TenSpeedV2

Way back when I first got a "real" non department store bike, I paid an LBS to install bar ends. Looking back on that now, wow, that was pretty lame. Mind you, this was several years ago, and with absolutely no knowledge of anything bike related.

ganchan

I paid to have a rear rack installed once. Partly because I couldn't tell for sure whether this particular model would fit on the bike, and partly because I was already in the shop buying the thing and couldn't be bothered to spend a few extra minutes dealing with it myself. And hey, i was supporting my LBS!

Charlie Foxtrot

I paid for an assembly of a bike I got off Amazon. I already had it together, but one of the spokes was broken and the shop guy said something about how their insurance was and they couldn't fix it unless they assembled the bike (should have left right then). He said they would tear it all the way down and re-assemble to ensure it was good. So I took it up there and let them have it. Got home for the first ride and almost fell over because the handlebar clamp wasn't tightened enough to hold with weight on it and the bars fell forward. Then I had to learn how to tune derailleurs because it wouldn't shift correctly, and found out the rear derailleur hanger was bent. So I basically paid $140 for them to fix a spoke, loosen my handlebars, and de-tune the derailleur. I now have my own set of tools and youtube.

SloButWide 

Paid LBS prices for a generic left hand crank arm. It fell off on my commute to work, losing the nut. I walked it over to the nearest shop at lunch, they re-installed the crank, which had rounded. I had them order a replacement for $2-3 more than Amazon had it, and they installed it when it arrived for $5. Call it an $8 donation to have a place to look at new-n-shiny at lunchtime!

I don't think it's lame, but I spent $150 getting a $50 thrift shop bike in shape. It was an '80s Raleigh ten speed with original tubes, tires, and cables, and an RD problem. In my mind, a safe and sound bike would be better than a $200 dept. store bike, and having it now, instead of a few months later (when I had learned to fix it myself) was worth it.

In my defense, I've since learned to do everything they did - new chain, tires, tubes, lubed the cables, reset the RD, tuned front and rear derailleur, adjusted seat and handlebars.

strtj

I paid a shop to swap out a cassette for me knowing full well that I could go to my very local co-op and do it myself, and knew how to. At the time I was just very untrusting of my abilities to adjust everything correctly.

JohnDThompson 

I paid a shop to fix a flat while I waited. It happened just as I left work, I didn't have a spare tube with me, and I didn't feel like walking 7 miles home to fix it myself.

TroN0074

Last week I was carrying a heavy load on my bicycle trailer, it was so heavy the rear axel broke on two pieces and the tire went unstable. So I paid the LBS $25 to get a new axel. I also bough the free wheel tool when I went to pick the tire up for $10 so next time I can do the work.

See one of the things that sometimes prevent me from doing the work myself is that I dont have the tools.

Elvo

Strava KOM

MRT2

In the past, just about everything I can now do for myself. Change a flat, install bar ends, change out a stem, install a rear rack, install new pedals, adjust brake pads. These are all things I can now do for myself so it seems pretty lame. Wasn't so lame when I knew nothing, or next to nothing about bike maintenance.

TroN0074

Wait, are you asking what is the lamest thing you have added to your bike and on top of that you even paid to have it installed?

Drew Eckhardt 

I paid a LBS to build an 8 speed IGH wheel for my wife because I felt lazy. They didn't build it with uniform high tension, it didn't stay true, and it took me more effort to (almost*) fix the wheel than if I'd done the work myself.

* They used spokes which were too long, and I had to compromise a bit on tension uniformity because I bottomed one or two.

wphamilton

I paid a bike shop to replace a 7-speed freewheel cogset once, which is still kind of embarrassing to remember. It took them 10 days, cheapest possible parts, and the wheel not really worth it - I blamed myself for being so lame to begin with.

Fastfingaz

That's alright MrT2,,,,, I'm a firm believer in that you got to Pay, for what you don't know,,,,,,,

PepeM

Fix a flat. On my way to school and was carrying no spares or anything. The shop is on the way so I just stopped and they fixed it in a few minutes for a few bucks.

exmechanic89

What? Are you kidding me? You could've walked home a mere 7 miles and changed that flat yourself and saved a few bucks!

gmanpma

I just joined so I could get in on this. A bell. There I feel better. Thanks.

Squeeze

^ Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner!

Grillparzer

Ditto.

TenSpeedV2

Yeah, that one might be the winner.

Phil_gretz

Re-align Avid BB-7 calipers after I had swapped out wheels. Long-ish story, here. I was configuring my commuter and had finally received my upgraded/wider wheelset. After I mounted the tires and swapped over the rotors, I couldn't get the rear BB-7 caliper to align properly. I went back to basics, stepwise, but it wasn't quite aligned parallel to the plane of the rotor. Tried all of the methods including the loosen, squeeze/hold, tighten method that I KNOW works.

I decided to take it to my closest bike shop and ask them to align the caliper. The mechanic (a good one) took it to the head of the line and was done in 1 minute. I was prepared to pay him, but he insisted on "no charge."

So, I found some sundry items that I could use and bought them there in gratitude. I'm still befuddled why I couldn't get that right. Next time that I try, it'll be easy I'm certain...

indyfabz

That's not lame. Happened to me this summer. "I'm only riding 4 miles round trip to the liquor store. I don't need my changing kit." About a block from the liquor store I flatted. My choices were: (1) Walk home in 92 degree heat with no shade, (2) walk 3 blocks to a LBS and have them fix the flat, or (3) toss the bike in the back of a cab, assuming I could find a minivan cab. I chose No. 2, and it worked out well since the LBS found that the flat was on the rim side and suggested that it was probably due to worn rim tape, so I got that replaced as well.

indyfabz

That's not lame. That's a smart use of resources. See my post #21 in this thread.

indyfabz

Sell me a Schwinn 754 in the late 80s or early 90s. That thing was a piece of junk. At one point some of bearings fell out of the cassette as I was riding it home up a long climb.

qcpmsame 

With the heart problems you have posted about, an artificial valve and some other serious things, that doesn't sound lame at all. Good choice, in my book, and it sounds like they were a fair-to-middlin' LBS, too.

Bill

indyfabz

Thanks for the concern, but I don't have a "heart problem." I was born with a congenital defect that necessitated having my aortic vale replaced when I was 25--twenty five years ago. There is nothing wrong with my heart muscle, and the valve is not really an issue vis-à-vis heat. The afternoon was really hot and humid. I hate excessive heat and humidity. I don't mind paying for convenience. The labor for changing the flat was $8. Definitely worth it to avoid walking home, and not much more than the price of a cab. I also forgot to mention that I was riding my heavy LHT with 37c tires and the flat was in the front. Just walking the thing three blocks to the LBS with that dead flat, wide tire was a PITA.