Bike shop snapped off bolt...
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Bike shop snapped off bolt...
So, I go into the bike shop to have them swap my small chain ring with the replacement I had, and the guy snapped off one of the bolts on the crank and broke it. So, he gets a different junk crank and takes one of the bolts off and says "its not the same, but looks like a good fit." Seeing as I spent $2000 bucks on a bike, you can imagine how pissed I started to get when he starts to tell me about the insignificant weight difference on this bolt compared to the other that goes on my FSA carbon crank. I could care less about the weight of a screw, I just want my bike LOOKING and RIDING the same as I brought it in. I dont want to mess around with stuff that doesnt fit. I told him, go check your shop, FSA cranks are common and you must have one here, I want one off that. So, he looked and couldnt find anything, so he decided he would order me a new one at no cost and put it on. Then, I told him to adjust my derailler (spelling) so that there would be no chain rub in most of the gears as he had it set. He started to fiddle with it, and didnt get it how I wanted or how I had it when I got there. I started to ask him exactly what he was doing, so I could go home and tweak things myself. The LBS shop owner told me that he put the chainring on, my bike was fixed, so go buy a manual up front and learn yourself, you cant be wasting my mechanics time "not to be rude." Not only did this shop give me trouble with a return last week (they didnt give me a receipt or put me in the computer, I am a new customer), but now this. I knew I would be back to get my bolt, so I didnt say much else. They charged me $3 for the job, which I thought was strange because the guy that had done the same exact thing to my bike a couple weeks back charged me $24. I guess they are just making up prices now.
Anyway, just had to vent and get this frustration out. I went home and adjusted my derailler (spelling lol) properly and went on a short ride. I will be going back to get my bolt fixed, and NEVER buying another thing from that place again. I think its time to get a rack and start doing my own repairs. Im sure you all had some bad experiences at bike shops too. This was the worst I have had.
Anyway, just had to vent and get this frustration out. I went home and adjusted my derailler (spelling lol) properly and went on a short ride. I will be going back to get my bolt fixed, and NEVER buying another thing from that place again. I think its time to get a rack and start doing my own repairs. Im sure you all had some bad experiences at bike shops too. This was the worst I have had.
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Thanks for reminding me why I do all my own work;at least the nosepicker (remember that?) didn't tweak your frame!
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If you buy something from a store that is electronic or have any thought that you may return it, ask for a receipt.... that is not their fault. ¿$3 to put a chain ring on & $24 to adjust your derailluer?
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Originally Posted by ac29593
Then, I told him to adjust my derailler (spelling) so that there would be no chain rub in most of the gears as he had it set. He started to fiddle with it, and didnt get it how I wanted or how I had it when I got there. I started to ask him exactly what he was doing, so I could go home and tweak things myself. The LBS shop owner told me that he put the chainring on, my bike was fixed, so go buy a manual up front and learn yourself, you cant be wasting my mechanics time "not to be rude."
the guy owns a shop, not a school. he's in the business of making money.
I think you're blowing the bolt thing out of proportion too, it's not that big of a deal.
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Originally Posted by rmfnla
Thanks for reminding me why I do all my own work;at least the nosepicker (remember that?) didn't tweak your frame!
+1. You are the only one who is going to carefully work on your bike. Most of the mechanics just want you out of their face. Learning how to do these small but common tasks will save you money, i.e. adjusting derailleur. I just recently bought a repair stand and the common tools you would ever need:
Hex wrenches
BB and casette lockring wrench
chain breaker
chain whip
crank puller
I can do everything but press headsets.
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Here's my contribution to the thread.... a friend of mine took the guard off my Schwinn for me.... I was about 20 miles from home riding and the large chainring starts wobbling... wtf? I take a look.... I've lost 3 of the five bolts!
Yes, those are zip-ties. Yes, they not only got me home, I rode another 10 miles like that doing various errands before I got to the bike shop to get some new bolts.
At least you only had one funny looking bolt.
PS: I should put those bolts on.... *shrugs* One of these days.
Yes, those are zip-ties. Yes, they not only got me home, I rode another 10 miles like that doing various errands before I got to the bike shop to get some new bolts.
At least you only had one funny looking bolt.
PS: I should put those bolts on.... *shrugs* One of these days.
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If it mattered that much, I woukd have asked for a matched set. Doesn't matter what brand so long as it's the same material.
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Originally Posted by bmclaughlin807
Yes, those are zip-ties.
-D
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Being compulsive about my bikes, I build and fix my own. Period.
I hope this is a good lesson for anyone who is demanding of a bike shop. You have to expect less than perfect work if you have any kind of maintenance done at the LBS, and never expect any better. They do it to simply get it done, and make a few dollars in the process. If you want top notch mechanical work, join a Pro racing team, that's about the only place you'll find it.
That's the unfortunate reality.
What's more unfortunate, is that alot of people who just aren't mechanically inclined, depend on these shops for alot of their work, and are forced to settle for less than having it done "just right".
If you are extremely compulsive and want perfection, then it 's good to scope out an LBS that has good mechanics, talk to the owner or manager, and get to know them personally. Explain to them your personal needs, and they may be willing to accomede your refined needs. This is of course, if you would be willing to pay extra to ensure better quality work.
I hope this is a good lesson for anyone who is demanding of a bike shop. You have to expect less than perfect work if you have any kind of maintenance done at the LBS, and never expect any better. They do it to simply get it done, and make a few dollars in the process. If you want top notch mechanical work, join a Pro racing team, that's about the only place you'll find it.
That's the unfortunate reality.
What's more unfortunate, is that alot of people who just aren't mechanically inclined, depend on these shops for alot of their work, and are forced to settle for less than having it done "just right".
If you are extremely compulsive and want perfection, then it 's good to scope out an LBS that has good mechanics, talk to the owner or manager, and get to know them personally. Explain to them your personal needs, and they may be willing to accomede your refined needs. This is of course, if you would be willing to pay extra to ensure better quality work.
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Originally Posted by derath
Zip ties and duck tape will fix just about anything.
-D
-D
I once told my wife I could fix anything with electrical tape. She remembered, too.... when we were driving along in our old Jeep Cherokee, it backfired, then the engine dies.... Coast over to the side of the road, and I get under the hood checking things out.
my wife, being funny, grabs the electrical tape from the glove box, and hands it to me, reminding me about me saying I could fix anything with electrical tape. I go back under the hood.
Five minutes later, I slam the hood, start the engine, and we go home.
Needless to say, she was impressed! (oh, in case you're wondering, the backfire blew every vacuum connection off... the tubing was all old... I taped it all back into place with the electrical tape!)
I even fixed the neighbor's dog with electrical tape, once. He had a sore on his foot that he wouldn't stop licking, keeping it from healing... I put an old sock over it, wrapped the tape fairly tight near the top of the sock, and rolled the top down over the tape. Worked perfectly.
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I usually agree with the mechanics on these kind of posts, but this time I think the OP is right. I bring a bike to a pro to correct problems, not create them. When a bike costs over $1000, and I'm bringing it in for repair, I expect it to be fixed correctly with the correct parts or don't plan on selling me anything else. Fortunately, I deal with some pretty good bike shops, one in particular that has excellent mechanics. But most of the time I do my own work. Why? Two reasons, 1) I enjoy doing mechanical work and 2) my brother in law taught me a long time ago, I can screw it up just as well as a mechanic for a hellofa lot less $$$.
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Originally Posted by Silverexpress
You know what....this is the mentality workers (use to have?) on assembly lines all through out the US once(?) had. That I don't care attitude which I despise. Look at where it got the big three.
Man, if all customers where like you....I'd be truly be laughing my fat*** of at the bank. By the way, I got a bike to trade with you...and oh ya...it's just a bike right......interested?
Jeez
Man, if all customers where like you....I'd be truly be laughing my fat*** of at the bank. By the way, I got a bike to trade with you...and oh ya...it's just a bike right......interested?
Jeez
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I would have MAYBE asked them to put a matched set of bolts on, just because I'm anal about things being uniform and they are the ones who broke it. But ordering a new one was nice of them, and since everybody is mail ordering, they make their money off of repairs and don't want people knowing how to do it themselves. I think there should be a sticky thread where people can post their favorite LBSs so we know where to go. Out of all the shops in my area, there's only 1 that I completely trust so far.
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Originally Posted by Silverexpress
I go in about three weeks later because of a stem I saw hanging on display....
Me...."I've got a 1" steerer will this adjustable stem fit?"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, it's made for 1" steerers...see it saids so on the package"
Me...."But it looks kinda bigger, have you got a caliper? Can you measure it for me"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, hold on"...comes back a minute or two later with a plastic caliper...."here let me measure it....25.4 mm, it'll fit (acting sure), and if it doesn't you can return it".... starts the process of ringing up the item for me.
Me...."Hold on, I got my bike on top my car rack, let me borrow the caliper because I'm still certain the diameter of my current stem is smaller"
Highon Monkey at LBS is starting to make faces, and looks slightly annoyed...."Ya sure, here"
I go outside, and damn if I'm not right....my old stem measures 22.2 mm.
I go back inside and he asks me if I still want it. I say no it's a size to big.
MORON MORON MORON.........
-j
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Originally Posted by Silverexpress
Ok I converted 25.4 mm to inches and the answer still points to the moron who tried to convince me it would fit on my bike.
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Originally Posted by Silverexpress
Bolts break all the time???? Really? I've got a 12 yr old Bridgestone, bolts rusted. Any one broken...nope.
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The bike is brand new, no rusted bolts here. Even the mechanic said he "never saw this happed before." If the LBS was concerned even a little bit with customer service, they wouldnt have minded the 3 minutes I was talking to the mech. about the derailleur. For 3 minutes I would have left the shop feeling ok. Instead, Im on the bike forum talking about how bad the shop is. I probably wouldnt have been too upset about the bolt, but when the mech. started saying stuff like "you cant really see the difference, no one will look at it, weight doesnt matter, ect" he was pissing me off because he should have said "Im sorry for breaking it, would you like us to get you a new one." He didnt even check the shop for the same bolt, he just grabbed a rusty old crank and started taking it apart. Im new to this area. I was looking for a good shop. Im used to the customer service at my old shop. They spend that extra two or three minutes with the customer and I always left with a good inpression of the place, have recommended them to friends, and have spent plenty of money there. This will NEVER happen at this shop where I live now.
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Originally Posted by ac29593
The bike is brand new, no rusted bolts here. Even the mechanic said he "never saw this happed before." If the LBS was concerned even a little bit with customer service, they wouldnt have minded the 3 minutes I was talking to the mech. about the derailleur. For 3 minutes I would have left the shop feeling ok. Instead, Im on the bike forum talking about how bad the shop is. I probably wouldnt have been too upset about the bolt, but when the mech. started saying stuff like "you cant really see the difference, no one will look at it, weight doesnt matter, ect" he was pissing me off because he should have said "Im sorry for breaking it, would you like us to get you a new one." He didnt even check the shop for the same bolt, he just grabbed a rusty old crank and started taking it apart. Im new to this area. I was looking for a good shop. Im used to the customer service at my old shop. They spend that extra two or three minutes with the customer and I always left with a good inpression of the place, have recommended them to friends, and have spent plenty of money there. This will NEVER happen at this shop where I live now.
Either way, the mechanic should have recognized you have a new, high end bike and should have offered to 'get you going' with a used bolt and then ordered a new one or tried to work it out to your satisfaction.
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Def. As long as he showed some consideration, I would have been ok with it. I bought the bike at another shop, but had made a purchase there a few weeks before, so I was now a customer. It doesnt matter where you get your bike. If you spend money at the shop, you are now a customer of that shop. Everyone should be treated the same. I completely agree with you.
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Originally Posted by Silverexpress
Mr. I would be totally pissed. I took in one of my bikes to have the headset replaced a nearby LBS by my house(at 14mi/Woodward), and a/the moron(s) hammered on a lower sealed bearing on a race that was made for a bigger bearing. MORONS, MORONS, MORONS......sorry....
I go in about three weeks later because of a stem I saw hanging on display....
Me...."I've got a 1" steerer will this adjustable stem fit?"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, it's made for 1" steerers...see it saids so on the package"
Me...."But it looks kinda bigger, have you got a caliper? Can you measure it for me"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, hold on"...comes back a minute or two later with a plastic caliper...."here let me measure it....25.4 mm, it'll fit (acting sure), and if it doesn't you can return it".... starts the process of ringing up the item for me.
Me...."Hold on, I got my bike on top my car rack, let me borrow the caliper because I'm still certain the diameter of my current stem is smaller"
Highon Monkey at LBS is starting to make faces, and looks slightly annoyed...."Ya sure, here"
I go outside, and damn if I'm not right....my old stem measures 22.2 mm.
I go back inside and he asks me if I still want it. I say no it's a size to big.
MORON MORON MORON.........
I go in about three weeks later because of a stem I saw hanging on display....
Me...."I've got a 1" steerer will this adjustable stem fit?"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, it's made for 1" steerers...see it saids so on the package"
Me...."But it looks kinda bigger, have you got a caliper? Can you measure it for me"
Highon Monkey at LBS...."Ya, hold on"...comes back a minute or two later with a plastic caliper...."here let me measure it....25.4 mm, it'll fit (acting sure), and if it doesn't you can return it".... starts the process of ringing up the item for me.
Me...."Hold on, I got my bike on top my car rack, let me borrow the caliper because I'm still certain the diameter of my current stem is smaller"
Highon Monkey at LBS is starting to make faces, and looks slightly annoyed...."Ya sure, here"
I go outside, and damn if I'm not right....my old stem measures 22.2 mm.
I go back inside and he asks me if I still want it. I say no it's a size to big.
MORON MORON MORON.........