Supply your own parts, pay a premium?

[Caerus]

So I'm about to get my new wheelset built. I've called around for prices and find out that some LBS really are taking the pee when it comes to pricing.

 

I decided to get my spokes locally from the wheel builder I choose. So prices vary from R18/ DT Revolution spoke up to R25/spoke, coloured nipples not included.Wheel build prices vary from R150 up to R240 per wheel.

 

Now this is where the fun part comes in. I call one of the LBS shops I use, and they have built a previous wheelset for me. So I tell them I will supply the rims, hubs and nipples, they only need to supply the spokes, but for this privilege I must pay an extra 20%/wheel as I have not got everything from them originally, this on top of the R240/ wheel I have to pay. So when I add everything up including their inflated price on spokes it's an extra R750

 

Is this normal practice in the cycling industry? I know I will pay a cork-age fee at a restaurantt, I don't pay it if I supply the parts for my car to be serviced.So not only do they lose a sale, as they would not shift on their price, but they have lost potential customers too..

[Ramrod]

I would think this is not out of the ordinary. If you think about it they make a profit out of selling you the parts and thus are able to sustain themselves. If for example you buy all your stuff online and ask them to fit it they would make nothing out of you although you would have cost them time by way of labour and wear and tear for tools etc.

[DaLoCo]

I would think that they would charge you a labor rate plus additional spares....not an extra premium because you didn't buy the spares from them. Find another shop to do it, even if you need to pay courier costs. Go check out Zululand Cycles in Dbn north, they used to treat me very well when I lived in Richardsbay

 

I had both my 26" wheels rebuilt, and they only supplied the spokes (spokes kept snapping). The total cost for rebuild including spokes and labor came to R 240 p/wheel. That is fair.

[Caerus]

I would think this is not out of the ordinary. If you think about it they make a profit out of selling you the parts and thus are able to sustain themselves. If for example you buy all your stuff online and ask them to fit it they would make nothing out of you although you would have cost them time by way of labour and wear and tear for tools etc.

Yes, but am I not paying for this within the R240/ wheel wheelbuild?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Ask them if they would charge you the same to re-build your current wheel.

 

It's not ethical at all. They're making money off the labour. I wasn't charged any more for a full service 'cos I brought in a new crank that needed fitting, was just charged the normal labour rate for the amount of time it took to fit it.

[DaLoCo]

Yes, but am I not paying for this within the R240/ wheel wheelbuild?

 

Yes...I would think so.

[Caerus]

I would think that they would charge you a labor rate plus additional spares....not an extra premium because you didn't buy the spares from them. Find another shop to do it, even if you need to pay courier costs. Go check out Zululand Cycles in Dbn north, they used to treat me very well when I lived in Richardsbay

 

I had both my 26" wheels rebuilt, and they only supplied the spokes (spokes kept snapping). The total cost for rebuild including spokes and labor came to R 240 p/wheel. That is fair.

Thats the thing, there are no additional spares needed from me, I'm giving them everything they need. I've got someone else already ( I will keep them in mind for next time), just want to know if this is normal at your LBS, or have you heard of this.

[Ryan]

I would find another shop asap.

 

The way I see it. If a shop quotes R500-00 for a full service and on inspection determine that non of the parts on my bike are worn or broken and nothing needs to be replaced. Does that then give said shop the right to charge me R600.00 for the service because they did not make a profit on parts? No.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yes, but am I not paying for this within the R240/ wheel wheelbuild?

 

Precisely my point. They offer a service for "wheel building" for a certain sum of cash. That should be the same for your existing wheels, new wheels built using items bought through them, or bought elsewhere and taken to them for building.

[Caerus]

Ask them if they would charge you the same to re-build your current wheel.

 

It's not ethical at all. They're making money off the labour. I wasn't charged any more for a full service 'cos I brought in a new crank that needed fitting, was just charged the normal labour rate for the amount of time it took to fit it.

Thats a good question, I wonder if there is even a different price to do that to a normal wheelbuild, as they would need to take apart my wheels as well.

[Falco]

If for example you buy all your stuff online and ask them to fit it they would make nothing out of you although you would have cost them time by way of labour and wear and tear for tools etc.

Rubbish.

For any repair, there is a spares cost, and a labour cost.

Unless the shops pricing structure uses spares to subsidise labour, which is a dumb, then there is no reason why labour should be marked up because of the owner supplying his own parts.

[Robrider]

That's clearly the costing model they use. And I do kinda get it, especially with the online shopping. If I buy a part from the LBS, they will normally install it for free. If I bring them a part I bought online, then they will charge.

 

The way I see it, they give you a special rate on the build if you buy the stuff through them.

 

Why don't you check out CRC, I heard the custom wheel builds are pretty good.

 

Edit - wow, I guess I was slow replying.

Edited April 19, 2012 by Robrider

[Caerus]

So I ask them if they had to rebuild the wheel as suggested, they will only charge you R240, the stated wheelbuild price. They tell me because they are useing their tools, their labour I must pay more. What a crock of ****.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

That's clearly the costing model they use. And I do kinda get it, especially with the online shopping. If I buy a part from the LBS, they will normally install it for free. If I bring them a part I bought online, then they will charge.

 

The way I see it, they give you a special rate on the build if you buy the stuff through them.

 

Why don't you check out CRC, I heard the custom wheel builds are pretty good.

 

Edit - wow, I guess I was slow replying.

 

Sorry, Rob, but that isn't ethical at all. If I take my wheel into the LBS to be rebuilt, I should be charged the rate that they have listed on their price-list for the Wheel Rebuild / Build. The hint is in RE-build.

 

The point is that they are already charging for the service they offer in rebuilding the wheel. That is (should be) a set price, regardless of whether it's an old wheel, a new wheel you buy through them, or a set of parts that you bring in to them to build.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

So I ask them if they had to rebuild the wheel as suggested, they will only charge you R240, the stated wheelbuild price. They tell me because they are useing their tools, their labour I must pay more. What a crock of ****.

 

They're using their tools and labour in the normal price anyway, tell them to get lost and go somewhere else.

 

EDIT: The price of a wheelbuild would be factoring in the hours taken to build & true the wheel anyway. If they offered the service free of charge for wheels bought through them, then that would be okay as they would favour the client that buys stuff through them (standard business practice) but the way they've conducted themselves now smacks of somebody who doesn't know how to run a business and keep clients.

Edited April 19, 2012 by cptmayhem

[DJR]

........tell them to get lost and go somewhere else.

Agree