Bicycle Shop issues

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

I was at my LBS and watched a dude have a tantrum because the yellow of the Maxxis logo on his new tyre was too close to the red of his (Surface or Syncros, can’t remember) rim decal, and it clashed. 

[Mamil]

On 11/17/2025 at 9:19 AM, Jimmy 2.0 said:

We are mechanic's bikes can tell us a lot about their owner.

Whatever my bike tells you don't believe him - he speaks k@k all the time.  And if it's about that time he went skidding over the berm and bounced down the hill being saved from the sheer drop by the trees that wasn't my fault.

[Robbie Stewart]

On 11/17/2025 at 12:24 PM, RobynE 🚵‍♀️ said:

I was at my LBS and watched a dude have a tantrum because the yellow of the Maxxis logo on his new tyre was too close to the red of his (Surface or Syncros, can’t remember) rim decal, and it clashed. 

If you take your bike to the LBS to have the tyres replaced, then you should give your bike back and take up another hobby 

[Super Sywurm]

15 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

If you take your bike to the LBS to have the tyres replaced, then you should give your bike back and take up another hobby 

I can replace my own tyres, easy squeezy. 

I can't seal tubeless tyres.🤷‍♀️

[Robbie Stewart]

7 minutes ago, Super Sywurm said:

I can replace my own tyres, easy squeezy. 

I can't seal tubeless tyres.🤷‍♀️

some rim tape, a couple of CO2 bombs, sealant, a syringe, and some sore thumbs later and you're sorted. first time will be a massive faffing and vloeking. second time a bit easier. third time you start getting the hang of it. by the 4th time it comes naturally.

edit - if you mean when it has a hole in, then all you need is a tool to stab the tyre with and plunge a snotty in the hole, deep enough to allow free rotation without it slapping the frame.

Edited November 18, 2025 by Robbie Stewart

[eddy]

On 11/17/2025 at 12:24 PM, RobynE 🚵‍♀️ said:

I was at my LBS and watched a dude have a tantrum because the yellow of the Maxxis logo on his new tyre was too close to the red of his (Surface or Syncros, can’t remember) rim decal, and it clashed. 

As everyone knows, the most important part of fitting a tyre is ensuring that the center of the logo  is aligned perfectly with the valve stem. 

[Pandatron]

30 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

If you take your bike to the LBS to have the tyres replaced, then you should give your bike back and take up another hobby 

I do that and get my bike washed...

[Super Sywurm]

16 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

some rim tape, a couple of CO2 bombs, sealant, a syringe, and some sore thumbs later and you're sorted. first time will be a massive faffing and vloeking. second time a bit easier. third time you start getting the hang of it. by the 4th time it comes naturally.

edit - if you mean when it has a hole in, then all you need is a tool to stab the tyre with and plunge a snotty in the hole, deep enough to allow free rotation without it slapping the frame.

Been there, done that, still struggling.  One day, I'll go for a crash course at my lbs.

[Paul Ruinaard]

1 hour ago, Super Sywurm said:

I can replace my own tyres, easy squeezy. 

I can't seal tubeless tyres.🤷‍♀️

Get yourself an airtank pump - best device i have owned in years. Super simple.

Avoids what i did when trying to do this with a compressor and exploded a tyre full of latex whilst i was bendin over the wheel. The bang made the neighbours dogs bark, my wife came from upstairs to see what the noise was, and I had an outline of myself on the wall in latex. Loked like something out of a bukkake movie (NSFW dont google it)

Edited November 18, 2025 by Paul Ruinaard

[Hairy]

On 11/14/2025 at 8:19 AM, Mike Dewing said:

maybe the actual mechanics can weigh in on this.. 

we can get some comment on work conditions, compensation and benefits, overall treatment of staff from owners and managers.. 

if these conditions are poor, expect poor service

Let the owner know about your issues, and see how they make good to them.

If they do not give a damn, and you are being reasonable with your issues, then move on to a new LBS.

Ultimately you will find a good LBS, and then support them financially and promote them as they are worth keeping in the cycling community.

[mountian_hare]

Had a recent challenge with a tubeless setup. The old tyre kept stick to itself - after some choice words and elbow grease it came off. New tyre popped on fine and seated beautifully. 
Lesson learnt - old rear wheel tyre came off easier.

However was struggling to get the tyre to seat. Many more choice blue words later, a packing strap and almost loss of will, I discovered the problem. The valve core was clogged!  

After soaking the core in some hot water I got out of the hot water. 
The tyre then seated first go. Job done. 
 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

If you take your bike to the LBS to have the tyres replaced, then you should give your bike back and take up another hobby 

 

Robbie there are people that take their bike to the "authorised dealer" to have a valve CORE replaced 

 

His face when I took a spare core out of my saddle-bag ....

 

He declined, insisting the bike MUST go to the dealers ....

 

They live among us .....

[Reinardt van Heerden]

On 11/14/2025 at 8:03 AM, MarcoDeS said:

Really frustrated at taking my bike in for basic work and having to return because something wasn’t done properly — or a new issue pops up straight after the “service.” This has happened multiple times, so it’s not just a once-off.

At what point do we start calling this out? 

Is it time we start naming the shops that repeatedly deliver poor workmanship, or is there a better way to hold them accountable? The quality of service in SA has deteriorated badly and the providers just shrug it off and continue with BAU.

Curious to hear if others are dealing with the same thing and how you think we should handle bike shops that just can’t seem to get the basics right. 

I rarely have issues with my bike shop, they do a good job on my bike. I rarely send it to them, as the shop is like 110km from my home. So I do the things I can at home, back then when I first started cycling, I sent a wheel to them, for a sealant refill, and it came back flat, but for those struggling with the same issues, just  buy an airtank, I have a ryder one, its my 3rd one, they have a lifetime warranty and isn’t that expensive.

[eddy]

I am able to do most things on my bike but I support two small, workshop orientated  bikeshops in my area, even with things I can do. I also buy bits and pieces from them even if I could save a few ZAR by buying the stuff online.

I do it because it is in my interest to have these guys stay in  business so they are around for when I need them to do the things I can't do myself.

Squeezing the small specialist guys out will leave us all poorer.

[Fisan]

17 hours ago, Super Sywurm said:

I can replace my own tyres, easy squeezy. 

I can't seal tubeless tyres.🤷‍♀️

16 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

some rim tape, a couple of CO2 bombs, sealant, a syringe, and some sore thumbs later and you're sorted. first time will be a massive faffing and vloeking. second time a bit easier. third time you start getting the hang of it. by the 4th time it comes naturally.

edit - if you mean when it has a hole in, then all you need is a tool to stab the tyre with and plunge a snotty in the hole, deep enough to allow free rotation without it slapping the frame.

Been there, also used to struggle a lot.

Then I got a new-to-me wheelset - suddenly everything was easy. I could even seat new tyres using a road (high pressure/low volume) pump. 

Also, the Stans Tyre Sealant Injector™ made life a whole lot easier. 

[PappaWatTrap]

Ah one of my guilty pleasures in life is putting on a new tyre, aligning the maxxis logo with the valve and getting it to seat first try with a normal floor pump, hearing the pops at after about 2.3 Bar. Buuuuut that is when the rim tape is perfect, the art of taping the rim I haven't perfected yet.