Having my bike services - worth it?

[cheekydollar]

Hi,

I have just started cycling to work on a bike that has been in storage for a number of years. It's a trek 7000 hybrid.

The bike def needs a service and I took it along to my local bike shop and gave me an estimate as follows

Service: 45
cassette: 25
chain: 25
brake pads: 15
bearings front: 10

Total = £120

Does this sound reasonable to you all?

On another point I wonder if i should bother with a service at all, because under the cycle to work scheme as i understand it I could get a 400 quid bike for £200?

Although I dont really understand what happens on the cycle to work scheme, because i read that you pay 12 monthly instalments, and after this time your employer can offer you to buy it off them at market value. A bit confusing!

Anyway, sorry for the rambler and any advice would be great!

cheers

Joe

 

[HLaB]

What you've listed doesn't seem to be too complicated stuff; I'd do it my self and save around £100.

If you want to get a new bike through C2W I'd suggest doing the work still but doing it yourself, its good practice for a new bike.

 

[2Loose]

What you've listed doesn't seem to be too complicated stuff; I'd do it my self and save around £100.

If you want to get a new bike through C2W I'd suggest doing the work still but doing it yourself, its good practice for a new bike.

I have heard of far less reasonable quotes.

HLAB is right in that it would be cheaper to do it yourself, but that involves specialist tools which also add up, but would be offst by buying the items off of the web for less money in the first place.

Some jobs are easy-ish, for example I could do everything listed in less than an hour, except the front wheel bearings (which I hope to learn how to do soon).

Also, it is very satisfying to know how each bit works, let alone be able to fix something should it go wrong when you are out and about.

 

[JNR]

Also, there are loads of sites such as BikeRadar (scroll down to the bottom) that offer guides on how to do various things with your bike, like cleaning and lubing it, and YouTube has a huge amount of good quality videos.

 

[marinyork]

The 'service' for £45 is probably a rip off. The brake pads for £15 I'd be somewhat sceptical of too. The chain sounds very overpriced. The other parts are fair enough.

 

[RedBike]

They sound like reasonable figues to me. But i'm not sure it'll be worth it.

 

[RedBike]

Depending upon which sort of chain you need you can pick one up for £10-£20. Brake pads £5, bearings £2/£3, A total of about £30. Provided nothings too worn you MIGHT be able to just re-use the existing cassette. (Be prepared for the new chain to slip)This leaves quite a lot in the budget for tools. Edinburgh cycles (and others) used to do quite a good tool kit for about £30.

 

[cheekydollar]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I might try and do it myself. I guess i can get most of these parts online, although i guess i might get the wrong type of cassette or something.

 

[JNR]

The 'service' for £45 is probably a rip off. The brake pads for £15 I'd be somewhat sceptical of too. The chain sounds very overpriced. The other parts are fair enough.

The service from my LBS for £45 includes full drive train clean down and lube. £35 without. £100 gets you a total dismantle and rebuild, checking, greasing, lubing and everything else on the way. Takes them between half and a full day, depending on bike.

To original poster, depending on where you live some bike shops do a course on bike maintainence, I saw one from Edinburgh Bicycle cooperative that costs £49 for a whole day's course. Ok, it's £49, but you get to spend the whole day playing with your bike, learning to do all the necessary things for yourself. I'd love to do it, just I live miles away.

 

[marinyork]

The service from my LBS for £45 includes full drive train clean down and lube. £35 without. £100 gets you a total dismantle and rebuild, checking, greasing, lubing and everything else on the way. Takes them between half and a full day, depending on bike.

To original poster, depending on where you live some bike shops do a course on bike maintainence, I saw one from Edinburgh Bicycle cooperative that costs £49 for a whole day's course. Ok, it's £49, but you get to spend the whole day playing with your bike, learning to do all the necessary things for yourself. I'd love to do it, just I live miles away.

Your service is even more of a rip off in that case. That is so manicly overpriced it's almost funny.

Bike maintenance courses are also very expensive, although it could be argued are at least of some use.

 

[JNR]

Your service is even more of a rip off in that case. That is so manicly overpriced it's almost funny.

Bike maintenance courses are also very expensive, although it could be argued are at least of some use.

What should you be paying for a service, and what do you get for your cash then?

 

[Bayerd]

I've found that I've been able to learn how to do all jobs listed in the OP by watching videos on Bicycle Tutor. Certainly a lot cheaper than going to my LBS....

 

[Dayvo]

Bike maintenance courses are also very expensive, although it could be argued are at least of some use.

I did a two-week C&G bike mechanic's course at the Bike Inn last spring, and although it was pricey, it gave me a recognised qualification (and the confidence to tackle almost any problem), which I hope to start putting to good use soon (not just fixing my own bikes, but to start as a bike mech in a sport shop here in Norway.

Otherwise just watch the Bike Tutor chappy and get stuck in on some old bikes for good practice!

 

[2Loose]

Your service is even more of a rip off in that case. That is so manicly overpriced it's almost funny.

Bike maintenance courses are also very expensive, although it could be argued are at least of some use.

It sounds like Evans service prices tbh. Not the cheapest.

 

[cheekydollar]

It sounds like Evans service prices tbh. Not the cheapest.

Guys,

One thing the bike man said is that A) i need a new chain because it is streched, and becasue I need a new chain I also need a new cassete, and that if i used my current cassete with a new chain the gear changing problem would be even worse than it is now. Does this make sense to any of yuo, or do you think he is just trying to bump up the cost of repair!