When friends ask you to do up their crap bikes.....

[betty swollocks]

...it's happened to me again!
Don't mind giving my labour for free, but have a hard time explaining to them that as soon I start buying the necessary bits, very soon the cost of them is going to exceed the value of the bike.
Tried it again today, when having done the best I can with a completely trashed cheap and nasty bmx, she got arsey with me. The front brake calipers, made as they are, out of cheese, have been bent to buggery and simply will not work, let alone function safely.
Anyway, anyone know where I can get cheap as chips front brake calipers, long reach centre pull?
And yes I did explain that she'd be better off buying her boy a new bike.

Or should I tell her to shove it?

 

[ComedyPilot]

...it's happened to me again!
Don't mind giving my labour for free, but have a hard time explaining to them that as soon I start buying the necessary bits, very soon the cost of them is going to exceed the value of the bike.
Tried it again today, when having done the best I can with a completely trashed cheap and nasty bmx, she got arsey with me. The front brake calipers, made as they are, out of cheese, have been bent to buggery and simply will not work, let alone function safely.
Anyway, anyone know where I can get cheap as chips front brake calipers, long reach centre pull?
And yes I did explain that she'd be better off buying her boy a new bike.

Or should I tell her to shove it?

Might be better coming from a stranger....


.....what's her address?

 

[Bigtwin]

There's no such thing as a bad bike, only a bad attitude.






Unless it's shoot of course.

 

[Davidc]

If its for her offspring suggesting that the present bso may lead to death or serious injury from the shot brakes may solve your problem!

 

[Globalti]

Yep.... I once volunteered top sort out a crappy £99 bike belonging to the son of a friend of my wife. There wasn't anything that could be done with it.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Just print off this thread and show it to her.

 

[wafflycat]

...it's happened to me again!
Don't mind giving my labour for free, but have a hard time explaining to them that as soon I start buying the necessary bits, very soon the cost of them is going to exceed the value of the bike.
Tried it again today, when having done the best I can with a completely trashed cheap and nasty bmx, she got arsey with me. The front brake calipers, made as they are, out of cheese, have been bent to buggery and simply will not work, let alone function safely.
Anyway, anyone know where I can get cheap as chips front brake calipers, long reach centre pull?
And yes I did explain that she'd be better off buying her boy a new bike.

Or should I tell her to shove it?

Up a part of her anatomy that doesn't normally see the sun. Politely, of course. Explaining that the brakes are made of cheese and inherently unsafe, thus may well be responsible for injuring, maiming or killing her little darling.

 

[bonk man]

Get a price from St Johns Street or Spa Cycles and tell her that is what it will cost for the bits, no argument then.

I repair bikes for people I know but fortunately they usually are realistic about it. The last one was a puncture and bent wheel on the heaviest piece of junk I have ever worked on, I told the woman that it was a really rubbish bike and she agreed and was saving up for a better one.

Lots of towns have at least one source of decent used bikes at cheap prices, if you have one nearby, point the person in that direction.

 

[Jonathan M]

I repaired my brothers cheap Apollo, but kept the cost down for him using old parts from my tool box. Wouldn't have done that if I wasn't (maybe) related to him.

 

[fossyant]

Your other chance for parts is one of the big BSO bike retailers - not Halfords... They usually stock this sort of stuff.

 

[dellzeqq]

...it's happened to me again!

then why are you doing it? Seriously. Why?

 

[swee'pea99]

"she got arsey with me....

...Or should I tell her to shove it"

You need to ask?

 

[postman]

Do what i did.I was given a bike for a mate of mine.One week later it was in the local tip.

Asked how was the bike from the said lady.Told her straight TIPPED it.

I was not going to be responsible for any injury caused to my mate.

Give her the bike back.

 

[Danny]

...Or should I tell her to shove it?

You should refer her to Bonj whose views on crap bikes are well known.

 

[tdr1nka]

I got this problem a few times when doing Dr. Bike but at least I was in a better position to say when/why I felt a childs bike should be condemned for their own safety.

Quoting the price of replacing parts is often enough to get the message thru.

Strangely, kids have an innate ability to ride bikes made entirely of cheese without ever coming a cropper.