Do you feel confident fixing a mate's bike?

[Brandane]

I will tackle any job on my own bike; but not keen to work on anyone else's bike in case something goes wrong sometime down the line. My own knowledge of bike maintenance has been self taught and sometimes comes at a price following a disaster!
My mate wants me to "help" (i.e. do everything!) to replace the chain and cassette on his carbon framed bike. I'm not keen, in case I mess up joining the chain (he doesn't have a quick-link which is what I would use on mine). Plus it's going to be a mucky job as his bike gets zero maintenance; and I'm not even sure if the new chain will run ok on the existing rings.... So all in all it's something I would rather not get involved in. How do I break the news? He's bought the parts on-line so I doubt if any LBS will entertain him, unless the cost of labour compensates.

 

[screenman]

To answer the op, yes.

 

[Brandane]

Could you offer to help and advise him?

Have done that before; that is how I know that I will end up doing it all! I didn't mention that he has absolutely zero mechanical aptitude - I wouldn't trust him to change a brake block himself.

 

[derrick]

Yes no problem, i look after a lot of bikes for mates, some of them even pay me, But i was a motor mechanic all my working life, switching to bikes came easy.

 

[roadrash]

yeah, and do so regularly.

 

[Randomnerd]

Tell him to get his tight arse to the LBS and get the pros roped in.
If you’re not confident, give it a healthy swerve.

 

[Cycleops]

As long as you’ve got a chain breaker you should be OK. Very straightforward. You can buy a quick link by itself from Decathlon/Halfords. Make it clear on his own head be it!

 

[winjim]

A couple of my mates own a bike shop so if anybody comes to me with bike issues they get the work sent their way.

They will fit parts bought online, but they will also price match the online bike shops so there's no excuse really.

 

[adamhearn]

I'd help anyone do anything but I'd sooner be helping rather than leading. The reason - I don't know it all but what I do know, I don't mind sharing mainly so that the other party can do it themselves next time. Friends from past life have gotten me to angle grind [a mm of material on a slightly offset brake caliper mount] in front of them and others have not even been keen for me to pump their squishy tyres up. Everyone's different

As there's a number of reasons presented why you don't want to/think you should help I think you'll have to find a way to tell him how you feel about the arrangement. I guess he doesn't have a cassette tool, chain whip or a breaker for the chain? Maybe he doesn't want to borrow tools and do it himself as he's concerned about breaking them/doing it wrong/both?

Myself, I'd be involved but change the expectation. I would first ask him if he's prepared the bike for the work (i.e. fully cleaned/degreased the chainset as appropriate and washed the bike over). Then perhaps take the stance of teach rather than do - offer him the tool and show him how to use it.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I'm always a bit scared of working on friend's bikes, though I have done it a few times. Like you I often learn by making mistakes, which is fine on your own bikes, less so on other peoples... and their bikes always seem fancier and more expensive than my clunkers and I'm very scared of breaking carbon stuff, having very little experience with it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What @User said. Sit in an easy chair with beer and advise him whilst he does the work.

 

[Drago]

Yes, but my cycling chums are equally able to do their own repairs and maintenance.

 

[confusedcyclist]

I would help out, but would draw the line at washing his bike before work commences. He needs to show some willing to help out. A good start would be with some soapy water and degreaser on his part.

 

[Milkfloat]

I feel very confident in fixing a mates bike, but not altogether comfortable. So far I have not killed anyone, although I have stripped a thread, but I still maintain is was fecked before I touched it.

 

[mjr]

I'm always a bit scared of working on friend's bikes, though I have done it a few times. Like you I often learn by making mistakes, which is fine on your own bikes, less so on other peoples... and their bikes always seem fancier and more expensive than my clunkers and I'm very scared of breaking carbon stuff, having very little experience with it.

I've done a few get-you-home fixes on group rides when no more experienced fixer was there and a few small jobs for close friends, plus one job for a new friend who lived in the back of beyond and wanted some wiring doing that the less posh local shops refuse to do. All fine so far, but like @ChrisEyles, most people have bikes that are too expensive for me to be comfortable working on (mostly newer and fiddlier parts than I use myself) and, to be blunt, if they can afford that bike, they can afford to take it to a shop or get lessons from someone qualified!