LBS Prices ***UPDATED***
- Thread starter WozzaTT
- Start date
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OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
So.................got the bike yesterday and due to being very busy with work I just put it in the back of the car to get it home so I haven't actually ridden it yet.
Having read a few more horror stories about Halfords being unable to build a bike correctly I just phoned my LBS to get them to check it over but the earliest they can do is a week tomorrow.
So my question is - should I ride it for a week and then take it to them anyway? If it has been set up incorrectly could it cause any damage (I assume yes)? I could leave it for a week without riding it as I've got a lot on, but seems a shame.
To be honest I don't even really know how to change gear on it yet! The brakes I think I can manage.
Edit: Just found another LBS not far away that I didn't even know existed - will try them too.
Having read a few more horror stories about Halfords being unable to build a bike correctly I just phoned my LBS to get them to check it over but the earliest they can do is a week tomorrow.
So my question is - should I ride it for a week and then take it to them anyway? If it has been set up incorrectly could it cause any damage (I assume yes)? I could leave it for a week without riding it as I've got a lot on, but seems a shame.
To be honest I don't even really know how to change gear on it yet! The brakes I think I can manage.
Edit: Just found another LBS not far away that I didn't even know existed - will try them too.
vickster
Squire
If things are loose, it could not only damage the bike but also you! Do you have an allan key, if so, go round the bike and make sure things are tight, check the brakes are centred, wheel skewers done up properly, saddle height correct etc. If you don't have a multi-tool, go buy one asap
Go take it somewhere quiet, practice changing gear and so on, don't ride yet on busy roads if not confident.
In terms of checking over, there might be a friendly forum member near you who could look the bike over for a few beer tokens
Go take it somewhere quiet, practice changing gear and so on, don't ride yet on busy roads if not confident.
In terms of checking over, there might be a friendly forum member near you who could look the bike over for a few beer tokens
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
If things are loose, it could not only damage the bike but also you! Do you have an allan key, if so, go round the bike and make sure things are tight, check the brakes are centred, wheel skewers done up properly, saddle height correct etc. If you don't have a multi-tool, go buy one asap
Go take it somewhere quiet, practice changing gear and so on, don't ride yet on busy roads if not confident.
In terms of checking over, there might be a friendly forum member near you who could look the bike over for a few beer tokens
Hi vickster. Yes, I've got allen keys so I can always give it a check over.
There's no way I'll be going anywhere near traffic until I know what I'm doing with it - I live in a cul-de-sac so I might ride it round and round there for a while - give the neighbours a laugh.
Thanks for your help
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
Tiagra gearing? Easy to use - right brake lever to shift one way, paddle the other. Left side shift between big ring and little ring (for hills in the cul de sac
Ah - thank you! The 'tuition' in Halfords was less than extensive and I was in a rush anyway.
I had assumed one paddle was up and the one on the other side down.
JoeyB
Go on, tilt your head!
- Location
- Fareham, Hampshire
I didn't ride my new bike for about a month apart from riding it home from the LBS (about 60secs away from home!). I just kept staring at it and couldn't get over how gorgeous it was, I didn't want to get it dirty lol.
In the end I took it out for a 20km loop, then a week or so later decided to go straight out on a 100km Audax route....not my brightest idea. I was ready to give up after about 10 minutes as the bike clearly wasn't setup well for me (that and I'd come from an MTB previously). Needless to say it was a good baptism by fire as I managed to get round the full route and it highlighted a few area's that needed sorting.
In the end I took it out for a 20km loop, then a week or so later decided to go straight out on a 100km Audax route....not my brightest idea. I was ready to give up after about 10 minutes as the bike clearly wasn't setup well for me (that and I'd come from an MTB previously). Needless to say it was a good baptism by fire as I managed to get round the full route and it highlighted a few area's that needed sorting.
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
Sounds like me. Except my first loop will be aboutr 100m round the cul-de-sac!
The second LBS I found have quoted me £25 to check the bike over, which is more than I was expecting, but crucially they can to do it today. 'So I could bring it over this morning?', I asked, 'yeah, if you wanna' was the reply. Doesn't fill me with confidence.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
i always do a lap of cul de sac before venturing to a lap of the estate on any newly built or played with machine its a good precaution
vickster
Squire
Bike mechanics, especially young yooful ones, aren't always the most verbose, I wouldn't take the response as a warning sign...have a quick google for reviews
£25 doesn't sound unreasonable, it'll probably take 20-30 minutes
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
Thanks again vickster - yes, have looked online and there are a couple of very good reviews.
Might be good people to get to know actually - it's a husband and wife combo and it looks like he leads a group on a ride every Saturday morning, starting from the shop. They've also got an active Twitter account, which I like.
I'm pretty sure it was the owner who answered but I shall let him off and go and see for myself! As my girlfriend always says to me - "you're very judgemental"
.
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
Have taken it up there. Nice enough bloke with no hard sell of any of the clobber and some good bits of advice.
As a 'basics' kit he said - helmet, good quality padded shorts (£50+) and gloves. No recommendations on a top - he said a shirt is a shirt, get whatever, although he did recommend a base layer. Then possibly some eye protection.
I'll post back as regards what he says about how Halfords had set it up - might help others who buy from there.
Oh - and he said the frame size looks fine for me, which is a relief.
As a 'basics' kit he said - helmet, good quality padded shorts (£50+) and gloves. No recommendations on a top - he said a shirt is a shirt, get whatever, although he did recommend a base layer. Then possibly some eye protection.
I'll post back as regards what he says about how Halfords had set it up - might help others who buy from there.
Oh - and he said the frame size looks fine for me, which is a relief.
JoeyB
Go on, tilt your head!
- Location
- Fareham, Hampshire
If its of any use, on a typical 30km short ride I don't leave home without the following extras as a bare minimum:
Padded Bibshorts / jersey
SPD Shoes (so clipless pedals also)
Sunglasses
Gloves
Saddle bag containing tube, levers and multitool
Bottle cage and bottle
Minipump attached to bike
Garmin 800 (not an essential for some, but is for me)
Padded Bibshorts / jersey
SPD Shoes (so clipless pedals also)
Sunglasses
Gloves
Saddle bag containing tube, levers and multitool
Bottle cage and bottle
Minipump attached to bike
Garmin 800 (not an essential for some, but is for me)
OP
OP
WozzaTT
Active Member
- Location
- Solihull, West Midlands
Thank you - it's a lot of use. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money at the moment so an 'essentials list' is good to know.
I've just got normal pedals on at the moment, will worry about the proper ones at a later date.
I may get a Garmin eventually, am planning to use Strava on my iphone initially, but would be good to have a route in front of me I can follow. I don't fancy having the phone mounted on the bike.