|   MO parts to LBS??? | sean
Apr 2, 2002 2:36 PM | | Is it bad form to bring in the parts that you got for a dirt cheap price online to your local bike shop for install?
I don't know how to put my cassette onto a new wheelset, and figured I would also have them install new disc brakes at the same time, but I don't want to pay full prices that they charge. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | The Weasel
Apr 2, 2002 2:38 PM | | Just ask and I'm sure they'll do all that work for free. Seriously, if you're asking this question here, I wouldn't expect that you have a working history with your shop and I'd expect to pay full labor charges (unless you bought the brakes there). The other way to avoid this is do it yourself. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | robbz27
Apr 2, 2002 2:40 PM | | That's the price you pay (no pun intended) for buying mail order stuff and asking a shop to install it.
Having worked in a shop, we had no remorse for charging people labor to install parts that they brought in. That's how shops make money these days with all the re-baying and mail ordering that goes on. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | sean
Apr 2, 2002 3:40 PM | | I fully intended to pay labor charges, I was just wondering if it is looked down upon to ask them to install parts that weren't bought at their shop. I bought my bike in Humboldt County a year ago, and now live in socal, so obviously I will not be taking it to the shop where I purchased it.
By the way, based on the replies, I am wondering- if I bought the new parts at the LBS, would they install them for free? If not, then why buy parts there? (devils advocate question, no disrespect intended) |
| install them yourself. | daneil
Apr 2, 2002 3:41 PM | | seroiusly wrench for yourself. neither of those thigs is very difficult to do all you need are tools time and a copy of Zinn or some other book or head on over to the park tools website. the only things that you should need to bring to the lbs for install when you buy them from a MO place is i'd say a headset/bb/or fork if you're like me and live in a small apartment and don't have the room to perform these tasks. but seriously one of the greatest parts of owning a bike is that you can work on it yourself. there might be bumbs along the way but there is nothing better than the feeling of accomplishment when you do it yourself. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | dr. no
Apr 2, 2002 3:50 PM | | It is very bad form.
You will be lucky if they do it for you at all, and you sure as hell won't get a discount.
If you go in there and completely kiss ass, you might, might, get them to do the work. I am advising you not to ask for a discount, but would sure like to be a fly on the wall if you actually have the balls to do it.
What you will create by doing this is to make enemies of the bike shop and its employees, and when you do need help you will get it at their pleasure only, and at their price.
I buy things online that I can install and adjust myself. I don't buy shoes or helmets online, nor anything that I might have to return. I always buy those at my LBS. The result after just a year or two (though now it has been several years)?... I get all parts, clothes, and service at discounts without even asking, and I get a very high level of service.
I know them, they know me, and it's all cool. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | sean
Apr 2, 2002 3:58 PM | | I already stated that I'm new to the area (so I don't know anyone at the LBSs) and NEVER planned on getting a discount. I merely asked if it is bad form. If they have a labor price for certain things, I don't see what the harm is in giving their store my patronage to perform labor on my bike.
There seems to be some disagreement on the issue. |
| re: why | jockster
Apr 2, 2002 4:32 PM | | I can understand that they would be upset that he didn't buy the stuff there, but I think it is bad form on their part to out and out refuse to install the stuff for regular labor cost. I think buying/supporting your LBS is a great thing, but I also think that the LBS should support local riders. If they refuse to do the work for him, do you think he would go back there to buy something in the future? Would he recomend them to another rider? They are a business and shouldn't take things personally- provide a service and charge for it. If they do a good job then he may send some more business their way, if not screw them and go to a real business. |
| Huh? | Philber
Apr 2, 2002 4:40 PM | | Lucky if they do it at all? Are you kidding? When was the last time you asked a LBS to do labour for money and they said no? That's what they do. Sure they'd rather have the mark-up on the parts, but they'd rather have some of your money than none of it - of that you can be sure. Besides, the mark-up on most parts is not nearly as profitable as the labour.
A couple of hints: First, be real nice to everyone at your LBS. If you're not a jerk, they won't hate you for buying your parts for half the price. And you never know when you might need that last derailer hanger that they have and they're supposed to be holding it for someone. Second, tell them the price you've been quoted MO and ask them how close they can come. If the diff is within 15% or so, I'll usually just buy it at the LBS. If the diff is more, then they'll understand why you're buying MO. Just remember that if you buy MO and you have problems with the part, or it's defective, or it's the wrong size, then you can't expect the LBS to come through like if you bought it there.
I buy small stuff at the LBS, like cables, grips, etc., and stuff that needs fitting, like helmets, shorts, etc. and they have no problem charging me labour for installing the forks and bb's and cranks that they can't come close to in price.
Bottom line: it's no big deal. Just be friendly and understand where they're coming from. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | Yeti_Rider
Apr 2, 2002 9:56 PM | | If you think that a shop would not install parts simply because they weren't purchased at that shop then that shop can't survive for long. They're turning down business and I didn't think that anybody could afford to do that wtih the level of competition so stiff out there. True, they didn't make the profit on the parts themselves, and yes most shops will install the parts for free or at discount if you buy from them but that's why they have set prices for work. So somebody knows that it will cost X dollars to install brakes. Whether you bought from them or not. That's like saying that you bought your bike from one shop, you moved, and took it to another shop and you want the derrailleur adjusted. If it's simply a quick turn of the barrel nut, every shop I have ever been in would do it for free because it only takes 5 minutes and that shop knows that if they do that small service for you, you will return later for something. That is called good business. And small businesses can't survive if they all have the elitist attitude that you seem to think they do. |
| This is not Rocket Science.... | bonsai
Apr 2, 2002 4:29 PM | | for christ sakes, these are just bicycles....Put the d@mn thing on your bicycle yourself. You people act as if this is some kind of science. You should not even need a "LBS" except to buy parts on the way to a ride at the last minute... |
| This is not Rocket Science.... | Spaceman Spiff
Apr 2, 2002 4:55 PM | | Amen Brother |
| perfectly put.thank you | dan
Apr 2, 2002 7:18 PM | | |
| This is not Rocket Science.... | Yeti_Rider
Apr 3, 2002 8:29 AM | | yes and no. That's like saying that you should perform all of the work on your own automobile, or do all your own upgrades on a computer. What some people think is easy, others may find intimidating. Not everybody has a mechanical mind or even the desire to want to learn how to do the work on their bike. That's why the shops exist. To provide a service to the people who don't want or need to do the work themselves. IT's great to do your own work, but it's not a requirement of riding a bike.
Michael |
| That doesn't really answer his question ... | Philber
Apr 3, 2002 10:16 AM | | He just wanted to know whether he could ask his LBS to instal some parts for him. And the answer is yes. There are a billion reasons why someone might rather have an LBS do the work, ranging from simply not liking doing that sort of thing to not having the time. Myself, I enjoy working on my bike, but I don't have a problem asking my LBS to do some too. Like when I bought a new fork for $450 - I've never installed a new fork, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna trash a $450 fork learning how. It's more than worth the $30 they charged me. I might do it myself next time. I might not. What do you care? Anyways, my hourly chargeout rate is about 9 times what my LBS charges me for labour, so if I didn't enjoy working on my bike, I'd have to be some kind of idiot to not take it into my LBS for everything. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | ToddM
Apr 2, 2002 8:11 PM | | My best advice would be to go to your local bookstore, get a good book on bicycle maintance. Even a average book will cover simple things like installing a cassette and brakes and adjustment of shifting and said brakes. Better yet find a riding partner that has tools and knowlege and borrow his tools and have him help you. It's not rocket science.
You will have to get some simple tools to do the work. A lockring tool and chain whip in the case of the cassette and just hex wrenches (metric) if you don't already have a set. Also if you need to install new housing/cable you will need a cable/housing cutter or a dremel works as well.
Be warned though, while you will have new power and money saved in being able to do your own bike work. Your local shop will be even MORE upset with you when they find out that not only are you buying parts online for less $ but installing them yourself. If you think they get uspet when you bring in a part to install wait till they see a whole bike you put together and service yourself *gasp*. If you really want to piss them off do work for free for your friends. You can practically hear them spin up when a guy buys something and tells them "nah I'll just have john doe install it for me".
I always laugh when I hear of shops that won't install parts bought elsewhere for just the labor charge. I mean shops make much more money charging $12 to change a tube, or $125 for a "total overhaul" than they do selling bikes. Labor is practically pure profit with what shops pay mechanics, who cares where the parts come from. I've seen shops charge $40 to install a fork. Let's see cut steerer, install star nut, change fork crown races, install fork, adjust headset, install wheel, put stem back on, install brakes, maybe adjust brakes. Plus you charge them for the star nut, and if the brakes need adjustment or longer cable/housing they get charged for that labor and parts too. Takes 20 minutes tops, how many of us would turn down $120/hr just because the person didn't buy the fork from you?
Does your shop sell tools? Isn't it insulting the shop to go in and buy tools that allow you to work on your own bike? If the shop was so concerned about selling and doing all your work for you, why would they sell tools? I've never heard of a shop getting upset when a customer asked to buy a crank removal tool, or a chain tool, or lube. Yet some of them get so bent out of shape when you bring something in to be installed.
It's just so silly how stupid some shops are, not to mention bad business. That said, if your shop really does get upset about installing parts you didn't buy from them. In my experience that usually means they are a poor shop and you probably don't want them to work on your bike anyway.
Moral of the story, no mater how good your shop is, you will be much better served in the long run to get a good book, a few basic tools, and learn to do the stuff yourself. |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | Yeti_Rider
Apr 2, 2002 9:59 PM | | Just bring them in. Tell them you got them as a gift or you're new to the area and didn't have a chance to get htem installed before you moved. It doesn't matter. They'll charge you some set amount for the labor but you'll get your parts on. The shop knows that if they do a good job for you, you'll return later so they won't try to screw you. Hell, the mechanic probably won't even care anyway because he gets paid the same whether you bought from the store or somewhere else!
The cassette is easy to do. All you need is a cassette removal tool and a chain whip. (about 15 bucks total for the two parts) I've never done disc brakes so I can't offer an opinion on those.
Michael |
| re: MO parts to LBS??? | Wingnut
Apr 3, 2002 2:26 AM | | It's somewhat bad form, but I'd bet 99.9% of the shops out there would do it. Can you blame the shops for possibly having some hard feelings about this? I mean, would you bring your own flour, tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni to your local Pizza Hut and ask them to make a pie for you for just the price of labor? |
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