What should I do......Bike service issue
Discussion
Took my roadie in for a full service the other day and it's now ready...cost quite a lot of money at a well reputed LBS. Only issue is (i've not collected yet, will be doing so tomorrow) is that upon me asking what they'd replaced, one of the things they mentioned included new brake blocks/pads.
Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
E38Ross said:
Took my roadie in for a full service the other day and it's now ready...cost quite a lot of money at a well reputed LBS. Only issue is (i've not collected yet, will be doing so tomorrow) is that upon me asking what they'd replaced, one of the things they mentioned included new brake blocks/pads.
Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
I don't know if this still happens on modern kit but 12 years ago when I worked in a bike shop we used to find that small bits of alloy used to get pushed into brake blocks and could damage the rim if left in place. Changed several as a precaution.Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
I'd just ask why they were changed (why didn't they ask you first would be my question - any additional spend should be authorised?!) because as far as you are concerned they were fine.
I would use the response to gauge whether I'd go back in future....
I was in an LBS a few years ago looking for a cheap pub bike.
Very plesant shop until a bell-end walked in complaining that his brake blocks had worn out. Apart from being abnoctious, the guy butted into my conversation whilst I was talking, he clearly had very little mechanical knowledge.
The LBS had serviced the bike the week before. Bell-end had spent all Sunday riding round a very wet Leith Hill with his kids. I too had ridden round Leith Hill the same day so knew first hand that the conditions were not 'v'-brake friendly.
Staff dealt with it very well, imo. Bell-end was having none of it that the pads would wear out.
Very plesant shop until a bell-end walked in complaining that his brake blocks had worn out. Apart from being abnoctious, the guy butted into my conversation whilst I was talking, he clearly had very little mechanical knowledge.
The LBS had serviced the bike the week before. Bell-end had spent all Sunday riding round a very wet Leith Hill with his kids. I too had ridden round Leith Hill the same day so knew first hand that the conditions were not 'v'-brake friendly.
Staff dealt with it very well, imo. Bell-end was having none of it that the pads would wear out.
Could it be like 20k Service intervals on cars, in that some items at the time of service might have life left in them (say 5K) but are changed as they will need changing before the next service.
Plus they could argue that as brakes are so safety critical if there is any doubt then they would replace them
There is an inquest just recently regarding a teenager who sadly rode into the A4 near me as his brakes failed going down the track towards the road. He went to the local bike shop that day to get the back brake looked at, but the shop didnt look at front brake as they were not instructed to. Such as sad sad story .
Just playing devils advocate with the above, realistically its an easy way to ramp up the bill!
Plus they could argue that as brakes are so safety critical if there is any doubt then they would replace them
There is an inquest just recently regarding a teenager who sadly rode into the A4 near me as his brakes failed going down the track towards the road. He went to the local bike shop that day to get the back brake looked at, but the shop didnt look at front brake as they were not instructed to. Such as sad sad story .
Just playing devils advocate with the above, realistically its an easy way to ramp up the bill!
E38Ross said:
Took my roadie in for a full service the other day and it's now ready...cost quite a lot of money at a well reputed LBS. Only issue is (i've not collected yet, will be doing so tomorrow) is that upon me asking what they'd replaced, one of the things they mentioned included new brake blocks/pads.
Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
They could've been down to the wear markers whilst still looking reasonably good.Now....I know full well my brake blocks had LOADS of life in them so really didn't warrant the change. Now i know the brake blocks aren't expensive and the labour to change them will be close to nothing but still that's not the point, I'm being charged for something that, IMO, really didn't need changing. I'm guessing they've either already chucked my old ones, or could easily show me some more worn out ones if I asked to see my old blocks.
Thoughts?
They could've worn unevenly (toe-in, lip etc)
They could've been chock-full of aluminium from the rim.
I'd query it and use the answer as the basis for whether you go back to them next time. If you ask for your old blocks and they don't have them, I doubt they'd have a very worn old set around either. Like you say, not expensive, but also not a good/honest practise to change them without first checking with you.
)TwistingMyMelon said:
There is an inquest just recently regarding a teenager who sadly rode into the A4 near me as his brakes failed going down the track towards the road. He went to the local bike shop that day to get the back brake looked at, but the shop didnt look at front brake as they were not instructed to. Such as sad sad story .
http://www.kadianproject.com/my-beautiful-boy-sunday-times-article/Had me in bits when I read it. My 7 year old just started having cycle coaching. On sign in, they all have to do a bike check before they are allowed to start. Good habit to get him in to.
E38Ross said:
Picked the bike up, they said it was aluminium embedded... They showed me.
Really happy with it, they stripped EVERYTHING off the frame (calipers, mechs, derailleur, crank etc) and cleaned it up. Looks pretty much brand new again!
Feels fantastic!
Do I win anything for been right? :-)Really happy with it, they stripped EVERYTHING off the frame (calipers, mechs, derailleur, crank etc) and cleaned it up. Looks pretty much brand new again!
Feels fantastic!
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