bike damaged during service

[uphillstruggler]

without trying to be condescending, you may be better looking for a good Local bike shop to get work done.

it may stand you in good stead for any future purchases too.

don't forget that all those tools and experience cost the LBS time and money to acquire so their charges may seem expensive at the time, but at least they are likely not to damage your bike.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I would rather the experts service it

That'll never be Halfords then

 

[Roadrider48]

It is a matter of practical aptitude I suppose. The local Halfords to me where I bought my bike where ok and I can't really say bad things against them. But saying that, I did collect it and build it myself. So can't really comment on the service side of my local store. I have observed though, through various visits for different bits and pieces that the staff are not that interested in talking very well to customers. I have, in the last few months started using Evans. I find the local one to me to be great. Albeit more expensive! I agree with Globalti about YouTube, it's been a godsend to me on a few occasions. For the more complicated jobs like gear indexing etc.

 

[Born2die]

The local boys are ok at the mechanical side but the nearest decent lbs is 8 miles away and if I have to leave the bike it's a very expensive bus home then back again. The other lbs is 10 miles away and not on a bus route so I'm kind of snookered

 

[Globalti]

It's an interesting subject. I am lucky in that I seem to have mechanical and spacial aptitude and have developed a good personal philosophy regarding the repair of bikes, Land Rovers, houses and their systems. Personal philosophy is all about how you approach the job and the strategies you employ to resolve what Robert M Pirsig calls "stuckness" in his excellent book on the subject, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Stuckness happens when a seemingly simple job is thwarted because you can't undo a simple but vital fixing like a bolt that holds an assembly together. An amateur mechanic (as in Halfords) might then pick up a hammer and beat it whereas an experienced considerate mechanic will go away, make a brew, cool down and work out why the bolt won't move then work out a plan. This might involve borrowing an impact screwdriver or even buying a replacement bolt then sacrificing the stuck one by carefully drilling it out or something. Pirsig also talks about a mechanic's feel for the elasticity of materials, which allows the experienced mechanic to tighten a fitting just so that it holds but doesn't begin to cause damage, or to select a tool of the appropriate material, which is softer than the precision part he wants to work on, so as not to damage the part.

Lecture over, carry on......