lasertotheface

I'm so uncultured in the ettiquete of bike shop repair, being that I usually do it myself. Yesterday I snapped my brake cable and almost took out a jogger. Luckily I was near a shop, so I went in and had it replaced. A friend of mine works there, so he didn't charge me labor. I wasn't sure whether its customary to tip, so I... didn't. Do you guys tip your mechanics when you get work done at a shop? What if its a friend doing the work?

onetwentyeight 

No, but when I was at freewheel yesterday some girl who felt guilty about comming in 3 days in a row asking lots of dumb questions gave travis a giant blunt. I laughed.

Re-Cycle

I've been tiped before, but always put it in the shop's till. I don't think its a normal practice though.

chimblysweep

In beer. Always tip in beer. Or homemade baked goods.

queerpunk

if somebody does a favor for you that's outside of the normal realm of shop work, i think it's right to tip, if you can afford it. i strolled into the shop i used to work at and hung out in the cage while swapping ring, cog, cutting down steerer, resetting starnut. i wasn't charged, so i gave the mechanic a few bucks. i think when you get the sort of "insider deal," you should show thanks somehow. money is usually convenient.

jim-bob

I've been known to bring in beer occasionally.

puckman

In Beer We Trust! Beer is good and always go a long way....

I usually give a buck or two to the shop to use tools or some chain oil.

operator

We need more input. I don't want to be seen as the only jackass that doesn't tip.

Yoshi

I always tip my mechanic a few bucks.

ZappCatt

If I get charged full price...nope, no tip..

If I ever get a deal...ain't happened yet, not holding my breath.

mplsminx

I nearly always tip. At least a few bucks. But this beer thing's got me thinking.

I nearly always get deals, though, too...

46x17

tipped beer, abalone, fish, and bread so far

puckman

Tipping is good for any services you get....from waiters, waitresses, hairdressers, valets, old man/woman who push your grandma wheelchair in hospital or airport, bellhop, dancers.... and the list go on.. so why not bike mechanics???

Mueslix

I brought some Guinness to the shop I've been a frequent customer at for the past couple of years as an Xmas tip.

For a friend? I'd just buy them dinner or something.

jwilson165

tipped a cool sixer the high life when a dude there let me borrow a bb tool.

webist

No cash tips. I will buy a gift card to a video store, movie rental place or a place that sells music CD's and give it to the mech at Christmas time.

HereNT

I'd say if you're getting free labor, then you really should tip. And the going currency as far as I know is beer. That's what I've done. When it's just a discount, I usually give them a pull off of my flask when I see them outside of the shop...

Ira in Chi

A girl bought sandwiches for all of us yesterday. Last week I got a ten spot! Ah the glamorous life of a bike mechanic.

Sinfield

Kinda depends for me. If the mechanics have been friendly and engaging and/ or gone out of their way to help me out or give me info, or they have gotten something done that I really needed within a decent time frame I like to toss them a 5 or even better some good microbrew. Basically most of the mechanics have done all this so yeah, I pretty much always tip.

I remember one day when I was riding and my crank came almost all the way loose. Luckily I happend to be a block away from Veloshop so I rolled in and asked if I could borrow a wrench to tighten it. They apparently don't loan tools so Molly said she'd do it for a couple bucks. She does it, tightens my cog, lubes my chain and then I realized I only had credit card. She was like "I'm not going to put two bucks on a card...don't worry about it". I came back a week later with a six pack and a five dollar bill and she was hella suprised I think.

For **** like that I don't mind going extra on the tip. She helped me out when I really needed it and I like to give the shop business because it's small.

chicagoamdream

There's story somewhere in this forum about a dude who brought beer or pumpkin bread or something to his LBS, and he was sitting around, shooting the ****, and they gave him an old pursuit frame or something. Good deal.

mikearena

Yeah, gm_captain brought in a loaf of Pumpkin bread, to Recycled Bikes in Gainesville, and the owner gave him a Schwinn Prologue Time Trial bike built with complete Shimano 105, I think. 24 inch radial front wheel. A sweet ride. I've started bringing things to my favorite shops after that, for sure.

shishi

for a good job, always.

skanking biker

Only if he knows what a lockring is for

summerinside

I went into a shop where a friend of mine worked, and had full access in the shop to build up a pair of my wheels. I had already bought the rims and hubs, but bought the spokes/nipples from the shop. they let me hang there for about 4 hours, building wheels on both truing stands and didnt charge me a thing other than the cost of the spokes/nipples.

needless to say, I passed them a $20 toward their JimmyJohn's fund.

WorldWind

I always bring coffee drinks and CD's for the wrenches.