pablosnazzy

why, why, why do people get upset when they come into a bike shop, ask to borrow tools, and the mechanic explains "sorry, we don't lend out tools."? these same people would never walk into an auto mechanic shop and say "hey, can i borrow your pneumatic socket wrench?" would they walk into a doctor's office and ask for a bandage and some ointment?

no, you can't walk in to a shop and just borrow some tools.

brentam7

my lbs will let me borrow some stuff but since i know him so well he just does it for free. I also think so bike stores should think about doing what autozone does, which is you giving 25 bucks or so for the tool and when you bring it back you get your money back.

cryptid01

What's your policy on air? Do you make them buy a pump?

My favorite shop has a box of old loaner tools including allen keys, screwdrivers, and box wrenches for use on premises. You will get the stinkeye if you come in asking for headset or bb tools though.

ARider2

It is a good idea for a bike shop to have a few basic loaner tools around. But the loaner tools should only include the basics like allen keys, screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches and pliers, but NOT: BB, chain tools, cone wrenches, etc.

Doohickie

I walked right into a body shop last week and asked to borrow an Allen wrench to tighten something that came loose on my bike. The mechanics there were so much cooler about it than you.

pablosnazzy

we'll give you a floor pump and you can pump your own air. you can't use our compressor, unless we are absolutely dead, or you are a hot looking chick. damn double standards.

Cyclist01012

Lets see walk into shop, go over to cabinet in the service area open drawer pull out the bottome bracket need. Go to the other wall get the barke pads I need. Walk out to the sales floor look for the wrench BB wrench I need not finding it, Walk back to the service area grab the spare one off the 4th work bench then grab a hayes brake spreader. Walk back out to the front counter. go behind counter get out qbp catalog look up order number for said bb wrench write it down on the order pad (quanity 2 one for me one for the shop) add part number for the bb and the brake pads to the list. Grab receipt write it out. Stick it in the folder under the counter I will pay the entire bill when the wrench comes in.

Then ring up 1 coustomer talk to another about lights and fenders for a cummuter bike.

No my LBS dosnt complain about me going in and borrowing a tool. I wouldnt think about walking out the door with a headset press, a BB facing tool or a frame alignment tool but no one would even look twice if I came in to use one.

I'm thinking youre way to uptight on this one.

JonnyV

I start yelling at the owner of the store when he uses/moves the tools around. He may own them but I make him money with them. I'm not going to let someone "borrow" any of them.

pablosnazzy

i'm thinking you have a very close relationship with your shop. so....if i were to walk into your shop next week and try that, none of your shop people knowing who i am, how far would i get?

the majority of people who come into our store aren't even from the same county, much less state. those are the people i'm talking about.

sscyco

I'm siding with Mr. Snazzy on this one - I have worked in a couple shops. The problem is not the regulars, or the cyclist in need - we would never turn one of them away. The issue is the guys on the NEXT that stops in every other day to top off his tires - or the stop in on his 6000 dollar Ellsworth demands free use of a torque wrench (and of course, when it's busy),

samburger

I went into my LBS one day after trying to mess with my bike & screwing up the brakes, & the guy said he could charge me $15 to fix them for me or he could lend me an allen wrench & teach me to do it properly myself, for free. This was the first time I had talked to this guy, but the owner recognized me as a regular who has given them plenty of business. I appreciated it & learned to adjust my brakes. It was only an allen wrench though, & I didn't even expect that much. If I needed a special or expensive tool, the most I would have done would be to ask if I could borrow theirs but order a new one through them so that they get some commission & know I'm not just trying to freeload off their hard earned tools.

I agree with Snazzy to an extent. If you're a regular & provide your LBS with business, I think letting you borrow a hand tool when you need it is a kind gesture. I don't, however, think that every LBS should loan out every tool to anyone who wants/needs it. There's an unspoken understanding that when you buy lots of stuff/labor from your LBS & visit there often, they treat you better than the average Joe wanting to get handouts to fix up his Next or Schwinn.

pablosnazzy

bingo

crazzywolfie

Johnny Law

what wrong with next?

crazzywolfie

i don' think it has anything to do with the bike and more so the fact he stops in to fill his tires for free and not buy anything like an air pump.

dminor 

I have a favorite quote from Red Green that goes: "If it ain't broke, don't lend it." And I have to say after getting burned a few times, it's a good rule of thumb to go by when it come to tools.

I've worked in a motorcycle shop, an automotive service shop and dabbled in bike shops and one thing is almost always universal: mechanics own their own tools for the most part. Yes there are some 'shop tools' in any line of mechanical work - - specialized stuff that only gets used occasionally and/or is prohibitive for the individual mechanic to own. But hand tools - - and the mechanic's chest - - are sacred ground, his personal property and his bread and butter. He gave up parts of many weeks' pay to stock his tool box a bit at a time to get that collection of tools that we think "gee, he's lucky to have all that." He can't afford to take a chance that something he lends out is going to carelessly or willfully walk off, and then not be there the next time he needs it.

If you have a relationship with a shop or owner that allows you to borrow a tool occasionally, cherish it and nurture it. If you don't, don't expect it . . . or get bent out if they say no. Like owning any mechanical contrivance, be prepared for ownership - - be ready to pay to have it fixed our buy your own damn tools so that you can do it yourself. They had to buy theirs.

Bike Lover

it definitely develops good will to the cyclist in need. The "good" shops around here have no problems with helping out. Some will rent stand space and let you use any tool @ the time that they have. They'll even teach you how to use something if you've nvr used it before.

"My" shop let's me use anything I want whenever. But then again, I consider him a bud