[Closed] Getting recommended to fix bicycles.

Just say No.

Yeah don't do that,

I'd help out some friends and neighbors but not just random people on Facebook,

Who recommended you!? Hopefully not a friend!

Just say No.

Yeah, don't go there, avoid like the plague etc etc

Just say No.

The lady who owns the bike wants to know whether it's worth fixing or whether she should chuck it and replace it. I happen to be off out for a ride tomorrow anyway, so there's no harm in looking it over.

Only my bosses bike, but in his defence, he's also a riding mate... plus it used to be my bike until he bought it from me.

Frame bearings, shock bushings, wheel truing, chain, mech sorting, brake bleeding, all done on Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed it...

I wouldn't do randoms though.

Yeah, don’t go there, avoid like the plague etc etc

It's happened to me more than once - a "friend" once invited me over for a BBQ and presented me with his daughter's BSO that had festered for a year in a damp shed. *sigh*

Nah, I’d avoid doing random folks bikes.
It’s a whole world of grief.

Never ever offer to "just help fix" random bikes.

In a previous job, I was the default Cyclist Guy in the workplace. Every workplace has one - the person who, just because they ride in most days, is THE person to go to about anything cycle related.

"who do you think will win the Tour?"
"did you ride in again?!" (said as I walk into the changing rooms dressed in lycra)
"what bike should I buy my son, he's nearly 10?"
"my bike is creaking a bit, what do you think it could be?"

Honestly, it's never ending and as soon as people find out that you're A Cyclist, it seems to be the cue to turn up with all manner of random cycling related shite to talk about / look at / fix / ask opinion on...

Just.
Say.
No.

My Dad once volunteered me out to build some bike for a work colleague of his, took me round there and she'd bought some dreadful pile of crap out the back of one of the Sunday supplements - £79.99 for a bike with "shimano gears". Came with a collection of pressed steel "spanners" to assemble it with. Urgh.

My dad fixes bikes locally, he rarely sees a good one. I would actually say I'm mostly a better mechanic than him on modern bikes but most of what he sees is freewheels, threaded headsets, cup & cone bearings, front mechs, sturmey archer etc. I wouldn't get involved.

I've done a few for colleagues and friends, even service my mate's forks for them but randoms are just a no

My specific reason is that I can picture starting to fix a BSO and breaking some stupid plastic part then not being able to source the part and having the argument with the owner that "at least it used to work, now you've completely broken it"

My neighbour asked and I agreed...so instead of doing it for him, I did it with him. Well, actually he did it with my tools and me pointing out what to do. He replaced a chain, indexed a mech and basically got the drive train running smoothly and all I did was coach him.

He now owns some tools, a stand and is starting to be pretty handy and youtube is his go-to online helpdesk.

I’ve done a few for friends over the years. One friend asked me to look at her neighbour’s bike - 20 year old shed-ware. The only thing in it’s favour was that it hadn’t been ridden much.

The worst are the £99 Sports Direct BSOs where every single component are the cheapest possible materials including steel suspension forks. Plastic brake levers and arms that pull all the way to the bars, plasticine screws in odd sizes that round as soon as you put a modicum of torque.

There’s no one that services bikes here - The only guy that did is a bit ‘weird’ apparently - it’s a £40 ferry trip to the mainland to get to a bike shop. Not sure I want the hassle as I can’t just pop into Decathlon for parts and Wiggle stuff takes a week to get here.

Cross out 'bike' and write 'computer' and this is me. I enjoy doing it and it's useful to keep my hand in as I don't do it professionally any more, but "my cousin's hairdresser's dog-groomer's mate" is pushing it a tad.

In a previous job, I was the default Cyclist Guy in the workplace. Every workplace has one – the person who, just because they ride in most days, is THE person to go to about anything cycle related.

Ah, yes. "I've just bought this, is it any good?" Well, if it's not then it's a bit late to be asking, isn't it.

My Dad once volunteered me out to build some bike for a work colleague of his, took me round there and she’d bought some dreadful pile of crap

And when you can't get it set up because it's just not possible to index gears made out of stilton it's all your fault, "oh, I thought you knew about bikes?"

I will and have done it for friends and colleagues but strangers?   Not a chance.  If you charge money then you need public liability insurance and if you don't then everyone will take advantage.

"I only fix bikes worth over a grand"

Just say No.

This. Abandon ship, etc...

I was the default Cyclist Guy in the workplace. Every workplace has one – the person who, just because they ride in most days, is THE person to go to about anything cycle related.

I converted a guy's wheels to tubeless. 1.3k hardtail, non TR tyres. He never rode it, so he has since paid a shop to change it back.

I think it helps to make yourself out to be "serious". Maybe hard to do if you commute in on a battered old thing with panniers.

But just dropping in to conversations about what you did at the weekend that you crossed half the country to enter a 100 mile race (dont bother explaining "sportive"); or mentioning when your CRC parcel turns up that tyres and brake pads only last a few months when you use them properly offroad.

The A lady who owns the bike wants to know whether it’s worth fixing or whether she should chuck it and replace it. I happen to be off out for a ride tomorrow anyway, so there’s no harm in looking it over.

It'll end in disappointment.

Help a mate - yeah. Someone stranded on a trail - yeah.
Everyone else can do one. I learnt this the hard way when I ran a bike-fix stall at a school fair. Never again....

Honestly its a royal pain in the arse, Today I have a pedal spanner in my bag as one lad at work bent a pedal in a crash. Its almost every week either fixing stuff or giving advice.

The only good thing has been electric bikes as I just say "not a clue, don't know anything about them"

I get the same with computers and software. I know my way around a Mac and specific design software. I have no idea about Windows or or coding, yet often get asked to take a look at someone's windows laptop with some old coding application.

I get requests for both bikes and computers, I'm afraid even family get minimal help these days, after a couple of times, jokingly mentioning invoices usually stops it. I don't mind helping people who actually want to learn but those who just want you to do it for them, are going to come back over and over for ever more. There is also a particular place in hell reserved for those people (usually work colleagues) who ask for help with their computer and imply that it's beneath them, something only 'geeks' should do (obvious subtext is I'm a geek and beneath them). Those tw*ts can get in the sea.

And when you can’t get it set up because it’s just not possible to index gears made out of stilton it’s all your fault, “oh, I thought you knew about bikes?”

This, or my other favourite "you must have done something to the bike when you were fixing the indexing because a week later I got a front puncture".

so there’s no harm in looking it over.

There really is.

If it needs binned - “what should I buy to replace it?” for a £40 preferred budget

If it can be fixed - “how much will that cost? And can you do it for me?”

I'm in the same boat. I used to fix a range of friend's bikes, and friends of friend's bikes and you learn a lot about bikes and gears and Di2 and so on, ....but over time you just get too many awkward piles of poorly-looked-after crap to fix, and the jobs are simply no fun whatsoever.

So I've stopped (almost) everything. Nowadays I only fix bikes from mates I know and like, and bikes I know well.

And whatever you do, do not, ever, offer to fix kids' bikes. Ever.

I'd tell them to naff off.

In the nicest possible way of course.

.

I got asked by a friend, and to be honest he wasnt even a friend, more like an acquaintance, to do his boys bike. I agreed, rather have the wee fella on something safe as not. But offered to 'help' thinking it would be just that, which me supplying the tools and experience.

Not a bloody bit of it, they all buggered off back to the living room to watch TV and left me to fix it in a cold draughty hallway.

And whatever you do, do not, ever, offer to fix kids’ bikes. Ever.

This ^^ x many many many times.

As soon as the little darling falls off it, rams it into a kerb or a parked car or breaks it, you will automatically be held responsible.

Well it was fine before you did [totally unrelated thing] to it and now look!

Well I'm sort of glad I had a look at it, the suspected bent pedal was in fact the bolt on dropouts being only held on the drive side by 1 out of the 6 in total for both sides!!

Thankfully I have M4 CS Allen head bolts here.

apparently people get offended if you say to them that what they have isn't a bike, but a toy.

easier to do if you don't sell bikes mind as they can't think you're just saying it cause they didn't buy it from you.

I only do it for people that help other people in other ways, otherwise nope.  As soon as you touch it you become responsible for it forever 🙁

Family and friends only.
I would be more than a bit miffed if -->>

someone recommended my skills on our village’s FB page.

You just know there would be an avalanche of -->>

The worst are the £99 Sports Direct BSOs where every single component are the cheapest possible materials including steel suspension forks. Plastic brake levers and arms that pull all the way to the bars, plasticine screws in odd sizes that round as soon as you put a modicum of torque.

apparently people get offended if you say to them that what they have isn’t a bike, but a toy.

which is funny because I would describe mine as a toy (or possibly sports equipment). It is utterly impractical as transportation, before we get to the point that I cant leave it outside anywhere. Even with the best locks, the brakes, seatpost etcetera all come off with allen keys and add up to about £1k replacement cost.
I ride it for fun, I drive it to places to ride it for fun. I never ride it to somewhere.

I wish "cheap bicycle" was one of those buffalo bike type things, not a faux mountainbike.

There is also a particular place in hell reserved for those people (usually work colleagues) who ask for help with their computer and imply that it’s beneath them,

Some folk wear it as a badge of honour. "Oh, I don't know anything about this computer shit." I get not knowing things or not wanting to know about a subject and that's fine, but why on Earth is ignorance something to be proud of?

If you are constantly being asked to fix folks bikes (or computers) then the important "tool" in your inventory is a pair of running shoes. The faster you can get away, the better.

Nobody has mentioned the L word. Liability, you fix little Johnny's bike little Johnny then has massive crash. Parents hold you responsible and sue you could be on the Hook for tens of thousands if the injuries are life threatening.

Just Say No

There is a reason businesses have public liability insurance. Doing it for free or for payment in kind is not a defence in court.

Some folk wear it as a badge of honour. “Oh, I don’t know anything about this computer shit.” I get not knowing things or not wanting to know about a subject and that’s fine, but why on Earth is ignorance something to be proud of?

Hah, we could almost be working in the same office @Cougar !

I've done a few that were a mare. Mate's lads bike - oh it's not that old, just been left out in the rain.... new cables, chain freewheel etc etc. Didn't charge him labour. Another mate, dropped off a vintage Full sus GT with XT and XTR - one with the 'big' BB shell that was part of the suspension system. Serviced it, and said you need new brakes, these are shot - bladders perished and no caps on the bralkes. I can get you a set for about £100. Oh I'll think about it. The bugger took months to come and collect it from my garage.

A mate does repairs as a business, and even the decent stuff, people just hand it to him absolutely full of muck - so bad it needs washing first before you can work on it.

I was the default Cyclist Guy in the workplace. Every workplace has one – the person who, just because they ride in most days, is THE person to go to about anything cycle related.

My boss in a new job let everyone in there know I was handy with the spanners so had a steady stream of requests to build bikes for christmas and birthdays or to fix stuff. I tried to say No but I kind of shot myself in the foot as in my interview for the job I'd gone on about how I was Cytech qualified and had been working in a bike dept for the last 7 years, literally no escape!

People don't know how to look after bikes, had it today at work. Bike had been serviced about six months ago and apparently the front shifting wasn't great, looked at it, chain rusted, front mech so caked in dirt it had seized up. They stored it outside and it hadnt seen any maintenance since the service but obviously they didn't want to pay for any work.

What is it about bikes and computers that gives people such a strong drive of not wanting to pay, or wanting to pay the absolute minimum possible both at purchase and fix time? It's just irreconcilable, the people I see with this attitude and how much they're willing to spend on other things. £40k car, £4k bedroom fitout, £40 a month iPhone. £300 laptops and £200 bikes.

Try having trained as a sparks a lifetime ago.

Ooh you can fix my TV (no I can't), Computer(possibly but it's probably just old shite), 'just fit a socket', fit a burglar alarm, outside light, my bulbs keep blowing. Why is that? My spark has let me down, etc etc.
Luckily that's easy, not up to date, no part p etc.

I hear you tinker with old cars too, my Micra is missfiring. I don't care, pay someone or get on YouTube or whatever and learn yourself

Also get the bike thing, someone wants me to look at a trike which cost less than than a tank of petrol as it has a problem with the wheel bearings.

**** off the lot of them, pre pandemic I was working pretty much 6 days a week, bit quieter now but they can all get ****ed.

In the local pub it was suggested by someone that all the trade guys should pin cards up so 'we' could help each other out. Suggested by an office worker with no useful skills.
No cards were forthcoming.

Don't get me wrong, I'll help people but my one guaranteed day off a week I'd like to spend not doing shit people can learn or pay for themselves.

I had two Amercian bought BSO Ammacos delivered to my house for fixing, left outside for 15 years, half spokes missing even though theyd never been ridden. Made one out of two and threw the other in the skip.

Yep, last summer when restrictions for outdoor activities eased a bit I became the unofficial bike mechanic for my Karate Club.

Loved it! Got a couple of old wrecks moving again.

My skills don't extend much beyond punctures, seized chains, worn brakes and incorrect seat heights.

Got a couple of free sessions and a risotto recipe from a Gary Rhodes trained chef in payment.

I won't do anything that requires real know-how or more than 10 minutes though. There are a couple of very good LBSs within a mile, although one of them had a waiting list of a couple of months for the workshop.

So…have just seen the lady's bike. It's meant to be her daughter's bike, apparently the daughter wants to do a London to Brighton ride, but wants something to "get into cycling again".

The bike itself is a horror. Plastic brake levers, plastic cranks(!), bald tyres, knackered brakes, the rear hub is knackered, the gears are practically seized. The repair bill would easily top £200, it's not worth it.

She thanked me for my honesty.

Thanks for the advice all, am going to limit my help to friends and family.

While actually working as a bike mechanic, I had a lady bring in her two kids bikes because she wanted them sorted for a holiday. They'd been left outdoors, unused, since the previous year's holiday. I had a look at them, appraised her of the condition and likely repair cost and suggested she simply hire a couple of bikes if that was the only time they were used. She was genuinely appreciative of my honesty and grateful for the suggestion - an approach she'd never considered.

It's nice to be nice. Folk appreciate a bit of honesty.

So…have just seen the lady’s bike. It’s meant to be her daughter’s bike, apparently the daughter wants to do a London to Brighton ride, but wants something to “get into cycling again”.

The 4 weeks leading up to the big London - Brighton charity ride was always absolutely solid at the London bike shop I used to work at. Folk bringing in heaps of junk that hand't been ridden since the previous L2B, had been stored in a shed all year...

We could often point out that £200 worth of repairs to a bike that had mouse-chewed tyres and a rust-encrusted drivetrain would be better put towards a new bike.

Good work on getting out of it so well!

Suggested by an office worker with no useful skills.

🙂 🙂

someone recommended my skills on our village’s FB page

That's a criminal offence!! 😆

Almost as bad, but not quite, is people asking my buying advice. They know I'm a "keen cyclist" so are coming to me with.. "I'm thinking of buying an (you guessed it!) EBIKE. Can you advise".

It's hard to say "Er, **** off!" especially to your own brother and your mum's partner 🤣🤣

The reminded me of something that happened a few years back. I had a message from someone I used to date that went along the lines of "I want to get into cycling and I want a full suss bike like yours. I won't spend more than £300 though. Can you find one for me?"

My response went along the lines of "If I could've bought something like a Specialized Enduro for £300, I'd have bought that, not a Specialized Enduro".

Be glad your not an ex car mechanic....

I have a bit of sympathy - I mean everyone starts somewhere. Selling some of those BSO's should be illegal though, better off with a S/H fixie for that money.

In our local bike workshop there's allsorts. £3k DH bikes in for a puncture repair. Stacks of BSO's ready for recycling. They are good though - will always let you use tools in exchange for a decent donation. I think that's the way forward, doing it all for free means they'll bring it back after another 5 years of neglect.

- Dirty bike - won’t touch it.
- Can afford professional repair costs but too tight - won’t touch it.
- Assumes professional seniority means I’ll do it - won’t touch it.
- Piss taker - won’t touch it.
- Short of cash, appreciative and will assist - it’s my pleasure.
- Build bike to allow someone an affordable commute - let’s do it!

– Dirty bike – won’t touch it.
– Can afford professional repair costs but too tight – won’t touch it.
– Assumes professional seniority means I’ll do it – won’t touch it.
– Piss taker – won’t touch it.
– Short of cash, appreciative and will assist – it’s my pleasure.
– Build bike to allow someone an affordable commute – let’s do it!

whats your opinion on "can afford repair costs but wants to learn".

I'm indebted to my friends who have taught me everything from tubeless, to brake bleeds, to fork servicing over the years. Assistance varying from "borrow this tool and watch this video", to basically doing it infront of me.

I'll help anyone.

So if someone says can you show me or can you check it after I've done it that's fine