Where do you get your bike repaired/maintained?

[BigNerd]

I've used several different repair/maintenance options since I got my ebike.

I've done 2 mobile repair services, 2 different shops and just recently used REI (who I highly recommend for the cheapest prices and they don't care if you didn't buy your bike/ebike from them).

Back during the height of Covid, most local shops were weeks out for appointments and would take days to finish so that's why used mobile services (and sometimes they were hard to make appointments with). I like the mobile services because they come to you... and depending on the service, can be more reasonable than a repair shop. Most of the chain/brand stores will only repair their brands and usually won't repair/tune-up ebikes they don't carry. Even some independent shops won't work on eBikes.

As far as I know REI doesn't care. And they don't change their rate if it's an ebike or not. 2 other shops I called for a rear flat tube replacement upcharged because of the "extra work" to remove the wheel with the rear hub motor... but REI just told me it might take a little more time. And they only charge me $10 labor (free if you're a member). Everywhere else was $35 to $50... even my mobile guy.

Anyways... I know many of you wrench it yourself but I don't have the time for that... and if you're like me... where do you go?

Edit: Typos.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I have used them all. I have a independent shop less then a mile from my work and I go there if I can schedule work to be done that day so i can grab my bike before I leave. But they are are busy so not always. I had one mobile guy come by and greased up my bike at work. but now all my bearings are sealed so may not do that again. I have a trek shop less then a mile from our house so we can take the tandem in there even if its not running by pushing it there.. I do most things myself if possible.

 

[Gordon71]

In my garage with help from people here and the internet. So far so good.

 

[Rome]

Likewise, 1st year of ownership I took my Bulls to dealer service for derailleur adjustment and tubeless setup. Last March I had the brakes bled for $45 each brake.
Now I do owner perform maintenance ,after picking up some tips here on EBR.
I can setup my own tubeless without using compressed air shot by applying the correct thickness of tape. Purchase some bike specific tools, cassette removal tool, probike tourqe wrench etc.
Working on my bikes reminds me of the time I got my first car VW bug. I Was always tinkering with it.
For those who can't perform their own maintenance such as changing tires they should have pros do it same goes for brakes. I take my bike yearly for new fluid.
It helps that the shop that services my bikes is where I bought them. No need for appointments I just drop it off and they call when done. Like the last time speedometer stop working , it took a week for the new display to arrive so they had the bike for that long.

 

[Bicyclista]

I use MJ's Cyclery, which is a mile from my home. I can walk that distance after dropping off my bike or to go pick it up. They are not ebike dealers but they will work on my bike as long as it does not involve any electrical work. Fortunately, neither one of my ebikes has ever required electrical work.

However, they refuse to work on hub-drive ebikes. Apparently, they think they are too much of a hassle and weigh too much. Scott, the owner, complained he does not have power lifts bike stands. My impression was that he had a bad experience servicing a hub-drive ebike.

When I first brought in my Yuba Spicy Curry AT Scott thought it was a hub-drive. I pointed out that it was a mid-drive, and he grudgingly took it in because they have been maintaining my Haibike AllMtn mid-drive for six years. After they adjusted the brakes (the rear rotor had a wobble) and saw that working on the Yuba was no big deal, they agreed to maintain it in the future.

REI is an option for me but I would have to put my bike in my car and drive it there. The ebike dealers where I bought my ebikes, San Diego Fly Rides and San Diego Electric Bicycle, are even further away. If I ever need electrical work I will probably take my ebikes to REI.

 

[AHicks]

My garage/shop.

 

[sc00ter]

I spin my own wrenches. I have a garage. But I do have a few local shops that sell and service ebikes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It depends on the difficulty. For instance, I can maintain and replace the chain myself. Changing brake pads is easy. I can also handle inner tubes/tyres although with some difficulty.

Wheel trueing is done by my most local LBS. Many complex repairs are done by my beloved brother in his garage, as he is a very good bike mechanic (he cannot true wheels though). Anything related to e-bike or things such as wheel hubs is better serviced by the Specialized LBS.

 

[sc00ter]

Stefan makes a good point. Certain things are better left to experts. I'll lace a wheel and let a pro true it. Pick your battles wisely.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I don't deal with spokes or running cable or housing through the body or electrical.

 

[Jason Knight]

I have zero trust in any LBS within my reach. I've had too many bad experiences which is why I ordered my bike online, do all my own work, and only go to a local shop for parts if it's something I need today.

Which is also why when people say "just take it to a LBS" I have to choke back the urge to deliver a back-handed slap. My encounters with them are that bad. Overpriced, incompetent, staff that don't even know any of the terminology... no, just... no.

There's a reason we went from five shops to just two in ten years.

Like when I asked at one that spends half the year as a ski shop for a rear rack that would fit ON my fat tire bike, and they tried to sell me a rack to mount the bike on a SUV... NOT what I was asking for. Or when the girl at the counter had to ask the boss if I was asking for the right product.

Lady friend against my advice took her bike to them last week, I'm sitting here wondering how much I'm going to have to fix once they screw it up. Sad story for that bike. She turned it into an indoor stationary with a kit for winter, then her dirtbag father threw away all the parts needed to turn it back into a road bike.

Or that not one "local" shop would touch spokes or truing (or at least wouldn't when it was a internal gear hub) so I had to learn that too. The nearest place that will do it is over the hill in another state.

Or another (now defunct) shop where I came in with a busted spoke, and they tried to upsell me an entire bike because "you don't want to keep riding that big heavy cruiser, do you?"

My experiences say that LBS are greedy overpriced dishonest incompetent fools that treat customers as marks.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I have zero trust in any LBS within my reach. I've had too many bad experiences which is why I ordered my bike online, do all my own work, and only go to a local shop for parts if it's something I need today.



My experiences say that LBS are greedy overpriced dishonest incompetent fools that treat customers as marks.

well thats you then. I have no clue how many bikes shops we have here I bet way over 50 . some are better then others of course like anything. but I have no problem getting good advice and good work from them. Sometimes attitude of the customer can cause bad service too. I have had our whole tandem drivetrain rebuilt and motors replaced after the warranty for free from one shop thats less then a mile from our house. other work from a shop less then a mile from my work that I schedule ahead of time. new wheels built.

 

[Jason Knight]

I have no clue how many bikes shops we have here I bet way over 50

I don't think there's that many of them in my STATE. What type of travel radius are we talking? I'm not even sure I could come up with that many in a 100 mile radius... at least not 'till you get into Taxachusetts which brings its own s***-show of problems to the table.

Especially since it seemed like half of them folded ten years ago, and the pandemic cut their numbers in half again. Thinking back the 25 years I've lived in Keene, its' scary how many shops came and went, many not even lasting a year. A lot of those for being priced out of normal people's affordability with premium brands.

Kind of like the fru-fru restaurants that come and go here. Nobody in NH wants Cali style vegan organic or soggy limp faux-Japanese. I'm still trying to figure out how Starbucks stays open in Dunkin's country.

I mean there are two shops here in town now and I don't think one of them even does repairs. Maybe 1 more in the entire county?

-- edit -- though to be fair, in my town we've had BK's, Uno's, Pizza Hut, Shaws, and a dozen other major national chains shut their doors, and that was BEFORE the pandemic. Stuff's drying up.

 

[indianajo]

My LBS is an expert on drop handle "road" bikes. Only. I'm really too short to shop there, the only thing that fits me is the pink single speed girls bike with the Hollie Hobby logo. He sold me two air pumps that didn't work over the years, and some substitute tubes that despite assurances they would work, blew up the first time I tried to install one. Going to have to ride over there this week, meijers discount store is out of 26x2" tubes and roll-up Schwinn tires from meijers slip off the wheel & blow the tube.
The nearest bike shop over in Louisville refused to let me stand over a used Xtracycle since I didn't bring my helmet to shop. (I was there for a hospital appointment, waiting out a bus transfer). Some other time, he said (like never). He did sell me a headlight that refused to turn off the first time I turned it on.
I'll take my chances on my service. If I don't get it right the first time, there is always tomorrow. Took 3 tries to get the right spokes to lace in the SturmeyArcher S80 IGH, since the shop that sold it to me (niagaracycle.com) wouldn't tell me what spokes to buy for a 26" MTB wheel. I get parts that fit the description better from moderncycle.com or universalcycles.com . Niagara, when I ordered a axle nut or some other hardware, would ship me any size of hex shaped junk, none of which ever fit anything or matched the measurement in the name. They did refund my money, but that didn't fix my bike.
Both LBS are 4 miles or more away and I don't take my bikes for rides in my car since I haven't driven it since 2008.

 

[Jason Knight]

My LBS is an expert on drop handle "road" bikes. Only. I'm really too short to shop there, the only thing that fits me is the pink single speed girls bike with the Hollie Hobby logo.

This perfectly describes a shop that went under here in Keene about five or six years ago... except they didn't even carry kids bikes. It was like "6 foot tall competitive road cyclist or GTFO"

Then these jokers can't figure out why they go out of business as fast as they open.

 

[harryS]

I feel sorry for these shops that are afraid to work on ebikes. That's the new biking demographic, seniors with money that they can coddle and squeeze. Chinese bikes with generic components aren't too hard to service.

 

[AHicks]

Geez, that phrase "we only service/work on bikes we sell" is a pet peeve here. I believe many are even struggling to achieve to do well at that level.

And I can't agree more it wouldn't be THAT hard, for people with an open mind on the topic, to learn what they need to know on an ongoing basis. There are generally YouTube videos available for just about anything, available for free, to anyone wanting information.

I don't get it. Are these guys so busy they don't have time to learn?

Please, do share ANY business case where you would not be further ahead expanding your back end to improve the store's bottom line...

 

[BigNerd]

I totally agree with @AHicks especially for independent shops.

Not even sure why the chain/brand shops refuse to because a place like REI will repair/maintain ANY bike.

I have an excuse... I'm too lazy and really don't have enough time to learn how to wrench my own bike (I can do simple maintenance and stuff like changing/adding easy accessories) but if this is my business or job, why not be able to work on any type of bike?

Thanks for the votes... I assumed most of you work on your own bikes but I do wonder what the percentages looks like on brand ownership here. Does that poll already exist?

 

[Jason Knight]

I feel sorry for these shops that are afraid to work on ebikes.

Emphasis mine. Fear. I find so many of the bad decisions, hatred, and negative attitudes I encounter are rooted in fear and ignorance.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Bought both my bikes from a Giant corp store.
They do the stuff I don't want to do, and I do the rest.