merckx_rider

The best shop I know of is Richard's Cyclery hands down. He's in the phone book.
OP, If you want to learn how to wrench on your bike I'll teach you, just pm me.

Chuck5.2_in_CA

I cannot believe the arrogance of some of the members of this forum. I won't brag about my net income or my hourly rare when I choose to work. Division of labor is what made civilization possible. When I spend some of my income for a plummer or a roofer nobody suggest I should do the work myself, although I did both of those jobs as a youth. When I played college tennis only a few people suggested that I buy a machine and learn to string. I like to drive but no one expects me to be an expert mechanic but when I talk to fellow cyclist almost to a person they tell me to do the work myself. Riding is FUN for me ! Great exercise, keeps me fitter than any 59 year old has the right to be, and has in general let me meet some really cool people. But between the hammer heads and the gear heads its no wonder I havent posted in 3 years ! Sheesh!

LCI_Brian

Good points, but in my case...

1. I usually drive to/from the shop as part of other errands, so no additional time spent there.
2. I have a couple of bikes, so I can deal without one for a couple of days.
3. Sometimes if it's simple enough, the shop will fix it on the spot.

I still do the most simple things myself - but the line where I do it myself versus taking to the shop depends on how busy I am.

Chuck5.2_in_CA

my typing isnt very good either (RATE vs Rare)...as to the VERY helpful analysis of my time...I LIKE to go to bike stores, so the trip there and back again is fun for me. I can usually combine it with something else in the area. There is an old fashion ice cream fountain near Glassel in Orange that I have been dying to try. As to missing the bike..DUH.. I wont even dignify that with a response.
As for knowing how the bike works I have an advanced degree in Physics. I know how most EVERYTHING works including nuclear reactors. I still would want to fix one because I KNOW I am a lousy mechanic. Thanks too for the offer of teaching me how to "wrench". Its been tried and it doesn't take. Shroedinger's wave equation and non newtownian mechanics are easy for me...but "righty tighty, lefty loosey is still a mystery !

Condorita

For me, it's "What part of 'I have other things I'd rather do than something I'd rather not do' are you all not comprehending?" That, and my LBS is near work, so dropping a bike off or picking it up isn't that big a deal. And I have achieved N+1, so with one in the shop I still have another to ride. If you enjoy working on your bike, fine, do it. I don't, and I won't. My bikes are for my enjoyment. I don't even do my own oil changes any more.

UmneyDurak

Yourself included.

LCI_Brian

I can't blame the OP for being PO'ed. He asked a question, someone replied suggesting he DIY, he politely responded that he had his reasons for not wanting to DIY, and he still got suggestions to DIY!

Chuck5.2_in_CA

Thanks Brian...anyway problem solved. Bike taken to Swithback Cyclery in Orange. I had a pleasant conversation with Tim the owner and did my grocery shopping on the way back. I think I have found a good LBS.

Extort

Let us know how everything ends. Good cycling shops can be hard to come by.

UmneyDurak

It's BF.

Pamestique 

I'm not certain any shop anymore has a great mechanic. The exception is Juan at Cycle Care in Lake Forest. He is an old time mechanic and wheel builder. The Shop isn't set up to sell bicycles, just do mechanics. I also like the Irvine Rock'nRoad. Any of the guys there are good. Edge is good. But really I learned to do all the repairs myself. I'm a chick... it isn't that hard. Just, like Brian said, time consuming. The only thing I can't do is build wheels. I have a shop in Santa Maria (Main Street Cycles - Scott) to do that.

And yes I understand he doesn't want to do it himself. One just then needs to understand the problem with depending on shops.

Pamestique 

Funny you said that... I have a good friend who is also a physicist... I had to show him how to turn on the dishwasher. He could explain how it functioned but was just baffled by all the buttons!

The Carpenter

NO KIDDING!!!!
5.2(Sheldon) It seems like that great career of yours has you pretty tightly wound. That must be great. People are just making suggestions trying to help. You don't have to be a great mechanic to learn to do a few things. I drive a car, I don't "enjoy" pumping gas, but I sure as hell don't pay someone to do it for me.

Knowing how everything in the world works means nothing if you can't make those things work.
What will you do WHEN (not if) your bike breaks down on a ride? You'll call someone who's time is obviously not as valuable as yours to come pick your sorry ***** up. You may wait an hour for them to get to you when YOU might have been able to make a quick roadside repair and finish your ride.

So to you Sheldon (op), I say go away for another three years. If you mellow out you can come back.

rooftest

Nice work asking for help, then getting all uppity with us, big shot. You are a complete ******.

surfrider

Interesting to know about Orange Cycle. I have a friend at work who lives in the area and takes his bikes there for service. They have them done when they say they'll be done, and he's never had any problems with the work. He did buy one there (a multi-speed cruiser), so that may help. I went in there looking at a Masi and they were extremely helpful; didn't buy it, but am seriously thinking of going back and dropping the $$$ (I needed a larger size frame than what they had in stock at the time). I do all my own basic maintenance, so don't have a personal opinion on the shop's service myself.

HeyitsDave

Bannings Bikes in downtown Fullerton.
The Two Wheeler Dealer in Brea.

merckx_rider

Why can't we all just get along????
I have to agree with the post about having someone pick the OP up.
My chain fell off and I cant fix it.... hmmm advanced degree but no common sense.
I love to fix my bikes, know why????
Cause I had someone else fix it once
No one has ever touched any of my bikes since.
I read in a magazine one time about a guy that took his bike in for some minor work, the shop told him it would take a few hours. He took off and came back and saw the "professional" mechanic eating his lunch and working on his bike at the same time. Seems the mechanic was running behind schedule. Long story short, The bike didn't get fixed right and the guy took the bike home and got a manual and fixed it himself. Seems the professional job came from the guy that wasn't a professional mechanic.
Seems there is alot of that going around these days...
So when people that have been there/here suggest you diy, maybe it's because we all feel better knowing that our bikes are getting fixed by someone that really cares = DIY!!

JetWave

WOw, if someone offer to teach me how to wrench my bike, I would jump at the opportunity in no time!

Chuck5.2_in_CA

Emergency repairs and shop service are two very different things. I can do just about every emergency repair and in the 20,000 road miles I have on the bike I only got a ride once and that was in an ambulance. The vitriol on this post is mind blowing. Yes I was sarcastic with the DIY replies. But I was polite and appreciative to those who suggested various bike shops and mechanics. I might just continue to post for the sheer entertainment value !

Oh and it took me a while to get that Sheldon comment and although my degrees are in physics I don't resemble him at all. For one with his body type he'd ride me into the dust with a little training. For another...oh never mind !

The Carpenter

That's what 90% of BF is all about!

gamecat

Jax in Huntington Beach seriously impressed me last week. I didn't need anything complicated, but they were extremely helpful despite knowing that I'm not an OC resident and so am outside of their territory most of the time. I can't speak for the whole chain but the staff members at that location were great.

OP-- You might consider visiting one of the bike repair co-ops/collectives--that's kind of a happy medium between DIY at home and just throwing the bike at a shop's repair department. Not necessarily just to make a repair, but as an experience. Pardon the awkward analogy, but think of it as visiting the lab of an allied engineering department. You might not live there, being on the theoretical side, but it expands your horizons. And the engineering part of bike culture is worth soaking up.

In OC: https://www.thebicycletree.org/main.html

I thought I was mechanically inept until I found a coop and found myself being walked through a BB and headset rebuild on an old unearthed PX-10. I may never be mechanically intuitive, but it's a pleasure applying myself to these tasks. At the same time, I wouldn't hesitate to go to an LBS for work I'm not comfortable doing myself (in terms of capability or time.) The nice thing about a coop as it's a low-pressure take what you want and leave the rest approach to wrenching.

Garfield Cat

In Tustin, Santiago cycle, owner is Robert. In his 50's. Good mechanic. And he's a Trek dealer.

UmneyDurak

With that kind of attitude you will fit right in.

Chuck5.2_in_CA

Here's the final result with the work done at Switchback Cyclery in Orange...nothing short of perfection ! The bike shifts like butter ..as good or better that when it was new. The bike was ready exactly when he promised and Tim and his wife were a pleasure to deal with. He found and corrected a problem with a bent bracket that I didnt even know him about and the price was so reasonable I really wanted to buy a store jersey as a way to say "Thank You" ! Unfortunately they were out of my size. Thanks Tim !

Damn they have a cool Red White and Blue jersey that compliments my bike perfectly ! Of course I am sure some of the members in here will insist I buy the material and DIY !


Chuck

GP

That's funny.