Bicycle Services?

[leon_pro]

Guys in your opinion, what is a good price to pay for a full bicycle service?

 

 

[dirtrider]

This has also been on a few times but ...... what is a full bike service ? Strip down and check everything or a very decent wash ? I still think R250 is reasonable excluding spares . And we all know that they will first phone you before they replace any thing .

[Tumbleweed]

R150 for a mini-service, R350 for a full service.

[leon_pro]

Strip down checking. I took my bike to a well known shop ( thought i might get good service/value for money) and they charge R400 and then took to my local bike shop and the charge R200. why would there be such a difference? They are both in shopping centres.....guess the area and name makes a huge difference.

[TitusTi]

Depends very much what they do.

[AndreZA]

Depends very much what they do.

 

That's it. If I had to do it the first R200 will go towards XTR/DA cables and housing.

 

 

[carlo_sg]

Best to give an itemised list of exactly what you want done, and ask for a conservative quote.

If you're not specific it probably wont get done. ie don't just say clean the cassette, say - remove cassette and clean it.

 

But back to pricing, i was charged R180 LABOUR by a Branded bike shop, to change my brake cables!

[scotty]

If they do a decent job i dont mind paying. Unfortunately some shops dont and your bike falls apart after a few K's.

[Johan Bornman]

What is mini, what is full?

 

On MTBs, the fork alone could be a two hour job.

 

Changing brake cables often involves replacing the bar tape as well.

 

You can't service a BB nowadays, it is a consumable. They can't even check it. Either it is good or ruined. There's no in-between.

 

Does a wheel service include new balls or just greasing the old ones.?

 

Do they even open the pedals and look inside?

 

Do they measure the chain or just replace it?

 

Does it include a wash or not?

 

Brigning a siff MTB just from muddy Hell into the shop should carry a R120 surcharge.

 

Etc etc.

 

There is no answer to this question. I'd prefer to see it addressed as a price per procedure and I'd like to see the procedures classed along these lines.

 

1) Hub service  (  cup 'n cone or cartridge)

2) BB Replacement

3) BB Shell cleanout

4)  Headset disassemble, clean, grease and replace. New bearings if necessary. Adjusted.

5) Chain measurement with measurement given to the customer.

6) Brake cables checked for grittyness and replaced if necessary.

7) Seat posts removed, cleaned, treated appropriately and replaced.

8) Pedals opened, cleaned, greased and replaced.

9) Shifting cables checked.

10) Gears adjusted if necessary (this is seldom necessary, usually only at cable replacement time).

11) MTB fork oil checked for contamination.

12) Brakes checked for pad wear.

13) Rims checked for cracks.

14) Wheels checked for trueness.

15) Spokes tested for imminent failure.

16) Tyres checked for potential problems.

17) Brake fluid levels checked and inspected for leaks.

 

 

I'd say, R700 is a fair price for all this, including new balls. Cables, pads and other things extra.

 

 

[Conti]

Johan, R700 including a new BB?

[Old school]

Some BB's almost cost R500, so I would say no to BB's at that price.

[Johan Bornman]

Johan' date=' R700 including a new BB?[/quote']

 

No, just labour and balls. The latter are about R2-40 each now for the real thing and you need just under 40 of them in a Shimano hub.

 

I have no doubt some bike shops charge less (I don't know what they charge actually), but then I don't know how they can honestly put all that labour into the job.

 

BBs, cables, pads etc are obviously extra but not a must. I hate it when car service agents say you must change pad just because of mileage. If I drive to Cape Town every day, I only brake once every 1600kms. If I go to work in Woodmead every day, I'm on my brakes all the time.