Bike shop costs

[roadie7]

I stopped being a bike salesman 4 years ago after 18 years so I'm not as knowledgeable about costs. I'd like your thoughts on my recent experience.

A local Trek retailer charged me $63 to assemble the bike and put on a kickstand. They charged me $44 dollars which seemed reasonable to assemble the bike. They also charged me $21 ($10 for the kickstand + $11 labor to install) for a kickstand. I understand they cut an adult kickstand to fit the bike so they can install it. The kickstand price seemed high. What do you think?

[jtbadge]

Seems like you were undercharged overall. I would expect to pay $100 for bike assembly.

[chiasticon]

when you say "assemble" what state was the bike in when you gave it to them?

[bfd]

You’re complaining about the price of a $10 kickstand and $11 labor to cut/fit it?! I guess you could have “save” the labor and do it yourself. But what if you cut it wrong?!

Or are you complaining about being charged $10 for the kickstand?! I guess we could force that kid who made it to accept $0.25 per hour instead of the whopping $0.50 he gets now...get over it and go ride. Use that kickstand and enjoy it!

[Malinois]

It looks like they charged $9 to custom cut and install a kickstand (your math is slightly off). That’s an extremely fair labor cost to have it done right.

[alexihnen]

Seems quite fair. I try to do as much wrenching as possible, but am learning when I need a shop. Recently had a campy bb stuck in my Seven. Was a bit scary. Second shop I took it to managed to get it out for a whole $16. I guess I could look at it and say $16 for 5min of work is a heck of an hourly rate, but I would have given $60 or more for them to get it out. They've earned my business.

[alancw3]

those charges seem quite fair to me.

[ltwtsculler91]

That sounds like you got a great deal to me, not necessarily the breakdown my shop would charge, but for us a build is minimum 1 hour @ $90/hour and for a basic bike + kickstand you would've been charged 1hr + $12 for a kickstand.

[Red Tornado]

My LBS charges $125 for a pro tune-up and $225 for a complete overhaul (minus parts). Going by their descriptions I would say the $125 plus maybe another $25 or $50 would get you there at this place; again minus parts.

I would say your shop's price was more than fair.

[AngryScientist]

it depends on the bike eh?

if this was a $200 dollar kids singlespeed bike that the OP bought and was charged that much to put it together and add a kickstand, that may be unexpected. if it's a 1500 dollar road bike, different story...

[zzy]

i'm amazed you've been in the industry for 18 years and think that was too high

[alexihnen]

i'm amazed you've been in the industry for 18 years and think that was too high

:fight:

[echappist]

it depends on the bike eh?

if this was a $200 dollar kids singlespeed bike that the OP bought and was charged that much to put it together and add a kickstand, that may be unexpected. if it's a 1500 dollar road bike, different story...

price of bike should be irrelevant. Only thing that matters is how long it reasonably takes to do the job.

Of course, having service performed on an old beater bike is going to cost a significant portion of the value of that bike, but that doesn't mean one isn't getting value out of the service.

My partner has two bikes: a rather beat-up used hybrid that cost $230 and a much nicer (and new) Argon 18 gravel bike. To get the former up and running (brake adjust x2, wheel truing, derailleur adjust, and derailleur hanger alignment) would probably cost $50 at most shops, but it would have been quite a bit cheaper than buying something new.

The OP choose to have the kickstand installed; could have taken it elsewhere or done it himself

[Ralph]

Dirt cheap....don't see how that shop survives if they charge everyone that price.

[batman1425]

Did you buy the bike from them? Shop I worked at built up any bike in the store for free (if it wasn't already assembled and on the floor) and any accessories purchased within 2 weeks of purchase of the bike would be installed for free. This included any modifications for fitment - trimming, different bolts or mounting hardware, etc.

Bring in a bike from somewhere else and need a buildup and some accessories? Yep going to get a labor charge for that. You worked in a shop for 18yrs? You have to know labor is how shops keep the lights on. Most shops can cut you some slack if you also bought the bike by using the net from the bike to slightly offset the labor, but the margins aren't fat.

IMO, what you got charged for labor is a deal.

[batman1425]

price of bike should be irrelevant. Only thing that matters is how long it reasonably takes to do the job.


Further - the cheap and beat up ones are often the ones that take the most time because they have low quality parts and frequently not looked after by their owners. Good shops will service write with that in mind and give the customer a realistic perspective of when it is better to replace parts than try to make that anemic, clapped out cantilever with frayed cables and rock hard pads work just a bit longer.

[echappist]

Dirt cheap....don't see how that shop survives if they charge everyone that price.

There are shops that charge low prices, but most are probably non-profit co-ops. There's a local one here in Madison that would charge similar prices, perhaps even less

For the aforementioned fix, the co-op charged me a grand total of $20 (or maybe $25). I told them to round it up to $35, and that's still a bit low. Another time, they said they'd bend my derailleur hanger for free (I suggested they should take at least $10). Come to think of it, good reminder that I should make a donation and bring some goodies around the holidays.

[Blue Jays]

This thread is a pre-Thanksgiving humorous gag, right? Funny!

[Dekonick]

Let me put it this way: What do you do for a living? How much is your time worth - and is it really about time or is it knowledge, skill, the right tools, and knowing how to apply all together? I think you got a great deal. Bring them a 6 pack of beer to thank them.

What takes one person 5 minutes will take someone else a day, if they can do it at all. To look at what they did and say that was easy doesn't really reflect on the true value of what you get - including having a retail store stay in business.

I am not suggesting supporting just anyone, but if they offer value, it is worth compensating them. I still miss my small local hardware store Home Depot killed.

[oldpotatoe]

I stopped being a bike salesman 4 years ago after 18 years so I'm not as knowledgeable about costs. I'd like your thoughts on my recent experience.

A local Trek retailer charged me $63 to assemble the bike and put on a kickstand. They charged me $44 dollars which seemed reasonable to assemble the bike. They also charged me $21 ($10 for the kickstand + $11 labor to install) for a kickstand. I understand they cut an adult kickstand to fit the bike so they can install it. The kickstand price seemed high. What do you think?

1)-bike in box? Bought there? 'Assembly' include things like truing the wheels and adding grease to headset? $63(odd amount, $63, not $65?) either too much for a crappy build or cheap for a good build.
2)-$10 for the kickstand is about right..$11(another odd amount) seems a little high. Didja buy the kickstand or anything else there?

Need more info to give an informed opinion...

[oldpotatoe]

Dirt cheap....don't see how that shop survives if they charge everyone that price.

'Trek Retailer"..might be a 'company' store.

[unterhausen]

The only time I went to a doctor as a result of a bike shop injury was putting on a kickstand. Face too close to the bike and knocked the kickstand somehow. Hit me near my eye and I bled like crazy. So yeah, $10 to install a kickstand is a bargain. Actually don't think it's too much even ignoring the hazards. At $60/hr, that's 10 minutes. Bike shops tend to undervalue their time, any other business charges their shop rate.

[peanutgallery]

My understanding is that there's 3 types of trek retailers

1. The traditional IBD that stocks whatever they want and happen to have Trek in the lineup

2. Trek concept store where the retailer agrees that 80% of what's on the floor is Trek or bontrager. Trek also has some say in displays, merchandising and even store design. They keep you in line with a discount scheme Trek borrowed from kohl's:)

3. Trek company stores owned and operated by trek. Your supplier becomes your competitor and automatically has way better margins and access to stock no one else has the guts to stock. Super small dura ace di2 tri bikes, etc. Apparently, there are 75 to 100 of those. Mostly located in major markets. The mid Atlantic has a bunch in. Philadelphia, Baltimore and DC. 20ish maybe?

Fun to watch from the sidelines

'Trek Retailer"..might be a 'company' store.

[JAGI410]

We charge $10-25 for a kickstand, depending on if it's a standard or a rear disc brake mount style. Install is free with purchase of the bike, otherwise $5. If you bring a kickstand you purchased elsewhere, that install is $10.

[DrewK]

I stopped being a bike salesman 4 years ago after 18 years so I'm not as knowledgeable about costs. I'd like your thoughts on my recent experience.

A local Trek retailer charged me $63 to assemble the bike and put on a kickstand. They charged me $44 dollars which seemed reasonable to assemble the bike. They also charged me $21 ($10 for the kickstand + $11 labor to install) for a kickstand. I understand they cut an adult kickstand to fit the bike so they can install it. The kickstand price seemed high. What do you think?

No offense - but you sold bikes for 18 years and you can't assemble one?

[likebikes]

i think op wa a walmart bike salesman.

[oldpotatoe]

i think op was a walmart bike salesman.

Or maybe one from Amazon...:)

[bikinchris]

Wow, this has devolved badly.

[unterhausen]

there are actually bike salesmen. Oftentimes better than setting the mechanics free on the sales floor. My lbs has a couple of them, and more that are very part-time. I wouldn't let any of them work on one of my bikes, they don't do it any more often than I do.

[bward1028]

Knowing where you are located is too important to omit.
$90 for assemble here in SF. Even that seems way too low for how much of a pain in the ass it always was to assemble bicycle shaped objects.

[pdmtong]

The last time I cut a kickstand I actually had to do it a few times since I for sure didn't want to cut it too short.

so install, mark, remove, cut.

repeat.

Sure, I did it myself. I would rather offload that trial and error headache to the shop for $11

[Ken Robb]

The last time I cut a kickstand I actually had to do it a few times since I for sure didn't want to cut it too short.

so install, mark, remove, cut.

repeat.

Sure, I did it myself. I would rather offload that trial and error headache to the shop for $11

I think I needed 3 tries to get one right as well.

[pdmtong]

I think I needed 3 tries to get one right as well.

Thanks for confirming the PITA since that one kickstand is supposed to fit any bike from XL to my then 5yo daughter's 20" bike.