a question on fair prices...

Paul Nevai

Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA

How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to a shop]
for the following services.

Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket. Is $80 fair?

Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I provide the
shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair?

BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has never
been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads.

Thanks, Paul

Qui si parla Campagnolo

2me-<< How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to a
shop]
for the following services. >><BR><BR>

I'll tell ya what we charge-

<< Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket >><BR><BR>

If cup and ball BB-$20 for the BB, $20 for the rear hub, $15 for the front-$55

<< Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I provide
the
shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair? >><BR><BR>

$30 at our shop-

<< BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has never
been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads. >><BR><BR>


Yes, at least once per year, IMO-

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

daveornee

Paul Nevai wrote:
> Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
> How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to a
> shop] for the following services.
> Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket. Is $80 fair?
> Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I
> provide the shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair?
> BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has
> never been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads.
> Thanks, Paul



Repack after 12 years: yes it is "necessary". Were you told ahead of
time what the repack jobs entails and how much labor time is put into
it? What about parts? (bearings, cones, cups, etc.) If you were told
ahead of time and you agreed, then it is "fair". The price seems high,
but there may be more to the story.

Installing customer provided items doesn't allow the shop to make
anything on the product and puts them in a position of responsibilty
for your parts. Did you agree to the price ahead of time? This price
may seem high, but they likely did more than mount the shifters and
wrap the tape. Did they remove the old stuff? Did they cable and adjust
the new stuff? Did they warrant their work? How does it work? and how
does it look? Frank and open discussion with the shop ahead of time is
important for you and them. Most shops want customers to feel they got
their money's worth and will return when you are considering service
and upgrades.



--

Paul Nevai

daveornee <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> aszonygya:
:Repack after 12 years: yes it is "necessary". Were you told ahead of
:time what the repack jobs entails and how much labor time is put into
:it? What about parts? (bearings, cones, cups, etc.) If you were told
:ahead of time and you agreed, then it is "fair". The price seems high,
:but there may be more to the story.

These are fixed prices posted at the shop and I have not had the job done
yet.

:Installing customer provided items doesn't allow the shop to make
:anything on the product and puts them in a position of responsibilty
:for your parts. Did you agree to the price ahead of time? This price
:may seem high, but they likely did more than mount the shifters and
:wrap the tape. Did they remove the old stuff? Did they cable and adjust
:the new stuff? Did they warrant their work? How does it work? and how
:does it look? Frank and open discussion with the shop ahead of time is
:important for you and them. Most shops want customers to feel they got
:their money's worth and will return when you are considering service
:and upgrades.

I already removed the old stuff. Spent an hour removing the tape remnants.
BUT BUT BUT many thanks for the suggestions. I will talk to them.

Best regards, Paul

santa

Paul Nevai wrote:
> Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
> How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to a
> shop] for the following services.
> Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket. Is $80 fair?
> Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I
> provide the shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair?
> BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has
> never been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads.
> Thanks, Paul



Is it fair? How much do you make an hour? Estimate what your time is
worth and how much aggravation it might cause you to try and fix it
yourself and compare that to the price the bike shop wants to charge.

You can also approach it another way. You could buy a bike repair manual
~$25, the necessary tools ~$75, and parts ~$25, and do it yourself now
and in the future. Bike repair is not rocket science--you may even enjoy
the satisfaction it brings you.



--

Paul Nevai

santa <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> aszonygya:

:Is it fair? How much do you make an hour? Estimate what your time is
:worth and how much aggravation it might cause you to try and fix it
:yourself and compare that to the price the bike shop wants to charge.

How much do I make an hour while I work or in my free time?

:You can also approach it another way. You could buy a bike repair manual
:~$25, the necessary tools ~$75, and parts ~$25, and do it yourself now
:and in the future. Bike repair is not rocket science--you may even enjoy
:the satisfaction it brings you.

Actually, I have all the tools and I repair my bikes myself. I also have
about a dozen bike repair books.

However, I have never doen any repacking and I want to leave it to
professionals and I also don't want to do any job involving wire cutting [I
am very bad at it].

Anyway, I just wanted to know the fair price and I got a lots of excellent
advice. I appreciate it.

Best regards, Paul

Rick Onanian

On 30 Apr 2004 21:23:05 GMT, nevai@math.ohio-state.edu (Paul Nevai)
wrote:
>However, I have never doen any repacking and I want to leave it to
>professionals and I also don't want to do any job involving wire cutting [I
>am very bad at it].

I can sympathize with the wire cutting; I cut it fine, but I never
remember to terminate it so that it doesn't fray.

But, bearing packing doesn't need to intimidate you. Go to a
hardware store or Home Depot or an auto parts store and buy some
grease; any kind will do, automotive wheel bearing grease is great.
Take apart the bearings, clean off the old grease and crud, add a
bunch of grease (not an exact science), and put back together.
Replace balls if they've got lots of miles, replace anything that
looks worn.
--
Rick Onanian

Jay Beattie

"Paul Nevai" <nevai@math.ohio-state.edu> wrote in message
news:c6ug3p$g19$1@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu...
> santa <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> aszonygya:
>
> :Is it fair? How much do you make an hour? Estimate what your
time is
> :worth and how much aggravation it might cause you to try and
fix it
> :yourself and compare that to the price the bike shop wants to
charge.
>
> How much do I make an hour while I work or in my free time?
>
> :You can also approach it another way. You could buy a bike
repair manual
> :~$25, the necessary tools ~$75, and parts ~$25, and do it
yourself now
> :and in the future. Bike repair is not rocket science--you may
even enjoy
> :the satisfaction it brings you.
>
> Actually, I have all the tools and I repair my bikes myself. I
also have
> about a dozen bike repair books.
>
> However, I have never doen any repacking and I want to leave it
to
> professionals and I also don't want to do any job involving
wire cutting [I
> am very bad at it].

Hey, I am all for people making a living, but re-packing a hub is
Chimp-work, and unless you have no motor function in your hands,
you should be able to do it yourself. Yes, I would have a
mechanic do it if I got a huge Christmas bonus and was feeling
particularly lazy and did not want to stain my Armani shop apron.
I am all for people doing my grunt work, but for $80 -- man, that
is steep for rumpus-room, T.V. watching kind of repair work. And
re-packing the BB? Do you have one of them historical
open-bearing BBs? Take it to the Smithsonian and then go buy a
$25 cartridge bearing unit. They wear faster, but they are way
convenient -- especially if you live in a wet climate like me.

As for the STI install -- same thing. Sub it out if you are
feeling particularly rich and lazy, but it is really easy to do.
Plus you need to get over the cable cutting phobia. Nobody who
can find this NG and who likes bikes should be afraid to cut a
cable. That is like being afraid of your shifters. As for the
reasonableness of the quote, it works out to about $40 an hour.
I would only charge you $20 and a six-pack in my basement shop,
but then again, I am not open to the public -- and I do not take
American Express. -- Jay Beattie.

Jay Beattie Velo
Not Open to the Public Everyday Since 1 April 1971
(p.s. where is Muzi?)

tcmedara

Paul Nevai <2me@PaulComputing.com> wrote:
> Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
>
> How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to
> a shop] for the following services.
>
> Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket. Is $80 fair?

Instructions off the internet, tube of grease, and a couple of cone wrenches
will cost you under $20.00. Add a few more bucks if you need new bearings
or cones.
>
> Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I
> provide the shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair?

Park cable cutters are under $25.00. If you can't cut a cable clean with
those then you're not trying. Other than that what do you need but a few
allen wrenchs and a steady hand?
>
> BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has
> never been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads.

I'm no expert, but 12 years is probably on the extreme end for a hub
overhaul. It really isn't hard to do.

On another note -- in my opinion there's no such thing as "fair" pricing in
a market economy. Unless Ohio has gone communist recently, I would assert
that what's fair isn't the issue, but how to assess value. I suspect that
if the LBS were willing to do the whole job for $3 (as unplausible as that
sounds), "fairness" wouldn't be much of a concern. If you are willing to
shell out the money for the services then, by definition, it's worth the
money. Otherwise you'd do without. No one's forcing you to part with your
money, so concepts of justice aren't all that relevent are they? Something
is worth whatever YOU are willing to pay for it. That's a basic law of
economics. Even the commies had to admit that one after a fashion.

I figure you've got three options:
1) Pay the money -- you get the service, confidence of a job well done, and
savings of time and aggravation.
2) Buy the parts and tools and DIY. You save cash, learn the process, and
might find it personally rewarding. Cost is time, aggravation, maybe a few
trips to the LBS when you can't find the bearings that roll of the table
(hint -- do it over an old towel).
3) Do nothing. That saves you time, money, aggravation. It costs you
functional shifters, tape, and increasing risk of failure in hubs and BB.

You're the only one who can assign the appropriate values.

Tom

Ken

2me@PaulComputing.com (Paul Nevai) wrote in message news:<c6u3q2$etc$1@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>...
> Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
>
> How much would be fair to charge [I mean that I would have to pay to a shop]
> for the following services.
>
> Repacking the front and rear hubs and the bottom bracket. Is $80 fair?
>
> Installing a pair of new STI shifters and taping the handlebar [I provide the
> shifters and the tape]. Is $40 fair?
>
> BTW, is the repacking job necessary? My bike is 12 years old and has never
> been repacked. I took good care of it, rode it only on roads.
>
> Thanks, Paul

Fair, is what the market will bear.

Kenny Lee

NoSpam

"Ken" <kentw@ksts.seed.net.tw> wrote in message
news:93970e53.0405010317.7d00f281@posting.google.com...

> Fair, is what the market will bear.

Perhaps the OP should have written "reasonable" instead of "fair".

We all know what he meant.

Kenny Lee

NoSpam wrote:
> "Ken" <kentw@ksts.seed.net.tw> wrote in message
> news:93970e53.0405010317.7d00f281@posting.google.com...
>
>
>>Fair, is what the market will bear.
>
>
> Perhaps the OP should have written "reasonable" instead of "fair".
>
> We all know what he meant.
>
>
"Reasonable" is what the market says it is.

Kenny Lee

David Reuteler

Kenny Lee <Ken@nospamthanks.com> wrote:
> "Reasonable" is what the market says it is.

sooo, what does the market say it is? how does this shop compare?
--
david reuteler
reuteler@visi.com