Bike Shop or DIY?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Bike shop.

I'm not mechanically gifted. I live in a 2nd floor flat, with no space in the flat to fettle, and poor facilities outside. I have done a one-day maintenance course, but it's like anything, if you don't do the stuff regularly, you forget it. I clean and lube the bike regularly but that's about it. I'd rather pay someone to do it right than risk doing it wrong myself and have a vital bit fall off when I'm in traffic.

I'm still paying for the bike on the bike-to-work scheme, but I'm also getting a lot of mileage, so in the months that the mileage exceeds what I'm paying, I put the difference into a separate account and use it to pay for bike stuff.

[marna]

DIY as much as possible. I don't always know a huge amount about what I'm doing, but I'd much rather do the rresearch and give it a go and have it take ages/drive me batty/risk causing damage (I've not broken anything yet!), and learn how it works, than have it done for me.

[mattc]

Ayrton Senna didn't fettle his racing cars, but before every race he would check one important thing which even he could see when it was wrong - a dust-cap on every tyre.

(God I hope this doesn't produce an onslaught of bad taste jokes ... )

[PaulF]

Like most small jobs at that LBS¹,

Is that LBS Putney Cycles?

[Greenbank]

Like most small jobs at that LBS¹,

Is that LBS Putney Cycles?

That particular LBS is Strattons on East Hill in Wandsworth although I tend to use Holdsworth on LRR for most of my consumable purchases.

[nuttycyclist]

I am DIY for everything, but I trust the LBS so am known to pop the bike in once in a blue moon for a service.   They usually find something I missed (last time they pointed out I had no brake blocks left )

I'll also ask them to do a complex job sometimes if I think I'm going to mess it up or am pushed for time.

[GruB]

DIY.  To date if I have needed a specialist tool I'll buy it.

One job not done yet but due this summer is wheel building.

Very similar except I haven't done a bottom bracket yet or wheel building.  Notice I said yet 

[Wowbagger]

There are two jobs only I haven't done in the past two years.

1. Build a frame.
2. Replace a broken Rohloff hub.

[MercuryKev]

DIY all the way.  I believe that I can be taught to do most things and have taken this approach to my bikes.  Thanks to the internet (sites such as this) and a book, in the last year I have built 2 bike from parts and I have built 5 wheels.  So far the bikes are holding together and the wheels have remained true and no spokes have broken.  2 years ago I could barely index a rear mech.

[Noodley]

2 years ago I could barely index a rear mech.

what's an index? what's a mech?  where is the rear? etc. etc...

[Torslanda]

In contrast to everyone here, I'm not very good at bike maintenance. I've come to accept this since buggering up the threads on my cranks and having to slink shamefaced to the LBS to sort them out.

Woahh! There, Sister!

I believe from your previous thread that when you removed a pedal - from a crank you'd never touched before - it came out with most of the crank's thread on it. That is not, even remotely, your fault. That's down to the neanderthal with the spanners that originally built that bike up and didn't grease the threads when fitting the pedals. When bolting dissimilar metals together you must always apply a corrosion barrier.

I'm DIY, for the family, immediate and extended, and for the neighbours and the neighbours' kids. The only things I take to the shop are suspension forks and my best wheels. (When I can't be arsed)

J

[Gattopardo]

Well I play with everything myself but want to build a wheel and really want to get better at truing them as my attempts aren't perfect.

I've replaced bottom brackets from cups to sealed cartridge (UN72)  but even though  didn't have the right tools for the cup removal I improvised.

[mark]

DIY, including wheelbuilding. I did pay to have the touring frame repainted, 2 fender bosses installed, and a bent front dropout straightened, and I have paid to have someone install headset cups, but I'm tempted to get a headset cup press for the next time that becomes necessary.

[Domestique]

I would love to be in the position to drop my bike off at lbs and pay someone to look after it. That said before I was confident, or had the tools, with bike repair I took a bike into a well known lbs some years ago with a loose crank set and was charged £5 
Over the years I have gradually put together nearly all the tools I need to keep our bikes going, so it would be a waste of money to now give the bikes to someone else to do the work for me.
Although its frustrating at times, DIY wins everytime 

[CathH]

I'm so lucky with my LBS.  When there's a problem, I take the bike, they show me how to fix it and charge me a nominal fee, I occasionally turn up with large quantities of cake for the staff.  My bike is so good that things rarely go wrong, so I'm learning but slowly!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I took a bike into a well known lbs some years ago with a loose crank set and was charged £5 

I don't see a problem with a nominal charge for minor work.

[hatler]

DIY for everything except wheel truing (one day perhaps) and the occasional thing I don't have the tool for and am unlikely ever to need in the next x years (eg reducing size of a steerer tube to fit the available headset race).

I'm with whoever up there ^^^ said DIYing means you get to know your bike.

Oh yes, and I asked the LBS to cold set my frame. Didn't fancy that one.

[mike]

I'm steadily improving my fettle-fu, so it's DIY for most, with regular trips to the (great) local bike shop to borrow stuff or get advice.  I've just fitted a bottom bracket for the first time and will fit my first headset when wiggle finally deliver it.

Dont do wheelbuilding yet though.

[Oscar's dad]

I would like to know more about fettling and am improving.  However, both of my bikes have been professionally serviced recently with mixed results.

Claud my MTB now set up for road riding went into Missing Link Cycles in Braintree.  He came back very clean with a new headset, chain and cassette but his gears weren't set up right 

Oscar my road bike went into Thomas Cycle Revolution in Colchester and came back very clean with a new chain, cassette and BB.  But his gears were set up right 

Claud has been the Cycle Revolution as well now to have his gears tuned.

Tina the Tandem's wheels will be off there soon as well for the hubs to be serviced and the wheels trued and spokes tightened.

Whilst using a LBS has cost me I am pleased with the results.  The bikes are all sorted and I haven't had to spend loads of stressy time bodging the jobs.

[Domestique]

I took a bike into a well known lbs some years ago with a loose crank set and was charged £5 

I don't see a problem with a nominal charge for minor work.

You are right, there isnt a problem when its done right. Two weeks later the crank was loose again. Ever get the feeling your being set up?
I bought the right tool to do the job and never had a problem with it again.

[tatanab]

I have not had an LBS do anything for me in 35 years.  I do it all myself, including wheelbuilding, and I have built one frame (on a Harry Quinn course).  I have had several frames built for me since, but custom frame building falls well outside the DIY/LBS discussion. 

My attitude is generally that the LBS cannot afford to take the time and trouble that I am prepared to take.  As an example, I rebuilt an MTB for a friend.  When I finished, the brakes were silky smooth.  I took him into Halfords (ok not exactly an LBS I know) and invited him to feel how rough the action was on an off the peg bike. 

I am also happy to experiment with new parts and compatability issues and so on, but largely I know what I want.  With modern equipment, unit bottom brackets and "sealed" bearings there is really very little to maintain these days.  I think the answer is not to be afraid to try it, although I did start tinkering with bikes before I was 10 years old. 

[Phil]

I do it all myself.  However, this has caused problems in the past (like riding more than a thousand miles with a loose headset before Charlotte pointed it out )

[Valiant]

I do almost everything DIY, the only time I use the LBS is when I need with a bit more oomph and experiece, such as removing brakes that have err become one with the frame. I also let them true my wheels, but they they are fancy wheels with bonkers pattern spoking so probably not good for an amatuer like me.

[nuttycyclist]

I took a bike into a well known lbs some years ago with a loose crank set and was charged £5 

I don't see a problem with a nominal charge for minor work.

I don't see a problem either, but £5 for tightening a loose crank is taking the mick slightly (especially when it comes loose again!).


I'll often, well did in the past, pop into the LBS with a slightly out of true wheel or some other loose bolt, and they'd fix it on the spot and refuse to take a payment.  As a result I shopped there more often (so they got their money) and also recommend them to others.   I never expected work to be done for free, so always offered to pay.

[Gus]

DIY all except wheels