jack smith
Veteran
- Location
- Durham
seriously! Im not trying to start an argument here but here is my background,
Ive built 5 bikes so far 2 s works, a cervelo, a scott and a boardman, im totally self taught from youtube and common sense, i bought a £25 tool kit from aldi 2 year ago and ive never needed anything else apart from my multitool with chaintool ect.
Obviously i can sort my own bikes and know how easy even a full build is, now friends of mine wont even try to learn or they try themselves and make a hash of it and they go to local mechanics. Pretty much everyone i know who has gone to one recently has had their bike returned knackered, the same as when it went in or has been rediculously overcharged.
(£80 for a gear service (no cables or anything and to replace a screw in shimano bb) had another friend today have his bike returned with the front mech cable rubbing on the front mech due to using the wrong adaptor. Ive had numerous others charged rediculous amounts for a rear mech adjustment, brake pads replaced ect. Basically 5-10 min jobs £40+ now i know they need to make a profit but come on look at the other proffessions you would have to be in to make £80 for the time it takes to adjust a barrel adjuster. And for it to come back still not working and to be skipping gears and grinding on the front mech, usually they take it back and give them MORE money to sort it, if your gullible they will have you for all they can get i guess.
Now im not knocking ALL mechanics im sure most do a cracking job and have the knowledge Personally ive only had my bike in once for hydraulics done lastweek as i didnt have the time or tools to do it and it was a great job and only cost £5 for a bleed on both brakes, ive enquired in other shops about work when i havent had time and it was £25 to replace one rear mech inner cable, £90 to replace a freehub on my shimano wheel (could buy a new PAIR for that) and £35 to screw in a bottom bracket. Also been asked what sort of mountain bike an s works tarmac is i think i may just live in a dodgy area!!
Do you need a qualification to be a bike mechanic or can you just start your own shop and call yourself one?
Does anyone else suffer this in their local area?
Do you ever take a bike in and the say, no i wont touch that its too expensive or along those lines?
Ive built 5 bikes so far 2 s works, a cervelo, a scott and a boardman, im totally self taught from youtube and common sense, i bought a £25 tool kit from aldi 2 year ago and ive never needed anything else apart from my multitool with chaintool ect.
Obviously i can sort my own bikes and know how easy even a full build is, now friends of mine wont even try to learn or they try themselves and make a hash of it and they go to local mechanics. Pretty much everyone i know who has gone to one recently has had their bike returned knackered, the same as when it went in or has been rediculously overcharged.
(£80 for a gear service (no cables or anything and to replace a screw in shimano bb) had another friend today have his bike returned with the front mech cable rubbing on the front mech due to using the wrong adaptor. Ive had numerous others charged rediculous amounts for a rear mech adjustment, brake pads replaced ect. Basically 5-10 min jobs £40+ now i know they need to make a profit but come on look at the other proffessions you would have to be in to make £80 for the time it takes to adjust a barrel adjuster. And for it to come back still not working and to be skipping gears and grinding on the front mech, usually they take it back and give them MORE money to sort it, if your gullible they will have you for all they can get i guess.
Now im not knocking ALL mechanics im sure most do a cracking job and have the knowledge Personally ive only had my bike in once for hydraulics done lastweek as i didnt have the time or tools to do it and it was a great job and only cost £5 for a bleed on both brakes, ive enquired in other shops about work when i havent had time and it was £25 to replace one rear mech inner cable, £90 to replace a freehub on my shimano wheel (could buy a new PAIR for that) and £35 to screw in a bottom bracket. Also been asked what sort of mountain bike an s works tarmac is i think i may just live in a dodgy area!!
Do you need a qualification to be a bike mechanic or can you just start your own shop and call yourself one?
Does anyone else suffer this in their local area?
Do you ever take a bike in and the say, no i wont touch that its too expensive or along those lines?