Home vs Shop

[Racer]

Home service or shop service.Why pay high service prices at shops when you can service at home.How many shop mechanics are really qualified.Was quoted 650 for service at shop.Suggestions please

[Gert Janse v Rensburg]

by who were you quoted that much.... thats daylight robbory...

[mbaymike]

you need to find out what that service includes....sounds a bit on the high side

[Racer]

the shops been around for many years.all his customers pay the same.my feelings exactly 

[Old school]

Will do a complete service for R200.

Maillot Jaune Cycles- 011 692 1076

[Old school]

Been mechanic for guys like Bart Brentjents, Leon van Bon Etc and they were more than happy..

[HammerHed]

I service at home now, bought a workshop stand and necessary tools and find it is more reliable.

 

How many times have you had your bike serviced for a race and found that the day before the race you try the bike out only to find it won't change gears properly or something like that. This has happened to me many times.

 

I got tired of having to fork out cash to some lbs monkey a few times a year, when I can use that money to buy tools and learn to do it myself.

 

I went on a bike mechanics course with Fritz Pienaar Paulshof, a basic course aimed at getting the skills to do running repairs for multi-stage mtb races, and that gave me the confidence to tackle my own bike.

 

So I am not afraid to do any repairs now, and guess what, I don't get any surprises the day of the race because I know that the service has been done right.

 

[WillemT]

Well that depends on your technical skill and how much you know about the bike mechanics. I never take my bike to the shop to be serviced, be it to replace wheel bearings, crank headset whatever. rather go buy yourself a nice toolset for R500 and you can do EVERYTHING yourself.

There is one thing that I don't do myself and that is taking my headshok apart or any shock for that matter, send them to the agents.

 

But then again there's some people who do that at home aswell. If you look after your bike, lube and clean your chain, set your gears every now and then, check spoke and bearings then really what is there to service????

[HammerHed]

 

If you look after your bike' date=' lube and clean your chain, set your gears every now and then, check spoke and bearings then really what is there to service????[/quote']

 

I can't agree with you more. It's not rocket science. Shocks are specialised I would not touch those.

 

[Old school]

its really great if you can service your own bike. But a toolset that cost R500 and you can do everything on the bike without damaging your bike with cheap tools- I want to see that... How do you torque everything?

[WillemT]

Ok you have a point you won't get a "nice" toolset for R500. I had some stuff already, but how would you damage your bike with cheaper tools. it's not the tools that damage the bike it's usually the guy working with them...

Do you think all the LBSs torque the stuff cause then your in for a huge surprise. There may be a few who does here and there. and besides there's very little on the bike that needs to be torqed and if you have work with mechanical stuff even just little you can do it "op gevoel"...

[Old school]

Thats true that you can do it on gevoel but you would be surprised that what you think is right by hand and what is the right torque- huge difference.

Cheap tools are made of cheap metal they fail and go round and wear down your parts.

 I like to do it all perfectly, use the correct lubricants, torque everything necessary, a clean washed bike and analise the parts and frame before you get nasty surprises.

 

Well anyway all parts are warrantied if the correct torque is applied and that is all the parts with bolts which leaves you with pretty much everything.

[WillemT]

well if it work for you. I had never had a problem with anything I did on my bike so maybe i'm just lucky maybe not, luckily i've never damaged anything either.

 

My point is I don't think you're better of at the LBS. They for sure don't torque everything!!

 

If you know a little rather get some tools, cheap or exspensive, be carefull and do it yourself... that's my feeling...

 

In the past 3 years i've saved a lot of my money and I believe my bike too, by doing everything myself. especially small stuff. Replacing cable/housings, bleeding brakes, changing cassets ect.

 

The thing is you pay for their time, they have mechanics to pay a salary every month so they have to ask their hourly rate. Rather use your own time that you would've wasted on waching some TV show and get the work done for free...

[WillemT]

BTW het enige iemand al 'n headshok of lefty uit mekaar gehaal? Wil dit nog doen maar is bietjie versigtig...

[Weekend_Warrior]

I want to see that... How do you torque everything?

 

I torqued my road bike cleats onto my shoes as per manufacturer and guess what...... it pulled the thread right out my shoe

[GFishy]

I want to see that... How do you torque everything?

 

?

 

I torqued my road bike cleats onto my shoes as per manufacturer and guess what...... it pulled the thread right out my shoe

 

Was it a shimaNO shoes perhaps?