Originally Posted by maxrots
. . . I read alot of "goto LBS!" well as someone who has been a serious bmx racer... and been into alot of bike shops. i can tell you that your health and safety depend on your machine.. do you really want some guy making 7$ a hour working on your bike... choose your mechanic like you would a doctor... get a referral
I agree, but you were even more right in the next sentence:
Originally Posted by maxrots
Learning about how your bike works and how to fix it can help you spot problems and keep you safe.
Learning how to fix things yourself is essential. Last night, I noticed a broken spoke. I pulled out a spare and installed it. No LBS's are open after dinner. I want to minimize any chance that I will have to depend on a trip to an LBS for my bike to work.