As a bicycle mechanic what is your most hated job?

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As a bicycle mechanic what is your most hated job?
Author Message
flag pimpedaline
Posted: Mar 10, 2009 at 22:26 Quote
Having to go out on the sales floor in the spring and deal with sales, not that its hard to sell a bike at that time, I sold two just by bringing them on to the floor, its just that in the spring I work 12-16 hrs a day 6-7 days a week trying to get back on top of the repairs. I don't know about other places but as soon as we get that first double digit day everyone wants thier bike fixed that day, why couldn't they bring it in during the winter when we are slow, or in the fall before they put them away for the winter.
Other then thatJRA stories and just plain stupidity. We had one guy who wanted his rusted chain warrentied because he had only riden the bike once and then parked it outside in the backyard for the winter.
flag konarider92
Posted: Mar 10, 2009 at 22:29 Quote
pimpedaline wrote:
Having to go out on the sales floor in the spring and deal with sales, not that its hard to sell a bike at that time, I sold two just by bringing them on to the floor, its just that in the spring I work 12-16 hrs a day 6-7 days a week trying to get back on top of the repairs. I don't know about other places but as soon as we get that first double digit day everyone wants thier bike fixed that day, why couldn't they bring it in during the winter when we are slow, or in the fall before they put them away for the winter.
Other then thatJRA stories and just plain stupidity. We had one guy who wanted his rusted chain warrentied because he had only riden the bike once and then parked it outside in the backyard for the winter.

consider yourself lucky! we are slow as shit still.. and no hours..
flag pimpedaline
Posted: Mar 10, 2009 at 22:51 Quote
konarider92 wrote:
pimpedaline wrote:
Having to go out on the sales floor in the spring and deal with sales, not that its hard to sell a bike at that time, I sold two just by bringing them on to the floor, its just that in the spring I work 12-16 hrs a day 6-7 days a week trying to get back on top of the repairs. I don't know about other places but as soon as we get that first double digit day everyone wants thier bike fixed that day, why couldn't they bring it in during the winter when we are slow, or in the fall before they put them away for the winter.
Other then thatJRA stories and just plain stupidity. We had one guy who wanted his rusted chain warrentied because he had only riden the bike once and then parked it outside in the backyard for the winter.

consider yourself lucky! we are slow as shit still.. and no hours..
Things are just starting to pick up now here had our first 10+ repair day yesterday.
We also have a good boss, keeps all his full timeers working through the winter, I broke and dislocated my shoulder end of January and haven't been able to do much since and he still gives me my 8 hrs a day right now.
I just thought of another peeve, Tri Athletes, they come in 2 hrs before close wanting a complete overhaul on a bike that stinks because of all the sweat, pee, and sports drink on it, it hasn't seen service in over a year, they want it boxed, and they want it all done before we close because thier plane leaves at 5am the next morning to go to the big Ironman. Whats really sad is the the owner usually caves in and askes me to stay late and do the work because A) I live a block and a half from work and B) they bought this expensive bike from us, and buy every part that will make them "faster" from us. They are a gold mine for the shop, but I think the pain from doing tiathalons has damaged thier reasoning abilities
flag blueeyedbiker68
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 6:19 Quote
dirtjumpermatt2 wrote:
i hate the good old "at home mechanics" , i mean if you know what your doing good, thats fine with me but there is this guy who home made a set of disk breaks (i dont know how he made a disk but thats not the point) and he asked me to figure out why they didnt work. turns out, there wernt any pads in the calibar. he even welded his own dist mounts that wernt the proper dementions, they were far to small so he crafted an adaptare to fit his needs.
OMG you GOTTA get pics of that cluster-f*ck for the record! PLEASE!?! Does he come in often?
flag blueeyedbiker68
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 6:24 Quote
pimpedaline wrote:
konarider92 wrote:
pimpedaline wrote:
Having to go out on the sales floor in the spring and deal with sales, not that its hard to sell a bike at that time, I sold two just by bringing them on to the floor, its just that in the spring I work 12-16 hrs a day 6-7 days a week trying to get back on top of the repairs. I don't know about other places but as soon as we get that first double digit day everyone wants thier bike fixed that day, why couldn't they bring it in during the winter when we are slow, or in the fall before they put them away for the winter.
Other then thatJRA stories and just plain stupidity. We had one guy who wanted his rusted chain warrentied because he had only riden the bike once and then parked it outside in the backyard for the winter.

consider yourself lucky! we are slow as shit still.. and no hours..
Things are just starting to pick up now here had our first 10+ repair day yesterday.
We also have a good boss, keeps all his full timeers working through the winter, I broke and dislocated my shoulder end of January and haven't been able to do much since and he still gives me my 8 hrs a day right now.
I just thought of another peeve, Tri Athletes, they come in 2 hrs before close wanting a complete overhaul on a bike that stinks because of all the sweat, pee, and sports drink on it, it hasn't seen service in over a year, they want it boxed, and they want it all done before we close because thier plane leaves at 5am the next morning to go to the big Ironman. Whats really sad is the the owner usually caves in and askes me to stay late and do the work because A) I live a block and a half from work and B) they bought this expensive bike from us, and buy every part that will make them "faster" from us. They are a gold mine for the shop, but I think the pain from doing tiathalons has damaged thier reasoning abilities
ya it's hard to tell 'em no when they bought everything including the bike from your shop huh? A TREK bike Co. sales rep told me what to tell them,.Im thinkin about posting it for all to see:

"your lack of forethought in planning your event is NOT my problem"
flag pimpedaline
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 7:23 Quote
[Quote="blueeyedbiker68
"your lack of forethought in planning your event is NOT my problem"[/Quote]
I thinkthe one we useis "a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergancy on ours" I also like "I am sorry sir you are misinformed" translation "your f'in idiot"
flag dannyvilladsen
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 12:21 Quote
Hahaha, loving this, finally a way to tell those kind of customers to f*ck off!
flag blueeyedbiker68
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 12:31 Quote
MUnibiker wrote:
Hahaha, loving this, finally a way to tell those kind of customers to f*ck off!
ya in this town we have ALOT of "bum bikers" on old ass 27" schwinns that dont have $2 somethin for a patch kit,.let alone a tube AND installation! I now ask them what they spent on booze the nite before b-cuz %99 of 'em come in with stale beer/liquor breath and ask for a handout Really Mad 1/2 of em just get pissed and turn around and walk out offering no defense to my observation.The other 1/2 will STILL beg for a handout and we have to tell them to leave because they are now panhandling,aggressively by not taking NO for an answer!Madder
flag andrewgib
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 12:43 Quote
When a customer comes into the shop with an old pice of crap that is worth like 20 buck and wants a 40 tune up to make it work again. And you have to tell them the tune up would cost more then what the bike is worth.
flag blueeyedbiker68
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 12:49 Quote
andrewgib wrote:
When a customer comes into the shop with an old pice of crap that is worth like 20 buck and wants a 40 tune up to make it work again. And you have to tell them the tune up would cost more then what the bike is worth.
we just make em pay in advance. We do that anytime we believe the customer is putting more money into any bike than we think its worth.
flag hahaleon
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 13:34 Quote
blueeyedbiker68 wrote:
andrewgib wrote:
When a customer comes into the shop with an old pice of crap that is worth like 20 buck and wants a 40 tune up to make it work again. And you have to tell them the tune up would cost more then what the bike is worth.
we just make em pay in advance. We do that anytime we believe the customer is putting more money into any bike than we think its worth.
full? cuz we take about half in advanced
flag blueeyedbiker68
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 13:44 Quote
hahaleon wrote:
blueeyedbiker68 wrote:
andrewgib wrote:
When a customer comes into the shop with an old pice of crap that is worth like 20 buck and wants a 40 tune up to make it work again. And you have to tell them the tune up would cost more then what the bike is worth.
we just make em pay in advance. We do that anytime we believe the customer is putting more money into any bike than we think its worth.
full? cuz we take about half in advanced
eh it kinda depends.we do an estimate and make 'em pay between %50 and full. If its a $20 bike and they want $40 worth of work we charge em %50,.if it needs over $100 worth,.we make em pay at least $100 down. %50 on that wouldnt cover both parts AND labor if they dont show up to get it. And,.if I hear I wont have any money til the 1st,I tell them to come back on the 2nd BEFORE they spend it on BOOZE!!
flag orangefreak5
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 14:18 Quote
I don't work at a bike shop but my friend who is not into MTB as much as I am but still rides with me occasionally popped his tire on one of our ride together. We went on a ride together a few weeks together and he told me how he had waited for his bike to get back from the shop and ride again. I looked at him wide eyed and said "you took your bike to a shop for a new tube?! I would have done it for you for free!"

...the ignorance of some people.
flag pimpedaline
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 14:59 Quote
orangefreak5 wrote:
I don't work at a bike shop but my friend who is not into MTB as much as I am but still rides with me occasionally popped his tire on one of our ride together. We went on a ride together a few weeks together and he told me how he had waited for his bike to get back from the shop and ride again. I looked at him wide eyed and said "you took your bike to a shop for a new tube?! I would have done it for you for free!"

...the ignorance of some people.
I still can't believe that some people can't change a tube, we get so many of them and no one ever waits its done on the spot
flag froggy7
Posted: Mar 11, 2009 at 15:20 Quote
blocksbikesdotcom wrote:
Hate....dirty bikes, ignorant customers, chainstore bikes, winter, people who know it all, and the list goes on!!

Love...riding after hours, customers who pay the price and don't get all bent out of shape, installing real cool shit, summer, kids who buy their first good bike and the list goes on!!
Winter in REgina is the worst it lasts forever

 


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