Rate yourself vs. the local LBS wrenches....
 

I figure this will have a lot to do with the size of your locality, or the survivability of the really good shop in your area.
This is not a competition, as I'd quit wrenching if I thought I was hurting their businesses. It's more a matter of opportunity.

Overall: even. The difference is "business" vs. "hobby." A hobby has many advantages.
Wheels: them, as one of them is pretty good at truing.
Troubleshooting: about even, and due to what I see vs. what they see. I see more problems they don't want to deal with.
Big box bikes: one of the shops specializes in that, so I'm not even close. Thank goodness.
Mountain bikes: them, I don't know one end from another.
Road bikes: me; the market is so small, I get a lot of it.
Assembly: me. I'm slower, because I don't have to "get it done."
Drive train: about even, but I tend to troubleshoot better on older drive trains.
Modern bikes: nod to them, but it's close.
Older bikes: nod to me, and I have the parts. I also have fewer inhibitions (like spreading 126mm to 130mm)
Building: me, but it comes down to opportunity. I get to build bikes. They rarely get that chance.
Corrections: call it even. I'm sure they've corrected my snafus, and me theirs, in the past.
Courtesy and Service: them, by far. With me, it's a roll of the dice.

I figure this would be a good topic of discussion.

I'm mechanic (yacht), but I've worked in motorcycle shops, car lots and did fighter jet weapons and weapons systems in the military. There isn't much i can't fix or make fit.

That said my LBS guys know thier stuff and I've found myself asking them bike specific questions allot.

I'd say over all i win because i am willing to do things they aren't. Like redrill and tap holes or run a part through a lathe or milling machine to make it work.

They know more about modern stuff than I do (espec things like new bottom brackets). I'm about equal with them on vintage stuff. Adding to that my willingness to research how to do something properly before starting a repair on the vintage stuff, and I tend to do things at home unless they have the tools.

I'm my only real customer, so its easy to do a market study.

Not to brag but:

Auchen 1
LBS 0

I am far inferior to my LBS in every way.

Anything older bike related, nod to me. I have the parts, the tools, the patience, and the experience with the older stuff.

Ditto building, particularly older stuff. I can take the time to get the small details right. I have seen lots of important details wrong on their old stuff.

I also have nicer tools and a much bigger (and messier) workshop than the LBS.


The LBS gets a big nod on modern MTBs. He will also work on XMart junk, which I avoid completely.

In the end, he has a business, I could not survive as a business for sure. He is making it, so a BIG NOD to him for surviving in the bicycle business.

I have never really used my LBS much to do any work on my bikes, other than remove a freewheel that I didn't have the tool for. I would guess that the biggest advantage many of us hobbyist's have over the LBS mechanics is that we don't mind spending DAYS getting one bike just right. Certainly the bike shops cannot afford to do that. I also probably end up knowing more about many of my own bikes than some of the shop employees because when I get a bike, I will read everything on the internet about it as I am going through the rebuild process. Studying the history is half the fun.

I almost had a LBS shop repair damaged threads for me on the crank arm and pedal of my Super Sport a couple weeks ago, but it didn't work out. I first brought the whole bike in to ask them if they could repair the threads on the pedal and crank arm. The guy told me yes, for about $15 and that I should bring it back after it was disassembled, since I was going to take the bike apart anyway. When I did bring the crank and pedal back in a few day's later the same guy told me they did not have the 1/2" left hand die for the pedal. Naturally I was irritated and went home and ordered the tap and die to do the repairs myself. I would use the LBS's more but I find they usually just don't quite come through for me. It's not that they couldn't help me with my projects, they just don't have the same interest or incentives to get my old inexpensive bikes back into shape that I do.

The other advantage I have with older bikes is having this forum as a resource. There is such an incredible wealth of knowledge here about old bikes that most LBS's that deal in new bikes cannot hope to compete. There is an expert around here for just about every make and model of vintage bike, and most are willing to share the knowledge. Thanks folks!

I am far less experienced and less knowledgeable than the LBSs. I am also much slower. But I think to a point... being slower, more deliberate, and careful with tuning pays off.

I like my bicycles silent. Mechanics at the LBSs are always "on the clock" and do excellent work even when working with the pressure of time. But I am the only person/mechanic I know that will take the time (or have the extra time to take) and make the effort to track down and resolve any noise no matter how slight.

Wait, people actually pay others to work on their bike? Crazy talk...

My LBS has one guy who seems very knowledgeable, probably a great mechanic. I've never found out though for a combination of two reasons: I'm too cheap and enjoy working on my bikes too much to pay someone else to do it. I mean, if I started paying someone to work on the bike, why not pay someone else to ride it as well?

That's pretty much my assessment as well. But they come to me when they need stuff like Swiss bottom bracket taps or a TDC freewheel remover...

There is a lot of truth to the statement - if you want something done right, do it yourself. It's not even close. About the only thing an LBS wrench has on me is raw speed. Speed isn't really a good thing most of the time IMHO. They can't/won't take the time to do it right.

At this point in my life/career I won't let any LBS wrench touch my bikes. It's not even close. I'd sooner hire someone to service my wife.

It's been a couple of years since I last attempted to have my LBS do anything for me. I needed a crown race faced for a project build, and the LBS mech did a double-plus non-good job of it (with a $30 charge, no less.) The next time I needed a crown race reamed I just bought my own reamer tool. It's already paid for itself.

Short of major frame repairs that involve welding or major brazing of whole new tubes from a frame-builder, and whole-frame painting or powdercoating (I don't have access to a decent paint booth or a curing oven that large), I have no need or call for outsourcing any work on my bikes. If I need a tool I don't have I either buy, borrow, or rent it. At this point there are very few bike-specific tools I've not acquired, like a few of the weirder proprietary 1-1/8" cutters for my headset reaming/facing tool. There are books and the internet for a knowledgebase.

There are very few problems and tasks that can be found on a bicycle that nobody has ever run into before and can't be found discussed in detail online, at least somewhere -often right here at BikeForums.

On the vintage stuff, me
on the more modern stuff the LBS.
wheels? I guess its a tie. I think I build a better wheel, they are faster at it.
Considering they hire me for their vintage bike rebuilds and restorations says something.

Robbie, I am an amateur, and I know it. I just don't think I'm as good as the average LBS mechanic.

I have a good relationship with my favorite LBS. In the early '90s I started building my bikes rather than buying completes. The mechanic was very helpful on the "Right Way" to build from a frame set and I learned quite a few of the finer points.

Brad

I don't know.
I've never taken any of my bikes to the LBS.
The young turks there are nice guys, though.

I loved your work on the Sistine Chapel!

There isn't a lot of competition in my area with our shop being the best at what there is to offer. I also have just a natural mechanical ability & learn very quickly at whatever repair field I jump into & I understand what I read, so give me a good manual and I'll jump in. Bicycles are easy compared to other things I work on and while I don't know everything about them I have a good teacher who knows that once he shows me something once or twice he won't have to again it just sticks.

One of the only reasons I wouldn't consider opening my own shop would be that I am not fast enough to make it profitable with the health problems I now have, you can have it good & fast pick one.


Shops other then ours, as I can't compete with my boss at most things bicycle related. Also we have a new shop & the mechanic was trained by my boss Vic, he tells me he is pretty good although I haven't seen any of his work yet.

Overall: even. The difference is "business" vs. "hobby." A hobby has many advantages.
Wheels: ME, as I am anal about truing & building, but as for speed Them.
Troubleshooting: Me as I get a lot of repairs where the customer has said I had it here or there & they can't figure out what is wrong or said they fixed it but didn't.
Big box bikes: Unfortunately me.
Mountain bikes: Vintage Me, Modern Them .
Road bikes:Vintage Me, Modern slight edge to Them
Assembly: Me. I'm slower, because I don't have to "get it done."
Drive train: Me as I will get it to work no matter what it takes, No time restraints.
Modern bikes: nod to them, but it's close.
Older bikes: Me, it's what I like & know, I have a lot of parts that shops no longer have or can get fast enough.
Building: me, but it comes down to opportunity. I get to build bikes. They rarely get that chance.
Corrections: Me, I know I fix a lot of their screw ups. I don't make screw ups :rolleyes:
Courtesy and Service: Me, I have been dealing with the public in different repair fields since 1984 & can get along with just about everyone, a sense of humor & a smile helps.

Glenn

The bike shop by far - I like to tinker but if it comes to wheels they get the job. That said I think I understand C&V stuff better. I'll let them typically tackle the brakes on the mtb's also - don't trust myself to really get them set up well.

If I had all their tools it would be a toss-up. They have more repetitions and see more patterns of use, but I understand exactly what the rider is looking for and get to the best solution faster. My secret weapon is I can call my son's shop and talk to his best mechanic when I see something new.

I worked in a shop for 10 years. It was a learning experience. I would not bring my bike in to let someone "learn on". If it was a simple detail that had a minimal risk of them screwing up my bike (tire , tube change), maybe I would. If it was something more technical and had a greater risk of damage ( frame prep, cut fork)....no way. They would not be able to correct their damage to my bike. I have too much personal energy invested in my bike to let other people say "my bad" and offer a refund for their services. On that note, I am still looking for a good mechanic to refer other people to. I still enjoy wrenching, but I won't do it for money. I like to take my time and do it right.

I am pretty capable. But the best LBS in my area, Merv of Merv's Bikes in the greater Stoughstown metroplex area is a demigod. Really.

jim

Ditto. Plus they have guys who know the old school C&V stuff and have bailed me out a few times when I'm stumped. But it's fun to wrench around and learn.

I generally don't work on other peoples' bikes, so I have the luxury of working at my own pace. Time isn't money. Given that advantage, I think I can do most routine work as well or better than the local shop.

When I walk into one of my LBSs, they say something like, "Here comes the little-bits guy," because all I go in there for is little bits. Yesterday, I bought a yoke cable for a cantilever brake. I bet they sell one of those per year. Maybe fewer. But hey, they had it, so I'm happy.

The bike shops here have enough expertise for me. I haven't needed them to do much work for me. I needed a fixed gear cog a few months ago, and I let the mechanic put it on for me. So I do pay for labor from time to time, i.e. I don't have a rule against doing so. They do very competent work.

I am my LBS :thumb:

Short of machining parts, there isn't much I wont or cant do.

I think quite a few of us are in the same situation. The last two times I got mechanical help at a bike shop were heavily nicked aluminum BB lockring removal on the Bianchi and [really]fixed BB cup removal on the 1959 Capo, in preparation for painting at CyclArt, which also had the best weaponry for coaxing seized fixed BB cups. Otherwise, I do all my own work, including timing belt/water pump jobs on the cars (1996-2002 Audi A4s and S4, 2001 Passat).

As for machining parts, one of my friends runs a 3D printer lab here on campus -- the mind reels with possibilities ... .

As for knowledge, I think I know the older stuff better than some of today's LBS mechanics (I worked at a bike shop while getting my master's degree at UCLA in the early 1970s), but they admittedly do know the specifics of some of the newer components.