[ChrisRobin]

This isn't a rant or anything, just something I realized (or reminded me again) how expensive MTB parts are in a high-end-boutique-type shops are. I wonder how anyone that isn't into the whole mailorder thing can afford this! I had some time to kill downtown today and stopped by a really cool shop. Super nice guys. Michelin tires priced at $100cdn (the 2.8 comp32 at $110cdn), Envy DH chainrings at $50-$55....etc. They had a used Fox RC for $300 and a used Swinger for $550. At least wheelbuilds are cheap: $30 and .90 cents a black spoke.

Well, thankfully the the CDN and US dollars are almost the same value.

 

[fiddy_ryder]

its rediculous.. but you need that tire friday afternoon before the saturday ride,, your paying...

 

[zedro]

yeah but on the flip side some prices do seem to be getting close, like the Shiftguide i bought from ABC is almost on par with USD prices

 

[ChrisRobin]

yeah but on the flip side some prices do seem to be getting close, like the Shiftguide i bought from ABC is almost on par with USD prices

Like the wha?

Either way, I still find there's a huge discrepancy between LBS and online shop prices for main components. Of course there are reasons for this but it was kinda strange seeing retail prices after looking online for so long.

 

[zedro]

Like the wha?

Either way, I still find there's a huge discrepancy between LBS and online shop prices for main components. Of course there are reasons for this but it was kinda strange seeing retail prices after looking online for so long.

Truvative Shiftguide (dualie chainguide); actually got it exactly on par with USD funds, and the Rockguard was actually cheaper than par!!! So basically going to the US i woulda got hosed...

my Ultimate bike stand wound up about even tho.

 

[sayndesyn]

I've seen a 2 year old used xtr crankset being sold for 300. My LBS charged 15 dollars to move a race from one fork to another on a side note... I have every damn tool but the race remover. My LBS is now officially go-ride.

 

[Lanky]

I've seen a 2 year old used xtr crankset being sold for 300. My LBS charged 15 dollars to move a race from one fork to another on a side note... I have every damn tool but the race remover. My LBS is now officially go-ride.

i could see this if the proper tools were used.
ie, a race puller, race install tool

the race puller is a big money tool, and if you got it done on the spot, i would say it was wroth it, better than the $300 it would cost for the tools

 

[TheInedibleHulk]

I've seen a 2 year old used xtr crankset being sold for 300. My LBS charged 15 dollars to move a race from one fork to another on a side note... I have every damn tool but the race remover. My LBS is now officially go-ride.

I work at the LBS, and I would have done that for some taco bell.

PS A race remover is usually also known as a screwdriver. You get a little mark on the bottom of your race, boo hoo. The race puller, while a sweet tool, is only useful with certain fork/race combinations. Marzocchis even have a little screwdriver notch. Next time just do it yourself, or find a cooler shop and come with food.

 

[Bicyclist]

I do that for free or maybe $5 if it's a pain in the ass.

 

[DirtyMike]

I work at the LBS, and I would have done that for some taco bell.

PS A race remover is usually also known as a screwdriver. .

Which Bike shop, so i know not to shop there, Sorry a race remover is not a screwdriver. A Race remover removes teh reace without Marring twisting or distorting it. A Bearing race is Precisin machined to match the bearing. That would be why you dont Use a screwdriver and a hammer, less your already settled on replacing it. Oh By the way i also work at the LBS. And if someone where i work used a hammer and/or screwdriver to remove a headset race.... they would no longer work there, seeing how it is a real shop, that has the proper tools for the job.

 

[TheInedibleHulk]

Which Bike shop, so i know not to shop there, Sorry a race remover is not a screwdriver. A Race remover removes teh reace without Marring twisting or distorting it. A Bearing race is Precisin machined to match the bearing. That would be why you dont Use a screwdriver and a hammer, less your already settled on replacing it. Oh By the way i also work at the LBS. And if someone where i work used a hammer and/or screwdriver to remove a headset race.... they would no longer work there, seeing how it is a real shop, that has the proper tools for the job.

We have a puller and we use it. Outside the shop I have swapped probabaly hundreds of races without it and never had a problem.

Next time you need to swap a fork in the parking lot at a race in the rain, I sure hope there is a fully equipped bike shop around. Otherwise it sounds like youre screwed. A good mechanic knows how to work with what he's got.

 

[blue]

Screwdrivers get it done.

Relating to the original topic of the thread, the shop I used to work at was trying to sell an 04 GT DHi in 2006 for $4k. True story. I eBayed lots of crap for them and the owner wanted me to get rid of it for at least $3500 when there were new ones selling for $1500. I told him to eat a dick.

 

[sayndesyn]

I've used screwdrivers before, but this particular race on a boxxer team left very little room to get a screwdriver in there. I was thinking about making my own race hammer out of pvc though. Don't see how that would be a problem if you had a pipe with an ID of just larger than 1 1/8 and just put a block of wood on the top and used a mallet...

 

[jonKranked]

I've worked as a wrench monkey before, and the only times we ever used a race puller was for carbon road forks. It's not worth the hassle otherwise. Marzocchi forks have the screwdriver notch and it works wonderfully. I've removed hundreds of fork races with a screwdriver. The only ones I ever broke weren't worth re-using anyways, so it didn't matter. Like IncredibleHulk said, a good mechanic knows how to work with what he has, and how to make something work even when it probably shouldn't. IE the headset press I have for mersonal use is the home depot special and cost me just over $4. Granted I can only do one cup at a time but it works wonderfully. And with the $96 I saved not buying the Park Tool press I was able to put towards nicer parts for my bike.


(warning gross generalization ahead!)















As far as I'm concerned, there's 2 kinds of mechanics:
the kind who tell you something won't work, and the kind who make it work. (this can also be classified as mechanics with formal training from a book, and those of us who learned by tinkering)

 

[DHS]

I've seen a 2 year old used xtr crankset being sold for 300. My LBS charged 15 dollars to move a race from one fork to another on a side note... I have every damn tool but the race remover. My LBS is now officially go-ride.

screw driver and hammer.
i have every damn tool as well. i need to buy some facing tools now

 

[DHS]

at one of the bike shops i worked at. they used a old car bearing removal tool. i've been looking for one ever since. it could compress around, under the race, with 2 huge bolts. then you could just hammer the removal tool to get the race off.

 

[spacemanspiff06]

a srewdriver works when you're hurtin for a race puller, but when your in the shop, working on someone else's bike, it's not that much harder to do the job right and get up the puller. a srewdriver would not fly at my shop.
as far as $100 for a tire, thats a little over the top. we've got ust hot 'S's for i think $60.
some lbs' are cool, some aren't, but it's a shame that mail order is getting as big as it has.

 

[Polandspring88]

I have had the LBS charge me 30 bucks to press a headset in, which in my opinion is ridiculous since it takes them a maximum of 5 minutes. Mind you I had the headset in pieces, as well as the frame without a headset. This is pressing a brand new headset into a brand new frame.

That said, my dad always taught me to do the job with the right tool, unless they are grossly expensive. Most bike tools do not fall under this category, and as a result I am amassing a collection that will include pretty much every tool you can buy. Better off doing the job right than improvising and f'in something up. Found that out the hard way before.

 

[JRB]

<snip> I was thinking about making my own race hammer out of pvc though. Don't see how that would be a problem if you had a pipe with an ID of just larger than 1 1/8 and just put a block of wood on the top and used a mallet...

No block needed. I use a long piece of 1 1/4" o.d. as a race hammer. I did have a little grief the other day with 2 road forks on some bikes I build for the shop, but the Park race tool wouldn't have been any better. You can use a shorter piece and a rubber mallet. I do use the race puller if I go to the shop, but don't know that it's worth buying. I have a carbon fork with a carbon steerer, but I'd be skared to ever pull the hammered on race, as I fear the pressure could make things fail.

 

[JRB]

at one of the bike shops i worked at. they used a old car bearing removal tool. i've been looking for one ever since. it could compress around, under the race, with 2 huge bolts. then you could just hammer the removal tool to get the race off.

I need to get a smaller one of those. I have a giant one for 4" bearings somewhere, but it seems too bulky for forks. I would like to get one for 2" bearings.

As far as charges, I use the headset press if the shop is open, if not, I use the all thread method. Both seem to work just fine for me.

 

[jonKranked]

my tool box only has one tool: a hammer that I lovingly call "The Problem Solver" If The Problem Solver can't fix it, then its not worth fixing.

 

[Kornphlake]

There are two kinds of tools, the kind that are quality tools that will help you make money and the kind that aren't quality tools but get the job done for the casual mechanic. When was the last time you used the lug wrench that came with your vehicle and fits nicely into the pocket in your trunk? I wouldn't want to pay a tow company to tow my car to a shop so they could use a pneumatic impact wrench to take off the wheel and install the spare when I can get the job done with the hokey wrench that is sitting in my trunk. A mechanic uses the penumatic impact wrench to make money, the more tires he can change in a day the more money he makes, this isn't to say that the tools the professionals use are the only tools that should be used, they are just the most efficient and provide the highest return on investment for a business, this isn't necessary for an individual who will use a specialized tool only once or twice in a year if that. If you were to examine carefully your daily actions you'll find that you use dozens of layman's tools ranging from a pocket knife as a toothpick to using a paint scraper to clean your toilet.

 

[mandown]

my tool box only has one tool: a hammer that I lovingly call "The Problem Solver" If The Problem Solver can't fix it, then its not worth fixing.

i am a bit more advanced than you are. i have duct tape in my tool box. my motto is: if you can't fix it with duct tape and a hammer, you probably need a new one anyway

 

[TheInedibleHulk]

I rest my case

 

[dhbuilder]

to keep from being forced into a lbs when you are in desparate need.
order things in pairs or more.

especially tires or anything that you wear out or break often.
two derailluers online cost only slightly more than one from a yuppie catering l.b.s.
buying tires six or so at a time is almost like getting two free at l.b.s. prices.

most mail order customers don't need to have a shop mech. install parts for them.
if we're that smart, we should also be heads up when buying too.

and a headset press can be made from a length of allthread and washers and nuts. works just as good as the more exspensive shop tool. you just have to take a little more care making sure the cups slide in the frame straight. the larger the diameter of the allthread the easier it is.

 

[OGDMFG]

My head set press is a nice 400 $ kurt vise-gets used in the machine shop too.

 

[dhbuilder]

i can't tell you how many times i've almost ordered one for myself.(and my friends)
but that buys alot of tires, brake pads and such.

 

[Zman]

I have had the LBS charge me 30 bucks to press a headset in, which in my opinion is ridiculous since it takes them a maximum of 5 minutes. Mind you I had the headset in pieces, as well as the frame without a headset. This is pressing a brand new headset into a brand new frame.

That said, my dad always taught me to do the job with the right tool, unless they are grossly expensive. Most bike tools do not fall under this category, and as a result I am amassing a collection that will include pretty much every tool you can buy. Better off doing the job right than improvising and f'in something up. Found that out the hard way before.

was it a king? my old shop in seattle charged that....but we also faced the frame before we installed teh HS. woudlnt do it otherwise. those are so precise we could actually tell the difference. and on a couple frames it outright wouldnt work till we faced it. there are reason whys hops charge what they do.....

 

[Spunger]

Headset install on a new frame most shops have a set price for each individual thing they do. So if you say just install the headset it might be $25, but if you bought the "headset service" for $45 they'd face, ream, and install the headset and crown race onto the fork. They may charge seperate fees for facing and reaming, and then ontop of installing. I hope you get that So in some cases getting some sort of a package deal on certain things pays for itself quickly.

The last frame I bought I think I paid $90 to have my rear wheel re-dished, the BB faced and chased, the headset faced, headset pressed in, crown race pressed in, and stem bolted on. I had saved money by buying a BB frame service and Headtube frame service rather than racking up all the charges seperately. I didn't have the tools (and never will) to face/chase these things on a bicycle because you usually only do it once in the frames life. So I'm fine with paying whatever it is to a new frame to get it ready for me to install what I can (which is everything else).

But every shop I've been to charges for everything and anything, from tightening a pedal, adjusting the shifter/brake levers to changing a tire/tube. I understand they are in the market to make money. I have no gripes about what they charge because I understand that not everyone can install a BB, or adjust a shifter, or bleed brakes or for the sake of the argument change a tube, change a tire, lube a chain etc... There are mechanicly declined people out there. It's like with an automobile, I can do most anything on one given the right tools, but at some point it's cheaper for me to spend $100 to have a pitman or idler arm removed rather than buy an air compressor, air tools, giant sockets, pullers, and cuss at the thing for a while when in an hour and $100 later it's fixed. Someday I'll have tools like that but being 24, in an apartment, portable tools is all I can have. Bikes are the same. Most tools are inexpensive and will do the job for any home wrench. But for me to buy a facing tool, a headset press, or a reaming tool is just wasting my money.

 

[mandown]

funny how this thread started off discussing the cost of buying parts and turned into a bitch-fest about labor costs. these are two distinct issues. shops do charge a bunch. go there often enough and you may find they do you favors from time to time (mad props to my local wrench).

yeah you can press a headset in with some parts from the hardware store, but you cannot face the frame without a facing tool. those things are not cheap. that is part of why they have a minimum shop charge. those are the finer points worth paying for.