Comments on: What your service manager doesn’t want you to know… http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/ Dirt is good. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:23:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Vince Rodarte - KHS M.I.C. http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21828 Vince Rodarte - KHS M.I.C. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:18:16 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21828 My first shop experience lead me to where I am today! I was 14 and I took my 1988 Nishiki Colorado into the local shop to have my cables replaced and have my rear hub re-spaced. I got the bike back after they 'needed' it for an extra day. It shifted worse than when I dropped it off and the rear hub wasn't even touched. What did they do?? Not a D**n thing! I know they charged me more than $50. I swore I wouldn't take my bike to a shop again. I think after that day my bike spent one other day in a shop.(that was to install a new fork) I bought myself a "Bicycling Magazine Repair Manual" and read about bicycle repair. I did all of my own work since then. The rest, as they say, is history... My first shop experience lead me to where I am today! I was 14 and I took my 1988 Nishiki Colorado into the local shop to have my cables replaced and have my rear hub re-spaced. I got the bike back after they ‘needed’ it for an extra day. It shifted worse than when I dropped it off and the rear hub wasn’t even touched. What did they do?? Not a D**n thing! I know they charged me more than $50. I swore I wouldn’t take my bike to a shop again. I think after that day my bike spent one other day in a shop.(that was to install a new fork)
I bought myself a “Bicycling Magazine Repair Manual” and read about bicycle repair. I did all of my own work since then. The rest, as they say, is history…

]]> By: Jeff Banks http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21760 Jeff Banks Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:15:42 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21760 Hey, great blog! I found it after searching for Southridge pics... I worked in a bike dealer for a while. We basically had the standard $5 (off bike/front) $7 (rear) change policy. After you've changed the tire for the guy with the nasty mucked up commuter that he leaves outside who has a terribly tight rim/tire combo and insists on heavy duty tubes (+axle bolts and never line up correctly becuase the frame is slightly bent) you'll know that the $5 is trivial for the work involved. Especially when that guy seemingly rides only where there is construction sites or giant piles of thorns. We also charged per work item, but ONLY if we disclosed work to the customer first. Tacking on extra cash after giving him a lowball estimate is totally wrong and we always called up the customer if there was any (major) work needed otherwise it was gratis. Most shops don't move a lot of inventory and only really make money on repairs. Hey, great blog! I found it after searching for Southridge pics…

I worked in a bike dealer for a while. We basically had the standard $5 (off bike/front) $7 (rear) change policy. After you’ve changed the tire for the guy with the nasty mucked up commuter that he leaves outside who has a terribly tight rim/tire combo and insists on heavy duty tubes (+axle bolts and never line up correctly becuase the frame is slightly bent) you’ll know that the $5 is trivial for the work involved. Especially when that guy seemingly rides only where there is construction sites or giant piles of thorns.

We also charged per work item, but ONLY if we disclosed work to the customer first. Tacking on extra cash after giving him a lowball estimate is totally wrong and we always called up the customer if there was any (major) work needed otherwise it was gratis.

Most shops don’t move a lot of inventory and only really make money on repairs.

]]> By: wannaCmore http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21752 wannaCmore Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:51:31 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21752 Luckily, my LBS's service department is right behind their sales counter at both of their locations. All of the other bike shops in town "hide" their service departments. When I took a Kona Smoke 2-9 on a test ride, the grip shifts gave me fits (either the bar is too short or my hands are too big). The salles guy conferred with the service guy and quoted mse a price of $40 to upgrade to some trigger shifts. Seems reasonable enough. Will be following this series. Luckily, my LBS’s service department is right behind their sales counter at both of their locations. All of the other bike shops in town “hide” their service departments. When I took a Kona Smoke 2-9 on a test ride, the grip shifts gave me fits (either the bar is too short or my hands are too big). The salles guy conferred with the service guy and quoted mse a price of $40 to upgrade to some trigger shifts. Seems reasonable enough. Will be following this series.

]]> By: RL Policar http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21740 RL Policar Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:47:42 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21740 No I won't. Here's why, one of the guilty shops has a great sales team. The guys there know their stuff, in fact, they're cool people.The sales guys will spend time with you to make sure you are purchasing the right item for your needs. The problem I have is with Service. The manager there is very greedy. The purpose of these articles is to better in form you of what a bad Service Manager will or will not do. We're not here to slander any specific shop, but we're here to give you tools so that if you do need to go to a shop, you won't get charged extra fees or outrageous labor for something so simple. No I won’t. Here’s why, one of the guilty shops has a great sales team. The guys there know their stuff, in fact, they’re cool people.The sales guys will spend time with you to make sure you are purchasing the right item for your needs.

The problem I have is with Service. The manager there is very greedy.

The purpose of these articles is to better in form you of what a bad Service Manager will or will not do. We’re not here to slander any specific shop, but we’re here to give you tools so that if you do need to go to a shop, you won’t get charged extra fees or outrageous labor for something so simple.

]]> By: Dial Tone http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21739 Dial Tone Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:36:05 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21739 RL would you disclose/expose who these bike shops are? Name names? RL would you disclose/expose who these bike shops are? Name names?

]]> By: Moe http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21737 Moe Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:00:56 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/03/07/what-your-service-manager-doesnt-want-you-to-know/#comment-21737 Dude... the tire shop down my street charged me 8 bucks to fix my tire... MY CAR TIRE!!! We also want to reiterate that these article series is to educate the consumer, not to bash LBS or Service Managers. Dude… the tire shop down my street charged me 8 bucks to fix my tire… MY CAR TIRE!!!

We also want to reiterate that these article series is to educate the consumer, not to bash LBS or Service Managers.

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