What did your MTB bike service cost?

[Honkdonk]

More than it cost me to service my Hilux on its 40 000km service.

BUT, I had to buy: chain, middle blade, BB, Headset, jockey wheels, pedals. All XT

[American Flyers]

In the past, I always complain that the service bills are too high and the mechanic don't do their job properly.

Now I try to buy all the bearings and spare chains and cassette and keep as back-up!

I try to service myself and get help from friends who knows.

 

It saves me alot and I have only myself to be blamed, if something goes wrong, not the mechanics...

[Meezo]

I reckon on the internet theres enough info to do just about everything, what they sometimes dont have is the what if, as in what the bearing gets stuck, or what if the cable guide goes missing for internal routine.

 

I reckon here on thehub theres enough guys and gals who has does almost everything, we could a thread for repairs we do well documented and pictured thru step by step. Including the "in my experience" and those who have experienced differently can comment.

 

It can be time consuming but it will help!

I'm keen to do it for my next whatever it is....

 

Suggestions

[Meezo]

Here's one for example, really liked this

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/index.php?/topic/126343-Hub-bearing-replacement

[mikethebike234]

sometimes I think the guys that spend 30 grand on bikes are a bit crazy ok I can appreciate that top end bikes are a thing of beauty and I suppose if you're going to race you probably need something fancy with all the bells and whistles etc etc but it would be wasted on a person like me ..if I had that kind of money to blow on a bike I would just get a good entry level bike for around 6000 to 8000 put the change in a fixed deposit or some kind of annual investement scheme ride the crap out of the bike and replace it every year ... and never bother servicing it come to think of it you shouldn't need to do to much to it in the space of a year if its brand new .that would be fun trying all the differant bikes for a year... addmitedly it would limit you to hardtails ..Only thing is if my wife found that I had 30 grand stashed away for spending on bikes hmmm do I see a divorce coming...

[Meezo]

sometimes I think the guys that spend 30 grand on bikes are a bit crazy ok I can appreciate that top end bikes are a thing of beauty and I suppose if you're going to race you probably need something fancy with all the bells and whistles etc etc but it would be wasted on a person like me ..if I had that kind of money to blow on a bike I would just get a good entry level bike for around 6000 to 8000 put the change in a fixed deposit or some kind of annual investement scheme ride the crap out of the bike and replace it every year ... and never bother servicing it come to think of it you shouldn't need to do to much to it in the space of a year if its brand new .that would be fun trying all the differant bikes for a year... addmitedly it would limit you to hardtails ..Only thing is if my wife found that I had 30 grand stashed away for spending on bikes hmmm do I see a divorce coming...

 

I hope u got your flame suit ready

[Li Mu Bai]

I had my MTB serviced after Sani - I asked for a major service. Turned out to cost me R3200.00. Parts from Scott dealers alone were R1300.00 (seals & bearings). So, what did your service cost you?

Scott Spark Pro

Bearings: 6 off 6802 2RS - R240 (bearing man)

Seized Jockey wheels - R195

New Pressfit BB - R385

New Chain - R250

Cables - 2 off - R28

redid tubeless both wheels - Stans Tape 5m - R50 (used exist sealent)

Serviced Rockshox SID - R780 (long overdue)

 

All DIY- full disassembly of every component, wash, dry, relube/Q20 (except fork, thanks JB, and BB, thanks Cycletec), took 3 evenings approx 5 hours total

Total - R1928.00

Edited June 4, 2013 by Li Mu Bai

[davetapson]

I had my MTB serviced after Sani - I asked for a major service. Turned out to cost me R3200.00. Parts from Scott dealers alone were R1300.00 (seals & bearings). So, what did your service cost you?

 

Buy a GT. Bearings are headset bearings...

[M L]

sometimes I think the guys that spend 30 grand on bikes are a bit crazy ok I can appreciate that top end bikes are a thing of beauty and I suppose if you're going to race you probably need something fancy with all the bells and whistles etc etc but it would be wasted on a person like me ..if I had that kind of money to blow on a bike I would just get a good entry level bike for around 6000 to 8000 put the change in a fixed deposit or some kind of annual investement scheme ride the crap out of the bike and replace it every year ... and never bother servicing it come to think of it you shouldn't need to do to much to it in the space of a year if its brand new .that would be fun trying all the differant bikes for a year... addmitedly it would limit you to hardtails ..Only thing is if my wife found that I had 30 grand stashed away for spending on bikes hmmm do I see a divorce coming...

Hahahaha, thing is, no one wants to spend 30k when they start cycling, it sounds absurd. But a few years into it, 30k sounds ok.

[Warren_G]

Hahahaha, thing is, no one wants to spend 30k when they start cycling, it sounds absurd. But a few years into it, 30k sounds ok.

True, started off with an entry level Avalanche for R6000 but had to upgrade to a R20000 dual suspension 29er within a year as the skill level increased but was limited by the equipment I was using. I'm very happy with my Scott 950 should ride this one for 2 years changing components as I go before upgrading, perhaps to carbon:) and will probably spend R45000 but the bike will compliment my skill level so I have no problems dropping that cash.

[M L]

True, started off with an entry level Avalanche for R6000 but had to upgrade to a R20000 dual suspension 29er within a year as the skill level increased but was limited by the equipment I was using. I'm very happy with my Scott 950 should ride this one for 2 years changing components as I go before upgrading, perhaps to carbon:) and will probably spend R45000 but the bike will compliment my skill level so I have no problems dropping that cash.

It's a vicious cycle.

[Guest Kalahari ou]

I find it difficult to believe that there are bike mechanics, LBS's, that don't do a pre-service check and let you know before just going ahead with expensive repairs/replacements. Find one that does, these are normally the small independents who value you coming back thru the door. There are some really great, skilled individuals out there who would play open cards with a potential lifetime customer.

 

I take my bike for a wash&lube... if theres anything he gives me a call!

[Warren_G]

It's a vicious cycle.

...butI like it:) Edited June 5, 2013 by Warren_G

[Pipsqueak]

Even with all the trial and error, and all the mistakes, buying tool & parts online and looking for step by steps online is still miles better and cheaper than using bike shops. I've tried again and again to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I've always been disappointed.

 

Some guys club together to buy tools, since some folk are more mechanical than others. Then you buy beer and watch your mate fix your bike.

 

The obvious up side is that you then get to know the bike really well.

[Kwagga78]

Nice to have at least some tech-savvy. Just a bit more confident if something goes wrong out on the trail.

[Skylark]

Nothing like being in the middle of nowhere with the barest of tools and being able to fix and tweak virtually anything on your bike.

 

Paying for the convenience of someone else fixing your bike means you never learn and therefore don't have a trained up mechanic at your beck and call whenever and where ever you go - that for me is priceless.

 

And the number of times I've got my bike back after a "full service" only to still have poor shifting, still the same funny clicking that was supposed to be fixed etc that I end up fixing anyway to save the hassle of taking it back to the people that couldn't be bothered to do it right the first time.

 

Granted as has been mentioned there are some really astute bike mechanics, worth their weight gold who wouldn't dream of giving anything less than outstanding, but for the majority that has to rely on whatever person in the back room that happens to be employed as a "mechanic" at their LBS, doing it themselves really is a fair option.

 

Fixing bikes is really not too hard, actually the mental challenge is stimulating if anything and working with tools is quite fun...

Edited June 5, 2013 by Skylark