Bike shop stole my money

[Quanz56]

So I'm new to bikes (not biking) but wrenching on bikes. My headset and that whole area was really loose so I took it into my LBS and they told me, "normally we just loosen the stem bolts and tighten the top bolt." The guy did that and said it was still pretty loose and told me that it was either built wrong or was missing something.

So I decided to leave it with them to do a headset overhaul ($15). I get it back today and see that it's still loose and I'm already at home. I hop on the net and look up how to do a headset adjustment. It took me all of 3 minutes and problem solved.

It really irritates me that they would take advantage of my lack of bike knowledge to gain profit. Even if it is only $15, it's the thought behind the action that matters. I don't wanna hold any grudges against the shop though as they have done work for me before and turned out fine.

Anyway...long post, I'm done ranting. :banghead:

[DANW]

So I'm new to bikes (not biking) but wrenching on bikes. My headset and that whole area was really loose so I took it into my LBS and they told me, "normally we just loosen the stem bolts and tighten the top bolt." The guy did that and said it was still pretty loose and told me that it was either built wrong or was missing something.

So I decided to leave it with them to do a headset overhaul ($15). I get it back today and see that it's still loose and I'm already at home. I hop on the net and look up how to do a headset adjustment. It took me all of 3 minutes and problem solved.

It really irritates me that they would take advantage of my lack of bike knowledge to gain profit. Even if it is only $15, it's the thought behind the action that matters. I don't wanna hold any grudges against the shop though as they have done work for me before and turned out fine.

Anyway...long post, I'm done ranting. :banghead:

I understand your frustration, but they need to pay the bills too. Now... If they had charged you $50 - then I'd be mad.

[Paul Swenson]

What did the headset overhaul include? New bearings, new grease?

They may replaced parts but didn't tighten it correctly. I wouldn't get too worked up about it I've heard worse.

[Lezgo Cycling]

its only 15 bucks and if you were able to tighten it...consider that they may have put in bearings and grease and keep supporting your lbs

[Quanz56]

Well after looking over the receipt I did see they added a headset spacer and I suppose they could have just not tightenned it up all the way when they were done. I'm not too mad about the $15 but the fact that my irst impresison was that I got charged for a fix that they didn't do.

I probably shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that...it's been one of those days, everyone needs to vent.

[manual63]

I think it's important to tell them about it. You don't need to be upset since there are many reasons this could have happened. But if you tell them about it, it can help them improve their service and maybe, in a case of a new employee or something, they know who might have made the mistake. Most shops have the mechs sign off on something the the manager knows who did the work.

[ryno lite]

They should have tightened properly before they gave it back to you, so I think you had the right to bring it right back in and tell them to tighten it. They need to know things are getting missed, or they won't fix their issues. It was probably an inocent mistake, but you shouldn't have had to tighten it.

[charliebrown]

I guess to me, I understand they have a business to run, but at the same time, on an easy thing like that, maybe showing you how to do it would have been nice... I once had to leave my bike at a LBS to have my BB adjusted on my SS 29'er and it took 3 days to get it back, then I was out on the trail about a month later and it came loose and someone I was riding with showed me how to adjust and tighten it myself, it required loosening two allen bolts and twisting the BB to tighten the chain, it took all of 2 minutes, instead of 3 days? I was really angry thinking back on that deal, I guess with the simpler jobs a little knowledge transfer would be nice.

[manual63]

I guess to me, I understand they have a business to run, but at the same time, on an easy thing like that, maybe showing you how to do it would have been nice...

Maybe....but that's like asking an auto mechanic how to change your plugs so you don't have to take your car to them next time.

It's a business and if they taught everyone how to fix their bikes, that would kind of do away with their jobs.

That being said, I have yet to know a mechanic that would not explain how to do something if you asked them. Many can't do it while at work, but many ride and are on the forums. If you want to know anything, post up in the "Wrenching" thread and simply ask.

[Pete Hamer]

I second Shad's posts. But would add.......

....most shops will teach you how to work on your bike. Educated customers are my favorite customers. That's why I like the idea of Park Tool School.

http://www.parktool.com/clinics_training/parktoolschool.asp

[jzipfel]

You have every right to be upset. Sure it may have been a little thing and you caught it, but what if it was a loose stem and you went riding and the handlbar slippped and down you went?

Would you still say "Oh it was only a $15 dollar job, I shouldnt be too upset"

Every job on every bike is important, even the little things.

[manual63]

Every job on every bike is important, even the little things.

I agree. That is why you need to let the bike shop know about it. That is also why I hope ALL shops require mechanics to sign off on work they do. A shop should always know who wrenched on what.

That way they can go back and see who did the work and make sure it doesn't happen again.

[DANW]

You have every right to be upset. Sure it may have been a little thing and you caught it, but what if it was a loose stem and you went riding and the handlbar slippped and down you went?

Would you still say "Oh it was only a $15 dollar job, I shouldnt be too upset"

Every job on every bike is important, even the little things.

On Saturday I didn't tighten my stem enough and I crashed 3 times before I realized what was going on. I was really ticked at the mechanic.

The sad part is that I'm not kidding... :banghead:

[jkalla]

To me a headset overhaul means that they replace worn bearings, regrease and tighten. Did they do any of these things?

I do almost all of my own wrenching myself but I would recommend to anyone that brings in their bike to get fixed to ask what they did to fix it and to verify that it is fixed before you bring it home.

I took a class at Freewheel about 10 years ago where we overhauled just about every part on the bike (hubs, headset, BB, wheel truing, brakes and derailers). What you pay for the class is probably less than what you would pay to have someone else do all that work and you end up with a bike that is good as new plus the knowlegde how to do it yourself next time.

[Magic]

I second Shad's posts. But would add.......

....most shops will teach you how to work on your bike. Educated customers are my favorite customers. That's why I like the idea of Park Tool School.

http://www.parktool.com/clinics_training/parktoolschool.asp

I agree with both Shad and Pete on this. It's another reason to learn how to wrench on your own bikes. There are many resources out their to learn from.

[BG128]

As someone in the auto business I've had people say to me that they could have done that themselves cheaper, I always think then why didn't you. Its not that I want to take there money (I have actually helped people with info if asked) but my business is to fix cars, sure my techs make mistakes sometimes, when they do we happley fix them. Most lbs will do the same thing if asked. It's not in there best intrest or yours if every time someone ask to have something done (easy or hard )they offer to show you how to do it. if they did this there would be no more lbs.

[Don Youngdahl]

................ Educated customers are my favorite customers. ......................

Pete, is that because they are like me - they screw up badly just often enough for you to make real money repairing their mistakes?

[Quanz56]

When I took it in the guy did vaguely show me how to adjust the headset. His words were: "Usually you loosen theese two guys (stem bolts) and tighten this top one." He didn't say to tighten the stem bolts again but I'm sure he thought I would be smart enough to figure that one out on my own...which I was.

And like I said earlier...they did end up adding a spacer to it. So it wasn't a total waste to bring it in cause that's beyond my capabilities.

[Nickel]

Hopefully to torque the stem bolts too.

[soupboy]

Bikes are shockingly simple beasts to wrench on. I know plenty of shops that giggle over the people that need help changing tires/flats.

Heck, an entrepreneurial 12yo could post up shop on the sidewalk outside of a bikeshop and make good coin adding air and fixing flats.

[Pete Hamer]

Pete, is that because they are like me - they screw up badly just often enough for you to make real money repairing their mistakes?

No no. Nothing that sinister. I find educated customers can do a better job explaining the problem because they know the lingo. Also, they usually only bring stuff to me that is interesting to see and work on. They also seem to appreciate my work a little more.

[Lezgo Cycling]

No no. Nothing that sinister. I find educated customers can do a better job explaining the problem because they know the lingo. Also, they usually only bring stuff to me that is interesting to see and work on. They also seem to appreciate my work a little more.

sounds as though you knwo your stuff....where are you located at for those looking for a ood lbs and mechanic

[manual63]

I think most people that don't work on their bikes either don't know what to do (most likely not mechanically inclined) or don't have time or tools to do it themselves.

[Paul Swenson]

Wheel truing is something IMO left to a professional with professional tools. Last time they did it while I waited. It took 10 minutes and they charged me $20.00. Of course If I would have done it the job would have taken 45 minutes and the wheel would not have been as trued.

Also if possible take your bike in on weekdays when they're not crazy busy.

[Lezgo Cycling]

thats the 1 thing I still have some trouble with is truing....I dont like doing it but can if I have to

[Don Youngdahl]

[quote=Paul Swenson;250102]Wheel truing is something IMO left to a professional with professional tools.................. [quote]

If it is only a side-to-side wobble, it's very easy to get a good truing job with no more tools than a spoke wrench and a little patience. A truing stand is helpful if there's a lot of tweaking to do, but just leaving the wheel on the bike and using a break pad as a reference point works fine.

If the wheel is out of round, that's another matter.

[Pete Hamer]

sounds as though you knwo your stuff....where are you located at for those looking for a ood lbs and mechanic

I work at Erik's in Eden Prairie.