Originally Posted by N_C
Another factor is time. I do not have enough of it. I am either working 40+ hours a week, doing the work for my online college classes, spending time with my wife, doing work on or around the house (mowing, painting, etc.) or riding my bike. Maybe you single guys who do not have as much going on have time, I do not.
Actually, I have a wife, 2 kids (3.5 and 4 months), busy job (50+ hours a week), house with 3/4 acres of mowing/gardening. And I do all my own wrenching.
Personally I find it rewarding and I do a better job than a shop. Not necessarily because I am a better mechanic, but because it is MY bike. I will treat it with more care.
The key is I never do a full overhaul. Too much time for my bike to be out of service. So I basically do a "rolling overhaul". I will do the cables. Or repack the wheels. Or tear down the BB. So on and so forth. Each one of these tasks takes little time. I can repack both wheels in probably 15min at this point. And that is done while watching some TV.
Looking at your costs, that $75 in labor you paid will get you pretty far with what you need.
$50 gets you pretty much the tools you need to do the work
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...egory_ID=4218#
$39 gets you a basic stand
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...egory_ID=4216#
Alot of people Poo poo this style stand. I have one like this (an old Minoura) which is about 15 years old now. I paid about $25 for it back then, so the stand has more than paid for itself. And it folds into a smallish carrying case so it is out of the way when not in use.
Most of my tools are 15 years old too. I have bags of bearings that I bought at nashbar back then as well, which will probably last me most of my lifetime.
Oh yea and a good book (Back then I got Sloanes Bike maintenance book, or something like that).
Anyhow, if you really wanted to do it yourself it is possible. If you simply would rather now, that is cool. It is what LBS are around for. No need to make excuses about that.
-D