Is Getting Asked R400 for Wash and Lube and Indexing reasonable?

[Gert van Wyk7]

Took my bike in for wash and lube and gear index and got charged R400. Happily paid and left, but started to wonder if it is reasonable? 

[Mamil]

2 minutes ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

Took my bike in for wash and lube and gear index and got charged R400. Happily paid and left, but started to wonder if it is reasonable? 

If you consider that 2 salaries have to be paid for that - the guy in the washbay and the mechanic who indexed the gears, plus the consumables, electricity and tax - I would say from the shop's perspective that's about right. If you can wash your own bike and know how to index gears properly, then it's not a value proposition.

[Gert van Wyk7]

1 minute ago, Mamil said:

If you consider that 2 salaries have to be paid for that - the guy in the washbay and the mechanic who indexed the gears, plus the consumables, electricity and tax - I would say from the shop's perspective that's about right. If you can wash your own bike and know how to index gears properly, then it's not a value proposition.

Fair enough 💪 just compared it to a car wash and wanted to know your thoughts 👌 

[Gert van Wyk7]

3 minutes ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

Fair enough 💪 just compared it to a car wash and wanted to know your thoughts 👌 

Also thought about that Locum Drs in SA earn R450 per hour where they see 5 Patients. 

[love2fly]

35 minutes ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

Fair enough 💪 just compared it to a car wash and wanted to know your thoughts 👌 

Maybe compare to a car wash and either reset the computer/clear trouble codes or maybe bleed one caliper? Then it's fair value. I wash, lube and index my own bikes so not for me....

[betaboy]

I think it’s a tad expensive, average hour is around 350/360. The wash and lube should fit into that, unless you ticked the box “donate R50, so some unfortunate cyclists can have PowerBar gels”. 🤭

[vanniri]

If you're unable to index the gears yourself then even R1000 plus is cheap. Whatever keeps rubber on the road I say.

The bike wash - cost of being lazy

[Andreas_187]

It doesn't matter what it costs if you either cannot do it or don't want to do it

[Kom]

39 minutes ago, vanniri said:

If you're unable to index the gears yourself then even R1000 plus is cheap. Whatever keeps rubber on the road I say.

The bike wash - cost of being lazy

driving down to the bikeshop, just the hassle, would push me to watch a youtube video to learn how to index and buy a namgear wash starter kit.

i promise you it will be the most gratifying time out of your day, and your next ride will feel magnificent.

Edited March 17 by Kom

[droo]

1 hour ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

Also thought about that Locum Drs in SA earn R450 per hour where they see 5 Patients. 

They don't have overheads though...

Earnings and charge out rate are 2 VERY different things.

Edited March 17 by droo

[Gert van Wyk7]

10 minutes ago, Kom said:

driving down to the bikeshop, just the hassle, would push me to watch a youtube video to learn how to index and buy a namgear wash starter kit.

i promise you it will be the most gratifying time out of your day, and your next ride will feel magnificent.

Good point 💪 thanks 

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

Also thought about that Locum Drs in SA earn R450 per hour where they see 5 Patients. 

And yet I pay R695 for 10 to 15 minutes of their inexperienced and often inefficient time.

 

No wonder the one owner gets to plan his day while 4 to 5 locums bring in a boat load ....

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Andreas_187 said:

It doesn't matter what it costs if you either cannot do it or don't want to do it

 

The only thing that truly matters ... is the indexing 100% .... rest is maths ...

 

Sadly expensive does not always mean better .... but too cheap and corners must be cut ....

[Gert van Wyk7]

6 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

And yet I pay R695 for 10 to 15 minutes of their inexperienced and often inefficient time.

 

No wonder the one owner gets to plan his day while 4 to 5 locums bring in a boat load ....

I wont say inexperienced, think 8-9 years of training is enough experience 😝 but I get what you mean, its sad. 

[ChrisF]

44 minutes ago, Kom said:

driving down to the bikeshop, just the hassle, would push me to watch a youtube video to learn how to index and buy a namgear wash starter kit.

i promise you it will be the most gratifying time out of your day, and your next ride will feel magnificent.

 

My car is out of warantee .... the schlep of unpacking all the cycling goods before I take it in for a service .... the upside morning ariving late at work because you had to drop off the bike .... that 15.00 call ... are you getting your wheels back today .... then that phone call about the "badly chipped" windscreen, no their guy is not contracted to your insurance ... now to get back to the dealership to pick up your car ..... then repacking all the cycling goods ....

 

 

Nope, so much easier and faster to fully and properly service my car myself.

 

Brought it down to 10k oil intervals.  Affordable and so much better for the vehicle

 

 

 

Bicycles .... I like doing most myself.  Few select items I have Mark do it

[ChrisF]

4 minutes ago, Gert van Wyk7 said:

I wont say inexperienced, think 8-9 years of training is enough experience 😝 but I get what you mean, its sad. 

 

Training vs experience .....  same applies to most trades, even bicycles.

 

 

In fairness, the two BEST GP's we had were locums .... doing locum to pay for their further studies.  In each case they headed back to the platteland once they completed their further studies.