Bike servicing

[Caerus]

As with my mechanic the only way is for these mechanics to move away from the big shops and go independent

[LazyTrailRider]

How many bike mechanics actually have the necesarry qualifications to charge R90/hr - That seems quite a bit? Most mechanics are trained in house are they not?

 

Overheads. A software developer who costs my business R20k/month in salary actually costs us R32.5k/month in total:

 

- Rent

- Operational costs (water, electricity, etc)

- Infrastructure (desk, phone, bandwidth, laptop)

- Admin (bookkeeper, software)

- Management

 

It all adds up... Most people think the companies they work for are making millions off them by billing them out for R500/hour when they earn say just R187.50/hour (R25k/month), when in fact they're not.

 

R90/hour as the final billable rate is not much at all.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Martin Hattingh

[LazyTrailRider]

Eish, that's the same hourly rate I was being charged out at as a qualified engineer with 2 years of experience. It's also a whole lot more than what I was actually getting paid . It's always fun working your ass off to make some else rich .

 

Also see my previous point, you weren't being ripped off.

[Garfield2010]

Johan, do you own a bike shop?

 

I was just enquiring about a point that I think is valid. No need to get disrespectfull. Anyways, you speak of monkeys and peanuts way too easy. You are probably making R750k per year and rides a R50,000 bicycle??? Most others arent, so I am on a budget and just because you do not give a **** what you pay for a service, doesnt mean i dont either.

 

My bike is worth R5,000 so paying 10% of its total value for a service is a bit concerning. Like for every 10 times you service your car you could have gotten a new one.

[Mojoman]

Rather do as much of the work as you can. What you can't do or feel as though you cold bodge it up, take to the LBS. Its the same all round from computers to cars to bikes. The more you know, the less the odds are of being ripped off or being unhappy 30km from home with a broken bike! And lets face it, bike mechanics is not rocket science (at least on mine anyway!). The only job I won't tackle is a wheel build as I think that requires some skill over knowledge. But tuning up, replacing chains, servicing bearings/headsets, give it a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Buy some tools and beers!

[Minion]

Also see my previous point, you weren't being ripped off.

I know, but it's still fun to moan about it

[Johan Bornman]

Johan, do you own a bike shop?

 

I was just enquiring about a point that I think is valid. No need to get disrespectfull. Anyways, you speak of monkeys and peanuts way too easy. You are probably making R750k per year and rides a R50,000 bicycle??? Most others arent, so I am on a budget and just because you do not give a **** what you pay for a service, doesnt mean i dont either.

 

My bike is worth R5,000 so paying 10% of its total value for a service is a bit concerning. Like for every 10 times you service your car you could have gotten a new one.

 

No I don't own a bike shop.

 

I should speak of monkeys and peanuts more frequently, I think. I see lots of people paying peanuts and then complaining that their gears come back in a mess. Clearly there is a correlation between the primates and what we feed them.

 

Sarcasm switch on: I make far more than R750k per year and I replace my R140k bikes twice a year to avoid servicing them. It saves me a lot of money. All my mates do the same. Sarcasm switch off.

 

I never said I don't care about what I pay for a service. I care a great deal and I'm a disciple of the "No Free Lunch" dogma. I however believe in a fair wage for everyone that's competent. My maid gets more than the average and she rewards me with loyalty, punctuality and thorough work. I expect the same from whomever I contract. They can expect a fair wage from me.

 

The value of your bike bears no resemblance to the cost of servicing it. An hour spent is an hour spent. In fact, crappy bikes require more time to get things right. A good example would be a kiddie's bike. Trying to fix those brakes cost more than the bike. I'm not kidding.

 

As for the car service analogy. Cars are piss-easy to service. Modern cars require nothing in a routine service other than a change of oil and filters. This is a 30 minute job. Yes, 30 minutes! It also requires very little skill. Replacing pads on a car requires the wheel to be removed, a pin unscrewed, the old pads slipped out and new ones slipped in. It is the same on a bike but the relative cost of a car vs bike doesn't come into play either.

 

I think most people are very unintelligent when it comes to taking their bikes for a service. They fall for the "major" and "minor" service trap. I suggest you get to know your bike and its mechanics and fix what requires fixing. For instance, modern BBs cannot be serviced. So why include that in the list of things that's supposedly serviced in a major sercvice. Ditt for headsets and most wheel bearings.

[Caerus]

No I don't own a bike shop.

 

I should speak of monkeys and peanuts more frequently, I think. I see lots of people paying peanuts and then complaining that their gears come back in a mess. Clearly there is a correlation between the primates and what we feed them.

 

Sarcasm switch on: I make far more than R750k per year and I replace my R140k bikes twice a year to avoid servicing them. It saves me a lot of money. All my mates do the same. Sarcasm switch off.

 

I never said I don't care about what I pay for a service. I care a great deal and I'm a disciple of the "No Free Lunch" dogma. I however believe in a fair wage for everyone that's competent. My maid gets more than the average and she rewards me with loyalty, punctuality and thorough work. I expect the same from whomever I contract. They can expect a fair wage from me.

 

The value of your bike bears no resemblance to the cost of servicing it. An hour spent is an hour spent. In fact, crappy bikes require more time to get things right. A good example would be a kiddie's bike. Trying to fix those brakes cost more than the bike. I'm not kidding.

 

As for the car service analogy. Cars are piss-easy to service. Modern cars require nothing in a routine service other than a change of oil and filters. This is a 30 minute job. Yes, 30 minutes! It also requires very little skill. Replacing pads on a car requires the wheel to be removed, a pin unscrewed, the old pads slipped out and new ones slipped in. It is the same on a bike but the relative cost of a car vs bike doesn't come into play either.

 

I think most people are very unintelligent when it comes to taking their bikes for a service. They fall for the "major" and "minor" service trap. I suggest you get to know your bike and its mechanics and fix what requires fixing. For instance, modern BBs cannot be serviced. So why include that in the list of things that's supposedly serviced in a major sercvice. Ditt for headsets and most wheel bearings.

 

So should a bike be? Its not about a "fair"wage its about the true cost of something - God imagine if everyone got a "fair" wage - Imagine what the economy would be like - Im sorry but I still dont think whats charged is a true refection in the whole scheme of things - We pay that cause we are kinda forced too - What would happen if we all fixed our own bikes, did all our own services etc - As with the cost of bikes & bike parts & sevicening in this country we all get ripped of, yet we carry on paying. It would result in the prices we pay for the sevicing/repairs to come down. It will end up with even more LBS stores shutting down.

 

As everyone seems to say certain things about fixing & servicing of bikes is not rocket science, I also agree. Yet you pay for it. I would say a good mechanic with lots of experience posssibly deserves it, but most of the time he never fixes your bike. May as well pay all appies the same rate as a mechanic with 15- 20years experience cause its fair.

 

Saying someone deserves a fair wage is not justification for you argument of what an hourly rate for a bike mechanic should be. So the garden service guy should get the same as the garden boy and vice versa?

Edited November 10, 2010 by Caerus

[Garfield2010]

Ok lets try and quantify.......

 

If you take your bike in for a "general" service (in other words a nice cleaning job and checking everything is still ok) then how long does it take if say nothing is wrong with your bike? Note that this does not include the wheel allignment etc as you have to pay extra for that.

[Caerus]

Ok lets try and quantify.......

 

If you take your bike in for a "general" service (in other words a nice cleaning job and checking everything is still ok) then how long does it take if say nothing is wrong with your bike? Note that this does not include the wheel allignment etc as you have to pay extra for that.

 

 

Its like the guy that wanted to charge me R50 to clean my bike(and a lot of people happily pay) - half hr job possibly - sometimes less - So that guy is making R600 - R800 a day to just clean bikes. Then look at what you pay your garden boy a day - R100 - 150 for hard laboured work. Where is the sense, its that cause its cycling its almost a right to charge crazy prices for the smallest of tasks and then try justify it.

[Wyatt Earp]

So a bicycle mechanic is earning more or would you say less then R25 000 a month?

I would love to earn that kind of income.

[Caerus]

I would love to earn that kind of income.

 

 

So would I, seems the bike washer earns almost that considering his hourly wage

[Johan Bornman]

So should a bike be? Its not about a "fair"wage its about the true cost of something - God imagine if everyone got a "fair" wage

Yes, just imagine if we stop exploiting workers. Shock horror, things will be fair. We'll have no more of that nice poverty and poor people taking up as little space as possible in shacks. It will be fantastic. Would you like to join the queue in receiving as little as possible. List the things you'd like to give up - start perhaps with expensive schooling, beer, whatever. C'mon, list them, the choice is endless.

 

 

- Imagine what the economy would be like - Im sorry but I still dont think whats charged is a true refection in the whole scheme of things - We pay that cause we are kinda forced too - What would happen if we all fixed our own bikes, did all our own services etc - As with the cost of bikes & bike parts & sevicening in this country we all get ripped of, yet we carry on paying. It would result in the prices we pay for the sevicing/repairs to come down. It will end up with even more LBS stores shutting down.

 

Who is forcing you? Name the bastart that's forcing you and I'll go and moer him for you.

 

I'm sorry, but you're sounding more and more like a victim.

 

So should a bike be? Its not about a "fair"wage its about the true cost of something - God imagine if everyone got a "fair" wage

Yes, just imagine if we stop exploiting workers. Shock horror, things will be fair. We'll have no more of that nice poverty and poor people taking up as little space as possible in shacks. It will be fantastic. Would you like to join the queue in receiving as little as possible. List the things you'd like to give up - start perhaps with expensive schooling, beer, whatever. C'mon, list them, the choice is endless.

 

 

- Imagine what the economy would be like - Im sorry but I still dont think whats charged is a true refection in the whole scheme of things - We pay that cause we are kinda forced too - What would happen if we all fixed our own bikes, did all our own services etc - As with the cost of bikes & bike parts & sevicening in this country we all get ripped of, yet we carry on paying. It would result in the prices we pay for the sevicing/repairs to come down. It will end up with even more LBS stores shutting down.

 

Who is forcing you? Name the bastard that's forcing you and I'll go and moer him for you.

 

You're sounding more and more like a victim. Keep the Lifeline number handy.

 

 

 

As everyone seems to say certain things about fixing & servicing of bikes is not rocket science, I also agree.

 

Another subject that is also not rocket science is basic economics. Look up theprinciples of a free market.

 

 

 

Yet you pay for it.

 

 

Somewhere in literature you'll find an addage about a fool and his money. If it is so terrible, why force yourself to pay for it? Walk away.

 

 

I would say a good mechanic with lots of experience posssibly deserves it, but most of the time he never fixes your bike. May as well pay all appies the same rate as a mechanic with 15- 20years experience cause its fair.

You are right. Every morning at Vida e-cafe I notice a bunch of over-paid mechanics doing nothing but drink R25 cups of coffee, instructing the appies back at work from their Blackberries and sattelite phones.

 

We should cut out this middleman.

 

 

 

Saying someone deserves a fair wage is not justification for you argument of what an hourly rate for a bike mechanic should be. So the garden service guy should get the same as the garden boy and vice versa?

 

You like the world "should", don't you? Tell us what we should pay people in your profession. The rest of us will then decide if that is what we should pay.

 

Further, "garden boy" is nowadays considered a slur. Gardener would be the correct term, in spite of his/her expereince or lack thereof. Unless of course you're now employing young children to bring the cost down and you actually mean "boy".

[Old school]

PM or call me if you want a service at R350!

Have worked for numerous pro's inc. Bart Brentjens. Don't have a retail shop with overheads to pay.

082 475 9540

[Caerus]

Yes, just imagine if we stop exploiting workers. Shock horror, things will be fair. We'll have no more of that nice poverty and poor people taking up as little space as possible in shacks. It will be fantastic. Would you like to join the queue in receiving as little as possible. List the things you'd like to give up - start perhaps with expensive schooling, beer, whatever. C'mon, list them, the choice is endless.

 

 

Who is forcing you? Name the bastart that's forcing you and I'll go and moer him for you. - No one is forcing me at all, what am I or other people to do? We do it ourselves, yes We all know its the way forward.

 

I'm sorry, but you're sounding more and more like a victim. - Im no victim, maybe a consumer that is sick of paying carzy prices for things.

 

Yes, just imagine if we stop exploiting workers. Shock horror, things will be fair. We'll have no more of that nice poverty and poor people taking up as little space as possible in shacks. It will be fantastic. Would you like to join the queue in receiving as little as possible. List the things you'd like to give up - start perhaps with expensive schooling, beer, whatever. C'mon, list them, the choice is endless. - Unfortuantly it wont happen - why must I give up anything Ive worked hard for it - May as pay the road digger the same as civil engineer. So are you not exploiting the "gaderner or domestic help by paying her so little?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another subject that is also not rocket science is basic economics. Look up theprinciples of a free market. - Free market , the rich get richer the poor get poorer, I thought you were all about being fair?

 

 

 

ght. Every morning at Vida e-cafe I notice a bunch of over-paid mechanics doing nothing but drink R25 cups of coffee, instructing the appies back at work from their Blackberries and sattelite phones.

 

We should cut out this middleman. - Blackberries come free on contract means nothing to how much money they have, what middleman are you talking about here? What mechanics are these ?

 

 

 

 

Further, "garden boy" is nowadays considered a slur. Gardener would be the correct term, in spite of his/her expereince or lack thereof. Unless of course you're now employing young children to bring the cost down and you actually mean "boy". - I'll remember that one for future So should the gardener be paid the same as the landscaper, why not he does pretty much the same work

 

This is not a slaying match, I just dont believe the prices charged are correct in terms of what other professions charge for far greater skill and qualifications.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Caerus

[The Saint]

Johan I think the point is more that I (and maybe others) am/are tired of paying premium prices for second rate work !!

 

If I got my bike back from the LBS properly fixed (like my car from the dealership) I would have no qualms paying a premium rate. But alas far to often these days you get your bike back in worse condition than what it was submitted and are still expected to pay top dollar for a **** job.