I'm done with fixing other people's bikes

[All uphill]

I started repairing bikes belonging to neighbours and friends back in the pandemic.
I've had some great experiences and some less good ones, but it's all learning, isn't it?

Back in 2021 I learned not to take on work for friends of friends. The goodwill, trust and enjoyment just wasn't there for me.

Last year I stopped doing work on neighbour's kids bikes after seeing other neighbours getting into conflict with parents about legal liability etc.

Today I've decided I'll only do work on bikes belonging to immediate family.

This was prompted by seemingly endless work on a friend's bike. I made the mistake of agreeing to sort out "a problem with the gears" without fully assessing the bike. It turns out it needed new chain and cassette (as expected) new derailleur hanger (not surprising) new rd (unexpected), new BB and headset, new brake and gear cables, new tyres, new brake shoes and a whole lot of cleaning and lubricating.

If I had checked it thoroughly before starting I would have stripped the bike to the bare frame and treated it like a new build, but instead I did one job at a time.

I'm done.

 

[classic33]

Used to do similar, and gave up for similar reasons as yourself.
Even giving up reclaiming found bikes, fixing them up and then passing them on due to them not being suited to what the kids were using them for. Or not living up to expectations.
Nearly always came back with bare tyres, brakes removed and no longer available. But always damaged, and wanting their money returning.
They got them for nothing!

 

[Rusty Nails]

My avatar is partly due to the amount of repair work I did for family, friends and neighbours, but because it was taking up far too much of my time, and I would not take payment, other than for parts used, I decided that I would just stick to doing it for family and for near neighbours' small kids.

Most people were great, and grateful for keeping them mobile but one or two did seem to be taking advantage. One in particular clearly treated his bike abysmally and repairs were taking up a lot of time each year so I told him that he had to learn how to look after his bike himself or pay at a bike shop. I suppose he was the one that made me decide to cut back on the repairs.

 

[palinurus]

I occasionally do small jobs but I don't much enjoy working on my own bikes so it isn't often! A straightforward job can be satisfying, but I don't like to do anything that might end up being tricky or require research on compatibility etc.

 

[Punkawallah]

Shame, really. But remember if someone takes advantage of your generosity, it’s on them, not you.
When I worked I’d fix the bikes for people at work for whatever the parts cost me. When I finished, I said I’d still do it, but I’d add £10 ‘for me’. They have no problem with it, and usually make it £20.

 

[yello]

Same for me with computers. I was a programmer, a computer was simply a tool for me. Sure, I got to know a bit about them, and maybe more than many/most folk but that didn't qualify me as any kind of expert - and I was getting hardware & software questions, windows, peripherals.... I'd help IF I could but eventually denied all knowledge. It was easier that way.

Truth is, I should have been more confident in the first place and simply said 'no'. You want to help but sometimes just end up making life hard for yourself.

 

[Dadam]

Same for me with computers. I was a programmer, a computer was simply a tool for me. Sure, I got to know a bit about them, and maybe more than many/most folk but that didn't qualify me as any kind of expert - and I was getting hardware & software questions, windows, peripherals.... I'd help IF I could but eventually denied all knowledge. It was easier that way.

Truth is, I should have been more confident in the first place and simply said 'no'. You want to help but sometimes just end up making life hard for yourself.

Yes it can be aggravating being the extended family free IT support!

 

[Paulus]

Similar story here.
My next door neighbour who is hopeless at anything mechanical asked me before covid if I could repair a puncture for him. It developed from there. Broken axles, brakes not working ect ect.
Then his kids bikes, wife's bike, sister in laws bike, on and on.
Then he started to get these right old clunkers from somewhere and asked me to get them roadworthy.
The penny dropped when he started to sell them,and i was doing the work for the price of the spares and a couple of beers.
I have offered to teach him how to repair a puncture, but he hasn't taken me up on the offer. I'm not sure he can even pump up a tyre properly.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Yup, same here. I also don't help out with any carpentry, leather work, car repairs or any of the other things I'm skilled in. I look after the bike of one guy at work, but he appreciates it, rewards me generously and always hands me a clean bike before I even look at it. I'm at a point that if a cyclist is stranded and I ride by, I'll only offer help if the bike is in good condition and clean. My patience for mechanical idiots and people who don't perform preventative maintenance is overs kedovers. Yes, I'm a shoot. But you can re-fit your own filthy chain, replace spokes in the rear wheel because you bent your derailer hanger and let the bike shift into the spokes, allowed your shift cables to rust until they can't move or ridden yioiur chainrings and cassette into oblivion.
On the flipside, if I ask for help, I preface the request with an offer to pay.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Similar story here.
My next door neighbour who is hopeless at anything mechanical asked me before covid if I could repair a puncture for him. It developed from there. Broken axles, brakes not working ect ect.
Then his kids bikes, wife's bike, sister in laws bike, on and on.
Then he started to get these right old clunkers from somewhere and asked me to get them roadworthy.
The penny dropped when he started to sell them,and i was doing the work for the price of the spares and a couple of beers.
I have offered to teach him how to repair a puncture, but he hasn't taken me up on the offer. I'm not sure he can even pump up a tyre properly.

You take the words out of my mouth. I repaired a bike for someone at work, only to see it for sale at the local junk shop a day later. Screw him.

 

[All uphill]

Same for me with computers. I was a programmer, a computer was simply a tool for me. Sure, I got to know a bit about them, and maybe more than many/most folk but that didn't qualify me as any kind of expert - and I was getting hardware & software questions, windows, peripherals.... I'd help IF I could but eventually denied all knowledge. It was easier that way.

Truth is, I should have been more confident in the first place and simply said 'no'. You want to help but sometimes just end up making life hard for yourself.

Our son is an IT techie.

He declined to help anyone with IT help (including his old Dad) because he says you inevitably get drawn into someone's mess.

Last time I asked for help with my misbehaving cheapy phone he just said " No, but I'll buy you a new, decent phone"

 

[Big John]

While we do all these jobs as 'favours' everyone is our mate. Until a job goes seriously wrong. Then that 'mate' is no longer our mate and even threatening legal action. You only wanted to help but now you're in the sh1t. And you don't have public liability insurance. When that penny dropped was when I gave up doing favours. Now I fix my own and my wife's.

 

[All uphill]

While we do all these jobs as 'favours' everyone is our mate. Until a job goes seriously wrong. Then that 'mate' is no longer our mate and even threatening legal action. You only wanted to help but now you're in the sh1t. And you don't have public liability insurance. When that penny dropped was when I gave up doing favours. Now I fix my own and my wife's.

Yes, it's a shame. I have the time, some of the tools and most of the skills to help people out, but have found it difficult to get across that I can't do everything or offer any guarantee, and if I don't feel comfortable with you or your bike the answer will be "No".

 

[wiggydiggy]

Same for me with computers. I was a programmer, a computer was simply a tool for me. Sure, I got to know a bit about them, and maybe more than many/most folk but that didn't qualify me as any kind of expert - and I was getting hardware & software questions, windows, peripherals.... I'd help IF I could but eventually denied all knowledge. It was easier that way.

Truth is, I should have been more confident in the first place and simply said 'no'. You want to help but sometimes just end up making life hard for yourself.

Friend of mine used to wear a T-Shirt saying "No I will not fix your computer".

I won't either, not worth the hassle!

 

[FrankCrank]

I fully concur.