Brand new bike. Do I need to take it to the LBS?

[I like Skol]

There's a moral in this thread somewhere! Maybe if you are not competant/confident in your bike maintenance skills you should give your bike buying business to a good LBS in the first place? If I owned a bike shop I think I would be hesitant to fix up other peoples internet bought bikes that were undercutting me and possibly putting me out of business by ommitting to provide any customer care.

The point about the torque wrench is a good one. I consider myself to be a decent DIY mechanic. I am way past the point of snapping or stripping the thread off every other bolt I tighten and for a long time considered I had a good 'feel' for how tight a bolt should be. A few years ago I was running light commercial vehicles as an owner driver and decided I had a responsibility to make sure the wheel bolts were tightened correctly as the good'n'tight method I had successfully relied upon all these years might not be sufficient. I was shocked by how LITTLE effort it needed to reach the correct torque and appalled that I had probably been applying 2-3 times the required torque to the wheel bolts and probably most other fastenings I tightened. I have now recalibrated my internal torque meter and still never suffer from loose nuts

 

[Funtboy]

I did notice multiple references to torque wrenches but have decided to ignore them. As I say, all the clever stuff was kind of done. For the record I will be taking it to an LBS in a few weeks time for a service (that is if I don't accidentally pick a sniffy LBS owner from Skol-world who'll refuse business in the middle of a recession) as my front mech rubs in highest gears and I can't arsed to fathom it. Also the back brake cable needs playing with; the lever still has more play than I expect yet still rubs a tiny bit.

 

[PpPete]

Those are likely very minor bits of adjustment that you really should learn to do for yourself..... especially if you are prepared to ignore warnings about getting a competent person to do the assembly.

 

[I like Skol]

....... (that is if I don't accidentally pick a sniffy LBS owner from Skol-world who'll refuse business in the middle of a recession) ........

I am not referring to sniffy business owners, but more to sniffy customers who might take the hump if charged a realistic fee for setting up a bike not sold by the shop. This is not miserable shop owners but business reality and there is no profit (and no future) in doing jobs for less than true worth. Remember, the work cannot be discounted due to any profit made on selling the bike in the first place and if you are going to pay an LBS a realistic charge to set up the bike then you may well have been just as well buying the bike from them in the first place.

 

[lpretro1]

+1 to Skol! By the way I might add that those of us running bike businesses are NOT in a recession - we are extremely busy right now and have been most of the year!!!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Buying at a discount over the internet and expecting a "bricks & mortar" shop to be grateful for the opportunity to sort it out demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of business basics; not to mention a lack of common courtesy.

Why do you think cheapo.com sells the same bike for less than the shop on the High Street? It's the same reason private hospitals make a profit and the NHS doesn't: because they only deal with the straightforward work.

Will Wiggle true your wheel for the price of a pint and give you a "stiff" (wink, wink) coffee when you turn up ten minutes before closing time on a Friday soaked to the skin?

Are Chain Reaction going to lend you six seat posts when you're building up a frame to see what fits?

Give you a cleat bolt because you forgot to do one up? Let you road test eight different saddles over two months? Bung you a couple of tubes when you're skint? Spend half an hour discussing chain lines over a round of cheese on toast and a cuppa?

What goes around(.com), comes around(.com)...

 

[Funtboy]

I am not referring to sniffy business owners, but more to sniffy customers who might take the hump if charged a realistic fee for setting up a bike not sold by the shop.

You said in your previous post, " If I owned a bike shop I think I would be hesitant to fix up other peoples internet bought bikes..."

I'm a little confused but it doesn't serve us to get bogged down in semantics.

For the record, the difference in price between the what I paid and the next best internet price was significantly more than the cost of a tune-up, never mind the price in an LBS. Sorry but I am not in a position to ignore that and the news that bike businesses are in rude health is good news all round. Any last feelings of guilt I have will be washed away as I pay thirty quid for a job that would probably take the posters on this thread about 5 minutes to do. That is the cost of my ignorance but for a first service, I'd like a pro to do it so I get an initial base-line of performance to measure off. Thereafter I will educate myself further. I do have a basic knowledge and the internet but not so much time.

Also, apart from a bit of front mech rubbing on the two highest gears and a slightly weak back brake, the bike is riding like a dream. I salute Cannondale for the quality of their partial assembly.

I also appreciate the help I've had on this board and on this thread. Thank you one and all...

 

[Funtboy]

Buying at a discount over the internet and expecting a "bricks & mortar" shop to be grateful for the opportunity to sort it out demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of business basics; not to mention a lack of common courtesy.

Why do you think cheapo.com sells the same bike for less than the shop on the High Street? It's the same reason private hospitals make a profit and the NHS doesn't: because they only deal with the straightforward work.

Will Wiggle true your wheel for the price of a pint and give you a "stiff" (wink, wink) coffee when you turn up ten minutes before closing time on a Friday soaked to the skin?

Are Chain Reaction going to lend you six seat posts when you're building up a frame to see what fits?

Give you a cleat bolt because you forgot to do one up? Let you road test eight different saddles over two months? Bung you a couple of tubes when you're skint? Spend half an hour discussing chain lines over a round of cheese on toast and a cuppa?

What goes around(.com), comes around(.com)...

Wow, when did I say i was expecting gratitude? I didn't realise buying a bike on the internet was such a taboo area. I don't come from the world of bikes and some of the sentences preceding the words 'toast and a cuppa' have absolutely flown over my head. You need to step back see what the average punter is looking for. I'm afraid it's not paying 20% more for the privilege of buying in an LBS when they are already, despite your analogy, doing very well thank you very much (as stated by an actual business-owner on this thread).

I hope I don't sound cold but only people who take these principles into every aspect of their consumer life are in a position to criticise. I suspect most people on this board shop in supermarkets and order stuff from amazon, ebay and in general will always seek to find a decent deal. I am no different.

 

[Albert]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying a bike online. A good LBS will do servicing no matter where you buy the bike. If they don't want your business, go elsewhere to one who does.

 

[mickle]

I would give each and every nut and bolt a little check and then I would probably be a happy bunny.....
...the warnings are just their bit of side stepping any liability,,,don't worry too much

nice bike though

 

[byegad]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying a bike online. A good LBS will do servicing no matter where you buy the bike. If they don't want your business, go elsewhere to one who does.

Exactly. However expect to pay. Solving a problem induced by ham fisted owners is part and parcel of many small LBS business model.

A local LBS owner I know had a constant stream of puncture repairs, rusted chains and bodged 'repairs' to sort out. He did say people who brought in a punctured tyre baulked at paying £8.00* for a repair, usually until they decided to do it themselves and couldn't.

*He always replaced the tube, having no truck with repairing them after one too many tube came in with an obviously professionally done patch and another bodged one with the owner claiming the owner had done the poor one which was leaking.

 

[Funtboy]

*He always replaced the tube, having no truck with repairing them after one too many tube came in with an obviously professionally done patch and another bodged one with the owner claiming the owner had done the poor one which was leaking.

I had to read that about three times but I think I got it.

Anyhoo, I think it's always the prerogative of the owner to cack-handedly bash away at their bike then give up and go to an LBS. I've done it! The LBS staff I've had contact with have been nothing but courteous and helpful for the most part and have all been happy to take my business.

 

[byegad]

I had to read that about three times but I think I got it.

Anyhoo, I think it's always the prerogative of the owner to cack-handedly bash away at their bike then give up and go to an LBS. I've done it! The LBS staff I've had contact with have been nothing but courteous and helpful for the most part and have all been happy to take my business.

At least to your face!

 

[wisdom]

What would be the best torque wrench to buy as most of the fixings on my bikes are allen bolts?