Bicycle Mechanics - Is this reasonable to expect from my LBS?

Took a friend's bike down to my LBS for a BB service since his crankset was a bit loose and I didn't have the large Allen wrench to remove the cap from the crank arms (see picture). I've got the Park BB tool with the crank end for Shimano Ultegra star nuts, but this Truvativ is different, and I figured taking it to the shop was safer.

I was taking care of a few other personal things while I was there as well and didn't think to inspect their work until I got home. This is what I found.... And in addition, although I'm no expert in how cranksets are supposed to feel when properly tensioned (aside from the way my ultegra and my wife's Gossamer cranks feel) this "just serviced" crankset seems to have too much bearing pressure/Drag. We're doing our first century tomorrow morning early, and won't be able to get the bike to a shop until afterward. Should I go back and have a chat with them? Is it reasonable to expect to get a crankset service ($20) without having them bugger everything up with their slipping tools? Or are tools for these types of cups poorly designed enough that it's not the mech's fault? I don't want to get upset if it's not warranted, but honestly...I've really torqued on my Ultegra BB cups with my Park tool wrench and never had it slip off like this. If it was my bike, I'd be inclined to go ask them for a new BB cups.

*edit* And does anyone know how to set the bearing pre-load and "lock" on this type of crankset? On the Ultegra's its intuitive with the plastic cap and pinch bolts,
but this one is quite different.

-Jeremy

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups006small.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups003small.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups001small.jpg

Figure out ahead of time how you're going to handle it if/when they say "It was like that when you brought it in".

Tightening the crank on IS the preload. Once that center bolt is up to spec and there's no play in the system it's done. That's a little bit more damage than i'd expect from a shop tool used on a external cup like that.

Also, the directions that damage is caused by cup removal, not installation. There should be no need to touch those unless the cups were loose - ask them what they did. And if the cups werne't loose, then that BB was worn out and they've now overtorqued the centerbolt to get rid of the play, if there isn't any. If you do know what they did please post.

Tightening the crank on IS the preload. Once that center bolt is up to spec and there's no play in the system it's done. That's a little bit more damage than i'd expect from a shop tool used on a external cup like that.

Also, the directions that damage is caused by cup removal, not installation. There should be no need to touch those unless the cups were loose - ask them what they did. And if the cups werne't loose, then that BB was worn out and they've now overtorqued the centerbolt to get rid of the play, if there isn't any. If you do know what they did please post.

Well when I rolled the bike in, I told them that the cranks or BB were loose and asked them to check them since I wasn't familiar with the crank's clamping mechanism Apparently they immediately initiated "operation BB overhaul" and didn't listen to their inner voice as they realized that the BB cups were in fact already tight. I should have just asked here and tightened the center bolt myself (which I DO Have the wrench for), saved him the 20 bucks and not felt like a fool. Thankfully I'm sure the BB for this thing isn't very expensive. Just disappointing that they didn't ask any further questions or take the time to actually find out what the problem was before wrenching the whole BB off and charging an 'overhaul.'

-Jeremy

The whole point of bringing anything into the shop is that they will have the proper tool for the job. It doesn't look like they did and used something "close enough". I could have done that myself, and if it didn't work I'd have stopped before I goobered it up like they did.

You asked if it was reasonable to expect shoddy work, and I don't know if it is or not, but can say that there's lots of it out there. That's why so many serious riders insist on doing their own work.

Whether you put up with it is up to you. In this case, I'd go back and politely ask for an explanation, and make any future patronage of this shop contingent on what they have to say for themselves.

BTW- a bit of general advice. Don't bring other peoples bikes to a third party or shop for service. You're unnecessarily putting yourself in the middle of what can turn out to be a bad situation. If a friend asks you to work on his bike, and it involves something beyond your capability, have him bring it to someone else himself. It's fine to recommend someone else, but don't act as a go between and risk getting squashed.

Well when I rolled the bike in, I told them that the cranks or BB were loose and asked them to check them since I wasn't familiar with the crank's clamping mechanism Apparently they immediately initiated "operation BB overhaul" and didn't listen to their inner voice as they realized that the BB cups were in fact already tight. I should have just asked here and tightened the center bolt myself (which I DO Have the wrench for), saved him the 20 bucks and not felt like a fool. Thankfully I'm sure the BB for this thing isn't very expensive. Just disappointing that they didn't ask any further questions or take the time to actually find out what the problem was before wrenching the whole BB off and charging an 'overhaul.'

-Jeremy

Rofl.

They realized the cups were already tight and proceeded to reinstall them anyways? Haha. Anyways, I was going to say even if the cups were loose all they had to do was tighten them. If they weren't then the bearings are worn out.


The whole point of bringing anything into the shop is that they will have the proper tool for the job. It doesn't look like they did and used something "close enough". I could have done that myself, and if it didn't work I'd have stopped before I goobered it up like they did.

They did have the proper tool. Just not a very good one. I bet you they used the version that looked like this: http://www.parktool.com/images_inc/repair_help/hollowtech9.jpg

Which is a home mechanic version of that tool. It slips, very easily when anything is not 100% new.

Took a friend's bike down to my LBS for a BB service since his crankset was a bit loose and I didn't have the large Allen wrench to remove the cap from the crank arms (see picture). I've got the Park BB tool with the crank end for Shimano Ultegra star nuts, but this Truvativ is different, and I figured taking it to the shop was safer.

I was taking care of a few other personal things while I was there as well and didn't think to inspect their work until I got home. This is what I found.... And in addition, although I'm no expert in how cranksets are supposed to feel when properly tensioned (aside from the way my ultegra and my wife's Gossamer cranks feel) this "just serviced" crankset seems to have too much bearing pressure/Drag. We're doing our first century tomorrow morning early, and won't be able to get the bike to a shop until afterward. Should I go back and have a chat with them? Is it reasonable to expect to get a crankset service ($20) without having them bugger everything up with their slipping tools? Or are tools for these types of cups poorly designed enough that it's not the mech's fault? I don't want to get upset if it's not warranted, but honestly...I've really torqued on my Ultegra BB cups with my Park tool wrench and never had it slip off like this. If it was my bike, I'd be inclined to go ask them for a new BB cups.

*edit* And does anyone know how to set the bearing pre-load and "lock" on this type of crankset? On the Ultegra's its intuitive with the plastic cap and pinch bolts,
but this one is quite different.

-Jeremy

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups006small.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups003small.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Tunnelrat81/JoshsBBcups001small.jpg


:twitchy:

If it was not like that when you dropped it off I would be smoking pissed. (Next time just get the tool and do it yourself.)

I agree.