Bicycle Mechanics - should I ask for a price match?

ok, so i really need to get my 2 old road bikes taken care of:overhaul hubs, BB and HS, (as i dont know when they were last done, they do all spin quite and smooth though) so my LBS wants around 95$ for this while a shop i recently found (15-20 mins away though) want like 65$, thats a big diff. for a HS'r so do you think they would match it?

are they both doing the same overhaul? why don't you just go to the guy that is offering the lower price. But you can ask the worst that they can do is say no.

I don't know that I would. I would just take the bike to the cheaper guy.

Mike

If I was the higher priced LBS, I would not price match. Price looks appropriate for LBS rates, and without seeing the bike in person, you never know where the price could end up (hidden issues). 15-20 minutes away? The closest shop to me is about 45 minutes away.

First I assume you are talking about the price for each bike to do hubs, headset and bottom bracket not the two bikes together. You need to consider whether or not the BB is traditional cup/cone or if they will simply replace a sealed unit (and with what) and if bearings are included in each price. Finally the quality of the work is important - that's the most difficult to judge. If the cheaper shop adjusts your bearings too tightly, uses cheaper grease and low grade ball bearings or misses replacing pitted hub cones the $30 is not a true savings. You also have to ask why the price is so much lower. They may go that low to attract people because they do not get return customers or have a poorer reputation.

It's been a while since I've worked in a retail shop, so I looked up some prices for shops advertising online. I can tell you you could do much worse than $95 for the work you are describing. I would ask the higher priced shop for a full description of what is included, and if the price quoted is the sum of individual prices or a discounted price for doing all the bearings. If the former ask if you could get a discount ($10 per ?) for doing it all together and bringing them two bikes.

ok thanks for the advice guys, and i think they are the old school cup and cone('86 centurion and '88 bianchi) and also the higher price shop is about a 1 minute ride away

If this is a significant amount of money for you, then I'd suggest you check out a book on bike maintenance from the library or get one of the on-line guides and learn to do it yourself. You'll have to get a few tools so you won't save very much on the first bike, but you will on the second and on every subsequent overhaul.

ah yea that is something i would like to do, i am interested in learning how to do everything with bike maint., i think i have derailleurs and brakes down pretty well, im just to scared to bust into the bearings..just need someone to teach me