Open Letter to Bike Shop Owners

[Lou Zealand]

last week I was phoning around getting prices on some material I needed to complete a piece of furniture I was making, I asked the guy to please put the quote in writing and fax it to me... complete silence on the other side, then he asks "you still have fax?".

Easily solved - get a free fax2email number.

When someone faxes your number it will go directly to your inbox of your e-mail account

[DaLoCo]

A friend had his Tandem rebuilt (new frame, wheels, crankset and derailleurs) at a cost of R2900 which includes a new front XT derailleur. This the only bike shop within 200 km. He flew down to Cape Town knowing that things were iffy after the rebuild, but had no more time.

 

After a light ride Saturday morning he spent the rest of the day at City Cycles whilst the crankset was rebuilt, the cables replaced (cut too short) and the derailleurs re-aligned. He is not at all technical, and the only indication he had was that the chain was coming of quite a lot.

 

 

My complete bike rebuild cost me R390, and it is 100%

Edited March 14, 2011 by DaLoCo

[Chubba]

Should I have done the repair as well to make sure? Not that it matters at all, but I wanted to get home and try get an hour's ride in, so paid, loaded and shot home. What's being an experienced cyclist got to do with it? What am I paying for if I have to test the mechanics work every time?

+1

[Chubba]

Exactly..... how many of these so called specialist bikeshops have trained wrenches. They may have one but the rest is left to "spannerboys".

 

Your average mechanic at a dealership garage at least did some training on the cars and electronic analysing equipment they use. Do not see much of that at LBS workshops. They have a workshop manager that checks the car before it is washed and cleaned.

 

Very few LBS's does that, yet we expect them to preform miracles in a small dimly lit cluttered workshop. Your own cognative senses should tell you CHECK what they have done.

 

I still say if Eiger was not lazy and used his own 10 second rule there would have been no need to whine and be vindictive. It is just common sense to do such a thing.

 

But he decided to insult me as a person living in Nigeria to justify his own stupidity...... just not on.

1. Then don't claim to service bikes if you cannot offer the Full service. The new consumer protection act will sort these guys our quickly.

2. You made the first insulting remark if I recall.

[chris_w_65]

I have a workshop stand and as far as I know all the tools to strip and rebuild my bike although I have not stripped everything yet (still learning as I go along). I try to service my bike every Sunday, I clean it and service the chain and check if anything else needs doing.

 

If I need the spokes tensioned or replaced I will have to get help from my LBS

 

BTW, the other day I needed headset bearings, Omnico and a few LBS had no clue. Fritz Pienaar Cycles managed to help with a set. Also JB knows his stuff.

[Aurora]

If you going to get your bike serviced, make sure you know who the mechanic servicing the bike is.

The mechanic that works for me used to own his own bike shop, has 25 years experience and also used to race bikes.

He has a following of customers that will only take their bikes to him and nobody else.

 

The bikes should all be checked 100% before leaving the shop with the approval of the mechanic. If this happens - happy customers. How simple is that?? Come on guys, fact is - you can compete with CWC and CRC service wise.

 

Its not about running a huge profit, its about offering a service to the customer and in turn you will soon be making money. Good service = customers = turn over = profit

[HowellingWulf]

I do my own servicing and replacements and only ask the LBS to do things which I don't have the tools for (and don't intend on buying the specific tools - like a pipe cutter for steerer tubes). I bought a brand new Fox F32 100 RL at great expense and took it to my LBS to have it shortened. Took the old shock and the new shock so that they can measure and cut accurately... No prizes for guessing what happened. They cut the new one shorter by 10mm. I only realised this when I got home and tried to fit everything together. No CTRL+Z on cut steerers. Balls!!! Not going back .

[King_Crispy]

Exactly..... how many of these so called specialist bikeshops have trained wrenches. They may have one but the rest is left to "spannerboys".

 

Your average mechanic at a dealership garage at least did some training on the cars and electronic analysing equipment they use. Do not see much of that at LBS workshops. They have a workshop manager that checks the car before it is washed and cleaned.

 

Very few LBS's does that, yet we expect them to preform miracles in a small dimly lit cluttered workshop. Your own cognative senses should tell you CHECK what they have done.

 

I still say if Eiger was not lazy and used his own 10 second rule there would have been no need to whine and be vindictive. It is just common sense to do such a thing.

 

But he decided to insult me as a person living in Nigeria to justify his own stupidity...... just not on.

 

 

 

 

 

Big H, as an outsider I believe you have over-reacted. You have lacked the maturity one would expect from an individual that one would believe to be wise. Could you not have taken note of what was said and then reserved comment for when you were less frustrated?

I agree 100% with the writer of this post. One drops off a bike with a problem, issues instruction as to what should be done, and goes to work to earn the money that is needed to keep this sector of the economy going. So no, I think it was rude of you calling the writer lazy because he doesn't want to fix his own bike, let alone test it after it had been supposedly serviced/fixed. The store should have a checklist that needs to be followed to make sure the basics are adhered to.

I am prepared to do quite a bit of repair work on my bikes, but certain things need certain tools (of which I don't have all of them) and I'm not prepared to bugger my bike up trying to make it work. I have had the same experience at my LBS, at my Subaru dealership and at KTM after getting my other toys back. One expects to at least get what they have paid for, and trust me things like this are going to be a nightmare at the end of the month when the Consumer Protection Act comes into play. If a service has been charged for, then a proper service should be rendered.

 

In closing, I think we all agree that crap like this will always happen. What we need to see is a change in mindset: how the problem is dealt with after it has been brought to the attention of the relevant people.

Edited March 15, 2011 by King_Crispy

[Matt]

Please leave the personal bashing out of this and keep on topic else it will be closed.

From the forum rules (link):

• While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks or purposeless inflammatory posts.

[splat]

Few people take their car for a "check out" drive after paying more than R1000 per hour for labour at the agents. If I pay top rates, I would expect the job to be done right.

 

I have little faith in the ability of bike shops to do a proper job. Just recently had my road bike with Shimano Di2 (internal routing) in to have a different crank fitted. Bike shop never checked or wondered where the wire ran inside the frame, they sheared the wire off in 3 places, plus smashed one of the electrical connectors to bits. Shimano agents will only have new internal wires for Di2 in stock at the end of May. To get the bike running again I have to ask one of the electronic engineers at work to make some new wires for me.

 

That is insane!

You sound fairly calm about it.

How did you deal with the shop/mechanic? What did you say?

What have they done to rectify it for you?

[Tubehunter]

......and next time spend the 10 seconds..... it will save you whining on the Hub, and a few days of kuk writing letters and complaining.....

 

Looks like we've all been doing it wrong.

 

No more service bills and waiting time for your bike to get repaired! Big H is onto something here. All you have to do is take your bike for a 10 second ride outside your nearest LBS and all the work will magically happen by itself!!!!

 

H you are the only one coming across "soos 'n ou vrou met 'n nat broek".

 

What should he have done if he had taken this 10 second ride and the magic hadn't worked? Gone back in the shop and asked them all over again? (Maybe he didn't say please the first time, right?) Take his money back until they complete the job to the agreed, even expected standards and terms?

[The expat cyclist]

I decided for a different approach this year...

 

I picked a LBS - and even if they screw up I will go back. Thus far it has been working out awsome. Not anly does the shop owner know my name, he knows my wife's name. I told him from the get go, that I want to build up a relationshit with my LBS. I told him why I picked him and I told him that I take cycling seriously - so I want a serious LBS...His staff, can see that I am on a first name bases with their boss...So they get me what I want.

 

Note however, that as of date, they don't touch my bike. Infact, I don't even think they have seen my bike...But I buy ALMOST everything from them and I always get discount. ALWAYS. (PS - no-one else touches my bike either so...)

 

I recently wanted some MTB parts, not only did they order for me, but they also updated me with SMS's as to the state of the order!

 

My ex boss once said to me: You are more willing to bend for a friend...So make friends with your LBS!!!

[SCHWINN LOVER]

It is so typical South African the way we will bitch and moan (and get into mud slinging matches)to everyone and anyone about the bad service we get but only about 5% of us will go back and complain at the bike shop!!

Stand up for yourselves,you payed good money to have a job done so if it is not done properly go back and demand that it is redone or a portion of your money is returned.If you do not make the owner of the shop aware of the problem well then he thinks everything is fine?

I went to a restuarant the other day,service was terrible,complained,got a voucher and returned a few weeks later,the buffet was so much better and the service had been jacked up!! If I had not complained management may never have realised that there was a problem?

 

PLEASE GUYS COMPLAIN WERE THE PROBLEM LIES FIRST BEFORE CRYING ON THE HUB??

[Caerus]

It is so typical South African the way we will bitch and moan (and get into mud slinging matches)to everyone and anyone about the bad service we get but only about 5% of us will go back and complain at the bike shop!!

Stand up for yourselves,you payed good money to have a job done so if it is not done properly go back and demand that it is redone or a portion of your money is returned.If you do not make the owner of the shop aware of the problem well then he thinks everything is fine?

I went to a restuarant the other day,service was terrible,complained,got a voucher and returned a few weeks later,the buffet was so much better and the service had been jacked up!! If I had not complained management may never have realised that there was a problem?

 

PLEASE GUYS COMPLAIN WERE THE PROBLEM LIES FIRST BEFORE CRYING ON THE HUB??

 

Is this not partly why there is The Hub in the first place?

[ichnusa]

I think MJ is onto something here... I support one shop, buying spares from them. If they dont have it or cant find it, i'll tell them that i'll source it elsewhere - they understand. Furthermore, i do all the servicing myself - apart form rebuilding wheels and shocks/forks. I have a personal relationship with the owners and staff. When things go wrong (and they do) i only have myself to blame and i make sure not to make the mistake again.

 

I HATE poor service... from the pikkie in the front of the shop to the wrench at the back (with respect!). The owner of the shop should know first... if no luck, go public...

Edited March 15, 2011 by ichnusa

[perry]

I am a very experienced driver. And when I pull out of a R5500.00 service at Mc Carthy Motors, I DO NOT believe I should have to check ANYTHING I have just paid some blue-collar to service! Geddit.

You EXPECT to get what you pay for. And I TOTALLY agree about the post-matric brain surgeons, having a gap-year, getting grease under their thumb-nails...treating the customers like half-wits. It's VERY bad for business.

 

 

Yea good responce,