Buying my own components and asking LBS to install them for me

[fossyant]

You probably need to go in with chainset etc removed so it's a quick job. No-one works for free, and neither do you, so if you've not got the skills or tools, then someone needs paying. Bike shops don't make much money - I certainly couldn't live off the wages they pay themselves.

 

[Lookrider]

Another option
We have bike service shop that allow the use of there tools and will give you a little advice how to do it whilst your there
Its upto you to decide if your time at the service shop or the LBS time is the more valuable

 

[vickster]

There are (or used to be) bike charities around that have a workshop and allow people to use the facilities for a fee and also have a mechanic on hand to supervise if needed.
See if there‘s one near you (assuming it’s not been killed off by Covid).

cross posted with @Lookrider above

 

[PaulSB]

I had a bit more thought about this. I have been using the same LBS for +/-20 years. I buy everything I can there even if I know I can get it cheaper elsewhere. Three weeks ago I had a new BB fitted, I don't know the type or brand. Total cost £30 fitted as part of a much larger overall service

When I spend money there i am buying 20 years of advice, help and pleasure and investing in the future of MY cycling.

I have a little challenge for you. Consider everything you have to do including two visits to the LBS, fuel, your time, parts etc. Cost it out. £30????

The fact you're asking total strangers to validate your choice suggests you don't feel great about it.

 

[fossyant]

Plenty of bike maintenance charities about, but turning up with a fancy bike and a BB30 is probably taking the wee wee if you think a LBS isn't 'trustworthy'. Charities are for the folk who need to get mobile and can't afford a bike shop.

How much does your local car garage charge. I do a lot of spannering myself, but if it's going to be a heavy job, or I just don't fancy lying on my back in winter, then I'm happy to send it to them. Yes they put a small mark up on parts, and seem to charge about £40 an hour plus VAT. They've had about £500 of work off me recently - I'm not lying on my back in the freezing cold to change a couple of suspension parts !.

I have, however, changed two sensors and an ignition coil pack very recently after running the diagnosis with my ODBII reader. They didn't need big heavy tools. Also changed front discs and pads on another car.

I'm happy to do all the spannering on my bike, but I've bought the tools, including blind bearing pullers and bearing press.

 

[Cycleops]

Rather like buying or making a sandwich isn't it?
You can buy everything yourself and put it together or go into M&S or café and buy it ready made, but you'll pay more.
If you begrudge paying a retailer for his time and effort as well as making a small profit do it yourself.
I wonder if you'd take all those sandwich ingredients into a cafe and ask them to make it for you?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Rather like buying or making a sandwich isn't it?
You can buy everything yourself and put it together or go into M&S or café and buy it ready made, but you'll pay more.
If you begrudge paying a retailer for his time and effort as well as making a small profit do it yourself.
I wonder if you'd take all those sandwich ingredients into a cafe and ask them to make it for you?

But he doesn't want to have to buy a bread knife.

 

[Twilkes]

Plenty of bike maintenance charities about, but turning up with a fancy bike and a BB30 is probably taking the wee wee if you think a LBS isn't 'trustworthy'. Charities are for the folk who need to get mobile and can't afford a bike shop.

There's a great one in Glasgow, and they would be more than happy for anyone to turn up to work on their own bike regardless of what it is, I think you can also book a bike in for them to work on too. I had borrowed a friend's old Tifosi to get there and they even knew that it was one of the first Campagnolo 10 speeds so they know and appreciate this stuff. The impression I get is a lot of the half-decent donations of old bikes and parts they receive come from people who also own decent bikes, which helps them bring the snotter bikes up to speed to sell to the people who need them (or to sell to middle-class folk looking for a bargain, their throughput seems large enough that they really don't mind who uses their service, it's more about keeping bikes on the road and getting people riding them).

 

[winjim]

Ha. My LBS's goal isn't to maximise profit, they're a veritable hotbed of socialist activism. They'll fit parts you bought online and probably forget to charge you for it because they're too busy making you a cup of tea while you're getting distracted by their massive shaggy dog.

So I would at least try not to take the piss.

 

[a.twiddler]

On the other hand, imagine if you start what you think is going to be a simple job such as changing a bottom bracket, of which I have done a few. Then you run into unexpected problems, and find that it is going to take a lot more expertise, time and tools than you have got, as I did recently. I'd already bought a new bottom bracket. I normally fix everything myself, and was resistant to the idea of going to a bike shop.
I took it to a couple of bike shops, the first thought it was beyond them, the second obligingly took it on and fixed it very quickly.

So, saving money is one thing, and you definitely learn by doing, but sometimes you have to consider letting someone with more facilities and expertise do the work. The hard part is, knowing where to draw the line, when to let go. My local independent car garage will fit parts or even tyres that I've bought off the internet, I don't see the harm in asking your bike shop to do the same. It's all income for them after all, at worst they can only say no.

 

[rivers]

Hello all

I have a problem with not trusting my LBS or shop people in general. I see the transactions they and I might have in a game-theoretic way. That is, our goals are opposite: theirs is to maximise profit and mine, to minimise cost. Yet we sometimes need to cooperate to achieve our separate, incompatible goals and come out with a result we can both live with.

Sorry for rambling.

To get to the point, I will have to change the pressfit BB on my bike at some point. The LBS will want to charge me the full price for a new BB plus margin which I can find for less online. Then they will want to charge for things like removing the chain and crankset which I can do. I don't want to buy BB remover and BB press, therefore I need their service. But I don't want to pay for these extra stuff which I can do myself. In fact, if I can borrow the tools for a fee I'd do that.

I just think I'll feel awkward bringing the bike in with the crankset removed and a new BB in my hand, telling them: "Here's a new BB, all I want is you to remove the old BB and put this new one in and charge me EXACTLY for that."

Yes, I am neurotic. But does anyone do this? Would it be rude to?

Where are you located? If near-ish to Bristol, I have a press fit BB tool. Happy to lend it to you or whack it out and replace.

 

[Cycleops]

Where are you located? If near-ish to Bristol, I have a press fit BB tool. Happy to lend it to you or whack it out and replace.

I suspect he might be in Yorkshire

 

[Ming the Merciless]

“I once had a BB I moulded out clay I’d dredged from a river bed“
”Aye, you were lucky…”

 

[Twilkes]

“I once had a BB I moulded out clay I’d dredged from a river bed“

The number of times I've heard someone say that a bottom bracket is 'made of cheese' - no idea who started that but it seems to have resonated with a lot of cyclists over the years! Similar to the 'filmed on a potato' trope.

 

[Gunk]

Where are you located? If near-ish to Bristol, I have a press fit BB tool. Happy to lend it to you or whack it out and replace.

just make your own, not difficult