How important is the 1st bike service??

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Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
I realise it's an open ended question so let me explain.
I purchased my 2 bikes from Liverpool (40 mile round trip) in December as they had 40% discount.
I didn't ride them until end of March (I dont do winter cycling).
I have only put 100 miles on each of them.
The free 1st service ends this month and I would have to take them both the 40 mile round trip again just to get this service.
They are both running fine.........no problems with gearing or brakes etc.
My gut feeling is.....save myself a journey and pay for a service after the summer (or earlier if any problems).
Would just appreciate any thoughts.
 
Not massively so. Look at a few YouTube videos of how to check your gears and toughen your brakes and that's *probably* good enough.

If something more serious and unusual was going wrong, I guess the first service may pick it up... But I also don't very much that any warranty would be effected by not going.

I've not taken the first service on my last two bikes with no issues.
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
I don't generally take mine in (I've bought a few over the years). Perhaps if there was a problem or something needed doing I might.
 

Banjo

Fuelled with Jelly Babies
Location
South Wales
The main thing they do is re tension the gear and brake cables which stretch and bed in a bit at first. Also they should check nothing is coming loose.
If you can use a few basic tools you can do it yourself.
If the gears are changing smoothly and the chains not rubbing on anything I would leave it alone.
 

Mr_Kipling

Über Member
Location
Berkshire
I've never taken mine to the free first service. Had my new bike a year now have only just had it done. 65 quid for a silver service. A bike shop I used one said I needed a new chain, after collecting my bike it appeared that they had just cleaned the chain I already had on it. I now always demand of keeping the old bits the shop replace. That way they have to change them for new ones.
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
I took my very expensive Willier for a free 'service' and watched the kid doing it. If this was on YouTube it would be X rated so I stopped him and asked him to explain what he was doing because it looked to me like he was using my wife's technique with the telly - turn every knob lots until you get a result. It was evident that he had no idea so I took my bike back the FD was well out of whack when I got it home - he had been fiddling with the limit screws when what was needed was a bit more tension on the cable, I think he also damaged the paint work but I couldn't prove that.
 
Depends on the shop, the bike and who set it up... it then depends upon your skills



If you are a novice then with a reasonable bike from a reliable shop then it is a good opportunity to seat in all the bits that have loosened as they bed in, tweak the fitting and discuss any changes you want.


However there is very little that a reasonably skilled amateur cannot do themselves.

One word of caution however, some companies make the first service check-over part of the warranty and if missed may cause problems in the future

This is a typical statement:

Free First Service
During the first few weeks of riding your new bicycle, components and bolts on the bike can loosen up and work their way out of alignment. This can lead to a drop in performance of the bicycle and can cause premature wear.

For this reason all of our new bicycles are offered with a free first service. This should be carried out between 4 – 6 weeks after the purchase date, dependant on use. As part of your bicycles warranty, this free service must be completed within 8 weeks of purchase, otherwise the warranty with the manufacturer becomes void. Once you have the first service completed, you are ready to use the bike with standard maintenance procedures.

(My emphasis)

Now it is probably not enforceable, but the intent is clear
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
I've never had a bike 'serviced'. Kept a check on everything myself and dealt with any 'issues' as and when they arose. It's not rocket science or brain surgery, in spite of what your LBS would have you believe.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
If you've not had any problems thus far, just wait. If either of them develop a fault you aren't comfortable fixing, then just get it to a LBS. You've got plenty of good bike shops out Chester way without needing to go to Liverpool. I assume you got them from Evans there.

TBH, once your cables have bedded in a bit, you can adjust them yourself easily just using an allen key, plenty of videos on youtube to show you how.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
All they will do is re-index the gears that have bedded in and probably nothing else.

if you can do this then don't bother letting the shop do it, if you cant then watch the you tube video, its really valuable. if you don't do either then good luck.




J
 
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