Evans 'Silver Service'- costly estimate, thoughts.

[thefollen]

So I booked my commuter bike in for a service with Evans. It's a Hybrid that cost £325 a little over 3 years ago. Hoped they'd sort a few bits out and return it with the £60 charge (-- they are offering 20% off on this currently). The brakes were becoming slightly less responsive, was hoping it'd be a new set of pads and some adjustments.

Anyway, the workshop company Evans uses gave me a long list of all the things that 'need' replacing which in total comes to £195. Not certain whether it's worth this. A lot of it relates to the gears which currently (in my opinion) work fine. Asked them if they'll simply fix the brakes and leave the gears, they said no. Upon a little research, a second-hand good-working-order model of my bike goes for around £160.

Option A: Say no to the estimate, ask Evans to fix the brakes in store with a couple of tweaks to the gears without new parts..

Option B: Consider the bike a write-off, sell it for cheap (with a candid explanation of the things needing a fix) and use the £195 towards a new Hybrid.

Option C: Pay for the full fix.

What would you do?

 

[clarion]

Well, I know this isn't helpful at this stage, but I wouldn't ever allow Evans anywhere near my bike to service it. They barely managed to get it out of a box and set up.

If I were you, I'd take my bike to a decent lbs and (without telling them the Evans history), get them to check it over.

 

[wanda2010]

Say no to the estimate, take the bike to a(nother) bike shop for a second opinion.

 

[gary r]

learn to do a few bits of mainenace yourself,and save yourself a few quid.theres plenty of maintenance videos on you tube,just invest some money on a work stand and some tools.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

Doing yourself is good, but I'd rather have the job done well rather than me doing it and bodging it.

 

[PBB]

I would certainly do it myself or get a second estimate.

I think you answered your own question when you said they gave you a list of things that "need" replacing (I read that as they don't need replacing at all)

I recommend that you don't pay the full fix cost - you'll end up regretting it as you'll always be wondering if you were fleeced.

 

[Brandane]

Anyway, the workshop company Evans uses gave me a long list of all the things that 'need' replacing which in total comes to £195.

What "bits" need replacing that's going to cost a total of £195? That sounds outrageous. Even if we are talking chain, cassette, bottom bracket, a few cables and some brake blocks, it should not come to anything near that for a regular hybrid bike. Of course they are probably charging about £60 per hour for labour so they can pay the £7 per hour mechanic, because that's what car garages do.
There's always option D: Tell them to shove their quote where the sun don't shine and take it elsewhere. Better still, buy a book or watch some training stuff on YouTube, and DIY. Bicycle maintenance really is quite easy once you try it.

 

[4F]

#robbingbastards

 

[jefmcg]

Not too far from OP, and highly recommended:

http://www.richmondlcc.co.uk/events/maintenance-workshop/

 

[thefollen]

learn to do a few bits of mainenace yourself,and save yourself a few quid.theres plenty of maintenance videos on you tube,just invest some money on a work stand and some tools.

Would really love to be able to fix it myself, certainly an area for looking into. I don't particularly like dealing with or totally trust garages/mechanics that aren't known to me personally or recommended by a reliable source.

Agree with the above too, for now, I'd want to somewhat guarantee/improve chances of a decent job.

Can afford it ok. Just feel I have 'MUG' clearly stamped on my forehead and like to feel I'm receiving good value, or that I'm spending money in a cost-effective manner.

Plus I'd like to have the road and MTB serviced too.

 

[thefollen]

Not too far from OP, and highly recommended:

http://www.richmondlcc.co.uk/events/maintenance-workshop/

This looks pretty good!

 

[hennbell]

I am not familiar with Evans but I am guessing not the highest rated bike shop around.

If we are dealing with rim brakes or mechanical disks I would fix with it myself, hydraulics I would leave to the pro.
As for the rest of the drive train it is not uncommon for bike shops to recommend replacement of 3 year old stuff especially if you ride year round in wet conditions. But it is much cheaper and very easy to do the work yourself.

And don't ask them to fix the brakes and leave the gears alone tell them to do it, and let them know ahead of time you are not going to pay for any unauthorized work.

 

[thefollen]

What "bits" need replacing that's going to cost a total of £195? That sounds outrageous. Even if we are talking chain, cassette, bottom bracket, a few cables and some brake blocks, it should not come to anything near that for a regular hybrid bike. Of course they are probably charging about £60 per hour for labour so they can pay the £7 per hour mechanic, because that's what car garages do.
There's always option D: Tell them to shove their quote where the sun don't shine and take it elsewhere. Better still, buy a book or watch some training stuff on YouTube, and DIY. Bicycle maintenance really is quite easy once you try it.

Yep, that's about the size of it. Good shout, I'll try one of the nearby independent stores for a second opinion.

 

[thefollen]

I am not familiar with Evans but I am guessing not the highest rated bike shop around.

If we are dealing with rim brakes or mechanical disks I would fix with it myself, hydraulics I would leave to the pro.
As for the rest of the drive train it is not uncommon for bike shops to recommend replacement of 3 year old stuff especially if you ride year round in wet conditions. But it is much cheaper and very easy to do the work yourself.

And don't ask them to fix the brakes and leave the gears alone tell them to do it, and let them know ahead of time you are not going to pay for any unauthorized work.

Nothing too complex in there, this is the bike:

http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/giant/crs-3-2010

 

[Peteaud]

As with others say no and take it to another lbs.

Then learn to fix the little things a step at a time.