Velo Vol 

I've got a hub that needs serviced and a crack in the rim at one of the spokes.

I have neither the tools or the know how-to fix. It's a problem.

GlennR

Both shops had to order them. When I spoke to the mechanic at the 2nd LBS he said he just called the Trek rep and 3 days later 2 spokes arrived. He didn't have to order a minimum.

Omiak

The first shop probably wasn't a Trek dealer. I wouldn't be so quick to assume incompetence when the cause of the problem could have been circumstance.

GlennR

Actually it is.

They were just too busy to bother.

Fly2High

I have a similar experience. Now, either you can say this was a good experience b/c they did right by me in the end or it was a poor experience b/c I had to return.

I purchased a new bike and brought it in for a free tuneup complaining that the front and rear derailleur were not shifting correctly and to repair a spke protector disc that broke. I dropped it off and they marked that both needed tuning plus whatever they do as apart of a basic tuneup. They told me that it would be ready 4 days later. I come back on the Friday and too the bike home. I put it partially on my trainer to hold the rear wheel up off the ground and tried out the shifters. The bike would not shift into the largest or smallest gear.

I called indicating that I could adjust it myself but the man on the phone requested that they have a chance to fix the mistake. When I brought it in, they proceeded to replace both front and rear shifter cables (since someone on my Secteur crossed them on the downtube) and made them parallel. They commented that the cross could have been putting pressure at certain spots on the other derailleur.

In the end, it was tuned up very nice and quiet and they proved to work very well on the ride later that day.

Now, do we comment on the fact that this particular LBS screwed up assembly and crossed the shifter cables or do we complain that they did not actually perform a tuneup and tune my derailleurs the first time I dropped the bike off requiring a second visit. Or do we say that they did a good job, replaced my cables, tuned the bike wonderfully for no charge.

Now, what would you do when the year of free tuneups is over? For that matter, would you even bother to come back for another tuneup?

Their tuneup include:
minor wheel truing
brake adjustment
geaar adjustment
all bearings adjusted
chain lubrication
brake lubrication
tire pressure inflated
wipe bike clean.
$69.99

rpenmanparker 

Actually the need for a perfect cut on the top of the steerer is much exaggerated. A hacksaw and a piece of masking tape as a visual guide are all that are needed to make the cut. Assuming the measurement has been made correctly, of course. The steerer top needs to sit 2-3 mm below the stem top or the spacers above the stem if you use them. Nothing touches the steerer top, so there is no reason it has to be perfect. The top cap of the headset rests above the steerer without touching it when properly set up. So slight irregularities in the top of the steerer are completely insignificant.

roadwarrior

Just so you know the vast majority of bikes come to the shop pre assembled, or mostly so. That cable crossover probably happened at the factory.

Lazyass

Most bike shops I've been to have been fine. There is one about 30 minutes away that I visited at least 16-17 years ago. I was talking to the owner and he straight up told me he doesn't ride at all because when he goes home he doesn't even want to think about bikes after being around them all day. I thought it was bizarre that he actually told that to a customer. I rarely go there but when I do I don't deal with him, I know he still owns the place.

Stucky

On some bikes, they do sit slightly above the stem- like on some Specialized's. But still....$6 Home Depot miter box and a hacksaw, and it's no problemo.

Fly2High

Now if there was contact, shouldn't the factory catch this? OK, it got by them. Now, when the LBS was assembling the bike, shouldn't they be questioning the crisscross? OK, didn't at the time of assembly but they changed it as an answer to a problem so was it wrong in the first place or they are not that smart to begin with?

To me, it only adds to the list of questions.

rpenmanparker 

Even if the steerer sits above the stem or even the stem and any top spacers, the top cap has to be designed to bridge over and not touch the steerer, only the stem or spacer. Otherwise it can't pull the steerer up to preload the tension on it. Some setups use an expander in the steerer that has a lip that sits on top of the steerer. Even there it doesn't matter whether that lip sits flush on the top of the steerer all around or not. The important contact point between the steerer and the expander is down inside the steerer not on top of it. Once again, nothing wrong with using a miter box, you will get a nice clean cut, but it isn't required.

yankeefan

Wow, I completely overlooked that fact! You're right the top of the steerer tube is never exposed so even a poorly done cut will be easily masked. Makes a lot of sense, but my inner perfectionist might be slightly bothered if I ended up doing a hap-hazard job. Don't I need a special saw to cut a carbon steerer? I don't want it to start fraying

rpenmanparker 

Crossing derailleur cables underneath the downtube is a well accepted method of setting up a bike. You can't cross them over and then twist them back again to the original side. In other words you can't wind them around each other. That would be a problem. But crossing the bare inner wires under the downtube after the cables have gone through the cable stops on the downtube or head tube is often done instead of crossing the outer cables in front of the head tube. This often gives a cleaner look and takes less total cable length, so it is lighter. I'm not sure what was wrong in your case. I just didn't want folks that have crossed cables to think they necessarily have a screwed up setup.

rpenmanparker 

Yeah, I know! It's like you have X-Ray vision that can see the defect inside the stem or spacer. I'm not making fun. I suffer from the same problem, but have just learned to live with the imperfection. I take the money I save and buy myself a nice lunch. Then all is good!

A new, sharp fine-toothed hacksaw blade should do the job fine. Just don't try to smooth the cut with a file afterward. That will screw it up.

CliffordK

I've done all of my wheel building and truing since I was about age 10, and don't think I've ever had a bike in a shop for maintenance. Certainly one gets better with practice, but it isn't rocket science either. One can build wheels on the bike, but a truing stand is nice. However, my truing stand is CRUDE (homebuilt)... and still has built over a dozen wheels. Notice the pen in the photo Anybody on a bicycle should have s spoke wrench.



I'm a bit mixed on the "support your local LBS" thing. I don't need them for maintenance. Sometimes some obscure part would be nice, but inevitably when I'm looking for something obscure, the internet is my best bet, and I don't need to pay somebody to hunt on the internet. I suppose the only issue is suppliers that restrict direct access to parts.

Monkeys working at the bike shops? I don't know. I suppose it depends on the shop. I've heard that wages are often just above minimum wage (except for the owner/operators, of course). Hard to get good workers if one charges customers $100 / hr, and pays employees $10 / hr. But I believe some bike mechanics are very good.

dherzfeld

I've just completed the cutting of my carbon steerer tube on my new build Lynskey. I had to cut it twice (measure once, cut twice?) because I didn't include space for the expander insert that came with the fork (nor did the instruction sheet mention that fact). Once that was done (both times in fact), I hit the cut area with some fine sandpaper very lightly just to smooth out the edges. I also added a bead of superglue on the cut surface to keep all the fibers together and prevent fraying. A new fine tooth hacksaw blade makes short work of a carbon tube. My local shop actually has a high quality mechanic that can do this work, but following Rule 58, I prefer to do all my own work. I buy tubes, bar tape, gel packs and such from those guys.

t3c9

Why not learn to do it yourself & invest in some tools
if you want it done fast?

CliffordK

I can't say that everything I do is FAST.

It depends a bit on whether I am waiting for parts to arrive, and whether I order from US suppliers or overseas suppliers. But I won't be sitting around just waiting for something to happen without any idea of the cause of the delay.

If I had a shop build a wheel, I might choose all new parts (spokes, rim), while if I'm rebuilding a wheel at home, I'd be tempted to re-use things like spokes and rim, so it might be quicker.

yankeefan

Thanks buddy! I just ordered a Nashbar steerer tube cutting guide, right in time to catch their presidents day 20% off sale! If my carbon frays and suddenly fails while I'm out riding you'll hear from my lawyer

velociraptor

That's called the 'California Cross' and it's pretty much the standard way to set up the cables. It's pretty ridiculous that they would attribute any shifting problems to that, necessitating the replacement of cables. WTH?

From your description of the problem, "...not shift into the largest or smallest gear", I would say that was likely a problem with the high/low limits not being set correctly on your derailleur - which takes like 90 seconds to solve if you're slow.

Alias530

In the Sac/Roseville area I like The Hub, Folsom Bike, and Natomas Bike.

Mikes Bikes and Victory Velo are flakes in my experience. "We will call you back on X date" and they NEVER call, ever.

City Bicycle Works doesn't really work with you on price. The "best they could do" was about 2.5% off full retail. I called The Hub, asking if they had it in stock, and they said "yeah, and if you buy it today we will give you 20% off". I didn't even ask for a discount. They came out the gate with over 7x the discount that City Bike would do.

Performance Bike (Sacramento) is good for lower end stuff and nutrition items but on high end stuff they don't have it and ordering takes forever. The Roseville location is better in all ways and has higher end stuff.

bigfred 

Let me see if I have this straight:

The OP handed an LBS he usually doesn't do business with a used rim and spokes and a replacement PT hub purchased elsewhere for a rebuild on Tuesday with the expectation that the job would be done by Friday. On Monday the job isn't completed and so he's written them off as terrible and lacking customer service. When, he's admitted to not spending any more at LBS's than is absolutely neccessary (tubes, etc.).

fietsbob

Bite my Shiny metal Hiney , whiney


BTW turnaround on service is Better in the Winter.. because most people dont think about their bike till summer.

velociraptor

He was told it would be done by Friday, so I think that's a reasonable expectation.

Pro tip for any business owner: Good service is not a reward for customer loyalty. Good service is the means by which you earn customer loyalty.

deacon mark

My pet peeve was today I go into the LBS to get a Garmin Mount and they sells Garmins. They did not have the one I wanted and said they could order it.................so can I order it and it will be delivered to my door cheaper I might add. Then of course the Garmin's they sell are at least $100 more than the one I bought. I do not mind going local and paying for the service frankly it is out of line way too much. The world of the internet has changed ordering so what is up with them saying they will order whatever I want?