Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
What is the hourly rate for mechanical work at that LBS? The assembly of a boxed bike should require no additional parts and I can't imagine proper assembly of a typical boxed bike would take more than an hour; UNLESS the shop was trying to pad the bill (or chase away the customer) by claiming that any new bike with a Big Box Store provenance needed a complete overhaul right out of the box.
my assumption is that they just did not want to put the bike together. I believe the board on the wall lists their labor at $70 per hour. It has been awhile since I looked at the sign so I can not say for sure. I do most of my own work and have not used them for any mechanical services. I occasionally stop there for odds and ends. I have bought a few water bottles there and a couple of bearings.