indyfabz

It's you.

And one of my LBS built me this. Don't try that at home, kids.

Yendor72

No, not because I wouldn't, but the owner/mechanic's wife is a brewer at the local brewery. I don't buy him beers when I see him out either, he gets them free. I have tipped him in the past for taking care of me 2 hours after picking up my bike. My wife braked when I expected her to go, hit her, bent a spoke. He dropped what he was doing to take care of me.

jefnvk

Which, I do understand, and I hope I conveyed above isn't what I am questioning at all.

Eh, I do most of my own stuff, sometimes it is just more convenient to drop it off and let someone else deal with it. We did that with the wife's brakes in France while we went and did some shopping and ate. I had the tools and the knowledge, but I choose to just pay the guy at the shop and not bother.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveSSS

I'd be embarrassed to admit that I can't do my own bike repair. Never had a local shop make a repair.

Earlier on this thread I posted

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

I too have such [amazing] mechanics at my LBS…

mcours2006

A shop owner did a quote for me for repairs for the insurance company once. The next time I was in the neighbourhood I brought coffee and some donuts. I usually do my own work at home.

indyfabz

You're good.

As for one doing one's own work, I think that poster is looking at things from a very self-centered perspective. Not everyone is in a position to do his or her own mechanical work.

Imagine, if you will, the second year grad student living in a small, third floor walk up apartment who has little money and even less time to invest in the tools and training/study necessary to become a competent mechanic. Her chain starts skipping or her wheel comes out of true. All she knows is that she needs her beater bike to get to school and around town so she stops into the closest LBS for assistance. Those of us who live in major metropolitan areas who spend enough time in LBS see this person all the time. It's one reason shops located in areas with a substantial population of people like that tend to do well.

I-Like-To-Bike

I Agree. I would avoid a store or shop where management considers it acceptable to take friendly bribes from their friends or "bros" for providing service to them ahead of other customers waiting for service or maintenance work.

BirdsBikeBinocs

No.

jefnvk

Agreed, plenty of folks who have no knowledge/tools or simply no inclination to do their own work, nothing wrong with that. I dare say that the LBS wouldn't exist if not for them, I have to imagine the store makes far more off their repair shop than selling new bikes.

I'm very much a DIY-er, mostly because I am cheap and enjoy it, but as I get older and better paid some of that is slipping away. Bikes are simple and quick enough most of the time, but oil changes on a car? Done those since I was 16, I'll pay the shop the extra $15 over my cost on supplies and not feel bad someone else is doing it on my daily. Don't even know where the filter is on my Fusion, if I'm being completely honest. Yes, its less than an hour job, yes its easy, yes I still do it on my toy cars, and yes me from a decade ago would probably laugh at me of now, but now its simply a mundane task I don't care to do. Even on bikes, when I had a wheel with spoke tension that needed adjusted right before a trip, I took it to a shop and let them do it. Peace of mind and I simply didn't have the time to undo it and learn on my own.

ggoytia1

When I lost 70 pounds i did bring them a bottle of rum for thier coffee, I had no idea my old bike ( new to me) would hold me up. They spent alot of time explaining everything and checking the fit and spokes for free. Got a few items while i was there.

​​​​​

I-Like-To-Bike

I would have replied "and FU 2" and walked out and made sure I told the owner why I was never coming back.

trailangel

All in good fun

fietsbob

I , a busy summer season, part time helper (retired) , @ the LBS and the Owner often have a few pints at the bar down the street..
particularly when there is a Portland Timbers [MLS] Match on the TV

fietsbob

Many of my younger friends are working in restaurants, a Tip is not a Bribe, they depend on them to pay for their cost of living..
In France that's different


Bikeshop wages stay near the low end*, so tips are welcome there too.




in some states tipped workers have a sub minimum* wage, so you actually make up the difference
restaurant owners can pay their servers less.

veganbikes

Not at all. Yes in the end the bike shop is a business but comparing to other businesses that do different things is kind of silly. Plus a lot of people buy gifts for those who take care of them. It might be working on a bike or for your dentist or a favorite restaurant or something like that. Being a good person to those in the service industry is not a bad thing and doesn't mean you are giving special treatment. Most people will tip at a restaurant (at least good people will) so what is so different here? I am not saying you have to shower everyone with gifts all the time but buying a mechanic or sales person a beer or giving them a small tip even if just a buck or two is still a nice gesture and goes a long way.

People always have to find a way to be negative towards the bike shop. We are not the same as a grocery store or a furniture store or something like that. There is a lot of knowledge one must have to work on a bike and to sell a bike well. Yes put probably anyone in a situation and they could sell something but will you get a customer out of it or is it just a quick sale. Is that customer happy with their purchase or service or did they just get it because they needed it and won't likely come back. Being a good sales person is not an easy task and not knowing what you are doing can lose a sale and lose a customer. One of the many reasons I work at a bike shop is because it is a different experience and not just a cashier job or "go to aisle 4, I think". Let's all maybe make a new years resolution to be a little nicer to the LBS unless you have a reasonable situation which management has not resolved.

indyfabz

You're asking a lot from the "I scour the Interwebs for hours to save $0.50 on inner tubes" crowd.

NJ does not have self-serve gas stations. When I am over there for work and buy gas, I always give the attendant a couple of bucks. Imagine standing outside in the cold or heat smelling gas and exhaust fumes your entire shift for $12/hour if you are lucky..

And I am not embarrassed to admit that if I would never wash my car myself. Some things are just not worth my time compared to what they cost.

I-Like-To-Bike

Paying the waiter to ignore the patrons who arrived and/or ordered before you to serve you first is a bribe.

An LBS owner and his employees joining a few of their bros lifting a few at the local pub is not what was being discussed. And it would still be a wee-wee poor business practice for the LBS to allow favored pals to jump the service queue just because they are pals or have paid through "tips" for the favor.

rumrunn6

I do the same, my quest is for long stem schraders ...

OrenNoah

I sure do.

My LBS owner and his employees are constantly doing me little favors. A tweak here, a tip there, etc.

Every once in a while, I show up with a six of a local microbrew.

It's become much more a matter of buying beers for my friends than a commercial transaction.

indyfabz

You do that? Everyone I know tips after they have been served, and have eaten, the entire meal.

indyfabz

You win this thread for today, and likely for its useful lifespan.

I-Like-To-Bike

Aren't you cute, eh?

If you are like the LBS bros who "tip" their pals at the LBS as described on this thread, you would show the waiter the extra "tip" upon entrance and the waiters would see to it that you are served before the other patrons, if not this time but in the future.

indyfabz

Nope. When I show up with a case of beer for my LBS my presence is not in connection with obtaining goods or services and is in recognition for having gone above and beyond in the recent past and, because, they are more than just service providers to me.

Thanks for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts waiting back stage for you.

P.S. Not sure where you eat, but the where I dine, it's rare that the waiter/waitress or the server (who takes your order and who actually serves you your food may be two different people entirely) interacts with me upon entrance. That task is usually reserved for the host/hostess.

pdlamb

This.

One time I had put a new front derailer on and couldn't make it work. I paid the shop to adjust the derailer -- the good old mechanic was off that day, so the young kid did it. No luck; went back on Saturday, the good old guy fixed it in 10 minutes and didn't charge me, but he was sweating (un-air conditioned shop on a hot summer day). I went around the block to the convenience store and brought him back a Coke (his choice!).

Not so much payment as evening the karmic balance, perhaps.

Cuyuna

For me, it's easier to have the bike shop do it. Then I don't have to take the time or acquire the tools.

The local Trek dealer here has an option to pay a little more to jump the line, in the event that I'm in a hurry to get the bike back. That works for me.