it took ages.
Perhaps it's a strategy on behalf of the shop to entice me to buy a second bike? :pac:

I've been going to the same place for years and get on well with the owner who is a nice chap. However I think it's time to do the Irish thing and say nothing but just move to another LBS.

I would have though it reasonable enough to expect a repair to be done in a week max. What would you consider a reasonable wait period?

Budawanny · 31-01-2019 5:16pm

They are probably waiting for parts to come that are scare to come by.
but a bit of a heads up wouldn't kill them.
just give them a shout and see what the hold up is?
sometimes people forget stuff. I wouldn't get too riled up without having spoken to them first.

magicbastarder · 31-01-2019 5:21pm

Budawanny wrote: »

They are probably waiting for parts to come that are scare to come by.

if so, they should have explained that. several weeks to get work done on a bike that should not take more than a few hours is nuts.

Budawanny · 31-01-2019 5:34pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

if so, they should have explained that. several weeks to get work done on a bike that should not take more than a few hours is nuts.

yup. that's why I said a bit of a heads up wouldn't have killed them.

DeepBlue · 31-01-2019 5:35pm

The parts needed were identified on day 1. And fair enough they weren't in stock so you make allowances. I guess what kind of annoys me is that I get promised it will be fixed by a certain time i.e. "it will be ready Monday and I'll give you a call".

Monday comes and goes and no call and when I go in on Friday I'm told "sorry, it was too busy and I didn't get time to look at it". Then I was told it will definitely be ready for Thursday and it's nearly end of day Thursday and I would not be surprised if it's still not ready and I have to go chase it down again.

It's just a bit annoying as I'm joining a new club and this will be another club spin missed along with having to go in and enquire each time. I already know it's going to an expensive repair.

Just letting off some steam really and wondering if I'm being unreasonable.

jamesd · 31-01-2019 5:43pm

What are the jobs , will give us an idea of time / parts.

DeepBlue · 31-01-2019 5:47pm

STI brake/shifter needed replacing and wheel bearing issue.
The shifter was an older generation so a bit trickier to source but when I asked if that was holding things up I was told no - just he didn't have time to get to it.

ted1 · 31-01-2019 5:59pm

It’s taking the piss. If it’s but not day I don’t leave it in.

It costs me 15 euro a day when the bike is in the shop. ( petrol and roll) new bike here next week so will have back up !!

I’d be raging.

Budawanny · 31-01-2019 6:00pm

Yup. Taking the p*ss is right.

Wishbone Ash · 31-01-2019 6:23pm

ted1 wrote: »

...It costs me 15 euro a day when the bike is in the shop. ( petrol and roll) .....

Don't you eat when you have the bike?

ted1 · 31-01-2019 6:25pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Don't you eat when you have the bike?

Oops that’s meant to be toll (M50)

LollipopJimmy · 31-01-2019 6:30pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Don't you eat when you have the bike?

I am also curious about this

ED E · 31-01-2019 6:57pm

DeepBlue wrote: »

"sorry, it was too busy and I didn't get time to look at it".

You're clearly a repeat customer so should not fall to the bottom of the list. He doesn't want your business. Probably a break pads and tubes kinda place.

wirelessdude01 · 31-01-2019 7:22pm

ED E wrote:

You're clearly a repeat customer so should not fall to the bottom of the list. He doesn't want your business. Probably a break pads and tubes kinda place.

I think that repeat customers are often put at the bottom of the pile when it comes to repairs and servicing.

Icyseanfitz · 31-01-2019 7:38pm

i suppose the wheel bearings could be a bit of a hassle if they are an awkward type of hub that needs special tools etc. would also depend on the size of the place, i fix bikes part time from home, so I've to order just about everything in, sometimes stuff gets delayed a week or so, sometimes you imagine a job being rather simple, go at it a few days later and find you need to order a tool or part that you didnt foresee. 3 weeks is definitely a bit much mind, particularly for a proper shop.

magicbastarder · 31-01-2019 7:40pm

i typically ring ahead to the place i usually use (not that i've ever had anything complicated done) and ask when would suit to drop around.

anything i've had done is usually a pick up two days after i've dropped it off.

Wishbone Ash · 31-01-2019 7:56pm

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

i suppose the wheel bearings could be a bit of a hassle....

Reminds me of a wheel I had on a fixie a few years ago. The bearings needed replacing but none of my regular LBS's would touch it with a barge pole so I went to a different shop. The owner there said later that if he knew then what he knows now, he would have turned me away at the door. Apparently the bearings are a nightmare to source. My regular LBS's obviously knew that!

Icyseanfitz · 31-01-2019 8:04pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Reminds me of a wheel I had on a fixie a few years ago. The bearings needed replacing but none of my regular LBS's would touch it with a barge pole so I went to a different shop. The owner there said later that if he knew then what he knows now, he would have turned me away at the door. Apparently the bearings are a nightmare to source. My regular LBS's obviously knew that!

yeah its funny sometimes, stuff that you'd imagine being simple to sort turns into a massive ordeal. Fella brought me a bike with a brand new slx 1x11 drivetrain a few weeks back, couldnt get it up into the 46 tooth. I imagined it just wasnt setup right and would be simple. Nope i must have spent 2 days at it trying every bodge i could think of, just wouldnt do it. IMO the hanger was causing it (seemed too far out to be normal, had to set limit screws to their limit).

Doesnt help that theres new standards every god damn 6 months

DeepBlue · 01-02-2019 7:47pm

Got it back today. Repair bill was over 50 quid less than expected. Maybe I'll stick with him for a while longer. :pac:

dastardly00 · 01-02-2019 8:00pm

Purely my opinion... I think that a lot of people who open a bike shop, whilst having a vast amount of technical knowledge regarding bikes, actually haven't a fcukin' clue how to run a business.

Magilla Gorilla · 01-02-2019 10:00pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Purely my opinion... I think that a lot of people who open a bike shop, whilst having a vast amount of technical knowledge regarding bikes, actually haven't a fcukin' clue how to run a business.

Is this not just the Irish default- poor customer service, vague estimates, failure to communicate etc?

Reasonable repair time?

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