whitemax

I've been to shops where your bike is stored safely away from the public while it's waiting for maintenance or for it to be picked up afterwards. Many times I see where it is put back out on the floor. Seems many people can't resist picking a bike up to see how light it is. Shop staff can't always be looking at what customers are doing. I would sure hate to come back for the bike and see that it got tipped over, scratched, or worse yet cracked. Anybody had a bad experience?

redfooj

It's a bike.....I literally place my sweaty ass on it and pedal it through dirt and mud. Don't care.

Though I've seen some patrons of my local shop tweet about my bike when it's there. That's kinda ego boosting

PepeM

My bike and I are always in the same room. Too dangerous out there for a lonely bike.

whitemax

Drop the coin that carbon bikes cost these and I bet you'll start to care.

srestrepo

If its that concerning, just take time stamped pictures of your bike before you drop it off and look over your bike when you pick it up.

or, learn how to do all of your own work so it doesn't have to leave you.

last time i left my bike at the lbs, i got it back with different qr skewers... no idea how that happened but i'll take them. they were an upgrade anyway.

Dan333SP

I'd think the risk of damage because some random customer happens to knock your bike over is pretty damn low. If you're that paranoid, do all your maintenance and repair at home.

If there were some perfect storm of circumstances and your bike was damaged/broken through inattentiveness while in a shop for repairs, they should pay to fix it or replace it. Pretty simple.

FlashBazbo

If I took my bike to the shop (rare), I generally had to leave it there for a week. Last time I did it -- about three years ago -- compliments started filtering back about how nice it looked. Then, about how great it rode. Then, about how they liked my shifting setup on gravel. And that they were buying handlebars like mine because of their "test ride" around the block. (They weren't joking. They just thought it wasn't a big deal.)

Then, I stopped taking my bike to the shop.

indyfabz

The shop would be responsible for any damage. Chill out and ride your bike.

DomaneS5

I live 1-1/2 hours drive from the closest LBS. I have to leave my bikes at the shop. Plus, the LBS is usually backed up with service appointments from March through October. I have to schedule appointments days, sometimes weeks ahead of time. That's why I bought another road bike, so I'd have one to ride while the other is in the shop.

BillyD

It all depends on the relationship you have with the shop owners. I have a good relationship with my guys, if my bike incurs some damage while in their custody they'll make good on it.

But if you don't have that level of trust with your lbs yet, and you need some work done, then you just have to worry about it while they have it and inspect it before leaving the shop. What else are you going to do?

FeltF2Tarmac

I'll drop it off the evening before the service appt or that same morning and pick it up by end of the day. It's rarely at the shop anyway because most all work can be done by myself.

rumrunn6

nah, I just ride my backup bike. reminder - get a backup bike

rpenmanparker 

Dunno. I have never left my bike at a shop.

Seattle Forrest

Methow Cycle and Sport doesn't charge to hold my bike for a few days while I go hiking, so I don't have to leave it in the car. Great people.

redfooj

Yes I have expensive stuff. But what's the appropriate threshold for babying things here?

indyfabz

Were they around in the late 90s? If so, I think I stopped in there one of the times I was in Winthrop for a few days.

Silvercivic27

Or you could just ask the people at the shop to put yours in the back away from the customers.

Seattle Forrest

I don't know when they were founded (could ask), but it's the first building you see as you come into Winthrop. It's next to a red barn. After the bike shop, you go about 1/4 more mile before you're in the middle of town.

Does that sound right?

TenGrainBread 

So you're angry at mechanics for test riding your bike after performing service on it? I would never service a bike without test riding it after to make sure everything works well in use.

FlashBazbo

These weren't the mechanics. I never said they were. They were customers and the guys who hang out at the shop.

The bike was kept on the new bike display floor all week.

TenGrainBread 

Well that sucks. At my shop we keep all service bikes in the service area or on hooks in the basement. Nothing stays out where customers can go. Seems to be how the majority of shops operate.

rm -rf

A local shop has an array of hooks on the ceiling above the mechanic's stations behind the sales counter. The bikes are hanging by both wheels, upside down, above head height. So they are out of the way and can't be knocked over. It's kind of cool to see all the different types of bikes in for service.

indyfabz

Been too long for that sort of detail. I do remember shopping at a sporting store in town. It had quarts of White Gas which was nice because they can be hard to find in places.

gsindela

Yeah, that is TOTAL BS. I'm with you.

reggieray

Maybe the risk of a customer's bike being knocked over is low, but I know a shop where a kid tried to play dominoes with a line of Cervelos and damaged every single one of them.