Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Rate yourself vs. the local LBS wrenches....

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Rate yourself vs. the local LBS wrenches....

Old 09-16-14, 07:30 AM
  #51  
Senior Member
 
fender1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Berwyn PA
Posts: 6,426

Bikes: I hate bikes!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 710 Times in 233 Posts
Originally Posted by KonAaron Snake
I thought that was your LBS...I'm pretty sure those are bikes on commission. At what point does the owner think this strategy is not working?
They are the owners personal bikes, IIRC. He has a bunch more highend stuff a t the shop (Columbine's/DeRosa's etc) that is all priced similarly
fender1 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 07:55 AM
  #52  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
The Hetchins he's selling is definitely on commision.
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 08:27 AM
  #53  
No one cares
 
-holiday76's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Yardley, Pa
Posts: 6,147
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 226 Post(s)
Liked 105 Times in 64 Posts
its both.
__________________
I prefer emails to private messages - holiday76@gmail.com
Jack Taylor Super Tourer Tandem (FOR SALE), Jack Taylor Tour of Britain, Px-10, Carlton Flyer, Fuji The Finest, Salsa Fargo, Santa Cruz Tallboy, Carver All-Road .


-holiday76 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 08:50 AM
  #54  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
I know we've discussed this shop before - I have some free time today and would like to bike out there. What's it called?
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 08:54 AM
  #55  
Senior Member
 
fender1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Berwyn PA
Posts: 6,426

Bikes: I hate bikes!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 710 Times in 233 Posts
Alan's bikes in Phoenixville. As Hoilday s described, he is a strange bird. Nice guy overall but very hard to figure out.
fender1 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 09:01 AM
  #56  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 969
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
I am okay to do basic maintenance but anything past that, i let the pros handle it.
09box is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 09:03 AM
  #57  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
Originally Posted by fender1
Alan's bikes in Phoenixville. As Hoilday s described, he is a strange bird. Nice guy overall but very hard to figure out.
Speaking about odd birds, did I ever take you to that weird shop in west Philly?
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:08 AM
  #58  
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,739

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7319 Post(s)
Liked 2,397 Times in 1,403 Posts
Originally Posted by KonAaron Snake
Speaking about odd birds, did I ever take you to that weird shop in west Philly?
What's the name?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:10 AM
  #59  
Senior Member
 
rootboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,755
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times in 78 Posts
Originally Posted by ericbaker

Short of machining parts, there isn't much I wont or cant do.
I can machine parts. But no really useful ones.
rootboy is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:12 AM
  #60  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
What's the name?
I'm not sure it has one! It's an odd spot, open irregularly, but he has some gems. Off the beaten path and few white kids know about it.
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:12 AM
  #61  
Lost at sea...
 
headloss's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Western PA
Posts: 935

Bikes: Schwinn Paramount (match), Trek 520, random bits and pieces...

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Depends on the shop. What I've found is that roughly 10% of shops have more competent bicycle-mechanics than DIY. Maybe 20% are roughly equal in knowledge. The other 70% are poor excuses for mechanics and don't know ****e. Within that 70% there is usually at least one mechanic that is roughly equal (if not more knowledgeable), but a shop is only as good as their least trained mechanic (if the mechanic is trusted to work on bikes without oversight). My figures don't include big-box stores in my consideration.

It's an ever changing percentage as I wrench more on my bike and learn more bicycle idiosyncrasies. I've been wrenching cars (and everything else) since before I could legally drive them. I was a nuclear mechanic in the Navy.

Anyways, what sucks is that I have to drive more than an hour to get to the good shops... so I have to be really stuck before I would not just work on something myself. Heck, even the mediocre shops are at least 30 minutes from where I'm currently living.

Last edited by headloss; 09-16-14 at 10:19 AM.
headloss is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:41 AM
  #62  
Senior Member
 
fender1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Berwyn PA
Posts: 6,426

Bikes: I hate bikes!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 710 Times in 233 Posts
Originally Posted by KonAaron Snake
Speaking about odd birds, did I ever take you to that weird shop in west Philly?
No. Is it SW Philly or west philly?
fender1 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:44 AM
  #63  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
Originally Posted by fender1
No. Is it SW Philly or west philly?
West - close to Baltimore, 50s block. I don't have the exact address.
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 10:54 AM
  #64  
Senior Member
 
fender1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Berwyn PA
Posts: 6,426

Bikes: I hate bikes!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 710 Times in 233 Posts
Makes sense lot of "weird retail" out that way. No posted hours, may or may not let you buy something depending on how folks are feeling that day etc.
fender1 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 11:08 AM
  #65  
Senior Member
 
YouthxCrew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 192

Bikes: 1974 Raleigh Super Tourer, 1974 Ralegh Gran Sport, 1985 Schwinn Peloton, 1986 Schwinn World Sport, 1987 Panasonic DX-4000

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
It's at 52nd and Walton. That's the shop I bought my Raleigh from for $25.
YouthxCrew is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 11:36 AM
  #66  
No one cares
 
-holiday76's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Yardley, Pa
Posts: 6,147
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 226 Post(s)
Liked 105 Times in 64 Posts
You're not going to bike to Alan's from center city in your free time unless you have all day.
__________________
I prefer emails to private messages - holiday76@gmail.com
Jack Taylor Super Tourer Tandem (FOR SALE), Jack Taylor Tour of Britain, Px-10, Carlton Flyer, Fuji The Finest, Salsa Fargo, Santa Cruz Tallboy, Carver All-Road .


-holiday76 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 11:44 AM
  #67  
Senior Member
 
Number400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 972

Bikes: Cannondale Slate 105 and T2 tandem, 2008 Scott Addict R4, Raleigh SC drop bar tandem

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I do good work when I have the time. I am NOT a quick wrench and would bankrupt a shop if I were a mechanic. While I like a quick turnaround, I would much rather wait and do any repair myself so I can have peace of mind. I am not saying that some shops don't have fast wrenches that are good...I have recently taken my wheels to the shop twice for truing and within days, they were wobbly again. I bought the right hex wrench and trued them myself this time and no problems since.

Sometimes it comes down to a tool. I eventually buy whatever tool that I need if I am doing a repair enough to warrant it. Having to go to the shop more than twice for the same thing makes me buy the right tool for the job (car or bicycle). Now there are some tools that I just cannot afford or refuse to buy and am more than happy to pay someone who does have it.

Last edited by Number400; 09-16-14 at 11:57 AM.
Number400 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 01:07 PM
  #68  
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
 
KonAaron Snake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229

Bikes: Two wheeled ones

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
52 and Walton is the one...rode up today. He had a set of c record cranks, but wanted more than I'd pay based on condition. Nice guys - he was far busier and with more inventory than I remembered.
KonAaron Snake is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 01:48 PM
  #69  
Senior Member
 
Thumpic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Sunny South
Posts: 1,913
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 29 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
I'm cheap. I do everything myself. I went to a LBS and priced a cheap Kenda 27" tire. A little more than a dollar an inch. I can't imagine what they would charge to do something that I couldn't.
Thumpic is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 02:46 PM
  #70  
Junior Member
 
omegaman13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 18
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Knowledge: Hands down my LBS guy has more knowledge than me in every and any aspect when it relates to biking, my former LBS in Florida though, that guy had no freaking clue. If I brought in anything from pre-1999 he wouldn't even look at it, just give me his sales pitch on a new 2014 $5000 thing I have no desire for. Literally had to convince him every time to let me use his work space since he was unwilling. My new guy is straight up amazing out here in Montana. He's super quirky and weird, but just a bundle of information.

Price: I'll work for free because I need the experience, so I guess that goes to me? But My guys prices aren't bad either. He just set up a bike for me, trued the wheels, packed everything, gave me a pair of nice vintage drops, new chain, single speed shimano freewheel, new seatpost, new saddle, bar tape, bar plugs, new brake lines/housing, new brake pads, and a lot of time for about 100 bucks.

Last edited by omegaman13; 09-16-14 at 02:51 PM.
omegaman13 is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 03:21 PM
  #71  
Senior Member
 
gioscinelli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,245

Bikes: 2012 Moots VaMoots-74 Peugeot Mixtie U018-73 Peugeot U018

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 7 Posts
The only mechanic I trust is me. Recently I picked up a Moots Psychlo, which had a Campagnolo CX carbon crank on the bike. I wanted to remove the crankset 175mm and install a square tapered record 170mm crankset in place and sell the cx, too long (175mm vs 170mm) for me. That's when my troubles stated, first the removable bolt cap was a 14mm hex, to start. No one in the area had such a tool to buy ( Ace Hw, Home Depot, and Loews to name a few) and a few lbs had the socket (14mm hex), but not Park tool to remove the crankset. I called more then three shops, and was told yes we can... Went to a Moots dealer first, wow the mechanic butcher was banging away, while talking to the owner, I quickly grab the Moots away from the pseudo mechanic and left the store. The second showed me the Park tool, I was elated, came back with the Moots, left it as suggested to come back in an hour. As instructed I came back, saw the Moots on the bike stand, ask the ?mechanic what progress, he said he broke two wrenches and still could not get the crank off, came over gave me the retainer pin and cap bolt, but no washer (which has to be removed before removing the crank arm (right side)), oh he said. Of course I grab the Moots and left. The other shop said they had the proper tools, same as the others, and they broke their Park tool, also upon that incident I took the Moots home and sold it with the Campagnolo CX crank attached. The Moots was sightly large for me to ride, was able to straddle until I slipped on the street with my cleats, and almost had pain. Beautiful bike, what a nightmare. So to conclude, the best shop and mechanic is yourself who you can trust.
__________________
Moots VaMoots 2012-Peugeot Mixte 1974-Peugeot Mixte 1973
gioscinelli is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 06:09 PM
  #72  
Membership Not Required
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855

Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times in 14 Posts
If I want it done right...

My LBS is actually pretty good on most things, especially the newer stuff. There is one mechanic that goes back about as far as I do and can handle IGH stuff. Funny thing it they call me looking to source parts for IGH stuff pretty regularly because they KNOW I know where to find it. I also am their go to guy for dyno lighting, again I know where to source stuff. About the only thing they have that I don't in terms of tools is a Phil Wood Spoke threading machine and some frame tools. They don't do frame repairs outside of tweaking. I believe we have a frame builder in another town about 40 miles away.

Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(

ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.

"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"
_Nicodemus

"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"
_krazygluon
wahoonc is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 06:24 PM
  #73  
Senior Member
 
Steve Whitlatch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 3,672
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 540 Post(s)
Liked 63 Times in 35 Posts
I am nowhere close to matching my LBS guys. They are very good. They have taught me a lot of things. Taken the time to show and explain things to me. I have shared a couple tricks I have learned here with them too though. My LBS is very vintage friendly.
__________________
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
Steve Whitlatch is offline  
Old 09-16-14, 07:46 PM
  #74  
Cottered Crank
 
Amesja's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Chicago
Posts: 3,493

Bikes: 1954 Raleigh Sports 1974 Raleigh Competition 1969 Raleigh Twenty 1964 Raleigh LTD-3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by wahoonc
If I want it done right...

My LBS is actually pretty good on most things, especially the newer stuff. There is one mechanic that goes back about as far as I do and can handle IGH stuff. Funny thing it they call me looking to source parts for IGH stuff pretty regularly because they KNOW I know where to find it. I also am their go to guy for dyno lighting, again I know where to source stuff. About the only thing they have that I don't in terms of tools is a Phil Wood Spoke threading machine and some frame tools. They don't do frame repairs outside of tweaking. I believe we have a frame builder in another town about 40 miles away.

Aaron
I was thinking of getting a Hozan myself. A Phil is WAY out of my price range or my needs. I do hate having to run out to buy a single spoke from the LBS for a repair job though. A Hozan would be handy.

When I need a full spokeset I get them from Lee Kilpatrick. Even if I had a Hozan it'd be crazy to cut a full wheel's worth myself. It'd take forever. Lee has a turnaround time of a couple of days.
Amesja is offline  
Old 09-17-14, 04:43 AM
  #75  
Membership Not Required
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855

Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times in 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Amesja
I was thinking of getting a Hozan myself. A Phil is WAY out of my price range or my needs. I do hate having to run out to buy a single spoke from the LBS for a repair job though. A Hozan would be handy.

When I need a full spokeset I get them from Lee Kilpatrick. Even if I had a Hozan it'd be crazy to cut a full wheel's worth myself. It'd take forever. Lee has a turnaround time of a couple of days.

I buy spokes from Lee too. When I build a new wheel or re-lace an old one I always buy a couple of extra spokes to put on the shelf it if is a size I don't already have. I have thought about adding the Hozan to my collection of tools. Two things I don't have that I will be adding shortly are a Ball Cup Spanner for S-A hubs and a Keeper Ring for the S-A dyno hubs. I also plan to get some of the frame tools but that is pretty far down my list.

Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(

ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.

"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"
_Nicodemus

"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"
_krazygluon
wahoonc is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.