Southernwayfare

If I order $1300 worth of components for a complete build of a frame (I already have the frame) at my local bike shop, how much should I expect to pay for labor for the build? Or should they comp the labor?

^oZ

If you order $1300,- of stuff for your bike at least I'd expect them to build it for you. That's wat we'd do.

666pack

if you're getting a complete they should definitly comp the labor. even with $1300 they should comp you.

BRANDUNE

Id say somewhere in the range of $25,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. 99 give or take a few cents

moe sizlack

I can't wait till you crash that thing.

Chrysiptera

word.. i crashed my fuji conversion this morning and i think the fork is a little tweaked.. sigh.. IMHO, I'd never ride an expensive frame in the city

Severian

... I'm curious why at least two posters think that the labor should be comp'd.

From my perspective I'd say you should have got a deal on the parts rather than pull money out of the hands of your mechanics.

BRANDUNE

Arent most mechanics getting paid by the
hour

Severian

where do you think that money comes from? in most mature shops in the industry (ones with decent customer return rate) the money that keeps the store solvent is the shop. that and sub $300 bike sales.

dutret

money is money to most LBSes. Chances are they're making quite a bit on the $1300 of parts they just order and transfer to him too unless he bargained for them.

However most shops are greedy and probably will try to charge some absurd amount for the labor as well as overcharging for **** they just write down on an order form.

Go in with a list of parts and an idea of what you can get them for elsewhere. Then discuss the price of the whole package WITH installation. Be prepared to walk out many LBSes are like the slimiest used car dealerships when it comes to trying to wring every last cent out of you.

jdms mvp

i'd build it for ya for like 50$ and a 12pack of wild cherry pepsi

time bandit

seriously. do it yourself. you are at the forefront of the information age. You can find guidelines on this internet on how to put a VW together in terms a ****** can understand. It's no different than bikes. Think about it. You pay x amount for labor plus 1300 in parts. You buy those same parts online and learn to put them on yourself for = or < 1300. PLUS you can rebuild when you want to upgrade OR just know how to maintain it yourself. Geez. people who can not be bothered to learn how to put a bike together shouldnt ride one imo. ( i know it's harsh so shut up)

Severian

Life is greedy get over it.

sure... the OP should get the best price he can for what he wants to create. But treating ANY business you walk into like they are sleaze ruins a whole lot of the universe. and its a sure fire way to piss people off.

in short... your attitude sucks major pavement.

Southernwayfare

I totally agree with you, Time Bandit. I'd love to build the bike myself. Unfortunately, I don't have the necessary tools or space in my small apartment plus no bike stand. I don't have experience with major bike work but I think I could do it. One option I'm considering (especially after this bull****) is using Broadway Bicycles which is a coop type of place were I can rent space to work including basic tools on for $9/hour, specialty tools are $36/hour (prorated by 5-minute increments) and assistance from a mechanic for $24/hr.

Regarding the local bike shop. I didn't ask for or get a deal on the parts. The gave me their retail price for everything, added it all up, and then asked for $50 for the build. $50 isn't much considering I'm spending close to $1300 but that's exactly the point. I was insulted. I could get all the parts for anywhere from 10-40% less online! Probably save $300. I was trying to keep in local. Seems like they could comp me the $50 charge either by waiving the labor or discounting the parts (Isn't it really the same thing?!)

The kicker was when I asked about a specific nitto stem they didn't have in stock. The dude at the shop went to the computer and pulled the part up on Ben Cycle's website. Ben was selling it for $59 and the guy turns to me and says he can get it for me for $100. WTF?!



I'll be sure to drink a beer and ride another mile when you crash, moe sizlack

Chrysiptera

whoa! I just noticed you are in boston.. What bike shop is this?? I can't believe they looked it up on bens they quoted you the diff..

//lives in brookline

baxtefer

a frame-up build for $50 is actually a pretty good deal.
considering that shop rates can be around $75/hr and a full build, done properly can take a couple hours.

Now if you had saved that $300 by buying online and brought all those parts into your LBS to have them installed you might even get charged a surcharge for labor since you didn't buy thought the shop.

what store?

tinydr

let me guess... international?

silent1

Just build the bike yourself. You can find all of the information online and probably all on BF. Or go to the Park website and search each part and it will tell you exactly how to put all the pieces together one by one, their website is top notch. As far as buying tools, the tools you need to build a fixed gear are minimal, you don't need many specialty tools and everything else can be purchased at a hardware store. I keep stuff local now but when I was getting started I bought everything online and don't really feel bad about it, the bike shops tried to screw me on labor and parts. Save 300 on parts and invest 50 of that in tools and you will have everything you need. To put the bike together I think the only specialty tools you need a BB tool and a chain tool which you can get for under 20 dollars, everything else is hex keys and a large cresent wrench.

Southernwayfare

What's the Park website?

Scratch that, I figured it out, Park Tools...

tinydr

unless you need to deal with the headset... Broadway might be the best option if you need to do things like that. I kinda wonder if any of the people who were working there when I last went in are still around (my ex worked there for a little while and a guy I rode with was there for years). I did see a clip from there on PBS the other day ("Arthur")

Southernwayfare

This is a complete build - all I have is a frame and a fork. I'll have to use Broadway. I'm going to go for it.

Chrysiptera

I've wanted to use broadway, but I instead just bought the tools as I needed them.. If I were you I'd try to get as much done before bringing it over. You can do a heck of a lot with standard tools.

mathletics

Why are you asking us when you could be asking the shop?

Southernwayfare

Read the thread...I did ask the shop. I didn't like what the said and I was wondering if I was being unreasonable...

jimblairo

Between 125 and 160$.