dynodonn

LOL, I don't think even Paris has a clue on how much it is repair a flat, if her limo had a flat, they'd just roll up another limo to take it's place.

Retro Grouch 

So what's your point?

Some people choose to do certain jobs for themselves, others choose to pay others to do them.

mark9950

I really wish a bike shop would come to me when I am 30 miles away from them when I get a flat,to fix it.If I don't fix it I am walking.So why should I pay if I can fix it.Its fix it or walk.I would pay $7.00 if they came to me 30 miles away to fix it.I could understand that.

dynodonn

Hmmm...... should I just nibble on that baited hook trolling in the BF waters, or should I just chomp down on it with one big bite.

Retro Grouch 

You mean say something like: "I don't think that mark9950 has enough life experience to understand anything."?

No. I don't think that you should do that.

zac

$7 is a very reasonable amount.

Heck for $7 I would probably let them do mine too (j/k)

Tire repair service at an LBS is not geared for the folks who can do their own, but for the vast majority of bicycle owners that have no idea how to take a wheel off, let alone the tire.

As to level of competence, I certainly wouldn't worry, even with the owner's nephew.

zac

dynaryder

I think mark9950 should never go into a Harley dealer. The shop labor rates there would probably send him into coniptions.

Phantasie

7 bucks is cheap. consider that 2 bucks profit they make from that goes towards electric, heat, water, rent, insurance, advertising, and everything else.
or would you rather have wall-mart offer it at below cost along with every other bike part in the world and put the independant shops outa business?

mark9950

I hate harleys,too noisy.My father years ago taught me how to work on motoprcycles when he was alive and I was a kid(minor repairs).

My house is not a bike shop,I have to pay heat,water,utilities.Its not my fault that he dont have 500 customers a day,DONT GOUGE ME.

mark9950

I would feel sorry for someone who does not know how to turn a wrench or turn a quick release skewer.

dynaryder

That's just stupid. Harleys have to follow the same noise regs as every other motorcycle. They only become noisy when someone puts a loud(and in most cases illegal) aftermarket exhaust on them. And there's tons of sport bikes out there running open race cans that are just as loud.

I've never seen a bike shop who's prices were on the level of gouging. Here's an idea,why don't you picket the shop? Walk back and forth in front of it with a sandwhich board decrying how their prices are unreasonable. Get your friends to help out. Drive them out of business. Then go on to the next shop who's prices you don't agree with. Pretty soon,you'll have one of two things. There'll either be one shop in the entire area,and they'll charge whatever they want because of lack of competition,or all the shops will go away and you'll have to travel a distance to buy bikes or get work done.

Wordbiker

Our shop charges $10 labor only for a flat repair or tire change, even including both, even if a tire liner is added or swapped, or if a rim strip is replaced. The rate is cut in half when it is part of a full tuneup as the wheels will be removed anyway.

To ensure full value, every tire is inspected for thorns, glass or other debris, the rim strip is inspected as is the general condition of the tire and tube. The tube is reinflated and the source of the puncture is found. If it is determined to be a pinch flat, the customer is advised to keep proper tire pressure and/or to invest in a thicker jumping tube. If it's a puncture, the offending sharp objects are removed and a self-sealing tube may be recommended. If the puncture happens to be caused by the customer attempting to remove the tire with a screwdriver, the benefits of tire levers are explained.

Once the tube is replaced (we don't patch tubes in the shop) the tire label is aligned with the stem, the tube inflated, bead seating and stem alignment is checked halfway to pressure, corrected if necessary and inflated to the customer's preferred pressure or to our expert opinion at the correct pressure for the type of riding they do. As Rev Chuck stated, gears are checked, singlespeed chains are retensioned correctly, quick-release levers are adjusted correctly, wheels are checked for alignment and brakes are centered and checked...all for the same $10 and all while you wait.

Any and all of this process will be explained to customers wishing to learn flat repair, many of them asking to watch the process. Our shop has a counter and barstools expressly for this purpose, regular customers are often allowed into the shop area for a better view. Our shop also holds several free advertised clinics each year teaching any and all how to perform field flat repairs in a hands-on environment. Suggestions on equipment to carry, tire and tube choices and proper maintenance are all covered.

Considering that the average shop pays out half of what they take in for overhead, $5 ($2.50 w/tuneup) isn't much of a profit, but I'm glad every single time I fix a flat knowing that the bike will now be ridden and the rider will be a little more knowledgeable about what to do the next time they puncture, and better yet...how to prevent it from happening again if possible.

bbattle

My LBS is more than happy to fix a flat and for their regular customers they charge nothing but the cost of the tube. They'll be glad to teach anyone how to fix their own but the people that get charged are the ones least interested in learning.

I used to get my flats fixed at the LBS; then I learned to do it. Then I installed a saddle bag with spare tube and patches and the flats practically disappeared.

pista

$7.00 is cheap. How cheap do want to go?

mark9950

What do you do if you get another flat one block away, after leaving the bike shop,walk back to the bike shop and spend another $7.00?

That $14.00 bought me two thornproof inner tubes which gave me 400 miles of no flats until I hit a big chunk of glass.Of course I always have to dig tiny shards of glass of glass out of my tire with a knife.Not too bad when I used to get flats every 50 miles or so.chicago and northwest indiana are glass pig stys,you know because of the liquor.

mark9950

How much is a tune up?

I-Like-To-Bike

I'm sure more than you want to pay.

Esteban32696

As many have stated, " $ 7 is very reasonable !"

mark9950

I have adjusted cables greased ball bearings got my hands dirty replacing chains with is basically turning a few wrenches,also I made cone wrenched sanded down two regular wrenches with my belt sander thin enough to fit a cone.

Its not that I want to pay its that I cant pay.

My local Bike shop charges $90.00 to rebuild a bike (excluding wheels, thats separate)

Besides with sheldon browns website you can do it yourself,he teaches you.


Bicycles are SIMPLE MECHANICS.

I-Like-To-Bike

So why do you care what the LBS charges for tune ups, tire repair or anything else? You aren't going to pay anything no matter what the cost.

mark9950

[QUOTE So why do you care what the LBS charges for tune ups, tire repair or anything else? You aren't going to pay anything no matter what the cost.][/QUOTE]

Of course I ain't going to pay,I cant pay and theft is illegal.

Wordbiker

Then why are you worried about what people that can pay are charged at the LBS?

...Or are you opposed to people being paid for work performed in general? Sure, anyone can perform most bicycle repairs themselves with a little education and investment in tools, but if one doesn't wish to do so, what's wrong with paying someone else to do it?

I-Like-To-Bike

Perhaps the OP has some sort of disability that prevents him from earning any money, but I suspect the more likely explanation is that this is a case of ranting from a:

Burningman

Ha,that's a fruit cake...mmmm...fruit cake

Wordbiker

Since he is against anyone being paid for services rendered, it would explain why he himself has no money: He doesn't charge anything for his work.

It makes sense though...I know people that would gladly drive Paris Hilton around for free, therefore making his services worth nothing by his own "logic".