Cycling UK Forum

Well after the joy of parts of my 2nd hand bike falling to bits (lets thank the previous owner for putting worn out parts on it to keep the good ones), and having to get it serviced by the LBS. They have said they'll do it for cost...Which I think is lovely of them. Naturally its a good start to building a customer...LBS relationship for the future, meaning I'll choose it as my place of service for regular servicing.

Anyway to business I would like to pay a "service charge" for the work as a thank you. I was wondering if some of the experienced folk on here could come up with suggestions as to how much it should be (bearing in mind i'm poor) based on this list of work.

New chain £25
New Dura-Ace 7700 bar end shifters £53
New wrapped Bar tape £10
New Gear cable (no idea how much this is)
General Service for bike roadworthiness

I have a figure in mind but I'd rather see suggestions first than post it.

Many Thanks

Emma

The most time-consumng part of that list is probably the general service. Fitting a new chain and gear cable take a couple of minutes. Doing the handlebar tape would be a bit more involved.

IIRC Evans charge something like £50 for a service, but those are London prices.

Hello,
I suggest you look at doing some basic maintenance course. Evans used to do them for free. Edinburgh cycle coop do them for a reasonable charge. Use you tube everything is available on there.

ummm had the bike 6 weeks, so am learning all things bike mechanic as fast as i can ( not to mention a full set of tools and books being pricey), so it doesnt compensate for the skill of a LBS who do it exclusively for years right now. So a bit Off topic but thanks. Just suggestions of prices for service charge please. What you feel is a fair price.

I'd say a bottle of whiskey and a pack of biscuits would go down very well - but it IS their job, so they kind of need to have proper remuneration at times as well.

Sounds like a nice LBS, and definitely worth relationship cultivation, if they are offering to do this at cost (and it looks like retail costs, so there is some margin in the parts they've sold) then thy're happy with that.

Up here in the wild and woolly north we charge £25 for a basic service ex parts.

Our mechanics prefer chocolate cake to biscuits and wouldn't thank you for the whisky, them being beer drinkers!

£30 an hour.
might be about hour and a half there for a skilled man, depending exactly what is entailed in a "service"
Bar end levers include cables, AFAIK

foxyrider wrote:Up here in the wild and woolly north we charge £25 for a basic service ex parts.

Our mechanics prefer chocolate cake to biscuits and wouldn't thank you for the whisky, them being beer drinkers!

Of course this requires some cunning questioning - but as the OP is female (Assuming dad wasn't Jonny Cash) I expect she is therefore adept at this kind of thing </generalisation>

i'd say to round it up to the next full ten pounds and say thank you very much. i've been doing to same with my small LBS for many years and find them very appreciative. they are good relationships to have when you need that key, hard to source part....

As a retired one man LBS chappie I'd suggest round up to the nearest even figure. Then in the future when you need a part don't get a quote then run of to wiggle or whomsoever to save a bob or two. Remember that an LBS is paying top trade rate for small quantities, often one item at a time. No massive trade discounts for quantity. He has made the first move in fostering a long term relationship. Take the hand he has offered and shake it firmly. Happy cycling

If you mean that they are only charging for cost of the parts, I'd give them an even £100 and some home made flapjack or brownies.

I just wanted to say thank you to all the posters. Being new to all this it comes as a surprise when a shop in any industry doesnt want to screw you over for every last penny.
I didnt want to take advantage either by not paying anything above costs. I was thinking of paying 25% of the parts cost as a service charge. (about £20-25 ...which coincidentally is about all i could afford anyway).
They can buy their own crate of stella then....

Thanks

Emma

Look after your LBS Emma, and they'll look after you. A bottle of Shiraz does the trick at my LBS for special treatment, and I always offer to pay for labour, even when it's thrown in.

I, too, would go with the cake, chocolate, etc gift rather than money...after all if they'd wanted the money they would have asked for it, but an unexpected gift is always nice.

Si wrote:I, too, would go with the cake, chocolate, etc gift rather than money...after all if they'd wanted the money they would have asked for it, but an unexpected gift is always nice.

Yep me too.