Poor service from LBS - what to do?

[AndrewMo]

There’s a reason why I won’t bother taking any of my bikes to any shop no matter what.

 

The only word I have to describe my feelings after collecting a bike or bikes from very nearly all the shops within a 20km radius is this: disappointment.

 

Pride is not something many people seem to take in their work anymore. I’ll happily pay double or triple if I know it’s going to be done right; unfortunately my trust levels are somewhat low.

[King_Crispy]

I have found that poor service from a shop will never improve. It is not like they suddenly implement a check list over night. Just point them to this thread and name the shop. Let's see their response. Then go to the next LBS and give them a try.

I've got the same issue.

Plus the fact that they dinged my wife's top-tube on her carbon frame.

And they stuffed up her brakes doing a bleed.

Took out a critical fd component and used an unviable replacement.

The list goes on...

But I'll hold back on flaming them till they have a chance to make good

[Sllab]

There’s a reason why I won’t bother taking any of my bikes to any shop no matter what.

 

The only word I have to describe my feelings after collecting a bike or bikes from very nearly all the shops within a 20km radius is this: disappointment.

 

Pride is not something many people seem to take in their work anymore. I’ll happily pay double or triple if I know it’s going to be done right; unfortunately my trust levels are somewhat low.

[Sllab]

Agreed. Most of the cretins working in a bike shop dont have a formal qualification. The owner of our local, a supposedly qualified mechanic ( dont know how, he has done no trade or apprenticeship, has no certification), has no torque wrench or torque tables. He hires 4 other mechanics who are also “qualified”. No trade papers, of course. I have sat and watched them work - no standard procedure, no torque wrenches, no pre and post inspection, no double checks on work done, no paper trail. Nothing. They have some skills, certainly, and they know some tricks of the trade. Certified? Qualified? To work on your R100k machine SAFELY?? Almost certainly not. Look at it this way - would you let someone who is not a certified mechanic work on the brake system of your wifes/son/daughter/SO’s car? Highly unlikely-but if the brakes on your MTB fail at 60kph and toss you into a rock garden, the result could easily be fatal. South Africa has only has an NQF standard for a bicycle mechanic since 2018 and it is supposed to be a 3 year course from what I can make out. So, the first properly qualified people can only qualify next year - go figure. So - firstly apologies for the long rant. Secondly, educate yourself and insist on proper work standards, job cards and proof of work done. Personally, I wont let the mechanics at my LBS (which is top of the range, supposedly) wash my bike, let alone work on it. If they cannot be careful enough not to scratch it, they are certainly not good enough to work on it (btw, scratched and damaged by them previously, due to laziness and incompetence). LBS is just a source of parts I cant get over the internet.

[DieselnDust]

Agreed. Most of the cretins working in a bike shop dont have a formal qualification. The owner of our local, a supposedly qualified mechanic ( dont know how, he has done no trade or apprenticeship, has no certification), has no torque wrench or torque tables. He hires 4 other mechanics who are also “qualified”. No trade papers, of course. I have sat and watched them work - no standard procedure, no torque wrenches, no pre and post inspection, no double checks on work done, no paper trail. Nothing. They have some skills, certainly, and they know some tricks of the trade. Certified? Qualified? To work on your R100k machine SAFELY?? Almost certainly not. Look at it this way - would you let someone who is not a certified mechanic work on the brake system of your wifes/son/daughter/SO’s car? Highly unlikely-but if the brakes on your MTB fail at 60kph and toss you into a rock garden, the result could easily be fatal. South Africa has only has an NQF standard for a bicycle mechanic since 2018 and it is supposed to be a 3 year course from what I can make out. So, the first properly qualified people can only qualify next year - go figure. So - firstly apologies for the long rant. Secondly, educate yourself and insist on proper work standards, job cards and proof of work done. Personally, I wont let the mechanics at my LBS (which is top of the range, supposedly) wash my bike, let alone work on it. If they cannot be careful enough not to scratch it, they are certainly not good enough to work on it (btw, scratched and damaged by them previously, due to laziness and incompetence). LBS is just a source of parts I cant get over the internet.

 

 

you have a very narrow minded view on qualifications. There just isn't a nice way to say it but its true

[Sllab]

you have a very narrow minded view on qualifications. There just isn't a nice way to say it but its true

[Sllab]

Really? Either one is qualified or one is not. There is no narrow view or otherwise. There is an objective standard which most bicycle ”mechanics” dont meet. Or are tested to, or are certified at. Period. Like all things in life though, let the user beware - if you are happy with what you get, that is just fine. I dont say ALL mechanics are not certified, but I have yet to see a certificate for one. I have yet to experience work that I trust, but that is just me. Look earlier in the conversation- one person is an aircraft mechanic. Bet your life (and you do, when you fly on an aircraft he has maintained) that he is trained, tested, certified, retested etc. No narrow view there - just an objective standard which he is certified to. Period. Like all people who work on safety critical equipment should be.

[Grease_Monkey]

Really? Either one is qualified or one is not. There is no narrow view or otherwise. There is an objective standard which most bicycle ”mechanics” dont meet. Or are tested to, or are certified at. Period. Like all things in life though, let the user beware - if you are happy with what you get, that is just fine. I dont say ALL mechanics are not certified, but I have yet to see a certificate for one. I have yet to experience work that I trust, but that is just me. Look earlier in the conversation- one person is an aircraft mechanic. Bet your life (and you do, when you fly on an aircraft he has maintained) that he is trained, tested, certified, retested etc. No narrow view there - just an objective standard which he is certified to. Period. Like all people who work on safety critical equipment should be.

They are bicycles, not rocket ships. You certainly don't need a qualification to work on a bike just like many very successful (software) coders don't need a qualification to produce some awesome products.

 

All you need to work on a bike is knowledge, attention to detail, and being meticulous. How you get those things - I don't really care. Sure a qualification helps to tell me you have the knowledge, it doesn't address the other factors that influence on the job performance - same as ANY other career or job.

 

I have met many very competent people with no qualifications, and many incompetent people that are very highy qualified.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Grease_Monkey

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Ability trumps qualifications in most cases

 

I’d prefer my surgeon to be qualified and my bike mechanic just to know what he’s doing though

[Jewbacca]

Really? Either one is qualified or one is not. There is no narrow view or otherwise. There is an objective standard which most bicycle ”mechanics” dont meet. Or are tested to, or are certified at. Period. Like all things in life though, let the user beware - if you are happy with what you get, that is just fine. I dont say ALL mechanics are not certified, but I have yet to see a certificate for one. I have yet to experience work that I trust, but that is just me. Look earlier in the conversation- one person is an aircraft mechanic. Bet your life (and you do, when you fly on an aircraft he has maintained) that he is trained, tested, certified, retested etc. No narrow view there - just an objective standard which he is certified to. Period. Like all people who work on safety critical equipment should be.

Do you do all your own bike repairs and servicing?

 

Are you qualified? 

[Grease_Monkey]

Ability trumps qualifications in most cases

 

I’d prefer my surgeon to be qualified and my bike mechanic just to know what he’s doing though

Spot on.

[ABrooks]

They are bicycles, not rocket ships. You certainly don't need a qualification to work on a bike just like many very successful (software) coders don't need a qualification to produce some awesome products.

 

All you need to work on a bike is knowledge, attention to detail, and being meticulous. How you get those things - I don't really care. Sure a qualification helps to tell me you have the knowledge, it doesn't address the other factors that influence on the job performance - same as ANY other career or job.

 

I have met many very competent people with no qualifications, and many incompetent people that are very highy qualified.

I think the point he is trying to make is that there is no standard set that one can expect from bike mechanics. It really is a gamble when taking your bike somewhere because anyone can say I can fix bikes without producing any form of certification to do so. Experience does ineed trump qualifications but you don't know how much experience someone has when walking into the shop and we might be able to tell if a part is not serviced right or that the bolts are not tightend correctly, other people pick up their bikes from the lbs and go for a ride because to them it has been to the "pro's".

[Kranswurm]

My son did the Cytech 1,2 and 3 modules training and certification.

The rest of the staff did the Yellow Saddle in site in the bike shop.

Sorry but qualifications are a requirement as well as experience unless a trainee

 

[Torq Zone Academy]

Agreed. Most of the cretins working in a bike shop dont have a formal qualification. The owner of our local, a supposedly qualified mechanic ( dont know how, he has done no trade or apprenticeship, has no certification), has no torque wrench or torque tables. He hires 4 other mechanics who are also “qualified”. No trade papers, of course. I have sat and watched them work - no standard procedure, no torque wrenches, no pre and post inspection, no double checks on work done, no paper trail. Nothing. They have some skills, certainly, and they know some tricks of the trade. Certified? Qualified? To work on your R100k machine SAFELY?? Almost certainly not. Look at it this way - would you let someone who is not a certified mechanic work on the brake system of your wifes/son/daughter/SO’s car? Highly unlikely-but if the brakes on your MTB fail at 60kph and toss you into a rock garden, the result could easily be fatal. South Africa has only has an NQF standard for a bicycle mechanic since 2018 and it is supposed to be a 3 year course from what I can make out. So, the first properly qualified people can only qualify next year - go figure. So - firstly apologies for the long rant. Secondly, educate yourself and insist on proper work standards, job cards and proof of work done. Personally, I wont let the mechanics at my LBS (which is top of the range, supposedly) wash my bike, let alone work on it. If they cannot be careful enough not to scratch it, they are certainly not good enough to work on it (btw, scratched and damaged by them previously, due to laziness and incompetence). LBS is just a source of parts I cant get over the internet.

 

Just a correction. Yes indeed we do have a National Qualification for bicycle mechanics the Occupational Certificate: Bicycle Mechanic, NQF Level 4. However it is not three years but, depending on the learner, about six months.

 

The beauty of the qualification is that it has a class based Knowledge and Practical component, a shop based Work Experience Component (read apprenticeship), and an External Independent Summative Assessment (read trade test). This approach to training creates skilled mechanics who; need less supervision; have more confidence; better problem solving skills; are motivated and strive to add value.

[scotty]

I've had shocking service from a LBS on the East Rand who's mechanic used to wrench for one of the pro teams.

 

No bike shop repair/maintenance is perfect all the time and can make errors on occasion. but its how often and the manner they deal with it that sets them apart. 

[NotSoBigBen]

I've had shocking service from a LBS on the East Rand who's mechanic used to wrench for one of the pro teams.

 

No bike shop repair/maintenance is perfect all the time and can make errors on occasion. but its how often and the manner they deal with it that sets them apart.

I'm afraid cyclists in general don't think like that in my experience ...

 

They expect 100% perfection every time and I must assume that they provide no less in their own professions, jobs or business ... but I'll just stop there else I just raise my blood pressure unnecessarily