roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
this is the best ,simple easy to follow video regarding indexing your gears
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ
Bad service or is it just me?
- Thread starter gazza81
- Start date
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this is the best ,simple easy to follow video regarding indexing your gears
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ
OP
OP
gazza81
Über Member
- Location
- Edenbridge
Thanks
I have another thread, trouble with rear gears and have posted a vid of the problem im having.
I do do it pretty much the same as that film above though
I have another thread, trouble with rear gears and have posted a vid of the problem im having.
I do do it pretty much the same as that film above though
RoubaixCube
~Tribanese~
- Location
- London, UK
Well, i always had problems with booking in my bike for in for any sort of work when it came to the store in holborn. I worked locally and i was super friendly with the manager of the store back then and even his hands were tied because apparently they only had a bike mechanic come in 2-3 times a week to fix things. 
I tried multiple times to have my bike checked in with them - normally for a wild bout of gear indexing but either they were fully booked and i would need to leave it with them for the entire week or there wasnt an bike tech in at all.
Cycle Surgery was just further on down the road from Evans and they always had slots for gear indexing or a mini service. Id get my bike back the same day too so turn around was always great. Drop it with them in the morning before work then pick it up late afternoon or before they close.
I wonder if they have some of these techs on zero hour contracts that just float around between stores and fix whatever's in the queue
I tried multiple times to have my bike checked in with them - normally for a wild bout of gear indexing but either they were fully booked and i would need to leave it with them for the entire week or there wasnt an bike tech in at all.
Cycle Surgery was just further on down the road from Evans and they always had slots for gear indexing or a mini service. Id get my bike back the same day too so turn around was always great. Drop it with them in the morning before work then pick it up late afternoon or before they close.
I wonder if they have some of these techs on zero hour contracts that just float around between stores and fix whatever's in the queue
Kryton521
Über Member
And right there is where it all starts to go wrong! Evans Cycles I would use only if Halfords weren't in existence!
And since I support my LBS they don't see a lot of me either........ Wiggle on the other hand, rather too much!
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Halfords is great unless you get; 'Kevin isn't in today he's off sick and he's our cycle expert '.
keithmac
Guru
That's me...my time is more valuable than the cost of taking the bike to the local LBS (there are a few around here, so no need to go to Evans or Halfords generally).
I've no interest in learning and no need to save that amount of dosh. So paying an LBS £40-50 for an hour to do a job that would probably take me 3 and would piss me off as well even if I could do it, makes no fiscal or wellbeing-related sense to me!
That said, a friend and I do plan to try to do rim tape and transfer a cassette and tubes/tyres onto my new wheels...wish us luck
I would say theres 3 points why I do most of my own tooling, taking money out of the equation.
1. No waiting around or driving too and from service centre/ LBS.
2. You learn how it works, how to take it to bits and most valuable how to mend it "in the field". Could get you home some day?.
3. You know it's been done right, nobody's rushed to get it out of the door..
Same when I work on the house, spent an age cutting tiles for the Kitchen etc so it was bang on perfect, I couldn't expect someone paid to do the job to spend that long on it.
We are lucky at work, no job is rushed, we are not under pressure to out a service in a 2hr time slot we just make sure it has all been done properly to a high standard.
I can imagine constantly been under pressure to turn jobs out people would start cutting corners or making mistakes, which only annoys the customer.
vickster
Legendary Member
If that suits you, cool, I choose to use my very good LBS as they have interest in doing it and know what they are doing. Neither applies to me.
I have ETA cover to get me home in the unlikely event I'm not able to get home on public transport
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I don't use a good LBS, because my the time I'd carted the bike there and back I could have done the job 3 times over myself, and still had time to watch the latest Carol Vordeman advert for equity release. Luckily, I'm very good mates with myself, and I always do the job for free.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Like dragging bikes to the LBS? As aforementioned, that takes much longer than just simply fixing them. If you truly value you're time then you've fallen at the first hurdle with that one.
If you don't know how to fix your bike, or if you're brilliant with the spanners but simply can't be arrissed, then just say so. There's no need to invent a lame excuse that doesn't bear any scrutiny.
vickster
Legendary Member
It takes 10 minutes to get there.
I said above I have no interest or skill.
I'm happy to support an excellent local service provider and employer which has been in business for 150 years. It's my money.
That said, I don't have to justify my decisions to anyone
burntoutbanger
Veteran
- Location
- Devon
I'm in the enviable position of having two very good local bike shops within a ten minute walk to me. While I trust them both to do the work, I'm still trying to learn and do more myself. For me the two main issues behind that are cost and time, while I believe they both charge a fair rate it would still be cheaper to do it myself and while they are both within a ten minute walk if it's a bigger job I may have to book in, which could be a week ahead. Being impatient I hate to be unable to ride a bike for that long.*
*even though I do currently have six.
edited for spelling and grammar
*even though I do currently have six.
edited for spelling and grammar
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Same here. I prefer to spend my scarce free time out riding. I do bits and bobs, grease bearings, change cables and chains and so forth sometimes but I find it a chore. Modern headsets and BBs I don't understand and never touch.Good for you
I prefer to spend my non working time doing stuff I enjoy
My son and I buy and sell a lot of bikes and do almost all of our own maintenance, I’ve got a well equipped workshop so can tackle most jobs, the only job I currently use the local bike shop for is bleeding hydraulic brakes although I’m thinking of buying the kit to this ourselves as well.
The fact that the Evans service plan includes “wiping down the forks and frame” says it all really, aimed at millennials with zero mechanical competence. Surely there must be a YouTube video out there showing how to wipe a bike down with some floor wipes! 🙄
The fact that the Evans service plan includes “wiping down the forks and frame” says it all really, aimed at millennials with zero mechanical competence. Surely there must be a YouTube video out there showing how to wipe a bike down with some floor wipes! 🙄
keithmac
Guru
Last time I had my Shimano calipers in bits I blead them with a bit of tube (on the nipple) and an empty drinks bottle.
Once there was fluid in the lines and caliper I just "burped" the air out of the master cylinder (just pump the lever slowly and the air rises to the top).
Exactly the same as bleading motorcycle brakes.
