High Service Cost

[leonvandyk]

My Scott Spark (2018) is in for a full service at Hotspot Cycles and they send the shocks to Cogent.

The service requires new bearings and full shock services on both shocks. The total cost is coming to 2000 for the service and over 4000 for the shocks.

Is this normal? Im now paying more for my bike to be serviced than my car. There is nothing else wrong with the bike.

I only do a full service once a year but geez it’s expensive.

[Scott roy]

1 hour ago, leonvandyk said:

My Scott Spark (2018) is in for a full service at Hotspot Cycles and they send the shocks to Cogent.

The service requires new bearings and full shock services on both shocks. The total cost is coming to 2000 for the service and over 4000 for the shocks.

Is this normal? Im now paying more for my bike to be serviced than my car. There is nothing else wrong with the bike.

I only do a full service once a year but geez it’s expensive.

Yep, that’s about right. You should be sending your suspension to cogent every 6 months though. (I also used to service at hot spot and cogent) 

[V18]

That sounds about right 

[RobertWhitehead]

That's more or less right but there's quite a few bucks IMO that you'll be able to save

[Jbr]

That is why I only ride my MTB when I have to 🤣

[ChrisF]

38 minutes ago, Scott roy said:

Yep, that’s about right. You should be sending your suspension to cogent every 6 months though. (I also used to service at hot spot and cogent) 

 

In fairness ... every 6 months is an oil change, not a full shock rebuild ...

 

Dont scare him off completely ... 🤪

[Scott roy]

2 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

In fairness ... every 6 months is an oil change, not a full shock rebuild ...

 

Dont scare him off completely ... 🤪

Depends ,I always do a full service.

[corrie.kuilder]

With a good quality tool set, and some knowledge, you can do a lot of things yourself. You can even enroll in a bike mechanic workshop/course, and service your own bike. Do the math, and you will find that in the long term, you save a lot of money, and learned a new skill set.🍻

[Me rida my bicycle]

That's why I returned to HT, I can replace my cassette, chain and every bearing and do the shock for less 😁

[Phillippe Coetzee]

1 hour ago, Me rida my bicycle said:

That's why I returned to HT, I can replace my cassette, chain and every bearing and do the shock for less 😁

Also debating going HT, the cost on Dual sus is a lot.. more comfortable but yeah 👀

[RobertWhitehead]

7 hours ago, Phillippe Coetzee said:

Also debating going HT, the cost on Dual sus is a lot.. more comfortable but yeah 👀

I see this statement a lot. Why does everyone say the dual is so much more than the HT? 

The major difference: 

Rear shock - R 1 100.00 +/- for service

Pivot bearings - R 40.00 each x 4 

I can't think of anything else. Ya, if you go to your lbs then the above will be way more but still, the rear shock won't need a service with every interval and the pivot bearings will only need replacing once they're worn, so I don't see it

[Eugene]

I have never, in 20 odd years of cycling, taken my bike to a bike shop. I have always done my own servicing. I've always had a hardtail and road bike. 

I recently built up a full suspension, using second hand parts, so I guess there are no warranties that I need to worry about. 

The shock needed to be pumped so I took it to a bike shop to be pumped. Once pumped, the mechanic noticed a creak and told me I needed a full shock service at R2, 800.

Took it home, stripped every single bush and bearing, relubed where I could..... Problem solved. No more creaks. So, did my shock really need a service? It works perfectly. 

I realise it will at some point need a service. I have been watching videos on how to service it and I am wondering how the heck do they get to R2, 800. 

 

[buckstopper]

I went to collect my forks after they were serviced at RBC yesterday. They replaced seals.  Parts and labour R1120. Great people, got a tour of the workshop, met everybody. Happy to pay. I would send my Ferraris to them...

5 ⭐

Why is about R900 per hour at VW ok, but R450 a rip off at a bike shop? Are the mechanics more skilled, or what?

[michaelbiker]

I’d say car service prices are high for what they do compared to a 200 hour fork service. It’s just an oil and air filter and oil change. Takes them probably 30 minutes max - depending on the car. A major fork damper service takes a lot longer. Seal service is quick to do at home though  if you have the right tools and inclination. 

Edited April 13 by michaelbiker

[RobertWhitehead]

1 hour ago, Eugene said:

taken my bike to a bike shop. I have always done my own servicing. 

This^^^^. If you don't have the skill to DIY then you're gonna have to pay someone else to do it for you. A lbs has overheads and staff. I know the folks at HS quite well, heck I stay 1km from there, nice bunch of guys, even the new ones. But, if I want to do something I DIY until I run out of talent. 

[Robbie Stewart]

I'm with the learn to do it yourself camp. You save a ton in the long run. Suspension is something you should probably only do yourself if you have the right tools and skill. It costs much more to repair / replace a fork or shock of you've done something wrong and damaged it. Also, not every service is a major service. Just don't NOT service your suspension. Ask me how I know...