rjones28 

I am that LBS mechanic.

StanSeven

There's a Performance near my house. Not only is the mechanic good, he knows how to take care of people. He's a retired AF MD!

sbxx1985 

I had a great Campy mechanic. He was better than Peter from Vecchio's. Then he moved away.

sbxx1985 

That's cheating.

catgita

I would trust Dana Lieberman over at Bent Up Cycles, but not exactly local. The last time I bought a bike from Jax, a Trek Superfly AL 29r, had to spend 4 hours redoing everything. Wound up with almost 2 feet of excess cable housing and hose on the floor by the time it was trail ready.

TimothyH

I trust very few mechanics, bicycle or otherwise. Only use them when absolutely necessary.

DrRobert

I think you have to trust them - the first time, anyway.

When they screw up or miss something you go on to find another one, and another, and another.

Twice - twice - at two diffrerent shops, I've had a bottom bracket replaced they forgot to torque tighten the cranks. How does someone do that? I think its because they are kids getting distracted by customers coming in. A lot of shops the mechanic doubles as a saleperson or counter clerk.

That's been my experience and that's why I've basically given up on it. The experienced guys I ride with all do their own work.

I decided to start learning and doing my own mechanical work. Fortunately, I am mechanically inclined but for those who aren't or who are scared to work on their bike, you have to ask around.

Fortunately I have a second bike to learn on, so if I screw something up, I'm not screwed for riding.

Nachoman

My mechanic used to wrench professionally for Postal, Discovery and Jelly Belly. so yeah, I trust him.

Bike Gremlin

The reason I started fixing bicycles, cars and motorcycles myself, learning how to do it and getting tools - is because I was often not satisfied with the job done by mechanics. Plus I don't like leaving my transports to be worked on, when doing it yourself, you do it immediately and your bike is the first up.

Having said this, there are few mechanics I'd trust with my bike, in two different LBSs, but I bother them only with truing wheels after I lace them, since I can do all other stuff myself.

StanSeven

I'm the same situation. The LBS has a couple mechanics that worked for European teams. They spend a lot of time constantly building up high end bikes. I'm confident there's nothing that cNt do better and quicker than me.

wphamilton

I wouldn't have a problem with some LBS mechanics working on my bike. There are mechanics who are far more skilled and knowledgeable than I. But none of my bikes have ever seen the inside of a bike shop.

I'd mentioned earlier - a few years ago - posing as a neophyte and asking simple questions, and bringing in a component or wheel for a simple task, just to evaluate a shop or mechanic. I faced unanimous disagreement here, some fairly contentious. And there is some point to that: we shouldn't have to resort to that, nor to any kind of game, just to find competent service. Fortunately bikes are so simple that it's not really necessary if we put that effort into learning and practice on our own bikes instead.

Carbonfiberboy 

I've twice had a cassette come loose after a shop replaced it, 2 different shops too. Also poorly adjusted ders. Also incorrectly installed BBs. So I do most of my own work now. Some stuff I have them do because I don't have the tools or experience in using them. I had a shop recable our tandem. They used products I hadn't seen or used before and that worked out great. So some good, some bad. I have a lot more time to fool with stuff than they do, so I have a big advantage in doing my own work. They have to be lightning fast to make their time goals.

K.Katso

Since I now own all of my own tools, I don't need them anymore. I still take my wheels to a wheel specialist(not really an LBS, but rather a wheel builder) whenever I need something done, but that's it. I can build a bike from parts myself and service any part on it except rebuilding a wheel. I just don't trust myself to do that yet.

FullGas

just depends on who's doing the work and what kind of job it is...

had one shop owner totally bungle a rear wheel build that ended up being a royal PITA. he was later arrested on meth charges...oops.

picked up my bike from a very high-end shop yesterday that installed a new groupset and headset. the owner did all of the work and it performs flawlessly.

it's a crapshoot, you have to talk to people and evaluate if they know their job or not.

SteelIsRealHevy

No I don't. Why would I pay someone to do a job when I can do it myself, better.

bugly64

I used to...