Fixing friends' bikes - favour or fee?

[Dave 123]

A mate of mine is a bike mechanic, I'm a mechanic muppet. He gets paid in cake, and I took him out for a curry the other week. He has borrowed tons of kayaking stuff from me in the past, so it evens up.

I've been taken out for a curry once for a garden design. I've designed plenty in my time for free, but just the one curry.

 

[Tin Pot]

If you're good at something, never do it for free.

 

[bpsmith]

I have stripped down many an iMac or MacBook, for mates and work colleagues. Never charge, as makes me feel awkward and I kind of enjoy it. Beautiful engineering inside. Only been paid, in Peroni of course, twice. That was by the same person too.

Anyway, bike stuff is the same. It's a favour usually as that takes the pressure of comebacks when you're making the best out of a bad situation and people don't want to pay out for new components.

Ironically, most of my bike help for work colleagues has simply involved cleaning the parts, lubing and slightly adjusting. They're amazed, despite me telling them to keep their bikes clean if they want them to run nice.

 

[Milkfloat]

I am happy to help out friends/family in my areas of knowledge - Technology, Maps and bike repair. I never accept any payment, but usually the favours get returned. As mentioned above - I tend to fit the effort around my freetime.

 

[cd365]

I tend to do stuff in a favours for favours way, the first time they take the Mick is the last time I help.

 

[subaqua]

friends of my son, get adjustments and tweaks for "free" . usually end up with cake or biscuits a few days later.

guy over the road got advised that the bike his daughter was on was built wrongly ( Tesco reverse fork special) so I sorted that out FOC and found a nice bottle of Rioja on the doorstep with a Thank you post it .

but work colleaugues. No learnt my lesson there when I was asked to help a guy get home after his RD got mangled . I took it off and made a singlespeed with my chain tool but Halfords , yes fecking Halfords , told him I was a cowboy for doing that and he believed them , then told site .

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm the one who does the paying in beer and odd jobs. Not the one who can't decide what to charge, so i can't comment.

You are exactly the right person to comment.

 

[Yazzoo]

I pay in beer usually, will pop in the local where I know he likes to drink and stick a few quid behind the bar for him - other than cycling we have little in common personally or professionally so there's not really a favour I can return like for like!

edited to add i always pay cost price for parts, and if he can tell me what I need to order i will source and supply myself so he doesn't have to. I've offered money for work but he always declines, think he appreciates the beers though!

 

[cd365]

but work colleaugues. No learnt my lesson there when I was asked to help a guy get home after his RD got mangled . I took it off and made a singlespeed with my chain tool but Halfords , yes fecking Halfords , told him I was a cowboy for doing that and he believed them , then told site .

Did they tell him what you should have done to get him home? Eejits

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Take care all you helpers out there. Confucius say "a good deed never goes unpunished".

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

Not specifically with bikes, although friends and work colleagues seek my advice on what to buy. I have the same problem with Computers and IT where friends and family want free work or advice. I tend not to want to look at another computer when I get home, but if I do end up doing something if there going to throw a few hundred pounds my way I always take it.....

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I have done repairs for friends, friends of friends and even our postman. I never charge except for parts (and sometimes not for them as I like to recycle and get given bits and pieces from time to time. I always ask people to make a donation to the RNLI of whatever amount they wish to give (if they're not solvent I say to pay it when they can afford to) Some people say they will make a donation and I hope they do, others insist on giving me their donation. Last year I gave over £200 to the RNLI as money others had given me and would hope they received about the same again from those who said they would make their donation.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Cant think of anything better than fixing a mates bike..
i used to service most of my mate motorbikes....money? Nah, but they must Supply the parts

 

[bpsmith]

I guess it all comes down to who it is and how they approach asking you.

The guy who bought me Peroni, twice, is really tidy and only asked me for advice without expecting me to do the job. He gave me no time constraints whatsoever, and absolutely insisted on giving me cash or beer. It's those people, ironically, that you are happier to help for nothing.

As far as bikes go, I tend to stick to the guys that I cycle with and more would be mortified if they tried to pay me.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Well, I knew I was onto a winner when I told a female friend (after replacing a spoke or two) that I`d have to check how stiff her nipples were.....