# Bike tune up. What should the shop do?



## Bear Jack (Apr 13, 2006)

I went and had my bike tuned up at the LBS and am not real sure if I am happy with what they did.

For a tune up should they?:

true the wheels?
Clean the grease and crap off the cranks?
Put new brake pads on?

Also the spring on my rear brakes is kind of shot where the brakes do not "re-open" right and rub when you release the lever. That was not fixed either.

I also had a new rear cassett and chain put on while it was there.

Just curious how unhappy I should really be about what got done.

Thanks, Jack


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Just my opinion, but none of this is rocket science and you should do it yourself. Learning basic skills like these can keep you from having to take a long walk out of the woods.

That said, either you or the LBS (or both) did not communicate what was to be expected.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

Adjust headset
Adjust bottom bracket
Adjust brakes, new pads
Adjust deraileur, possible new chain and casette
Lube and grease all needed parts
replace cables if they need it

The list goes on.. Those are some of the things that could be done.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Basic Tune up includes adjustments only. Replacement parts brake pads, cables, housing, etc is extra:
Adjust Derailleurs
Adjust Brakes
Adjust Headset, Bottom Bracket
Adjust Hubs
True Wheels
Safety check and tighten loose fasteners.

When I had my shops, I always went over the bike with the customer when they dropped it off, to discuss any potential extra charges for failing parts, and I called for approval prior to installing said parts. As far as cleaning the bike, that was not really included, but I usually did it because it helped me work on the bike and the customer always felt better about it when they got it back. I did talk with a few customers about an extra cleaning charge, or bringing it back cleaner, when it looked like they lubed their chain with motorcycle oil or something like that.


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

They're all different. When I worked in a retailer, we had $40 tunes, $60, & $90 tune-ups, that all included various things. The basic tune was all twiddling, no replacement parts. 

However, that your brakes weren't at least adjusted raises a flag. For us to give someone their bike back, their brakes had to be functional. Before we'd do any work on thier bike at all, we'd make sure they knew whatever it was going to cost if it needed unexpected brake work or parts. If we worked on it, and the brakes didn't work, and the rider hit a tree or flew out into traffic, we'd have been liable... I can't imagine times have changed for the better since then. That shop may have had some new high-school kid in training who forgot them completely. I'd ask the shopowner, (politely) who will probably quietly have a heart attack, and then offer to make it right.


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*on a related note...*

$50 to install new cables (der & brake) on my roadie (i provided the housing & cables). is that the going rate these days?! normally i'd do the work myself but i've been swamped between "real" work and training/race so i took my bike to the shop. needless to say i was a bit surprised at the cost.....though the bike does shift much better now. 

oh, and in response to the original poster, as others have said most shops have various levels of tune-up but the basic tune-up usually includes:
adjust headset, bottom bracket, hubs (i.e., tighten if loose)
adjust brakes but not replace pads unless worn & then you would be charged for replacing pads
adjust derailleurs (does not include replacing cables/housing)
wipe down & lube chain
lube pivot points
safety check (i.e., make sure everything that needs to be tight is tight).

rt


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## roadiegonebad (Jan 31, 2004)

cleaning the bike is generally not included


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## Bear Jack (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks for all of the replies. Got it on the cleaning. I am not sure why I expected the crank to be clean but didnt expect the rest to be clean. Maybe because it looked so odd that the new rear cassett was clean and the front not.

As a follow up: I finally got to take it out for a ride between rain showers. First big down hill I pulled the front brakes, pads hit tire, tire ruptures, I take a nice spill and have to walk my bike 4 miles out of the woods.

I wont bad mouth the bike shop. The bike shop did give me a new tire and tube. The true cause was my front fork was bent. They should have noticed that. I will just be sure to go else where next time.


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## bg. (Jan 28, 2004)

*rt* said:


> $50 to install new cables (der & brake) on my roadie (i provided the housing & cables). is that the going rate these days?! normally i'd do the work myself but i've been swamped between "real" work and training/race so i took my bike to the shop. needless to say i was a bit surprised at the cost.....though the bike does shift much better now.
> 
> rt


As someone who has worked on your bike before *rt*, I certainly wouldn't have charged you that much! 

That said, there's removal and reinstallation of bartape to think about. If you figure a $10 surcharge for that, plus $10 per cable install and adjustment, it's not that bad.

bg


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## jonlong (Sep 29, 2004)

The shop I worked at would charge $10 for any brake or der. adjustment, so adjusting 2 brakes and 2 ders would have cost $40, plus parts. But for $10 more, you could get a tune up which included adjustment of all bearings, wheel truing, brake and der. adjustment, and labor for the installation of most other purchased parts (grips, seat, tubes/tires, etc...).


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## xl_cheese (Jan 6, 2004)

As someone said earlier. DIY. You'll save time and money. None of it is rocket science. The info on how to fix things is our there if you look for it.


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