If I fall, I sue...

[bob_the_builder]

 

 

 

Learn to become your on LBS...... buy from www.chainreactioncycling.com

and fix and work on your own bike...... does not take a rocket scietist to do that you know?????

 

What does JB call them? Back yard something...

 

[AndreZA]

 

 

Learn to become your on LBS...... buy from www.chainreactioncycling.com

and fix and work on your own bike...... does not take a rocket scietist to do that you know?????

What does JB call them? Back yard something...

 

I only know of one mechanic that has "papers" to be called a bike mechanic (I'm sure there are more). Every shop's workshop is run by back yard mechanics.

 

 

[bob_the_builder]

Ssshhh manpadda, don't tell JB... You'll put yello saddle out of business...

[AndreZA]

Ssshhh manpadda' date=' don't tell JB... You'll put yello saddle out of business... [/quote']

 

and where is his papers?

 

Look in the UK mags and all the shops advertise membership to some cycle repair institutes of sorts.

 

 

[Slowbee]

yea and the back of shops look like bike yards to !

[widget]

Is there such a trade as a "Bike Mechanic"??

 

I cant imagine so, I am fairly sure any competant tradesman (and by that I mean someone who has learnt a trade and passed a test) could quickly learn how to CORRECTLY repair a bike, but as someone said most shops use the cheapest labour they can find, who really have no idea of mechanical principles.

 

Then when / if something happens, they either lie low and wait for the fuss to blow over or disappear to re-appear in another province under another name.!

 

Sound familiar.?

 

 

[AndreZA]

Is there such a trade as a "Bike Mechanic"??

 

I cant imagine so' date=' I am fairly sure any competant tradesman (and by that I mean someone who has learnt a trade and passed a test) could quickly learn how to CORRECTLY repair a bike, but as someone said most shops use the cheapest labour they can find, who really have no idea of mechanical principles.

 

Then when / if something happens, they either lie low and wait for the fuss to blow over or disappear to re-appear in another province under another name.!

 

Sound familiar.?

 

 

[/quote']

 

I think it will just add value to your shop and people can be sure that they get qualified work for their R500+.

 

http://www.bikeschool.com/

 

[Kiwi]

Hang on a minute, we are talking about a four year old bike (when the accident happened) did the guy prove that he had ever inspected his bike? <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Most American bikes have pretty extensive instructions about this sort of thing.

 

In fact, here's a link to the manual that comes with all Marin bikes, 48 pages. Safety check (before and after riding, page 10.

 

Did he read it?

 

http://www.marinbikes.com/2008/int/resources/pdfs/pdf_manual_english.pdf

Kiwi2008-05-19 08:09:30

[gianni]

.

 

Over the top' date='.............. to us here maybe,......... because we just fly by the seat of our pants, but in the USA litigation is so rife, that your chances of getting sued are pretty good if your paperwork isnt up to scratch.....................But, this legal implication is one of the prime reasons customer service is so good - something we here tend to forget. 

 

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

I'd rather take personal responsibilty when I'm out cycling /  diving / driving than become a nation who needs a warning sticker on an orange or needs to be told how to open a can of beer without killing myself...

 

 

So...a guy who doesn't know how to put on a wheel must inspect the bike and tell the salesman that he believes the bike is safe to ride???   shows you how serious they ACTUALLY are about safety.

 

Its ll about making the $$$ for the boys (i.e. the lawyers)

 

If you ride a bike,  you might crash...........

 

If you want to go dive in the ocean you may just drown........

 

sh*t happens. don't blame anyone esle.

 

 

YET they allow these fools to have kids without a seconds thought...................

[AndreZA]

On The Travel Channel they took a bunch of Yanks on a tour in New Zealand and the first thing he told the group was "If you walk past a building and the airconditioner falls on your head, too bad. You can not sue anybody. this is not America".

 

 

[Kiwi]

Too right! It's the land of "if it's broke you should be able to fix it with a bit of number 8 fencing wire"

[Delgado]

Although liability laws have become ridiculous to say the least, I don't mind this kind of action as it places an onus on importers/agents etc to a duty of care to their customers. This I trust will in turn prevent some of the cheap Chinese rubbish from being imported and sold. If this turns out to be the case then....... Joy!!!

[porky]

I dont know, Gianni, Kiwi, EVERYBODY says that until the worst happens to them.

Then "O boy" they just want to sue, and wheres the nearest court. Know any good lawyers, this happened to me, sloppy, repair job, salesman didnt tell me this could happen if I twisted it like that and I fell and broke a leg, - GET ME AN ATTORNEY!!

 

I think there needs to be accountability down the supply chain.

 

If theres no accountability there will be sloppy service and poor workmanship, simply because they know they cant be held to task.

 

An instruction manual is not good enough, the retailer really has the final responsibility to make customers aware of potential dangers.

 

Riding a bicycle can be dangerous, so I dont see any problem in the retailer saying,

 Okay, before you leave the shop, this is how you change a wheel,

 If you dont fasten the skewer this is what CAN happen.

 This is your front brake, this is the rear, this lever is for the front and this  one for the rear derailuer

 Your tyre pressure is "xyz".

 Please check your bike to see if the seat post and the bars are secure.

 When you buy a tube make sure its a long stem valve cos you got deep section rims.

 Now do a little lap down the road and see if its all okay.

 

 - Okay, are you happy?, Please just sign here that you understand the basics of how things work.

 

Whats wrong with that.? I wouldnt be offended, actually I would feel a lot happier that I left with a basic knowledge of the bike.

 

Every shop I have ever been to is so busy trying to sell you a set up and move your seat .05 mm up or down, they forget that some people may not even know the basics. The very basic, basics.!!

 

porky2008-05-19 11:32:27

[porky]

 

 

 

I think it will just add value to your shop and people can be sure that they get qualified work for their R500+.

 

http://www.bikeschool.com/

 

 

Yes, I agree, I wonder how many bike mechanics here can repair / rebuild / weld / braze a frame.

 

Anyone can learn to set the gears, but rebuilding a frame, wheel etc is where the "quality" differance will come into play.  

[madmarc]

On a serious note............. 

 

  

 

all bike shops should do this' date=' get people to sign something !!

 

on my way home last week, had to help a couple on a brand new tandem, with a broken chain. The salesperson had not shown them how to use a chainbreaker that he sold them. He also did not show them how to use ultegra shifters (feathering). Oh yes the chain broke at the quicklink, took 1 minute to fix for them. They had been stuck for over an hour and called the bike shop owner to come and help them. He arrived as I left.

 

Made me loose faith in my LBS, and just confirmed that I need to find a LBS further away than my LBS.  

 

[/quote']

 

Learn to become your on LBS...... buy from www.chainreactioncycling.com

and fix and work on your own bike...... does not take a rocket scietist to do that you know?????

 

I fully agree BigH - and there is not a lot that we agree on. I am amazed at how many people take their bikes to bike shops for service and repairs. Anyone (even non mechanical minded people) could easily buy bike repair manuals and very quickly learn to fix and service any component.

I taught myself a number of years ago to completely strip, rebuild, service and reapir almost any bike component. The only area I could not be bothered with is wheel building. I just don't have the time