Did I get charged too much?? Absolutely not!!

[Llewellyn]

I had to take my threaded fork in to my not-so LBS to have the threads cleaned up before I could finish installing the headset. When I gave it to the bloke at the counter he wasn't sure whether they could do it but he said they'd send it to their main workshop and see what they could do. He told me they'd give me a call to let me know if they could do it and how much it would cost. Early the next morning I got a call from the mechanic, yep they could do it, it would be ready to pick up the next day...............and it would cost $15. "How much" I asked just to make sure I'd heard him correctly. and he repeated $15 (about $US12) :eek:. No worries, go right ahead and do it I told him. I'd have happily paid up to $50 for the job (and that's about what I was expecting)

So I picked it up today and they did a great job. I do most of my own wrenching but for something like this that I don't have the tools or the confidence to tackle, they are my go-to shop. They deserve a :beer:

[Luwabra]

Fantastic. My lbs is just like that. I forego internet "deals" from the main web stores bc of it too.

[charliedid]

Can't do that on the internet...

Not entirely anyway.

Win

[Gsinill]

Good for you :)

Just curious: what was it that had to be done to "clean up" the threads?
I would assume all it took them was to run a cutter down and up the steerer.
Shouldn't take more than 10 min. and to be honest, I would consider $50 a little excessive for that.

[malcolm]

Good for you :)

Just curious: what was it that had to be done to "clean up" the threads?
I would assume all it took them was to run a cutter down and up the steerer.
Shouldn't take more than 10 min. and to be honest, I would consider $50 a little excessive for that.

I agree cleaning up threads isn't a complicated process if you have the proper die and the threads are not completely destroyed. 15-20$ reasonable, 50 in the getting crazy range.

[ultraman6970]

To be honest with you, those jobs are like 5 minutes, in some countries they dont even bother charging you for that, 15 bucks is ok IMO for 5 minutes of work. The problem IMO is that some bad practices from LBS have been passing around to others that translate in mickey mouse numbers for 5 minutes of work because they don't have the tools or just because they dont want to mess with the bike at all so the client has to walk out, if the client say yes well... they will do it.

IME the chasing of an italian BB bothers many shops around here and they have the face to tell you numbers that get quite close to 100 bucks sometimes. chase a steering tube threads is the next one in my list... the LBS guy you talked to is being honest as he can be, and thats a good thing.

[malcolm]

back in the day of italian steel that was part of a build because the threads were full of paint and usually burred. Chasing threads and facing the bb, standard part of a build.

[cmbicycles]

I think anywhere between $15-25 for that job is fair. Consider as well that you aren't just paying for the mechanic's time, the cost includes the tooling as well. Cutting tools aren't cheap, so is it worth it to pay someone to do a 5- 10 minute job with a $2-300+ tool, or is it more cost effective to buy it yourself? Several shops around me don't have cutting tools because the return on investment is low, of course the lost future business from explaining you don't have a well set up shop is worth some consideration as well.

[torquer]

I snapped a shifter cable last week. That's something that I could replace, but the other shifter had been kinda stiff lately, so I left the bike with Bob, the LBS wrench.
Two new cables, one new cable housing, a bit of massaging of the STI, all for less than dinner for two at the local diner, so I was OK with that.
But what was priceless was Bob's discovery of a crack in the inside jockey wheel plate; visions of shrapnel going into the spokes. $8 replacement part from Shimano, and I'm happy to pay the shop rate for his time to install, beats a mangled wheel, trashed derailleur and taxi ride home.

[oldpotatoe]

To be honest with you, those jobs are like 5 minutes, in some countries they dont even bother charging you for that, 15 bucks is ok IMO for 5 minutes of work. The problem IMO is that some bad practices from LBS have been passing around to others that translate in mickey mouse numbers for 5 minutes of work because they don't have the tools or just because they dont want to mess with the bike at all so the client has to walk out, if the client say yes well... they will do it.

IME the chasing of an italian BB bothers many shops around here and they have the face to tell you numbers that get quite close to 100 bucks sometimes. chase a steering tube threads is the next one in my list... the LBS guy you talked to is being honest as he can be, and thats a good thing.

I hear ya brother but let's try to remember a good, pro shop has pro tools, like Campag or Cobra or Var and a cutter for a Campag fork thread chaser(it's not a cutter) can cost $lot$.I also had a Var thread Cutter....plus another $200 or do to sharpen the 'cutters', fork thread, fork crown race seat, BB taps and BB facing tool. The Campag tool kit is $3000 more or less for a reason. For this job, I'd charge $15. To fully prep a frame, all threads, face head tube, BB, FCR seat....$65.

[Llewellyn]

Good for you :)

Just curious: what was it that had to be done to "clean up" the threads?
I would assume all it took them was to run a cutter down and up the steerer.
Shouldn't take more than 10 min. and to be honest, I would consider $50 a little excessive for that.

My $50 figure was what I thought would be reasonable allowing for the time to do the job as well as the other costs - tool, rent etc, etc. And also based on what it costs for anyone to do anything for you in this city :mad: If it was going to be any more than the $50 I'd certainly have thought twice but this was also a job I didn't even want to try and tackle myself because I don't think I'd have the skills to do it.

[ultraman6970]

Well thats the thing... even if you charge 100 for prep the whole frame is ok but when you hear 100 for a 15 min job in a bb that is just not right, is better say ... dont have the tool... or no we dont work in italian frames or something...

[SPOKE]

I'm the guy my lbs calls to do this type of work. As Old Spud said above.....I've invested in the proper equipment and have the knowledge and skill to do it. Also you need to understand that if you mess up you will be on the hook for the additional charge for a replacement fork/frame.

[oldpotatoe]

I'm the guy my lbs calls to do this type of work. As Old Spud said above.....I've invested in the proper equipment and have the knowledge and skill to do it. Also you need to understand that if you mess up you will be on the hook for the additional charge for a replacement fork/frame.

Another good point when you consider the $ you may pay to a LBS for quality work..Seen more than a few forks and frames gooned up by so called 'pro' wrenches, even here in the republic.