Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Why are you trusting the OP's version of events? We don't even know what bike he bought (and for how much). If he really went cheap, he is likely to have a problem with even a reasonable cost for service!
Agreed.
Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Doing a "safety check" means one has an obligation to fix problems. Or argue with the cheap person about it.
"Inferior construction and incompetent build" is sufficient reason not to get involved since those things can't be remedied without a lot of effort.
And again, agreed. And again, damn hell must have frozen over if we're still in agreement.
As I said one day this past year when I was at one of my favorite LBS' a potential customer came in with a BSB that he'd crashed on and wanted them to "fix" it. The head mechanic politely explained to him why he didn't work on those bikes. The potential customer then asked "can't you at least straighten the handlebars so that I can ride it?" And again the mechanic had to explain that it wouldn't end there. And that once he attempted to straighten the handlebars he'd have to make several other adjustments.
The bottom line from the shops perspective is that "cheap" bikes are too expensive to work on.