$60 to true & tension a set of wheels?
12-24-05, 04:56 AM
#26
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Originally Posted by 2372ighost
I put together a bike ordered off the internet, The wheels weren`t perfect. The LBS quoted $15 a wheel, or$50 for a tune up to include trueing. Best deal I have seen.
12-24-05, 11:44 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by Pete Hamer
I think it is cool that you want to buy the tensionmeter and do it yourself. Being self sufficient is a part of biking, I think it was even in the IMBA rules of the trail (or something to that effect). I think the people that want to do there own work are more an exception than the norm though. People like us (people that are members of an on line bike forum) are bike enthusiasts, we enjoy the sport in it's entirety. There are a lot of people that just ride and don't want to work on their bikes or aren't mechanically inclined that would think $30 to true and tension a wheel is a good deal (or not know the difference). Most bicycle service departments are geared towards those people. Most of us know how to work on bikes, so paying any amount to someone else for service would be considered unreasonable. Here's the cool part; if you buy the tensionmeter from a LBS they will probably make more money on the tool sale than the labor that they would have been doing. This is why so many people open up bike businesses that don't do any labor. I say buy the tool and enjoy. Buy it from your LBS; feel good about it and hopefully get some free tech. support for it if you need it.
12-25-05, 12:27 AM
#28
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Originally Posted by mactheknife68
So because you know how to work on yer own stuff the LBS should give you a discount for the privelage of working on your bike? And you think if you buy a tool that the shop should give you free lessons on how to use it? Remember that it is a SERVICE business we are in. And if we sell you the tool to do work yourself that's a one-time charge. We make minimal profit selling the tool once as opposed to regularly maintaining your wheels with an assortment of expensive tools that you didnt pay for. More often though we make that money back when the home mechanic gets stuck and THEN needs us to bail him out.
If someone can fix their own stuff then why would they pay someone else to do it. I think it is such a rare thing for someone to come in and buy a tensionmeter, instead of paying me to do the work, that it won't have any negative impact on my ability to make a profit. Usually if you have a loyal customer that is that tech. savvy coming to your store they are probably influencing less experienced people to patronize your business.
Last edited by Pete Hamer; 12-25-05 at 01:14 AM.
12-25-05, 12:30 AM
#29
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I can't even look at a wheel without 15 minutes spinning by.
I repacked my hubs tonight (salty road worries) and tured them both. It must have been just over an hour per wheel. Now, the front repack might have taken 15 minutes.
I repacked my hubs tonight (salty road worries) and tured them both. It must have been just over an hour per wheel. Now, the front repack might have taken 15 minutes.
12-25-05, 03:08 AM
#30
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Originally Posted by Rev.Chuck
This is why I picked up a used X-ray and sugery equipment. With just that, and a Grays Anatomy, I removed my own appendix.
I never said that the tools alone were a substitute for an experienced mechanic. I personally have built hudreds of wheels, used to make my living in the LBS world, worked as a mechanic in Europe, I still build frames (yes, from scratch) and wheels, and what-have-you, but not for a living any more. I guess I sometimes forget that not everyone has done all that.
That being said, and IANAL
, but buying a tensiometer will not teach you to do it right...but it can help out while you are on the path. Oh yea, and I probably wouldn't do a proper job on your wheels for much less than that price.
There...I said it!
oh yea...and happy holidays too!
12-25-05, 03:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Pete Hamer
I think it is such a rare thing for someone to come in and buy a tensionmeter, instead of paying me to do the work, that it won't have any negative impact on my ability to make a profit. Usually if you have a loyal customer that is that tech. savvy coming to your store they are probably influencing less experienced people to patronize your business.
12-25-05, 07:03 AM
#32
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Many of the posters are confusing truing with tensioning. Truing is fast and simple on a new wheel. Tensioning is another matter altogether. The price you were quoted was reasonable for tensioning, I think. My custom made Mike Garcia wheels came perfectly trued but certainly not tensioned. In fact, the tensioning was all over the board. I'll leave it until they need truing but, at that point, I may tension them myself. New wheels with matched tensioning are very, very rare and would always be hand built. Most hand built wheels are not tensioned.
There is some danger in doing it yourself because you may not know what the tensioning differences should be on different types of lacings. I have some wheelsets with three different kinds of lacing - 3 cross on rear drive, 2 cross on the rear non drive side and radial on the front. That rear wheel could get pretty messed up if you tensisoned all the spokes the same or if you tensioned them the same as the front.
There is some danger in doing it yourself because you may not know what the tensioning differences should be on different types of lacings. I have some wheelsets with three different kinds of lacing - 3 cross on rear drive, 2 cross on the rear non drive side and radial on the front. That rear wheel could get pretty messed up if you tensisoned all the spokes the same or if you tensioned them the same as the front.
12-25-05, 11:26 AM
#33
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I appreciate the honest info, which is why I come here for help. I am going to have my LBS order a Park Tension meter and then see if they are willing to give me a few pointers on how to use it. I have no doubt I can pick it up very quick and if I am going to spend the same amount for the service as I would for the tool, (granted a lower grade tool) I wil be much more satisfied in the long run.
Really helpful and insightful responses without turning into a flame war is awsome.
Really helpful and insightful responses without turning into a flame war is awsome.
