pinkrobe

As soon as I learn to TIG weld, my Jedi bike skillz will be complete.

devianb

I do everything myself except for building wheels. Anything I don't know how to do I learn and acquire the special tools for.

bikinpolitico

My LBS is just for buying parts and accessories that I'll install.

I do think everyone should learn to at least change a flat and make adjustments to their seat post, handlebars, and stem. It seems silly to me to pay m LBS for that basic a service.

bikinpolitico

Jedis braze, siths TIG weld.

urban_assault

It starts when you are young...

AdrianFly

I can do basic stuff but would love to be able to do more if I had the time to learn properly. Anything major that I've attempted usually ended up in a big mess, and me bringing the bike to the LBS to have a pro get it together again.

It costs money..sure.. but I hardly drive (Last fill-up was in April), I_like_to_bike is an idiot, I don't smoke, don't gamble..etc. so why not? I live in a small town and the people in the shop are very kind. Mechanics are cool as well!

They appreciate the business and I'm fortunate enough to be able to easily afford to have my bikes serviced.

AdrianFly

Yeah? Adults like me are fully capable of rounding off nuts with adjustable wrenches as well.

dwr1961

I've built a bare frame into a complete bike and have all the tools to do the job. I've never built a wheel, although I've replaced spokes and can true one up unless it's really taco'd...

Like an earlier poster, I've found several bike shops to be indifferent and unprofessional (They won't call you when something's been repaired, the work quality is poor-to-fair, and unless you buy new from them you're not one of the 'family). I'm actually easygoing about most stuff and it's taken me years to develop this negative attitude. But it's caused me to buy my own tools, learn basic bike mechanics, and save a lot of money purchasing bikes and parts on the 'net.

I now live in a semi-rural area and the nearest bike shop (about ten miles) fits the above description to a "T". I have a wife and three teenage kids who all ride regularly... Together we have eight bikes. I could do a good volume of business at ****** Cyclery, but find that it's not worth the grief.

Sorry for the rant... I feel much better now.

d2create

You took the word right outta my mouf.

nahh

thus far, i've done everything. found my match today, though. I'm going to take my rear wheel to have it rebuilt, the hub is shot. i don't have a truing stand, so it's off to my mech. I've had to stop going to one LBS in town, they got quite bent out of shape when i said "no, i like working on my own bike, i just needed parts, thanks".

HardyWeinberg

I do have an LBS in town that I trust implicitly, but I don't much need them and I do generally strive for independence. I have no qualms about referring anyone to them, except they charge a lot for geegaws. Parts not so much, but everything else starts around list price and goes up from there. I feel bad that they apparently need to do that to stay afloat. I wonder if they'd make up lost margin w/ volume if they dialed their prices back but I don't know how their overhead goes. There is another shop in town that is on financially sounder footing but their work is indifferent. The owner/head guy is stellar but he's not likely to be the one doing any actual work you need.

chephy

I did on occasion do things like adjust hub bearings, route cables, true wheels, straighten out bent derailleurs (a lot of luck involved in the success of the last two!) I don't particularly love doing all that, but I've had too many misses at the LBSs. If you want a job done well...

lowkey

I'll fix my flats to get me rolling again - otherwise I'm lazy and let the shop do it.

CHenry

Everything short of metal joining, spray work and BB and headset facing.

ATAC49er

Prior to 2000, a bike was a tool, a utility object, equally serviceable for my needs whether an LBS model or big-box; in other words, I was an unititiated idiot. I kinda fell into the 'bike assembler' thing for my employer.

The guy who trained me, I still work with; he now will admit that there are skills I have that he doesn't, and it's all because of the passion for bikes he fanned into life.

In 2003, I bought my first 'premium' bike, a $700 online special; a mistake in itself, but the foundation for pursuing more quality and excellence. Since then, I have handbuilt, from the frame up, five bikes; three for myself, two for family members. The price for my own has steadily risen, and will likely do so again, although I am near the top of what I consider acceptable.

In 2004, I won a free toolkit from a magazine, so the only tools I had to buy since then have been the multi-tool I carry in my pack, and the external BB tool.

Haven't yet built a wheel, but I have replaced spokes, the first step. With some resources I've found, I can locate the proper spoke size(s) I need to do so. Soon as I buy a rim, I'll likely go for it. (Have a good hub, needed for a disc set)

Sixty Fiver

My youngest daughter is 8...

fearfeasog

i'm slowly buying tools as i need them, so strictly speaking i CAN'T strip it down and rebuild it w/o borrowing or buying SOME tools. but i have done what i've needed to--repacking hubs, cassette removal, removing/replacing deraillieurs and cables, wheel truing on the bike (no stand yet). no BB's or headsets yet, but i can't wait do try it!

lotsa cleaning and degreasing! WAY too much of that!

Lamplight

I can do pretty much whatever I need, except I haven't tried building a wheel yet. I have a truing stand but no good place to mount it right now. Within the next year I hope to learn to build wheels, my own racks, and possibly frames.

Sixty Fiver

LL - We need to rent out that barn...

Lamplight

When I move into my house (hopefully this winter) I will have a barn and a workshop! I plan to start by building racks at first.

noteon 

I can do some routine maintenance, and mounting stuff isn't a problem, but I'm still at the point of screwing up brake and derailleur adjustments.

Sixty Fiver

Suhweet !

M_S

I let other people true my wheels other than an emergency spoke replacement, which I could do (never needed to though). I just moved and actually don't have a lot of tools with me, but I have installed headsets, bottom brackets, etcetera, so assuming I can get to the tools those are things I feel reasonably confident working on.

nashcommguy

My kind of guy...

bmclaughlin807

Time to find a better LBS. I'm blessed with several good ones... any of which is more than happy to help me find parts or tools to do a job myself. One of the shops specializes in used parts that can be hard to find... and knows all the little trivia things that all the other shops have no clue about

Like when I was looking for a rear dérailleur and none of the shops had one for my bike... my shop (which I had to go way out of my way to get to) knew that any number of modern dérailleurs would work just fine on my 7 speed bike... including a $30 one that ALL the shops had had in stock... or that 'mountain bike' parts are just fine for use on a road bike (In fact, a lot of parts labelled 'mountain bike' used to be labelled 'touring' instead... till mountain bikes became the 'in' thing)

They even talked me out of spending money on a new wheel when I didn't really need one.

The last time I was in (for the dérailleur) they came out front to check on me while I was mounting and adjusting the new dérailleur on their front sidewalk.