...and you're not alone.

Like I said earlier that is a lot of why I went down the path that led to me owning a shop.

There are a lot of reasons why we can see so many inconsistencies with local shops and their ability to do professional work. The PBMA (Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association), of which I am a "member" (not certified), has been attempting to try and establish some sort of set standard that can be used to at least show a baseline of experience, understanding, and ability. Unfortunately like with all things in this industry it is so passion driven that it is near impossible for any organization to approach self made successful shops and disagree on any part of their method or what they do. The old shop owners yell, "hell I wouldn't even pass your test and yet I've been one of the most successful mechanics in my area for decades and could wrench circles around that kid you just certified." It's an issue that as of now the PBMA has simply seen as "if you don't follow our exact specifications as they are listed out by the manufacturers then you aren't professional.

Anyone who has worked on bikes for more than a year or two knows that manufacturers usually miss on some details from time to time or don't anticipate what actually happens in the field.

Crux of the whole matter is economics. You simply can't pay someone what it would take for them to be at the level we would all prefer them to be at. The prices to the end customer either seem completely out of left field style expensive or they're simply out of market rate because every other shop will charge less.

This argument in the industry follows almost directly in line with "living wage" style arguments common in the rest of society. A large "chicken and egg" debate that seems to always ignore the basic economics of the current reality.

That said I can assure you that prices in shops are going to go up. I can assure you that those prices are justified. If you don't get adequate service you should absolutely call the shop on the carpet for it.

This industry is a lot like general contracting in that some vendors will look all nice, clean and professional and yet do sloppy work because they are so large that they don't have consistent labor skill. Also some vendors that are tiny and a mess that do the best work but might be unprofessional. Visa-versa as well.

The process for finding the right shop is the same as well. Word of mouth and recommendations from friends. Reading reviews. Getting quotes or visiting them to discuss opportunities. etc. the shops that will eventually win out will be the ones that can standardize the experience and level of work...think Mc Donalds or a flagship car dealer.

The reality is that shop service customers are usually low end/budget bike riders that need something basic fixed and have no idea how to do it or they are enthusiasts that just love to ride and don't have the time, skill, or desire to be bothered by mechanical work and are willing to pay.

The rest of "us" enthusiasts are people who think they can read all the doc and buy the needed tools and learn how to do everything from video and forums. I would say - "yeah you can....for the most part". I will also tell you without a doubt that if you take the time to find the right shop or the right mechanic that they can do that exact same or more challenging job better, more accurately, and in less time than you can. There will be a ton of people here who will refuse to believe it but it's just basic volume. Even if you're a great mechanic you're still doing that type of job x number of times. Any good professional or paid wrench is doing that same job 50x-100x-1,000x number of times. As a result we just know better what to look for and what will most likely happen that just isn't covered in the tech docs and videos. We also have more things we can pull out of our bag of tricks. Talent and research will never beat talent, research, and experience.