BikingLasVegas.com

[ivan]

You shouldn't commend a shop for being shady in the first place... If it wasn't for this forum he probably would have gone back to find he needed more repairs... Just think of all the people not on this board that are getting shafted by these people.

[lisa]

:idea: Wouldn't it be better if a shop acted honorably to begin with, rather than once they had been caught and had to backpedal?

ABSOLUTELY!!! But they realized they made a mistake and they acted responsibly...that's still better than not refunding money...right?

[lisa]

You shouldn't commend a shop for being shady in the first place... If it wasn't for this forum he probably would have gone back to find he needed more repairs... Just think of all the people not on this board that are getting shafted by these people.

I can commend them for refunding his money and admitting the mistake.

[desertrat]

Whats the chance that this bike shop would of admitted their mistake and refunded any money if they werent concerned they were about to get bad mouthed.

Either the mechanic was incompetent or they tried to rip you off, they then got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and are trying to make amends.

[lisa]

Let's hope that this bike store and any other store in town realize that people talk. This forum is an example.

I've heard many horror stories about shops, but I've also heard so much good about them too. Guess what? The same stores have both! So, if I were any cyclist who was reading this forum, here's what I would do. I would learn all about my bike. I would know what every part on the bike is called. I would research all about maintenance and learn how to maintain my bike myself as much as possible. Then, when I do need a bike mechanic for anything I don't want or can't do, I will go into the shop with knowledge about parts and maintenance. If they know you are educated about bike mechanics, your experience will go so much smoother. Just like car repair. I hate to say it, but it's true. The more you know, the better the experience will be.

[kenstein]

Yeah. What she said.
I'd add that many bike shops have good mechanics and not-so-good mechanics. There's a limited supply of people willing and able to work as a wrench for what they make, i.e. not enough. Any of us may catch a bad wrench on a bad day and get scrod. The more you know, the less likely you are to be taken advantage of. Just one more good reason to catch the bike maintenance meet-and-greets listed here periodically.
The next best thing--Pick up a bike repair/maintenance book or just borrow it from the library. Bicycling magazine publishes a good one, and it's updated frequently.
And this list is also a great resource. I'd suggest if you hear some bad news from a bike shop, and that little bell starts ringing in your ear, slowly back away from the wrench, tell them you'll think about it, come home and post.

[dannykam]

i didnt read everyones response. but shawn is right, ok parts= more change, good parts = less change, unless you dont treat them with love.
i abuse the crap out of my stuff but i always clean my stuff and look for wear and tear, cracks, dings, creaks, "auto shifting"

throw on a chain like a oil change, every 3-4kish miles. depending on how much you like to shift, how much power you are throwing down, etc.

cassettes, once every 2-3 chain replacement.

chain rings, every other cassette replacement.

if you skip several thousand miles, and continue to ride the crap out of the drive, just keep on riding it till something falls apart and replace it all! ive seen dudes come in with super vintage stuff and they have ridden the snot out of it and the stuff rides good. if you plan to do so, thats cool, just remember after a couple of years of not changing stuff out, all brands continue to increase cassette speeds, chain widths, shifter spacings, etc. so if you go to your local shop with a 7 spd mavic drive train that is "skipping" you may have a tough time getting pullys replaced or chain installed.