I have to agree with scyclops on both his points. One, that I neglected to mention replacing what is probably is the freewheel on your bike; and two, that $250 seems very expensive even if the cost included replacing the chain, freewheel, and crank. If you tried to sell the bike as-is, you might get half that for the whole bike.


I’d take it to another bike shop and ask them to check the derailleur hanger alignment. A bent hanger is very common and is easy to align with the right tool. Another option is to put an ad on Craigslist asking for help. In my area, at least, there are plenty of bike mechanics who advertise their services for quite a bit cheaper than LBS labor costs.