Bike Service or DIY

[Banjo]

I inteneded to do all my own servicing on the bikes but have noticed that if i dont get it serviced annually by the LBS (or any Scott Center)Scott reduces its frame warranty from 5 to 3 years. 5 years worth of shop servicing would cost about half a brand new bike so I think I may have answered my own question.

I have done most of the jobs before anyway on other bikes and what i dont know I am sure someone on here will be able to advise.

 

[Globalti]

Are you likely to keep the bike for as long as five years? If you're relatively new to cycling you will probably be changing your bike in a couple of years as your tastes evolve and you become more experienced and discriminating.

 

[accountantpete]

It's one of those clauses designed to help the LBS not look after the frame.

The only things you have to look out for are crappy seals which let water in and play developing due to wear - both of which should be done on a more regular basis than a year.

 

[Davidc]

I've twice had frame guarantees. They were on steel frames so the manufacturers (Holdsworth and Peugeot) were presumably concerned with rust, and they had to be inspected once a year, with a charge. I kept both bikes for much longer than the guarantee and got no benefit from paying out for inspections, in fact I've never heard of steel frames failing before 3 years from manufacturing or materials defects.

Don't know what your frame is made from, but for any material other than steel, and particularly for carbon I'd certainly consider it well worth keeping to the guarantee conditions.

 

[gavintc]

Bizzarely, it is actually cheaper to use the LBS than to do the work myself. I do not know how my LBS gets his parts so cheaply, but he manages to service my bike and fit new components cheaper than I get them online. My latest service included new gear cables, new brake blocks, new chain, new cassette - all done for 80 Euro. A full service on my wife's bike including new brake blocks 20 Euro.

Most things over here are more expensive than in UK, but cycling seems to be the exception!!

 

[Davidc]

Bizzarely, it is actually cheaper to use the LBS than to do the work myself. I do not know how my LBS gets his parts so cheaply, but he manages to service my bike and fit new components cheaper than I get them online. My latest service included new gear cables, new brake blocks, new chain, new cassette - all done for 80 Euro. A full service on my wife's bike including new brake blocks 20 Euro.

Most things over here are more expensive than in UK, but cycling seems to be the exception!!

A full service on my Dawes is £25 inc VAT but excluding parts. So I do it myself. The LBS were doing a lifetime 4 services a year included offer on my Ridgeback when it was bought, so guess who services that one!

When I asked the man who was dong one of the services about how they afford the offer (still going on bikes over £200) I was told that most of the bikes hardly ever reappear after a year, which surprised me a lot.

 

[swee'pea99]

Really can't see much difference between a 3 and a 5 year warranty. If it hasn't gone within 3, it's highly unlikely to go within the next couple of years. It either left the factory with a fault, in which case it will probably crack within 6 months, or it didn't, in which case it should be good for 20 years minimum.

 

[fossyant]

Depends upon how practical and competent you are. If you are good at this sort of thing then by all means do it yourself, it's the best way to learn, and build up your toolbox as you do jobs. As Pete above says, there are parts which need looking after on a regular basis anyway.

The reducing warranty is a bit of a cheek - a bike serviced just once a year by the LBS is not going to be as well looked after as one that is maintained on a regular basis by the owner.....

 

[Rob3rt]

5 year warranty? Thats it? They dont have much confidence do they.

Ive not read the fine print in detail but my aluminium frame has a lifetime guarentee, there are some clauses but I dont recall seeing anything dependant on service as a "recognised dealer".

 

[Globalti]

Gavintc thought his new Italian gear cables were suspiciously cheap:

 

[Amanda P]

When I asked the man who was dong one of the services about how they afford the offer (still going on bikes over £200) I was told that most of the bikes hardly ever reappear after a year, which surprised me a lot.

I wonder whether in fact, most of the bikes are rarely used? So if they ever do turn up for the services, they won't need much work.

Especially this time of year, one sees an awful lot of very shiny bikes... [/cynical]

 

[Davidc]

^^ Just like you my thought was that a lot of them are bought, get used half a dozen times, spend the next ten years in the garage/ shed idle, then if they're lucky appear on ebay ...

Unlike mine and probably yours which have all been used until they've fallen apart, crashed or got nicked. None of mine have even made it to the second hand market.

 

[lukesdad]

Banjo save on the servicing,and put it to that lovely new set of wheels I just know you re hankering after!

 

[xpc316e]

A lot of people compare only the cost of home servicing against that of using their LBS, but I'd say that you have to factor in the satisfaction of doing it yourself. I find it quite therapeutic to work on my bikes and achieve a decent result. For a man, any time spent in a shed/garage is not time wasted.

The other very important factor is that I can do the job when it needs doing - 11 o'clock at night if need be, and ride to work next day, rather than wait until a LBS can fit me into their workshop schedule.