# 100 bucks to put my boxed bike together? Am I getting hosed?



## anderson22 (Aug 31, 2011)

The local bike guy wants 100 bucks to put my boxed up, fresh from the UPS man bike together. Do you think this is a fair price? Thanks.


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## Crash Test Dumby (May 3, 2011)

Sounds high to me, but I have never had it done. Most threads/posts I have seen here at MTBR have stated prices closer to $50-60 though. I would definitely get a few more quotes if you have any other shops close by.


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## anderson22 (Aug 31, 2011)

Thank you.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

Yes and No. For a basic assembley yes for a full build no some builders will strip the bike completely and re assemble.

Watch some you tube videos and do it your self.


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## The Other Player (Jul 27, 2011)

just assemble it yourself, there are hundreds of guides online plus you can buy some nice small parts for that money. If you don't chose to follow my advice, he is charging TOO MUCH, see how much it is at your local bike shop, mine charges $30 for a full build up, no matter how disassembled it is.:rockon:


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

My local LBS charges $39.99 , but i would just throw it together myself. Thats what i did, took me 20 minutes. It actually tool me longer to get all the packaging and tapoe off it than it did to build it.


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## OP4guy (Jul 16, 2011)

You Tube videos will be your friend. $100 will buy all the tools and beer you may be lacking.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Is your local guy NASA?


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

I think the real question is can you do it yourself? If you can, then $100 is way too high. If you can't and the though of touching a wrench or grease scares the bejesus out of you, then no, $100 is perfect.

"A man who can't turn a wrench is not a man. A women who can turn a wrench is a dream wife".


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## markf (Jan 17, 2007)

at my shop we charge $45 for a normal level of disassembly. sometimes we get people with a box of parts and want everything installed, cables run, etc for $45. it's probably gonna take 90 mins -2 hours to do it right and tune everything in. but a "normal" shipped bike should take 30-45 depending on how much tuning it needs, just putting the parts in the right place is quick and easy.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

anderson22 said:


> The local bike guy wants 100 bucks to put my boxed up, fresh from the UPS man bike together. Do you think this is a fair price? Thanks.


I have no idea what bike you have and what shape it's in. It might actually be easier/faster to put one together from a literal box of parts rather than have to disassemble it and then reassemble. He may feel that if he is going to put his name on the assembly and possibly harbor some responsibility for the build, that he wants to take it all down and put it together properly, with lube in all the right places and everything properly torqued.

Then again, he may be trying to tell you that he really does not want the job, but if you insist, he isn't going to refuse you.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

In my area, it's a little high but not totally out there for a new bike build.

Here's the Park Tool check list. They've already made each procedure a link.

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » New Bike Assembly

If you bought the bike from a catalog to save money and you're good with your hands, do most of it yourself and take it to the shop for whatever you can't figure out.


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## anderson22 (Aug 31, 2011)

Sincere thanks, guys.


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## mrbigisbudgood (Apr 4, 2011)

It's high, but the shop owner might be sending a message of "buy the bike from me next time". Which is somewhat understandable.

That said, I built my Nickel out of the box at the trailhead with the stuff I normally carry in my CamelBack (Multi tool and pump).


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## jetblast10 (Feb 23, 2009)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Is your local guy NASA?


LOL! :thumbsup:


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

anderson22 said:


> The local bike guy wants 100 bucks to put my boxed up, fresh from the UPS man bike together. Do you think this is a fair price? Thanks.


Is it a Bikes Direct bike? Something from eBay? Am just curious. Knowing where you bought it might give some indication as to how much and how well it has been pre-assembled.

Is it a bike shop that quoted the $100? You wrote "bike guy", not "bike shop", so I'm curious.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

I dropped off a BD bike last year with my lbs and they charged me $25.

If you are doing similar then I suspect the lbs is making a statement. Call around and check with some other shops.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

$100 is not unreasonable for a full bike assembly but if you want to save some money, take it out of the box and put it together as best as you can using the resources above. Then take it in for a "tune up" and it'll save you around $50.


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## PedalDangit (Jun 2, 2011)

mrbigisbudgood said:


> It's high, but the shop owner might be sending a message of "buy the bike from me next time". Which is somewhat understandable.


Why is that understandable? I get the whole support your LBS thing, but if they are into sending messages like that, it's a complete turn off, and I'd rather not deal with people like that. Fortunately the shops around me aren't like that. They're cool, work on whatever and at set rates.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

There's bike assembly and bike assembly.

A lot of new bikes show up at the shop mostly assembled. The shop installs the wheels and pedals, turns the handlebars the right way, tunes the derailleurs and it's ridable. Hopefully they also adjust the bearings and tune the wheels, but I suspect this is somewhat hit-or-miss. Anyway, if the bearing and wheel adjustment is left out, the task can be knocked out in several minutes and is in no way worth $100.

If they do the entire checklist in the Park Tool link, $100 may be a pretty good deal, depending on the condition of the bike when the shop gets it. Or, just paying the shop their hourly rate for shop time might be better - again a big "it depends."

I think where I live, it costs about $75 to get a shipped bike reassembled and tuned. Dunno about a new bike, I haven't priced that. I think it should be about the same, especially for a bike that comes mostly assembled.

It's important to bear in mind that factory wheels are often not in very good shape, and touching them up can be time consuming. The drivetrain parts are often just bolted onto the frame, and not adjusted at all, and while tuning them is not that difficult a task, it takes time too.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Sending a message?


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## standamantx (Nov 10, 2009)

jeffj said:


> Then again, he may be trying to tell you that he really does not want the job, but if you insist, he isn't going to refuse you.


+1 Sounds like he doesn't want the hassle


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## PedalDangit (Jun 2, 2011)

standamantx said:


> +1 Sounds like he doesn't want the hassle


I don't understand. He doesn't want the hassle of being paid to work on bikes? Is it less of a hassle to work on bike he sells than one someone brings in? Makes no sense to me. Do a lot of bike shops not want business from people unless they bought their bike from them?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Yeah I don't get it are these guys raking in millions or something and don't need the money


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## TrailNut (Apr 6, 2004)

$100's reasonable, on the cheap side for good wrench work.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

the-one1 said:


> "A man who can't turn a wrench is not a man. A woman who can turn a wrench is a dream wife".


...but don't expect the marriage to be recognized in every state.


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## Steve Adams (Sep 17, 2010)

If you brought me a box of parts then yes 100 bucks is reasonable. If you brought me a new bike in a box then 50 bucks will do it. I'm going to be doing bike repairs and restos in the evenings. I'm going to be doing repairs for local riders and custom builds If they want. I'm also going to pick up bikes off eBay restore them and resell them. 


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

PedalDangit said:


> I don't understand. He doesn't want the hassle of being paid to work on bikes? Is it less of a hassle to work on bike he sells than one someone brings in? Makes no sense to me. Do a lot of bike shops not want business from people unless they bought their bike from them?


You haven't been on the other side so it will be hard to understand. Here's the difference, He's made no profit on the bike and has no idea if you're going to turn into one of those customers. There's not a ton of profit just selling labor.

Forget all the bs about service industries and the customer is always right etc... Anyone that's worked in one knows there are those customers that just aren't worth it, you lose money.

So now, he's made no profit at all from the bike, you've already shown that most likely anything you need you'll buy online, so still no more profit to be made off you.

So he builds your bike and has no way to know if you're going to be in the shop every other ride insisting that the problem with your bike is his fault etc...

I've been though this so many times as an automotive tech. It's one of the reasons, most shops won't install parts you buy and bring in.


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## PedalDangit (Jun 2, 2011)

You make good points, and that _does_ make sense. Thanks TT!


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

i had my el mar shipped from a ma shop to rbikes and they charged $100 to assemble it. i bought my wife's bike there and was pleased with the service. at first i thought $100 was reasonable- until i saw the quality of work they did. 

half-azz job for sure. many bolts were loose and when i would brake the whole rear wheel would rub against the frame. rims weren't true, handlebars weren't centered. i was naive and in a crunch since i needed the bike assembled before going on a business trip where i was bringing my bike. i brought it back in and they fixed most of it but not all. i just did the rest myself. sorry but won't be bringing my bike back there. my wife's bike gets all work free there for 2 years- not sure if i'll be bringing hers there. we'll see.

sorry for the rant- i guess this thread brought back frustrating memories. 

bottom line, if they do everything right, $100 is decent. i would have been upset if i paid $25 for the half-azz job.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

TwoTone said:


> I've been though this so many times as an automotive tech. It's one of the reasons, most shops won't install parts you buy and bring in.


Maybe it's circumstantial but my experience has been very different. For me it's the occasional shop which won't install my parts. But I rarely go to chains, almost exclusively to independents. This has been through NC and FL.


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## GRANT191 (Aug 23, 2011)

I would pay $100 if it was set up and everything gone over well, I'm ordering a BD bike next week but I will learn some things by settting mine up myself and if i need major adjustmenst i'll take it to a LBS for a "tune up"


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## mtbmc82 (Jul 18, 2011)

TwoTone said:


> You haven't been on the other side so it will be hard to understand. Here's the difference, He's made no profit on the bike and has no idea if you're going to turn into one of those customers. There's not a ton of profit just selling labor.
> 
> Forget all the bs about service industries and the customer is always right etc... Anyone that's worked in one knows there are those customers that just aren't worth it, you lose money.
> 
> ...


Yea, I will have to respectfully disagree. I've never worked in a bike shop, but I fail to see how labor doesn't turn into profit. If you are paid for your labor then I'd say there was a profit. If you cite operating costs as the reason labor doesn't bring a profit, well then it's probably because of the fleet of bikes and state-of-the-art store you have to maintain.

My LBS is a bike SHOP, not a bike RETAILER. They do'nt sell bikes. They consign a couple every now and then, but their shop is a garage in an alley. Their shop is not hidden in the back of a retail operation with limited aceess. The shop (i.e. labor) is their business They make most of their profit from labor. They treated me like a loyal customer the first time and I will continue to not only go there from now on for maintenance and repairs, but I will highly reccomend them to anyone who needs some work done on their bike. Sometimes they will sell me used parts at a fraction of the cost of new ones, and sometimes they will swap parts with me straight up (with no real profit). They are genuinely cool cats

I see no advantages of treating customers as if their business is some sort of hassel.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

couldn't delete


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

mtbmc82 said:


> Yea, I will have to respectfully disagree. I've never worked in a bike shop, but I fail to see how labor doesn't turn into profit. If you are paid for your labor then I'd say there was a profit. If you cite operating costs as the reason labor doesn't bring a profit, well then it's probably because of the fleet of bikes and state-of-the-art store you have to maintain.
> 
> My LBS is a bike SHOP, not a bike RETAILER. They do'nt sell bikes. They consign a couple every now and then, but their shop is a garage in an alley. Their shop is not hidden in the back of a retail operation with limited aceess. The shop (i.e. labor) is their business They make most of their profit from labor. They treated me like a loyal customer the first time and I will continue to not only go there from now on for maintenance and repairs, but I will highly reccomend them to anyone who needs some work done on their bike. Sometimes they will sell me used parts at a fraction of the cost of new ones, and sometimes they will swap parts with me straight up (with no real profit). They are genuinely cool cats
> 
> I see no advantages of treating customers as if their business is some sort of hassel.


A shop in an alley with no inventory, not really an apples to apples comparison is it?

Again I never said labor didn't turn a profit. We had a guy try that type of shop in our area, I don't think he made it a year. The owner didn't treat the OP like his business was a hassle, just gave him a price. I explained one possible reason why that price might have been high. He could of just flat out said no too.


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## frankenstein406 (May 11, 2007)

Put most of it together and say you want a tune up once over. 

I use to like my one local shop till I saw how half assed they recently did something for me. No more supporting them. Amazing to how they charge $36 for something and another shop $12 for the same service.


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## akacoke (May 11, 2011)

most box bike just need to put tires and handlebar on , takes 10mins to put them on and adjust stuffs.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

when I pull a new bike out of the box, I have to do the following:
*flip stem (it's upside down in the box to make it fit better)
*grease and install seatpost. hang frame in bike stand
*pull off a ton of packaging- this takes longer than you might think
*put both wheels in the truing stand and true them- they are never true out of the box
*install fork and stem, on some larger/ high-end bikes. install pedals with grease.
*untangle cables and install bars. angle bars and levers, set headset tension.
*adjust brakes. if they are hydros, we sometimes have to adjust the level of fluid in the hoses. disc brakes always requires a lot of fiddling, as do cheap rim brakes.
*pre-stretch brake and derailleur cables.
*align RD and set cable tension
*straighten and tune FD. it's usually off by a few degrees.
*tighten all bolts to spec, especially crank and stem bolts.
*test ride bike and make necessary adjustments.

all this takes about one hour and most bike shops seem to think their time is worth about $60 an hour. I have worked around some guys who do nothing but build bikes all day and none of them can do it RIGHT in less than 30 minutes. if you can do it fast, accurate, and without interruptions, 30 minutes minimum.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

We still don't know much about what the OP really has going on. The OP talks about a "bike guy", so we don't really know whether he's dealing with a shop or maybe a local enthusiast. We don't know whether the bike is new from the factory, or a used bike in some unknown shape. 

I doubt the $100 price is to send any sort of message. It's probably just the price at which the work becomes worth it to the person doing the work.


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> when I pull a new bike out of the box, I have to do the following:
> *flip stem (it's upside down in the box to make it fit better)
> *grease and install seatpost. hang frame in bike stand
> *pull off a ton of packaging- this takes longer than you might think
> ...


nice and detailed from someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about. thanks!


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

JonathanGennick said:


> We still don't know much about what the OP really has going on. The OP talks about a "bike guy", so we don't really know whether he's dealing with a shop or maybe a local enthusiast. We don't know whether the bike is new from the factory, or a used bike in some unknown shape.
> 
> I doubt the $100 price is to send any sort of message. It's probably just the price at which the work becomes worth it to the person doing the work.


You could be right or you could be...?

Several factors could influence. Way down south _whar I be_ the shop in High Point charged me $25. So was it regional price diff? Was it just a more thorough, multi-point inspection and assembly like was pointed out? (But don't forget Eric pointed out his sloppy $100 assy, too.)

Could it have been a "I don't want to do it" because he was too busy at the moment or was it the "I don't want your non-lbs-supporting business" statement? One could even write it off as a Midol moment. Rare but they do happen.

If I had to hazard a guess (and if he wasn't making a statement) it was a thorough, multi-point assy because it exposes the shop to less liability and better pads the cash register. 

In addition to the first bike I've also assembled my 2nd BD bike (without the help of a bike stand)
Pulled off packing
Installed stem
Installed front rotor and brake caliper
Greased/installed seat post
Wheels were true
Hydros were good
Greased and installed pedals
Ran it up and down the gears
Front and rear D didn't need adjustment
Put a wrench to bolts to make sure they were secure
Adjusted shifter and brake lever positions on bar
Installed water bottle cage
Watched t.v. and ate snack whilst assembling

Approximate time 45 min.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

CarolinaLL6 said:


> Several factors could influence. Way down south _whar I be_ the shop in High Point charged me $25. So was it regional price diff?


$25 seems an amazing price. Did your shop quote that price up front? Or did they put the bike together first and decide on the price only after finding that the assembly was clean and quick?

Hard for me to imagine quoting $25 up front. There are just too many contingencies to worry about, like wheels being out of true or hubs needing adjustment. Heck, I'd almost want $25 just to battle my way through the packaging and dispose of it afterwards.


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## HighLife420 (Apr 5, 2011)

$50 at my LBS....if you need something else, buy something from them like a computer...they will knock off $5-10. 

If you bike comes pre-assembled...as in, just the wheels need to be installed and the handlebars/stem turned straight and tightened, then $100 is insane to me. You could do this with simple tools...

Now if you bike came in pieces (RD/FD needs installation, cables installed, putting the cassette on, cranks etc etc, then $100 isnt too bad imo. I doubt your bike came like this, but just tossing it out there.

A full breakdown, cleaning and reassembling of a bike is $100 at my LBS.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

HighLife420 said:


> If you bike comes pre-assembled...as in, just the wheels need to be installed and the handlebars/stem turned straight and tightened, then $100 is insane to me. You could do this with simple tools.../QUOTE]
> 
> Does your shop charge extra if the wheels require tuning? Or of the shifting isn't spot-on out of the box? Or if the hub bearings are too tight?
> 
> Am just curious, because I don't think I would offer to assemble for a flat rate of $50 without also drawing a line in the sand somewhere to limit the scope of the work. Frankly, I'd probably be the guy charging $100 so that I could afford to take the time and deal with any little problems that came up. I'd want to be able to go over the bike and verify that shifting was spot-on, that the brakes are dialed, etc.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

CarolinaLL6 said:


> They said it up front, but they did say it with an implied caveat if additional items needed to be done the price would go up some.


Ah, that makes perfect sense, and seems perfectly reasonable.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

JonathanGennick said:


> $25 seems an amazing price. Did your shop quote that price up front? Or did they put the bike together first and decide on the price only after finding that the assembly was clean and quick?
> 
> Hard for me to imagine quoting $25 up front. There are just too many contingencies to worry about, like wheels being out of true or hubs needing adjustment. Heck, I'd almost want $25 just to battle my way through the packaging and dispose of it afterwards.


They said it up front, but they did say it with an implied caveat if additional items needed to be done the price would go up some.


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## HighLife420 (Apr 5, 2011)

JonathanGennick said:


> HighLife420 said:
> 
> 
> > If you bike comes pre-assembled...as in, just the wheels need to be installed and the handlebars/stem turned straight and tightened, then $100 is insane to me. You could do this with simple tools.../QUOTE]
> ...


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## reignrider (Apr 11, 2006)

Unless you're doing a pro-build (full disassembly and reassembly), that price is too high. If you spent less than $500 on the bike, build it yourself and have it tuned up.


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## DECIM8 (Jul 13, 2011)

I have become friends with a guy who owns a shop near me. One of the points he has brought up to me in the past and hasn't been brought up here is liability. As a professional and a bike shop, as soon as he touches that bike and lets it out of his shop he is potentially liable if anything goes wrong with the bike. With a bike he sold he is already assuming that liability so it isn't such a big deal to give it a tune up. Depending on the brand of bike, components and honestly the rider he may be less apt to assume that liability or charge more to assume it. I am not just talking about guaranteeing his work, in our sue happy society frivolous lawsuits are a reality and can cost a considerable amount even if you "win". Calculating risk and potential costs into initial pricing is just smart business. 

All things considered $100 isn't bad though with that said I have no doubt the OP can find a shop that will do it for less.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

DECIM8 said:


> I have become friends with a guy who owns a shop near me. One of the points he has brought up to me in the past and hasn't been brought up here is liability. As a professional and a bike shop, as soon as he touches that bike and lets it out of his shop he is potentially liable if anything goes wrong with the bike. With a bike he sold he is already assuming that liability so it isn't such a big deal to give it a tune up. Depending on the brand of bike, components and honestly the rider he may be less apt to assume that liability or charge more to assume it. I am not just talking about guaranteeing his work, in our sue happy society frivolous lawsuits are a reality and can cost a considerable amount even if you "win". Calculating risk and potential costs into initial pricing is just smart business.
> 
> All things considered $100 isn't bad though with that said I have no doubt the OP can find a shop that will do it for less.





CarolinaLL6 said:


> because it exposes the shop to *less liability* and better pads the cash register.


You made me quote myself.


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## DECIM8 (Jul 13, 2011)

CarolinaLL6 said:


> You made me quote myself.


I apologize for missing that. :thumbsup:


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## mtbmc82 (Jul 18, 2011)

TwoTone said:


> A shop in an alley with no inventory, not really an apples to apples comparison is it?
> 
> Again I never said labor didn't turn a profit. We had a guy try that type of shop in our area, I don't think he made it a year. The owner didn't treat the OP like his business was a hassle, just gave him a price. I explained one possible reason why that price might have been high. He could of just flat out said no too.


Perhaps I missed your point a bit. The wording you used gave me the impression that some bike shop owners may see work with little profit a hassle. I agree that it ensuring a profit may be one reason to charge high prices. I just think that $100 is a little much. Of course I'm aassuming It's a preassembled (bottom bracket, headset, cables run, etc.) bike with only the last few step remaining.

My point was that it's bad business to think about your customers like that. Every business has cutomers that make them big bucks, and those customers who put pennies in your pocket. But if your cool and straight up with all of them, they will reccomend others to go there. Of course, you don't know if you're going to make any money off of them, but that's just the thing... You DON"T know and you may only get one chance to find out.

So I guess my advise to the OP would be to try different shops and find the one you like the best. And I agree with the advise already given: take a shot at putting it together and if you cant figure it out, then take it in. That's what I did. And I didn't have to take it in! It's a year old now and I'll probably take it in this winter for it's first professional tune-up.


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## RLJ676 (Aug 8, 2011)

So the consensus seams that if I'm having my bike built from a box of parts, $100 would be fair. I'm buying frame and driveline from them, bringing in most of the rest so it's not just a build. I figured it was worth it because they need to do the crank/headset as I don't have the tools, and I want the shifters set up right. So by the time I paid the smaller fees for headset/BB and then for a tune up it'd be almost the $100 anyways, and I'd be wondering if I torqued everything correct etc.

That said, as a kid I built tons of BMX bikes ground up w/ never an issue so I'm sure I could get it done, and if I was buying a mostly built shipped bike I would definitely handle myself.


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## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

I took my friend to my Lbs for a transplant from an old frame to new. He got quoted 150. It sound ok to me as the transplant includes new cables, brake bleed, derailleur rebuild, tune, adjust, lube and repack.

For an ARR, almost ready to ride, I think 60 shoyld be tops.


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## mrbigisbudgood (Apr 4, 2011)

I would think that SOMEBODY local would have offered by now to build it for you for a 12 pack.


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## anderson22 (Aug 31, 2011)

JonathanGennick said:


> Is it a Bikes Direct bike? Something from eBay? Am just curious. Knowing where you bought it might give some indication as to how much and how well it has been pre-assembled.
> 
> Is it a bike shop that quoted the $100? You wrote "bike guy", not "bike shop", so I'm curious.


It's from Bikesdirect. Sorry, bike guy was my dorky shorthand for bike shop.

I ended up paying it. Thank you guys very much for your opinions.

I called to another shop a good drive away and they wanted $75.


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## Colo Springs E (Dec 20, 2009)

Hosed.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

He got it put together. Time to quit arguing price and get a photo posted. Let's see what we've been talking about for two pages now.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

Hopefully she looked like this










and you got her number, then it was worth it.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

People haven't had good things to say about the way the wheels come out of the box with BD bikes.

If the mechanic did a good job on them, and everything else - not so bad. Bolting a bunch of parts to a bike frame is a start, but it's tuning them correctly that makes or breaks the ride and wear life.


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

AndrwSwitch said:


> People haven't had good things to say about the way the wheels come out of the box with BD bikes.


Put me on your list of both my bike's wheels were true out of the box. The first bike's wheels now live on my Nashbar frame build (wtb speed disc) and the Fly Pro's wheels (Vuelta) were fine and haven't needed truing since Feb when I purchased it.


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## Slee_Stack (Apr 14, 2010)

AndrwSwitch said:


> People haven't had good things to say about the way the wheels come out of the box with BD bikes.


I have bought (3) BD bikes. No issues with wheel true on any. Maybe I just hit the lottery 3x in a row


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## akacoke (May 11, 2011)

Slee_Stack said:


> I have bought (3) BD bikes. No issues with wheel true on any. Maybe I just hit the lottery 3x in a row


same here, i got 2 box bikes, wheels on them are very true, i dont get it when people keep saying the new wheels needs to be trued. its built by a machine and measured to be in the spec, how its gonna be out of true. on the other hand , i think a "eyeballed" hand build wheel needs to be trued by a machine.


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## Surfacecreations (Sep 8, 2011)

My box bike also came trued. I thought that was only an issue if the box had been mishandled in transit. Before I got mine I had quotes of $50 and $75 just to install the front wheel, handlebar, and seat post and check it all over to make sure it was in good order. 
It took me maybe 45 minutes taking my time and now I'm wondering if it makes sense to bring it in still just to have them look at it even though it runs good(brakes, derailleurs run fine, bolts tight). Adjusting the front brake took a few extra minutes to get perfect. 
The only thing I haven't done is adjust the fork as my pump is on it's way. Is it worth it to pay somebody to recheck a bike if it runs as best as you can tell? This doesn't seem to be rocket science. What exactly wears prematurely if not looked over by a pro?


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## CarolinaLL6 (Apr 12, 2010)

Surfacecreations said:


> What exactly wears prematurely if not looked over by a pro?


Wheel cones could be over-tightened but it should be noticeable by the wheel dragging when you spin it by hand. Or too loose, then you will get some side-play.


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