While not a trained or practicing bike mechanic here in Ohio with nearly 40 years of riding and 20 years of working/building on my own bikes, I experienced many of these challenges while working on friends and friends of friends bicycles. I just wanted to buy you a coffee for filling my morning with some smiles.
Former bicycle mechanic for fifteen years or so. Everything in this video is 100% accurate. I used to have a customer who would bring me his bike in early spring and say, "I'm planning to ride this bike about 500 miles a week for the next six months. Fix everything that needs fixing to get me started, and schedule me for planned maintenance throughout the summer. I have a backup bike so you can have this one as long as you need it." Every once in a while he would call me to ask about possibly changing tires or this or that component. He valued my input and trusted me. When I quit the business I barely got a "Thanks for all your hard work" from the shop owner. But that customer tracked me down and sent me a lovely card and a nice bottle of wine. Thousands of customers I've forgotten, but one or two I'll never forget.
I'm not that hardcore, but my bicycles are my primary and most passionate transport of any of my transport modes, since it is active, it is wonderful and I love cycling about or riding the high speed trains for long distance any day over whenever I have to drive a car. I have those bikes of mine that get exposed to my love of tinkering on them and servicing myself - but also the one I only entrust to trained certified aside from the trivial stuff, and skilled mechanics, and ultimately, on any of them, mechanics are the ultimate authority. Maybe I'd built up such relationship as a regular to one individual mechanic I'll trust the most, if it wasn't for having to move so often.
@@bkefrmr Maybe not as hardcore, but see my perspective from customer side in my prior reply to OP. Also, maybe it's a cultural difference though, since in my country a bike is taken mostly taken serious as one form of transport. (Albeit against the hateful backslash from people who only ever drive and rather live out their violence against the weaker than be thanksful for fewer motorists congesting in front of them.) It's not as good as dutch levels, but most bike customers here do consider their bike a real and serious form of their modes of transport, I'd guess. Shame about the situation so far in the US.
"500 miles a week for six months....." Right, just like all the pro riders who train 500 miles a week. 😂😂😂😂 No pro rider does that consistently. They probably only have a few weeks a year with that mileage. In fact, if you aren't a European pro you probably don't hit five hundred miles a week all year. What event requires that form of training?
Spot on. Was a bike mechanic for 12 years, a profession that was an extension of my love for bicycles. The one customer that understood me was an aircraft mechanic for a major airline. He said: “your job is a lot harder than mine because of changing “standards” different manufacturers solutions and the amount of spares you have to carry for different models and categories of bikes”. I found that the hardest part of being a bike mechanic was to deduce what the customer perceived as a problem and either educate him/her on what was going on (i e why your freehub goes tick tick tick) or presenting a solution. It’s a tough, fun, under payed and ungrateful job. One that I took great pride in doing until I finally lost the passion for it, went to university and became a social ed teacher. Kind regards from Sweden. You took the words straight out of my mouth.❤️
LMFAO @ a guy working on bicycles having a harder job than an aircraft mechanic! He was blowing some serious smoke up your rear end! Most likely he just meant that he felt sorry for you having to deal with the general (stupid) public (because annoying customers are a real pain.)
Hey Mr., let me suggest something. You need to make more of an effort to choose the kinder interpretation. This guy from Sweden's english is not your english.He is not saying bike mechanics is more difficult. He is saying where bike mevhanics must deal with constantly changing standards, supply and fashion, aircraft maintenance dies not face these challenges and that makes it less difficult IN THESE RESPECTS. This is a true statement. period.
@@arctic004 Did you just say that bicycles deal with more changing standards and supply than aircraft? Put your crackpipe down and stop taking your stupid pills immediately.
Ha! See now that you name it! Some freehubs are extremely loud. I have a 1989 Hercules Alassio, which is pretty much silent but waiting for my new gravel bike to arrive and now I’m wondering if it’s going to be so loud like many other modern bikes. And is it changeable? 😂
I also work in a field dealing with people who are bitching just to bitch and don't realize it. Often times they don't realize it until I ask them, "what do you want me to do about that?" Often times, when I ask them that after they've given excuse after excuse, they realize they don't actually know what they want done.
Very well done sir, you hit most points spot on. My second yr out of high school, I worked in a small shop for a couple of yrs, fast forward to 1980s and I was back in it in a much larger establishment for another 15+ yrs. I wrenched, I sold, service writer, inventory, cashier..almost everything. The general public has a deeply set belief that retail service employees are #1beneath contempt and #2 scheming to sell them something they dont need at every turn. To be fair I didnt encounter really bad customers very often, most were reasonable but the outliers..man they leave an impression. One guy in particular I will never forget. He asked for my help finding the pumps. When I kindly showed him the pump selection he looked puzzled so I asked him if he needed a floor pump or a frame/portable pump. Thats when he raised his voice and wanted to know why I was showing me this selection. I said I thought you asked about pumps sir. Then he gets angry and says.." I want pumps..not these" Confused even further I said gently these are pumps. Then he blows his top and yells at me..."pumps...pumps...!.show me pumps" All I could do was reassure him that these were indeed pumps. Thats when he points to his shoe and says. "PUMPS!...where your foot goes when you push down!" Holy crap he was trying to describe pedals! That is a true story. Ya know if I were to take my car to the dealer tomorrow and point at the seat belt and say..."I want a new engine in this car" and they did so ignoring the seat belt ..that would be MY fault for not correctly describing the part.
"The feeling like flight" is exactly what came to mind when as a six year old I had finally challeged and won the balacing act that kept me moving in what could only be described as flying. Yes, pure bliss and I was in charge, not mom or cranky dad or any of the big bros. This was pure unadulterated me in motion. The one person I've always appreciated and accepted was the person with the wrench in his or her hands with a smile on their faces and a "not to worry" look as they then handed it all back with a "you're good to go" and a cautionary "don't run any red lights or you'll need more than me to fix things next time."
My mother was buying me a bike when I was around 14 (early 90's) at Toys R US & assembled by them. Being young impatient & I just wanted to get it home and show ot off to my friends. Fortunately my mother made me take a test ride around the parking lot. Well I didn't get that bike because of major issues & then ended up at the local bike shop. I got a great mtn bike I had into the early 2000's until it was stolen. I loved that bike.
As a guy that built bikes at toys r us for 4 months 25 years ago I feel you. Also it’s crazy that we were building bikes we had no clue how to build and then they sold them to adults who threw their kids on them and told them “go child, I’m sure the slightly older child that assembled this bike was very qualified!”
Thats funny i was the guy from a big un mentionable bike company that was sent to toys r us to try and teach there staff how to be a bike mechanic in get this a day that was 30 plus years ago its crazy i can still remember there blank faces .
That's exactly how I got my start back when I was 16 and landed my first "real" job. I'm going to disagree with you. In my case, anyway, I was sure that I got it right every time and, if I didn't, I did it over. I had to figure things out on my own, as standard bikes didn't come with useful instructions at the time, but I had enough mechanical sense to figure it out. I got better as I gained experience, but I am confident that, even in the beginning I didn't ever send out a product that was unsafe because of something I did. That job gave me the experience I needed to eventually land a job at a real bike shop. Perhaps the difference was that, in my case, I had years of experience fixing and building up my own bikes, as new bicycles were never a "thing" in my family.
I’m a mechanic at a bike store and we have people bring their department store bikes in all the time. LOL! Bikes with forks backwards, missing brake pads, limit screws on both front and rear derailleurs all the way tight so the gears are stuck in one gear or broken parts on bikes which they just bought. If there is a lot of stuff on the bike which is wrong we will do a tune up for 90 bucks and actually most of the bikes work pretty darn well. Not as well as a good bike but 100% better than when the bike first came in.
My manager said department store assemblers were only paid, "To make them look like bikes." We didn't tell people to not buy them, but to at least have them checked over before their kid bombs the neighborhood hill. Any time I grace a department store, I put the front wheel of a bike between my legs and I twist the handlebar. 9 times out of 10 the stem, or headset is loose. I leave it crooked, so some kid doesn't get hurt. Don't get me started about brakes and I just assume the shifting is all out of whack.
This really hit home. The worst is when the council has a week where you can put stuff that needs to go to the dump out on the sidewalk. People always brings in some crappy bike they've found and freak out when we tell them how much it will cost to fix. They throw it back and literally an hour later another person brings the same bike in...
Yeah no joke. I found a very basic Diamondback steel frame bike on the curb and brought it home. It was filthy and way out of adjustment but when I took it apart it was like new, no wear, it was just stored improperly. It was in great condition in that respect. Even in that good shape it took me a lot of time to get it into riding condition.
That's the kind of stuff you gotta learn to fix yourself. It's rarely worth the money to have a professional do it. I've taken countless of those off the street and patched it up to do another year of commuting on as a broke student, until something too expensive broke. Kept one good bicycle locked up indoors for the longer rides outside of Amsterdam, often used the crappy stuff to leave unattended in theft prone areas and at night. It's also how you end up with 4 bicycles in your possession. You need to because sooner or later something will break and you need the replacement right then and there. One of my frankenbikes survived for like 3 years until the rear wheel bearing catastrophically failed with a roaring screech. Didn't have a spare wheel sitting around with the right size cassette, so i left it at the sidewalk with a sign on it 'Take it, it's free' and of course someone picked it up. I wonder if parts of it are still on the road...
@@mfbfreak All bikes need constant work, even the most expensive. Dont ride them to destruction. Bearings and hubs I look at every 2 weeks, The drivetrain,every time I ride. and there simple to swap out if you purchase the tools , which if you have 4 bikes you will surely possess?
I have to say that my favourite bikes to repair are the old mountain bikes from the 90’s that have been out in the rain (likely since the 90’s). I work on those bikes taking them right down to the frame, clean all the parts, lube everything, clean and polish the frame and put it all back together. The work is always received with thankfulness. I pride myself on high quality work as well as keeping the customer informed. Yes it takes me longer to do a bike but at the end of the day it’s a passion and keeps them coming back. But I do have to say that some days after removing 5 seized square taper bb’s only to find completely destroyed caged bearings and rust, off of a 30yr old bike when I see another one walk in, it’s like really man! Lol!
That's how it should be done and it's nice to hear that's how you do it. I've got one of those old bikes, and it's been cared for from time to time by a pro, and it still rides like a new bike even though it's so ugly nobody will steal it.
last yr, age 28, i got a cheap old bike to commute with and i adore it! I'm a mess with social anxiety so taking my bike in was nerve wracking, so i let the mechanic know right off rhe bat that i knew nothing, i fully trusted his opinions and input, and that i fully understood that the work would take a while and to measure my expectations. i rlly just want to be as easy and painless of a customer as i can be! I'm not an athlete, just a dork who loves riding around rhe city on my bike and i love that there are shops that are about that life and not the hyper serious spandex-clad aero and weight obsessed hardcore dudes😄.
this is 100% accurate, I've been a mechanic for 30+ years, this is one of the finest explanation rants I've heard, could not have said it better myself
I am a retired teacher working part-time as an amateur bike mechanic. You are a natural communicator with a good analytical mind. Keep up the good work!
I had both negative and positive experiences. The local shop were so unpleasant that it drove me to learn from the internet how to do almost anything on my bikes, except for lacing and trueing wheels.They were also unable to deliver parts even from their local storage in less than a week, while I usually get them in 2-3 days when I order them online. But I also found a great shop in the nearby city where the people were very friendly and open. They laced me the wheels for my electric cruiser project. So I think it is a matter of luck to find a good shop.
some shops just suck, and nothing can fix them. But there are plenty of good shops out there, but each one of them has attitude. That's what makes them a good or bad shop.
shop owner here the problem is when clients order induviduals parts you have to find them, order them unpack tham, store them then sell them and put in in your countability. this takes times. if its a cheap parts you will mayve get 5 dollars of margin on it when you spent 20-30 minutes to do it all. plus we work with pro furnishers so shipping fees are high for small orders, so we have to wait to group big orders. so it takes time and mental energy for peanuts. AND i am responsible if something goes wrong with the part. so depending on the part i tell my client to get it themselves, it will be cheaper and faster for them.
@@MrJagbolet I meant parts that were listed on their own website as available in that particular shop, which it turned out had to be brought from their local warehouse, which would have taken a week. Nothing "exotic" that would have to be ordered elsewhere. I usually do order online, but I am willing to pay more if I don't have to wait.
Thank you for this video. I have been wrenching professionally for 7 years now and watching your video was like going through a therapy session. Your talking points really resonate and describe the working experience perfectly. I truly love bicycles and have found peace in this world through working and riding them.
Gotta say, you did great. Being a life-long rider and semi-newbie wrencher, I really liked your take on the whole bike shop mechanic/owner/retail clerk experience. It validated a lot of my own experience dealing with older bike problems and confirmed all the trouble you guys go through to help me make things if not right, at least ride able. To that end, every month I take my local bike shop mechanics et al, a 15-pack of beer and a 6-pack of seltzer to say thank you for all you do and for always being there and patient with me as I do my best to learn about bike mechanics despite not being mechanically inclined. I also do it to let them know that I don't take for granted the guys at Two Wheel Drive here in Albuquerque, New Mexico and that I deeply value them. Kudos also to the owner, Charlie, whom I've done business with for about 40 years too! Thanks for the great video.
As a customer, not a mechanic or owner, I can't imagine how difficult it must be to put up with us. Even the "good" customers can be super passionate about the sport and just can't stop talking and asking questions. Must be maddening. Doctors don't answer so many questions.
I'm a RUclipsr and a pro bike mechanic and you did a GREAT job on this video. It's hard to stand there and monologue for 14 minutes straight and be engaging and entertaining! Keep it up and you'll have to sell your shop to keep up with YT!
Amazing video. I was a mechanic on and off for about 13 years in total and I agree with all of this, especially the first 2 points. My boss once said that the ‘customers need to see us as doctors for bikes’ and paid us 14€ per hour. Complained that we were losing him money - sure, close the workshop and see how long you last. I enjoyed it apart from the marketed nonsense and working around crap designs and the unsociable hours. I’m glad that the only bikes I work on is mine and my kid’s bike 😉 best maintained bikes in the town
You nailed it. I've been wrenching for most of the past seventeen years. The shop where I worked during covid closed down in August 2020 and the timing was perfect because I was finally OVER IT. I shifted to mobile repair as a solo gig, and kinda even resented that. Shifted again to professional trail building. The pay is way better, I actually get to ride my bike, and there are no customers to bother me. The current bike shop model is going to have to change to survive. I see space for co-ops and low-end shops with super low overhead, then space for high-end shops that will have to charge substantially more for labor to afford skilled mechanics. The shop that is everything to everybody is a dying model, and I don't know how to make you feel better about that.
I opened a small repair shop at my home with a sign at the end of the driveway (had to buy special farm property that can sell retail bike parts with labor, but can't be a retail store for shopping). My customers always praise that they found me, due to what experience the Local Bike Shops provide them anymore. That's because what used to be an honest economic opportunity for builders and sellers to make and repair bicycles here in USA has been replaced by corporate retail distribution chains that sell mostly Chinese-manufactured sport and leisure merchandise, over-engineered with planned obsolescence as top priority, to Americans where the only post-purchase recourse for that property is at a corporate retail store, which are locked into a commercial retail lease and motivated to increase $USD/transaction, rendering a consumer's need for repair equal to the store's need to sell them a whole new bike instead...it's the same across the board for stuff US Consumers buy: Home Appliances specifically are the common response customers bring up along with bicycles. It's a Chinese disposability model to redundantly collect payment from US Consumers acquiring Sale and Use of a thing designed to wear out much faster than it could last and require repairs that might be unnecessarily proprietary and/or unavailable...
I bought a brand new entry-level aluminum Specialized road bike from a local shop 5 yrs ago and they included in 6-free tune-ups to be used that year. So I brought my bike in two days later after my $1000 purchase because my chain was rubbing, and the mechanic said that my bike sucks and I need to buy a more expensive one!
My man, you put our lives of being bike mechanics in such great explanation for the rest of the world to comprehend. Thank you my brother. This video is very appreciated.
I’m a consumer who does his own maintenance, but I know my limits on what I can and want to do. You can do more damage if you don’t know what you’re doing or have the right tools. Sometimes, you have to admit defeat and let the experts take care of your bike. They have knowledge and the right tools. When I take my to the local bike shop, I tell them what’s wrong with the bike, answer all the questions, and let them do their magic.
Dude, you opened much more of our daily boxes than I expected...props for the nice overview!! It's really is a topic one has to live for to keep up and also stay happy..
I loved this video. One of the best things you can do as a cyclist/bike rider is to find a bike mechanic that you can trust. I am fortunate that in Upstate NY where I spend summers, the only shop in town is a one-man operation. I can talk to him, discuss bikes with him, share riding stories, and know that he is honest and hard-working for his customers. It's different here in Florida where it is a constant rotation of mechanics. I buy the bike at one shop and wasn't happy with taking it there for repairs. I then choose another shop - and you guessed it, many of the mechanics there originally worked at the first shop. "The customer is always right, even when the customer is wrong" is a mantra that is practiced in order to be sure that the customer keeps returning to your store. When a customer comes into your shop complaining about something related to biking or your services, just say "you're right, but this is the necessary repair." Or, "you're right, it is frustrating to get a flat, but those can happen to anyone at anytime. Let's see what I can do to get you back on the road." I think customers vent to retail employees, doctors, bartenders, receptionists, etc. because they think that person will understand. THE BEST PART OF THIS VIDEO IS THE TRAIL/TRAIN STATION SHOT. MAKES ME WANT TO VISIT LAKE MILLS AND RIDE ON THAT TRAIL!!
Takes me back to working as a mechanic! Some memorable moments: - A customer who brought his ebike in saying the display didn't work. I was staring at this thing working perfectly. Eventually I asked were his glasses polarized? (Manufacturer oversight?) - An aluminium Cinelli road bike with a horrific creak impervious to every remedy until I eventually took the bottle cage off... - A customer who thought I was having him on when I said the cooling fins on Shimano drum brake internal gear hubs are cooling fins... - Replacing a spoke on a Campag wheel with the rim equivalent of internal cable routing - you had to thread the nipple in on a gear cable via the valve hole... - A customer with a road bike with circa 2008 Mavic Ksyriums, their bike howled and shuddered at speed, and another shop said it was probably vortex shedding off the frame! I asked if it happened at about 40 km/h and he said 'Yeah, why?' I lubed the freehub seal - to the uninitiated these tricks we learn might as well be magic - The triathlete who was unhappy with his Dura Ace 10spd front derailleur (tt friction shifter no less!), I test rode it and it was immaculate - ten mins later on the wind trainer, it turned out nobody ever told him that perhaps it might shift better if he didn't continue trying to put 300 watts in during the half-second it takes to change chainrings - The guy who bought a bike (paid in full) and took a year to collect it - it transpired that he was getting divorced and he didn't want his wife to have half of it! And so many more! Thanks for the great video
My customers would as me to change the polarity of the display to accommodate their special needs justifying it by insisting they're "old school" and "not a big biker or anything" and walk away in a huff when I tell them they should get a bike without a display instead. The triathlete would insist it should work how they want it to because they have a race coming up in 2 months.
If I recall correctly the triathlete said he wanted me to tune it so it would shift under load. I said something like "It's like you're driving a Lamborghini and you want to be able to shift without using the clutch!" That seemed to get through haha
"- The guy who bought a bike (paid in full) and took a year to collect it - it transpired that he was getting divorced and he didn't want his wife to have half of it!" That's too funny. I have Shimano roller brakes on my old Dutch bike. I thought everyone knew those fins were for cooling! lol.
Oh man that "we hate people" point is so spot on! Nothing I hate more than being interrupted from a job to listen to a 10 minute life story until they tell me they have a flat tire EDIT: Jesus christ some of y'all are acting like I shot a baby. It's a comment on the internet. Get off your high horse.
Hey man, ya gotta multitask. While relating to the customer's story, put the bike in the stand. Change out the flat inner tube. Spin the wheels to make sure the brakes clear and the thing shifts, then push it out to the customer with the fee Sharpied on the tube box. Look busy. If something needs to be tweaked, do a perfect job without pause. Saturdays and Sundays rock! Enjoy it!
If you don’t hate people when you start, you will. It’s true of all retail you will encounter the 1% worst of humanity. The best shops I worked for understood this and had their staff’s backs. And the worst shops always appeased the customer, while watching their staff leave in a season or two.
I explained to a customer while showing him his tube that he had what is called a "snake bite" puncture. But before I could explain to him how it happened, he became unhinged declaring that there were absolutely no snakes on the trail.
I was a mechanic from the age of 15 to 32. I am not generally a very confident person, but I was very, very good at my job. I was routinely told so by appreciative customers, coworkers and my employers. I learned to like people, and I found a place that payed me enough. When a cross country move forced me to look more closely at my life I decided to quit all things bike for two main reasons not mentioned in this video. 1: I got so tired of trying to make very poorly designed, very expensive things work they way they were advertised. Quality control and engineering in the industry is awful, and manufacturers will not take any responsibility for it. I couldn’t continue taking peoples money for high end bikes knowing they were so poorly made. 2. Too many mechanics are total hacks. The stereotype holds, because it’s truer than it should be. It’s so hard to work with a customer who doesn’t trust you, and they usually have pretty good reason not to trust bicycle mechanics. Sometimes I miss it, but 9 years out I’m happier, healthier and I’ve found another thing I’m very good at, and my customers appreciate me far more. It’s so much more rewarding.
@@gaultx2056 my wife and I started a very small farm and sell only direct to consumer and a select few wholesale customers. I still get to wrench on tractors😎
I'm not a bike mechanic, just a guy who's recently rediscovered his love for bicycles near middle age. But damn if some of your gripes don't feel relatable (working in a customer facing role). Big applause for this video.
Sounds about right. 10 years as a pro mechanic here and just got out last month. I lost my passion for it and found myself far too grumpy. A decade in service to find myself service writing almost every day and never actually wrenching was not my idea of where I wanted to be. I'm now following my passion for bikes in a different role (marketing and media) at the same shop. Nothing can kill my love for bikes, not even shitty customers.
I am with you. I have a decent mtb I bought new but also bought a half decent 2nd hand mtb stripped it down bought tools as I went along and taught myself with the help of RUclips everything I needed to know. Hence coming across this one. Virtually went straight to the comments for a laugh. Bike mechanics are a special breed of people. A bit like serial killers. " He was a humble bike mechanic, then one day he was pushed to far"
@@johnkeenan3988 wrenching really isn’t as hard as mechanics like to think, they just try to make it sound like rocket science so they can enjoy a superiority complex towards their customers.
@@Bonky-wonky Depends on what type of bike technology they have to deal with on a daily basis I’d assume. Like yeah, the old Nishiki road bike that I restored was easy because it was old and uncomplicated but if I had to work on like a mondraker as a layman, so to speak, it would be impossible
@@emerobo I learned everything myself, despite not having a technical background or education. It’s not rocket science, common sense and a yt video get you pretty far provided you have the tools.
Wow, so much of this is spot on. I worked in a shop out of high school for 6 years. the hardest problems were always people problems. service writing in a big shop is just soul crushing especially in the busy summer months. I deeply love bikes, but as soon as I managed to scrape together enough school to get a corporate office job I was out of there, which surprisingly has had a tremendously positive impact on both my mental and financial wellbeing. I do sometimes think about going back maybe a few days a month, hopefully just to work in the back doing tunes or new bike builds. I miss the hands on stuff, camaraderie, music and the culture. oh, and the prodeals are so hard to live without. great video, cheers.
Soul crushing is a great way to describe a large percentage of interactions in a retail business - particularly in the last 10 years or so especially as the owner.
@@christophereaton4694yes and in the case of bike shops it's definitely low margin retail. Nobody spends the kind of money on bicycles to where mechanics and local bike shop owners will actually earn much.
💯 accurate! I spent 17 years in the bicycle industry as a mechanic/salesperson, and managed two stores. I learned many great life lessons during those years that carried over to my career in law enforcement. And after 25 years as a LEO, I will still say that managing a bike shop is far more stressful! People always ask of me if I’m going to start up a bike shop when I retire. I always tell them I love bicycles too much to ever do that! Crappy pay, retail hours, and low margins. I’d have to be a fool to do that! So cheers to those that stay in the shop for decades or longer. We need you and appreciate what you put up with. Next time you want some service or advice from your local shop, take them some beer/food and make their day a little better.
Absolutely! I take my LBS cups of coffee and try hard not to be annoying! I order my parts online and have them expertly installed by them. I do own an expensive bike, but I trust and greatly appreciate what my LBS provides for me!
Great Vid! Loved it. We’re about the same age so I know the kinds of bikes you work on for your channel and shop at least well enough to understand and agree with what you’re saying about trusting you as a mechanic and shop owner. (Also why I enjoy your vids). But I also understand where your difficult customers are coming from. Honestly, how often does it work out when you just trust any other expert and just do what they say? A doctor, lawyer, car mechanic, plumber, contractor… 9 times out of ten you’re going on a wild goose chase, wasting money and time on BS that’s wrong and having them screw things up along the way. If you don’t try and become and expert, manage them, and advocate for yourself you will get screwed over. That’s just how it works. You may be good enough, and your product straightforward enough, that one can just go to you and leave with a nice bike, not getting ripped off. But this is an outlier situation and I get why defenses are sometimes up.
This must have been quite cathartic! I worked as an automotive mechanic for 20 years (and taught auto repair for another 22 years). The issues are very familiar, for much of this. I found your videos from Russ at The Path Less Travelled. You're a breath of fresh air!
Andy, your presentation here is first rate-great job, and from the heart. As a lifelong mechanic, and shop owner (full time mechanic) for seventeen years, you struck a chord with your hierarchy statement: first a mechanic, secondly a rider, then a business owner. So true. Really, nice work here, and great thoughts.
I have been amazed how poorly paid bike mechanics are. You are right, bikes are so complicated these days and the accepted rate for certain repairs is too low. I have to say though, that 98% of my customers are really nice people 🙂
Doubtless that there are lots of highly technical skills to learn but they don't invest years and great sums of money on education and certifications. That is just how the world is. Those that have all that time where they are not making an income while getting the basics end up being compensated better.
Wat, complicated bicycles? Rebuild a Hyundai and get back to me on the definition of "complicated." I've yet to see a bicycle even as close to as complicated as ancient farming equipment.
Watch a video on a professional assembling one of these modern bikes. It's crazy how involved it is running all the cables, pressurizing the hydraulics, etc.
@@cvn6555 Assembling a Rocket or Jet engine is complicated, not so much for bicycles. I have assembled many top end bikes from the frame up and it is not that complicated compared to assembling and maintaining many other things. You are just belittling people who really work on complicated machinery.
huh.... bicycles are "complicated" ....?????? LBS "mechanics" are poorly paid because it is cake work. Drop an engine out of a 911 and do a valve job. SMH....
In 1987 I started "The Bike Mobile" here in Toronto, Canada. I built a trailer for the back of my BMX bike and fixed all the neighbours bikes in their driveway. Within 6 monthts I was able to buy a cargo van and grew the business. This was 1987. My life changed gears for a couple decades but I'm gravitating back toward my new version of Mike's Bike Mobile here in 2024....This video says more to me than I could have ever said myself. Great friggen job. If it's OK with you I might like to truncate a few clips and make this my "Customer Understanding" video. A++
Brother I can relate, I started out 40 years ago as a Mechanic working on 2 cycle and 4 cycle small engines. Chainsaws, trimmers lawn mowers etc… I work in a little mountain community in Northern CA, I bought the business I have worked at 10 years ago. I know all that you say is true and correct. We are passionate people we repair persons. I like your channel and I subscribed. The wife and I have bought new fat tire electric bikes and have been having a lot of fun. Thank you for taking time to make this video.
Great video! I’ve been to your shop and had you tune up my bike. You are awesome and do great work. I do need my handlebars tightened so I’ll be back in to see you. Thanks for the videos!
I was a bike mechanic for almost 20 years and let me say that everything you mentioned is true. Bike mechanics are almost looked down too, as people think we shouldn't be charging to fix a flat that we fixed last year and now it's flat again...lol.
Very well thought out video! For reason #4, the reason this rings true in a clinical sense is because many folks who ate talented at fixing or creating solutions for mechanical problems are like me, the have Aspergers. Temple Grandin has spoken at length about this subject, and how people on the Autism spectrum are often the best ones for finding and designing solutions for mechanical problems. The American education system does folks on the Autism spectrum an enormous disservice by removing shop classes and not teaching kids how to use tools.I was a bike mechanic for ten years, and I too was an asshole. I watched as the faces of two undercover FSA representatives went sour when I explained how FSA manufactured inferior products which led to countless shifting issues on road bicycles equipped with their cranks and chainrings. I didn’t realize until well after the fact that I was being a complete jerk, and really just thought that dealing with other people’s feelings was too complicated anyhow. I quit being a bike mechanic and started a new career in IT, which I didn’t love like I did with cycling, but I got paid a 6 figure income so it was worth the tradeoff for me.
It was funny to watch this video as an adhd and autistic bike mechanics, I was looking for a comment like yours. I don't work for a retail(work)shop, I'm on my own, regularly on local markets : going there with all the tools by bike, and as a woman I think I get some extra credit for that and I have the feeling I am labelled eccentric rather than just weird. And yes, dealing with people is hard, I regularly miss things, even if I want to do it right and people are actually nice. The nice thing is that I work on bikes while chatting, it actually helps with adhd and keeping listening, I don't know how much people see it as dismissive, but since I actively engage in the conversation I think it's OK. Info-dumping about bikes and particularly tire sizes is fun :) I do wonder if in the US you see french and ETRTO as much as here, I wouldn't be able to differentiate all the 26' without, but we might have more older city bikes too. I also do volunteer in a self repair workshop to, and there are so much people who are so happy to learn how to do things, particularly when it comes to "interns" (I'm french, no idea how the different situations could be translated) who join us initially more for the social/teaching part. And yeah, in this workshop, neurodivergents are not really the unseen minority :)
Nailed it brother! Former mechanic while going to school for engineering. I had SO many engineers and "professionals" come into the shop over a 5 year period that knew it all. They treated my coworkers and I like dirt at time and through tantrums when we couldn't recreate squeaks in pedals, bbs or dusty seat stays without riding the bikes for ourselves in the parking lot. Explaining why (our then) $39.00 tune-up was a good value when the bike they just bought for their kids only cost $69.00 at Walmart was always a chore. 18 years later, I still go into my LBS for advice when I get stuck on the latest bb tech, a pivot bolt torque specs or sram brake bleed I mess up at home - why? Because I learned to learn from other people and be humble. Let's give people some grace and be chill. Now as for bike sales staff - there could be a whole video series on young 20-nothings trying to size up potential customers when they walk in the door at a Trek store :)
OMG. Shop mechanic, owner, and manager at many different businesses since 1979. You NAILED it. Absolutely. THANK-you. Now, if only we could get our customers to watch this before they’re allowed to come to the service counter. 😊
TAKE UP FISHING!!! All you points are spot on. I got out of the cycling industry/retail shops in 2015. The tech, whiny customers, pay for sure, and overall lack of advancement opportunities turned what I loved into disgust.
Would you ever consider working on bikes as a side gig, but only for quality, positive clients, where nearly all of your business is referral based? You could still do what you enjoy without the stress of your previous experience. Just thinking out loud.
As an ex angler of 40 years experience, I can honestly say that all the same things apply to angling shop operatives but multiplied by a factor of 100. I never wasted my time talking or listening to bullshit in the shops, I just purchased what I required and got out pronto to maintain my sanity.
Jeeees, it's so good to hear someone being honest about the bike industry. I, like you, rode, then spannered, then owned a bike shop and you totally mirrored years of my feelings. Great vid, ❤🚲🚲
I just saw your interview with Russ and wanted to swing by to give you another one star review just so you can lean into the anger and continue the negativity. Just kidding, this is brilliant and your chat with him was very inspiring.
Humble yourself is my motto ! There is a a lot I have learned in my life but so much more I can continue learning from any age group ! Love your work and love doing a good job for your customers ! The rewards for you are endless !
As a former bike shop mechanic, I just had to watch this video, and I have to say, I agree with just about all of it. I personally think, however, that more emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that the bicycle industry just sucks all the way around. I'm in my mid-50s, now, and when I see how much quality has declined, how manufacturing has shifted almost entirely to China, how prices have risen out of all proportion to rationality over the course of my life, it makes me want to cry. I can no longer afford the level of quality in a bicycle that I would have absolutely demanded 30 years ago, a level of quality which was commonplace and affordable at any decent bike shop in the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, it has become nearly impossible to even find high quality, simple bicycles and parts at any price.
Your last sentence is simply not true. None of my bikes is younger than 24 years old, they are all great quality and I have no problems keeping them that way.
From the perspective of someone who lived in China before, yeah, sure. What is the single biggest market for bicycles in the world in terms of total units sold and with bikes considered real form of transport rather than just recreational in general perception? Exactly. And the local manufacturers and brands and their staff can absolutely reliably produce whatever quality the foreign brands are ordering and paying for. Blame the latter if your issue with it is quality issues. IDK, about the next part, production and supply of your standard Omafiets bike is still going strong as ever.
My fave bike shop now has good quality Cannondale hardtails perfect for the rail trail right next door for less than $700. Perfect bike to get people their first experience with a quality bike. If they can afford $700 TVs they can afford $700 bikes.
I tip my bike mechanics very well. One time I told a guy I'd give him $50 extra if he could have it done it done by the end of the day. I made sure the shop owner didn't hear me of course. He got it done for me. Also, I don't try to tell them what needs replaced or anything. I just tell them the basic symtoms and tell them "do what you gotta do". They appreciate that. 😂
Sadly the bike shops have no shortage of bull$hit artist. Most mechanics don’t go through any formal training or industry certification. I’ve been a race mechanic, shop mechanic and a manufacturer and after decades nothing has changed much. I recently visited several local bike shops searching for a specific size bike for my 7 year old granddaughter and I can’t begin to tell you how much misinformation. I was given by a barista posing as a bike expert. It made me cringe. I didn’t debate them or call them out I simply told them I’ll let them know if I need them.
I'm truly impressed by how many if your arguments also apply to us Physicians. We spend at least a decade of our lives getting a medical education, plus hundreds of additional hours every year just to try to keep up, but it's become literally impossible because the scientific knowledge changes every single day. We're also increasingly and consistently worse paid, despite of the insane amount of knowledge needed and liability involved. Additionally, we're increasingly frustrated by the total disconnect between patient expectations and what we can do within the constraints of health care systems.
I think about doctors all the time. Talk about “specialty retail”! “Bedside manners” are not my thing. My grandfather was a family doc. I’m told he was a wizard at diagnosis. I think I inherited some of his intuition. I’d be good at it. Unfortunately, I’m a shitty student. I never could’ve made it through school. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I would hate the job, so, bikes it is!
Covid pulled the curtain from you doctors AND nurses. Poison for pay, I trust none of you for anything, haven't helped with a single health issue I've had for the past twenty years. There's a reason the first question the office asks is what kind of insurance patients have.
Well said! I’ve been a in the bike industry for almost 50 years! Started at 13 sweeping floors and assembling bikes. Managed shops owned a shop been a sales rep and worked for a couple different manufacturers and always have found a way to be a bike mechanic! Which is what I’m doing now in semi retirement. My favorite thing about my job is turning someone on to riding a bike. My least favorite is someone discounting me for not knowing what the latest greatest new technology is. ( cuz I don’t care what the new tec is) I could spend all day just staring at a well used old double diamond Italian road bike from the 70s 🤠
We had a guy like you who didn't keep up with the latest and greatest which was just fine as others did and guys like you and him had the knowledge of all the old stuff that us newer guys didn't and as all the mechanics know, stuff from the last 50+ years STILL comes through the shops and it is very valuable having guys like you around.
Great video, I was a GM for a manufacturing company. I used to tell my customer service people tha the - Customer is Not Always Right. The skill came in telling the customer they were wrong and not pissing them off.
Thanks for this man! I just got home from work as a.... you guessed it, a bike mechanic. Everything here is spot on. I love my job, my boss is great (though she is not mechanically inclined in any way). I'm a former bike messenger of 15 years and have toured around most of the world with my Sitar in a BOB trailer behind my bike. I ended up becoming a bike mechanic by accident, I was/am a professional musician and self employed luthier until covid hit. I wasn't really worried at all and figured everything would work itself out and it did. My friend needed help in her shop when nobody could travel here in Germany because of covid. She got insanely busy and only had a part time mechanic. She asked me to come help for a few weeks... it has been 3 years and I am still here. Basically, I love it, but yeah, I can relate to pretty much every point in this video. I ride a steel bike with mechanical disc brakes and an XT mountain bike drive train. That is my world touring rig. Working on 8000euro carbon fiber bikes is fun/not fun. Working on full suspension E-bikes is fun/not fun. My favourite work at the shop is old restoration work, 90's mountain bikes with LX groupsets or grandmas bike that was left to me in her will. One bonus for me is that my German isn't very good, I am Canadian who happened to end up here with little or no German language skills. So, I am saved the retail side of things. I leave that to my boss and it works out better for us both that way. She sells the bikes, I build them or fix them. Honestly, I don't even know what she pays me, she hands me an envelope full of cash once a month and I don't even count it.
Couple of feedback-y things. I liked the shortened intro and outro. I think the original one is too long most of the time. Although, the first time I saw it I liked it! Other thing: This is good content!! You are a real, down to earth presenter. And now that you are in your "off season", it is a great time to cook up content just like this. I wish you well on your RUclips journey. P.S. I always learn something new about bike repair and maintenance with each of your new videos. Keep going.
Thanks! I liked longer the intro/outro when I made it too, but I’ve learned the first 30sec are critical to growing a channel so I’m switching things up to game the algo! The bike videos are super easy to make in comparison to these scripted ones, so they’ll probably just get peppered in with the bread and butter stuff. Thanks for the feedback!
Was a “pro” mechanic for a couple of years and you are so right in all the points you made… made me smile. Retired now, and do it for a hobby for a select group of grateful customers 😊
I've been at this 'game' for a while and almost every single one of these I've been there, I've done that, and this video was 100% on the ball! Though number 3 is my personal favorite. I've had customers try to tell me what's wrong with this country, and would NOT shut up long enough for me to even ask for a number so we can contact him when the bike was done. I was literally thinking to myself "My God man, I'm your mechanic not your therapist!"
Good vid. 1000% accurate. The last shop I worked at I was the mechanic, inventory manager, sales, assistant manager, and a barista. I will add one thing I learned from my years in shops. No other profession is expected to have knowledge spanning decades of changes with so little pay.
Was going to comment the same thing. I'm convinced the common truncation of the quote is a decades-long psyop to immiserate frontline service workers. Not really joking. Kind of. But not really.
1st, Not a bicycle mechanic, but in my previous life people came to me for advice or to directly fix an issue in my field of expertise. I found that simply taking their story at face value and proceeding to work from there often sent me down a useless rabbit hole. People often don't know how to characterize/articulate the problem that they are having. Many people have very poor cause and effect analysis skills but believe they do. Learning to ask the right questions to isolate the "real" issues Vs customer perceived issues is so important.
Wow, am I ever glad I subscribed! Love the authenticity in your videos. This one is well scripted, and well worth sharing with friends. I'm at the beginning of my bike mechanic journey (while nearing retirement from my career) and I'm glad to keep learning from you.
Hey! Man, I enjoyed your video. I feel you! I am an old retired IT guy (computers) and alot of what you experience/d is what the day to day technician experiences. People can be something else! Hang in there brotha, we need people like you man. Kiss the family!
Dude! You covered it! Great job! I can't think of anything that you missed. This is all so true and I am such a long time bike lover that I have invested majorly in my own workbench and all of my own tools. We are so fortunate these days to have so many RUclips videos available that you can truly learn what it is you need to learn about maintaining your own equipment. I live in a small Town with two bicycle shops and while the mechanics are nice, the owners are A-holes, pretentious and a bit rude. From building my own wheels from scratch to maintaining my suspension, I do all of my own work with pleasure. I've screwed a few things up and broken a few things in the beginning but that's just fine. Riding on your machine that runs beautifully as a result of your own workmanship really adds to the wonderful experience of bicycle riding.
This is spot on and an absolutely brilliant explanation of what we see at our shops on a day to day. Thank for your videos and a great insight into the industry. Keep up the great work!!
You know I really like your honesty, My day job is a SysAdmin dealing with peoples tech problems on a daily basis, so I found building and looking after my own bikes a breeze! who knew my current skills where easily transferrable. It is what it is.. nice job :)
I'm a customer. A lot of what you said is quite true, but it has encouraged me to work on my own bikes more and more, which is a shame, because it would be so nice to drop the bike off, have whatever needs doing done, then pick it up. Unfortunately my local bike shop is just too hard to deal with.
holy shit! is this what happened to me? I can confirm everything on this list as 100% true. the "just give this bike I found in a retention pond a quick tune up for $30" crowd, the " I was just riding along and the frame broke in half" crowd, and the "I can get the same thing at walmart cheaper" crowd and many others like them are the reason I began to hate dealing with people. Thank you for this video.
You made me laugh when I think about how many times I heard the word " just " after giving an estimate. Can't you just, or I just want this. Why do I only get $20 work for $10? So and so will do it cheaper. Them take it to so and so.
I’m a “former” service writer for Trek bikes. I couldn’t always handle the balance of maintaining “professionalism” , customer satisfaction, doing what is right, and upselling the customer - as required by Trek. I wish I could just put in earbuds and fix bikes, but I like talking to people too much……. I LOVED your video!
Glad I found your channel and have learned more tips from watching your video on bike repairs or adjustments. Love your work keep up the great work! I've been a machine tech for almost 40 years and totally understand and dig this video. Have a Blessed day my Brother....
Wow! You nailed it. I’ve been one of those customers, but have also experienced the mechanic that screws something up. Perspective here, I’m retired ride a lot and volunteer my semi-expertise at assembling bikes at a local shop. I understand the issues mechanics face, it’s ridiculous. But I love bikes and can usually figure things out (thanks dad), and it keeps me fresh. But they shop I get to play at has some issues you addressed here. Some are the customers fault, some the shops fault. It’s a tough life. I often wonder which are the worse bikes, the cheap as KMart or the $12,500.00 super bike from your fav brand.
Cool video. I'll definitely keep this in mind when I'm at my LBS next time! As someone who is eager to learn about bicycle mechanics I'm always bugging the guys behind the counter with questions. Keep up the good work!
As a novice biker who is growing in experience and enthusiasm for the sport. I have to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have met some amazing bike mechs, and some horrible mechs, but I began to feel like I need to learn how to take care of my bike specifically just to avoid the drama. Your video has helped me to better understand. So even if I prefer you guys to not be A$$holes, I now appreciate your perspective and surrender all judgements. Thank you for being honest and for the hard work and skill set you posses. May your company grow and may many people learn to humble themselves in the ride.
"I began to feel like I need to learn how to take care of my bike specifically just to avoid the drama." The best thing you can do. I did the same. Got a stand, got a few tools and watched some youtube videos on how to do basic repairs and maintenance. It's no rocket science and you save a lot of money.
A bicycle is literally the simplest and easiest machine to work on and maintain. There are just a handful of moving parts. Anyone who can turn a wrench can work on a bicycle.
This is a great video. I wanted to comment on the point about people having their guard up about being ripped off - while I agree that everyone would be likely be better served by going into bike shop interactions assuming that the staff wants to help them the best they can and aren’t likely to rip them off (again we’re talking about bikes here - the money’s hardly there to be ripped off), people are not just like this for no reason. Bike repair, auto repair, contracting trades, any specialized retail field has an imbalance in knowledge between the person who needs a job done and the person who has the knowledge, skills, and equipment to do the job. This unfortunately creates an opportunity for the less than scrupulous entrepreneur, and unfortunately even though MOST people are honest, almost everyone has a story or instance where they or someone close to them have had that imbalance used against them. It leads many people to enter into future interactions featuring this type of imbalance with their guard up. Again, I’ve been around bikes and bike shops my whole life and I think these types of unscrupulous actions are more or less non-existent in the bike world, but most people don’t have a ton of experience with bike shops and mechanics and assume the same dynamics are at play. The reputational point is of course real, but the assumption that a dishonest shop or business of any kind will shut down due to poor reputation relies on the consumer KNOWING they’ve somehow been duped and in many cases they never find out because they don’t have the knowledge that would be necessary to make that understanding. This in turn leads people to sometimes ASSUME they’ve been taken advantage of even when they have not. It’s important for bike mechanics and shop owners to always expect/demand respect from customers but to also understand that trust is built and not immediately owed. This then ties into the fact that mechanics and store employees need to try not to alienate the customer by being unpleasant. Again, most folks are not, and if they are it’s often because customers are AWFUL to retail workers, way too regularly. But still just some added nuance is needed on that point imo. Keep up the great work, I’ve subbed to your channel and will watching your content regularly going forward!
Really good explanation. I haven't been in the bike world really until I started working on my commuter bike a few months back, but I have been a freelance software engineer for a few decades and the bit about " the customer always being wrong" couldn't have been more relatable. Seriously, if you knew so much about development then what are you paying me for? Well my bike is done now and I've gone back and forth on whether or not Trek sold me the wrong bike about three times, but this video convinces me that they sold me the "right" bike and that was also the wrong bike. I bought it at a "dealer" in 2012 so I do mean specifically from Trek and there was a laundry list of things that I didn't understand about bike commuting that I didn't ask about because, I expected the dealer to actually be able to know. I told them I wanted a commuter bike for under $1000. They sold me the FX7.2 which, yeah that's a "commuter" bike, but it really isn't particularly comfortable or even practical for a long trip out of the box. If I went back and told myself all the things I really need to make that bike go to work 10 miles each direction, I wouldn't have bought it, because for $750, I expect that bike is more or less ready for "commuting" not about $500 away from commuting, that's not less than $1000 then! I would have said to get a used one or even just a walmart one and buy a couple select components.
As someone with a serious love affair with the 11 speed Campagnolo groupsets that still had thumb shifters, I'm always on the lookout for new-old stock cassettes and chains to keep my favorite mechanical bike from 10 years ago on the road. I've become that old man who knows there's better technology available but just enjoys the feel of precision mechanical engagement.
What? This doesn't make sense. You either die an apprentice or you put up with the bullshit because you love the work and become a good, knowledgeable mechanic. I don't hate knowledgeable mechanics. I hate mechanics and shop owners who aren't straight with their customers and people who think I should be essentially donating my time to fix their piece of crap for "sentimental reasons." "Well, you like these old models, so you should charge me less." "Oh, yeah I'll tell the power company that I was working on something I enjoyed so they won't charge me either. Screw off."
@@FuckGoogle502Amazing. You completely failed to understand what you read. It means you are never done learning, no matter how much you know, or you become an idiot.
Sure made me feel good about keeping my old 90's Schwinn hybrid and not buying a "gravel" bike. So - The big bike companies are putting different stuff on bikes sometimes just for the sake of change. I kind of suspected that. So - making a bike a few lbs lighter won't matter to a lot of us. I kind of suspected that. Good monologue.
Good points. I believe that many bicycle mechanics are facing problems with the how such shops work. I want your insight on something if you have the time. At some point my 22.000km front hub started to behave funny so I took the bike to the much respected bike shop I bought it. I left it for inspection and decided to walk around that part of the city since I was quite far from home for about 2 hours when I got a call from him saying that the hub was all sticky and difficult to clean up, badly damaged from the inside and that he did whatever possible to give it some borrow time. It was the very start of June, a good time to cycle because it won't be raining for quite some time, and I use my bicycle to go to work everyday so I didn't want to lose good days of commuting if it was gonna hold for a bit. He said that it probably won't last for the whole month. I decided to keep it as it is til my brake pads need to be changed, so when the rainy season begins, I could go for a much needed full mainetnance and also change the brake pads and that hub. 2000km later the hub still behaves, this is 4 whole months so his prediction was quite off. I really trust his work on my bike but I find it hard to trust his words. What is your take on this situation?
I don't think most of them are assholes. What I want them to learn is that they do not have to make stupid excuses. Also, don't tell me if my bike is "worth" fixing".
Don’t take it personally when someone tells you it’s not “worth” fixing. There’s always a good reason they tell you that. It’s nothing personal. The whole point of the video is that it’s not personal, but so many people make it personal, which is why mechanics are called assholes. It’s a machine, not your self worth.
On a separate note, having gained your perspective, I’m really impressed by what I’ve learned. I’m a small business owner and I now have a very good understanding about why many of my bosses were often jerkoffs and a glimpse of the difference between the abusive Ahole and the forever griping one who was completely correct about the situation. In my case I was an irresponsible employee in some cases and truly trying to help, even though the Ahole was in fact just an Ahole. The man I’m thinking about, these days would be in a world of sh!t if he tried to do the racially hurtful, etc type of crap that was my day to day life when I returned each morning. Going forward, I’ll probably not cross paths with a bike mechanic anyway, but with this newly acquired knowledge I’ll certainly take it into consideration and possibly even slip a gratuity into his/her hand.
Even as a watchmaker, I completely relate to this video. I try and do my own repairs on my bicycles, but still defer to the experts and usually bring tithes of beer or cookies.
lol, a star is born. You had me dying the hold show. I’m a pro entertainer. And you kept me engaged. Keep it up. And don’t let anyone tell you . Your wrong. 😂😂😂
Since I was a kid I have done my own bicycle fixes. But every now and again I take my bikes in for the professional mechanics, either because I don't have the right tool, or I just cannot be bothered. I noticed that most of the mechanics are kind of grumpy guys, but I have always respected them. Great Video - really informative!
Been a bike mechanic in the same shop for 34 years. It amazes me to this day that, somehow, even people in the industry, believe that bike mechanics took some weird bike repair Hippocratic Oath and we're supposed to work on anything and everything that is pushed or dragged into the shop. Heaven forbid we turn something down just because we would lose our rear end working on something that someone has had for 50 years and it's just such a special bike and means the world to them.
Exactly. Like this idiot manager I got stuck with recently is working on these motorcycles (e-bike without pedals and garbage quality) he is working on for customers and wasting a time of time and shop tools . He thinks he's making money, but really wasting time. Just turn that customer away.
You can turn down whatever you want but just like the PC computer shop owners that assume I'm a gullible tech-challenged boomer or whatever because I use Apple computers instead of Linux or Windows... I don't respect your opinion just because you own a shop, you're not a special "bike god" that people consult because they want you to make all their biking decisions in life, so just be humble and give a "yes" or "no" answer and try not to elevate yourself to some kind of counseling position unless asked.
Love the video! I love working on my old, steel, 9-speed bikes but electronic shifting, disc brakes and through axles scare me. I'm happy as hell that there are great local mechanics who know how to take care of all that stuff for other people. And don't get me started about tubeless.
I'd probably quit cycling if tubeless tires disappeared overnight. I live in goathead country. I've gone from 3-4 flats a week with conti 4 seasons, to plugging 1-2 times for the life of a tire and only needing 2 tubes I the last 80k miles
@@stevecraig6350 They are tools. In the right situation , good even great.. Those however are not common for the 90% who need simple rugged simplicity, and often get overwhelmed when it comes time to air a tire.
Loved this. Especially #3. I was a tv/vcr tech in an earlier life. I had a customer complain about the cost to replace a small resistor. I simply told them they were right & replacing the part only cost a few dollars & they were paying for me to know which of the 100’s of parts to replace.
Yep, but when the whole thing costs only $50 it no longer makes any sense to pay someone $100 to replace the $2 part. That's globalization, that's why we should be shipping broken products back to the countries of origin to be repaired there instead of trying to do it here.
Hands down, the best thing I learned about the bike biz I learned in the first shifts from the owner: "The customer is always right unless he's and a-hole". 35 years later this nugget has served me very well.
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I rarely comment on RUclips content, however, this was a great video! You have a clear passion for bikes and isn't that what it's all about!
MY FIRST SUPER THANKS! 👊🏼
While not a trained or practicing bike mechanic here in Ohio with nearly 40 years of riding and 20 years of working/building on my own bikes, I experienced many of these challenges while working on friends and friends of friends bicycles. I just wanted to buy you a coffee for filling my morning with some smiles.
@@MrJinx2 amazing! Thanks for the cup!
I'm still riding the same BMC that Cadel won the Tour on way back then. That bike was good enough for him then, it's more than good enough for me.
Ya I love bikes 2.....lots of stories..... 63 years of biking and all I know is it's good....
Former bicycle mechanic for fifteen years or so.
Everything in this video is 100% accurate.
I used to have a customer who would bring me his bike in early spring and say, "I'm planning to ride this bike about 500 miles a week for the next six months. Fix everything that needs fixing to get me started, and schedule me for planned maintenance throughout the summer. I have a backup bike so you can have this one as long as you need it."
Every once in a while he would call me to ask about possibly changing tires or this or that component. He valued my input and trusted me.
When I quit the business I barely got a "Thanks for all your hard work" from the shop owner. But that customer tracked me down and sent me a lovely card and a nice bottle of wine.
Thousands of customers I've forgotten, but one or two I'll never forget.
reasonable, humble, respectful customers are so few and far between. It makes such a huge difference.
I'm not that hardcore, but my bicycles are my primary and most passionate transport of any of my transport modes, since it is active, it is wonderful and I love cycling about or riding the high speed trains for long distance any day over whenever I have to drive a car.
I have those bikes of mine that get exposed to my love of tinkering on them and servicing myself - but also the one I only entrust to trained certified aside from the trivial stuff, and skilled mechanics, and ultimately, on any of them, mechanics are the ultimate authority.
Maybe I'd built up such relationship as a regular to one individual mechanic I'll trust the most, if it wasn't for having to move so often.
@@bkefrmr Maybe not as hardcore, but see my perspective from customer side in my prior reply to OP.
Also, maybe it's a cultural difference though, since in my country a bike is taken mostly taken serious as one form of transport. (Albeit against the hateful backslash from people who only ever drive and rather live out their violence against the weaker than be thanksful for fewer motorists congesting in front of them.)
It's not as good as dutch levels, but most bike customers here do consider their bike a real and serious form of their modes of transport, I'd guess. Shame about the situation so far in the US.
The "only the mechanic" bike in question being a VSF-Fahrradmanufaktur with Bosch electronics..
"500 miles a week for six months....." Right, just like all the pro riders who train 500 miles a week. 😂😂😂😂 No pro rider does that consistently. They probably only have a few weeks a year with that mileage.
In fact, if you aren't a European pro you probably don't hit five hundred miles a week all year. What event requires that form of training?
Spot on. Was a bike mechanic for 12 years, a profession that was an extension of my love for bicycles. The one customer that understood me was an aircraft mechanic for a major airline. He said: “your job is a lot harder than mine because of changing “standards” different manufacturers solutions and the amount of spares you have to carry for different models and categories of bikes”. I found that the hardest part of being a bike mechanic was to deduce what the customer perceived as a problem and either educate him/her on what was going on (i e why your freehub goes tick tick tick) or presenting a solution. It’s a tough, fun, under payed and ungrateful job. One that I took great pride in doing until I finally lost the passion for it, went to university and became a social ed teacher. Kind regards from Sweden. You took the words straight out of my mouth.❤️
LMFAO @ a guy working on bicycles having a harder job than an aircraft mechanic! He was blowing some serious smoke up your rear end! Most likely he just meant that he felt sorry for you having to deal with the general (stupid) public (because annoying customers are a real pain.)
Hey Mr., let me suggest something. You need to make more of an effort to choose the kinder interpretation. This guy from Sweden's english is not your english.He is not saying bike mechanics is more difficult. He is saying where bike mevhanics must deal with constantly changing standards, supply and fashion, aircraft maintenance dies not face these challenges and that makes it less difficult IN THESE RESPECTS. This is a true statement. period.
@@PtotheMtotheK Copium
@@arctic004 Did you just say that bicycles deal with more changing standards and supply than aircraft? Put your crackpipe down and stop taking your stupid pills immediately.
Ha! See now that you name it! Some freehubs are extremely loud. I have a 1989 Hercules Alassio, which is pretty much silent but waiting for my new gravel bike to arrive and now I’m wondering if it’s going to be so loud like many other modern bikes. And is it changeable? 😂
"I don't know how to make you feel better about that" has just become my new workplace mantra!
That's why I left HR it was a good paying job but you can't Imagine how often you have to say that. It hurts lol
would not recommend it
How would you make me feel better about that? @@mikeporter8873
Hahaha it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard
I also work in a field dealing with people who are bitching just to bitch and don't realize it. Often times they don't realize it until I ask them, "what do you want me to do about that?" Often times, when I ask them that after they've given excuse after excuse, they realize they don't actually know what they want done.
Very well done sir, you hit most points spot on.
My second yr out of high school, I worked in a small shop for a couple of yrs, fast forward to 1980s and I was back in it in a much larger establishment for another 15+ yrs. I wrenched, I sold, service writer, inventory, cashier..almost everything.
The general public has a deeply set belief that retail service employees are #1beneath contempt and #2 scheming to sell them something they dont need at every turn.
To be fair I didnt encounter really bad customers very often, most were reasonable but the outliers..man they leave an impression.
One guy in particular I will never forget. He asked for my help finding the pumps. When I kindly showed him the pump selection he looked puzzled so I asked him if he needed a floor pump or a frame/portable pump. Thats when he raised his voice and wanted to know why I was showing me this selection. I said I thought you asked about pumps sir.
Then he gets angry and says.." I want pumps..not these" Confused even further I said gently these are pumps. Then he blows his top and yells at me..."pumps...pumps...!.show me pumps" All I could do was reassure him that these were indeed pumps. Thats when he points to his shoe and says. "PUMPS!...where your foot goes when you push down!"
Holy crap he was trying to describe pedals!
That is a true story.
Ya know if I were to take my car to the dealer tomorrow and point at the seat belt and say..."I want a new engine in this car" and they did so ignoring the seat belt ..that would be MY fault for not correctly describing the part.
Really blow his mind and show some clipless pedals, that clip in. Or is that too last century?
"The feeling like flight" is exactly what came to mind when as a six year old I had finally challeged and won the balacing act that kept me moving in what could only be described as flying.
Yes, pure bliss and I was in charge, not mom or cranky dad or any of the big bros. This was pure unadulterated me in motion.
The one person I've always appreciated and accepted was the person with the wrench in his or her hands with a smile on their faces and a "not to worry" look as they then handed it all back with a "you're good to go" and a cautionary "don't run any red lights or you'll need more than me to fix things next time."
My mother was buying me a bike when I was around 14 (early 90's) at Toys R US & assembled by them. Being young impatient & I just wanted to get it home and show ot off to my friends. Fortunately my mother made me take a test ride around the parking lot. Well I didn't get that bike because of major issues & then ended up at the local bike shop. I got a great mtn bike I had into the early 2000's until it was stolen. I loved that bike.
As a guy that built bikes at toys r us for 4 months 25 years ago I feel you. Also it’s crazy that we were building bikes we had no clue how to build and then they sold them to adults who threw their kids on them and told them “go child, I’m sure the slightly older child that assembled this bike was very qualified!”
Thats funny i was the guy from a big un mentionable bike company that was sent to toys r us to try and teach there staff how to be a bike mechanic in get this a day that was 30 plus years ago its crazy i can still remember there blank faces .
That's exactly how I got my start back when I was 16 and landed my first "real" job. I'm going to disagree with you. In my case, anyway, I was sure that I got it right every time and, if I didn't, I did it over. I had to figure things out on my own, as standard bikes didn't come with useful instructions at the time, but I had enough mechanical sense to figure it out. I got better as I gained experience, but I am confident that, even in the beginning I didn't ever send out a product that was unsafe because of something I did. That job gave me the experience I needed to eventually land a job at a real bike shop. Perhaps the difference was that, in my case, I had years of experience fixing and building up my own bikes, as new bicycles were never a "thing" in my family.
i worked at cerritos for a few years until they went with service first, but id been wrenching on my own bike for years.
I’m a mechanic at a bike store and we have people bring their department store bikes in all the time. LOL! Bikes with forks backwards, missing brake pads, limit screws on both front and rear derailleurs all the way tight so the gears are stuck in one gear or broken parts on bikes which they just bought. If there is a lot of stuff on the bike which is wrong we will do a tune up for 90 bucks and actually most of the bikes work pretty darn well. Not as well as a good bike but 100% better than when the bike first came in.
My manager said department store assemblers were only paid, "To make them look like bikes." We didn't tell people to not buy them, but to at least have them checked over before their kid bombs the neighborhood hill. Any time I grace a department store, I put the front wheel of a bike between my legs and I twist the handlebar. 9 times out of 10 the stem, or headset is loose. I leave it crooked, so some kid doesn't get hurt. Don't get me started about brakes and I just assume the shifting is all out of whack.
This really hit home. The worst is when the council has a week where you can put stuff that needs to go to the dump out on the sidewalk. People always brings in some crappy bike they've found and freak out when we tell them how much it will cost to fix. They throw it back and literally an hour later another person brings the same bike in...
😂😂😂
Yeah no joke. I found a very basic Diamondback steel frame bike on the curb and brought it home. It was filthy and way out of adjustment but when I took it apart it was like new, no wear, it was just stored improperly. It was in great condition in that respect. Even in that good shape it took me a lot of time to get it into riding condition.
ive seen that
That's the kind of stuff you gotta learn to fix yourself. It's rarely worth the money to have a professional do it.
I've taken countless of those off the street and patched it up to do another year of commuting on as a broke student, until something too expensive broke. Kept one good bicycle locked up indoors for the longer rides outside of Amsterdam, often used the crappy stuff to leave unattended in theft prone areas and at night.
It's also how you end up with 4 bicycles in your possession. You need to because sooner or later something will break and you need the replacement right then and there.
One of my frankenbikes survived for like 3 years until the rear wheel bearing catastrophically failed with a roaring screech. Didn't have a spare wheel sitting around with the right size cassette, so i left it at the sidewalk with a sign on it 'Take it, it's free' and of course someone picked it up. I wonder if parts of it are still on the road...
@@mfbfreak All bikes need constant work, even the most expensive. Dont ride them to destruction. Bearings and hubs I look at every 2 weeks, The drivetrain,every time I ride. and there simple to swap out if you purchase the tools , which if you have 4 bikes you will surely possess?
I have to say that my favourite bikes to repair are the old mountain bikes from the 90’s that have been out in the rain (likely since the 90’s). I work on those bikes taking them right down to the frame, clean all the parts, lube everything, clean and polish the frame and put it all back together. The work is always received with thankfulness. I pride myself on high quality work as well as keeping the customer informed. Yes it takes me longer to do a bike but at the end of the day it’s a passion and keeps them coming back. But I do have to say that some days after removing 5 seized square taper bb’s only to find completely destroyed caged bearings and rust, off of a 30yr old bike when I see another one walk in, it’s like really man! Lol!
90s mountain and road bikes are my favorite to rebuild too ❤
That's how it should be done and it's nice to hear that's how you do it. I've got one of those old bikes, and it's been cared for from time to time by a pro, and it still rides like a new bike even though it's so ugly nobody will steal it.
last yr, age 28, i got a cheap old bike to commute with and i adore it! I'm a mess with social anxiety so taking my bike in was nerve wracking, so i let the mechanic know right off rhe bat that i knew nothing, i fully trusted his opinions and input, and that i fully understood that the work would take a while and to measure my expectations. i rlly just want to be as easy and painless of a customer as i can be! I'm not an athlete, just a dork who loves riding around rhe city on my bike and i love that there are shops that are about that life and not the hyper serious spandex-clad aero and weight obsessed hardcore dudes😄.
Yes. You did this right.
this is 100% accurate, I've been a mechanic for 30+ years, this is one of the finest explanation rants I've heard, could not have said it better myself
I am a retired teacher working part-time as an amateur bike mechanic. You are a natural communicator with a good analytical mind. Keep up the good work!
I had both negative and positive experiences. The local shop were so unpleasant that it drove me to learn from the internet how to do almost anything on my bikes, except for lacing and trueing wheels.They were also unable to deliver parts even from their local storage in less than a week, while I usually get them in 2-3 days when I order them online.
But I also found a great shop in the nearby city where the people were very friendly and open. They laced me the wheels for my electric cruiser project.
So I think it is a matter of luck to find a good shop.
some shops just suck, and nothing can fix them. But there are plenty of good shops out there, but each one of them has attitude. That's what makes them a good or bad shop.
V&
shop owner here
the problem is when clients order induviduals parts you have to find them, order them unpack tham, store them then sell them and put in in your countability.
this takes times. if its a cheap parts you will mayve get 5 dollars of margin on it when you spent 20-30 minutes to do it all. plus we work with pro furnishers so shipping fees are high for small orders, so we have to wait to group big orders.
so it takes time and mental energy for peanuts. AND i am responsible if something goes wrong with the part.
so depending on the part i tell my client to get it themselves, it will be cheaper and faster for them.
@@MrJagbolet I meant parts that were listed on their own website as available in that particular shop, which it turned out had to be brought from their local warehouse, which would have taken a week. Nothing "exotic" that would have to be ordered elsewhere.
I usually do order online, but I am willing to pay more if I don't have to wait.
Thank you for this video. I have been wrenching professionally for 7 years now and watching your video was like going through a therapy session. Your talking points really resonate and describe the working experience perfectly. I truly love bicycles and have found peace in this world through working and riding them.
Gotta say, you did great. Being a life-long rider and semi-newbie wrencher, I really liked your take on the whole bike shop mechanic/owner/retail clerk experience. It validated a lot of my own experience dealing with older bike problems and confirmed all the trouble you guys go through to help me make things if not right, at least ride able.
To that end, every month I take my local bike shop mechanics et al, a 15-pack of beer and a 6-pack of seltzer to say thank you for all you do and for always being there and patient with me as I do my best to learn about bike mechanics despite not being mechanically inclined. I also do it to let them know that I don't take for granted the guys at Two Wheel Drive here in Albuquerque, New Mexico and that I deeply value them. Kudos also to the owner, Charlie, whom I've done business with for about 40 years too! Thanks for the great video.
As a customer, not a mechanic or owner, I can't imagine how difficult it must be to put up with us. Even the "good" customers can be super passionate about the sport and just can't stop talking and asking questions. Must be maddening. Doctors don't answer so many questions.
I'm a RUclipsr and a pro bike mechanic and you did a GREAT job on this video. It's hard to stand there and monologue for 14 minutes straight and be engaging and entertaining! Keep it up and you'll have to sell your shop to keep up with YT!
I shot it 3 times, lol. But, shit, 45k views and climbing after 48 hours on my first try, I think I might actually be kinda good at this!
Oh you're good at this all right. Keep it up!@@bkefrmr
130k@@bkefrmr
@@billybud6448 10000 jump cuts and it was my 3rd time through the script! I’m a total hack!
@@bkefrmr nah, it's yur naturally likeable cactus personality.....and bicycles....
Amazing video. I was a mechanic on and off for about 13 years in total and I agree with all of this, especially the first 2 points. My boss once said that the ‘customers need to see us as doctors for bikes’ and paid us 14€ per hour. Complained that we were losing him money - sure, close the workshop and see how long you last. I enjoyed it apart from the marketed nonsense and working around crap designs and the unsociable hours. I’m glad that the only bikes I work on is mine and my kid’s bike 😉 best maintained bikes in the town
You nailed it. I've been wrenching for most of the past seventeen years. The shop where I worked during covid closed down in August 2020 and the timing was perfect because I was finally OVER IT. I shifted to mobile repair as a solo gig, and kinda even resented that. Shifted again to professional trail building. The pay is way better, I actually get to ride my bike, and there are no customers to bother me. The current bike shop model is going to have to change to survive. I see space for co-ops and low-end shops with super low overhead, then space for high-end shops that will have to charge substantially more for labor to afford skilled mechanics. The shop that is everything to everybody is a dying model, and I don't know how to make you feel better about that.
I opened a small repair shop at my home with a sign at the end of the driveway (had to buy special farm property that can sell retail bike parts with labor, but can't be a retail store for shopping). My customers always praise that they found me, due to what experience the Local Bike Shops provide them anymore. That's because what used to be an honest economic opportunity for builders and sellers to make and repair bicycles here in USA has been replaced by corporate retail distribution chains that sell mostly Chinese-manufactured sport and leisure merchandise, over-engineered with planned obsolescence as top priority, to Americans where the only post-purchase recourse for that property is at a corporate retail store, which are locked into a commercial retail lease and motivated to increase $USD/transaction, rendering a consumer's need for repair equal to the store's need to sell them a whole new bike instead...it's the same across the board for stuff US Consumers buy: Home Appliances specifically are the common response customers bring up along with bicycles. It's a Chinese disposability model to redundantly collect payment from US Consumers acquiring Sale and Use of a thing designed to wear out much faster than it could last and require repairs that might be unnecessarily proprietary and/or unavailable...
All about money = junk world & even people are disposable commodities.
Where do you build trails? I'm in a similar situation and would love to transition.
@@jameslangstaff1606 I've worked on several projects in multiple states so far. The contracts vary.
I bought a brand new entry-level aluminum Specialized road bike from a local shop 5 yrs ago and they included in 6-free tune-ups to be used that year. So I brought my bike in two days later after my $1000 purchase because my chain was rubbing, and the mechanic said that my bike sucks and I need to buy a more expensive one!
Yes. And most of them have no time when you dont buy the bike from them. I understand that - but it's shitty.
Yep bullshit
Simple mechanical stuff. Tinker with it, learn to fix it yourself a build a bit more self confidence.
They always say that
30 years of being a bike mechanic. You just nailed it. You explained me to perfection.
My man, you put our lives of being bike mechanics in such great explanation for the rest of the world to comprehend. Thank you my brother. This video is very appreciated.
I didnt even know such a thing existed
I’m a consumer who does his own maintenance, but I know my limits on what I can and want to do. You can do more damage if you don’t know what you’re doing or have the right tools. Sometimes, you have to admit defeat and let the experts take care of your bike. They have knowledge and the right tools. When I take my to the local bike shop, I tell them what’s wrong with the bike, answer all the questions, and let them do their magic.
every now and then you need to go to a real doctor.
I only take my bikes to bike mechanics if I can fix it. Only major repairs. Small fixes I do myself.
Dude, you opened much more of our daily boxes than I expected...props for the nice overview!!
It's really is a topic one has to live for to keep up and also stay happy..
I loved this video. One of the best things you can do as a cyclist/bike rider is to find a bike mechanic that you can trust. I am fortunate that in Upstate NY where I spend summers, the only shop in town is a one-man operation. I can talk to him, discuss bikes with him, share riding stories, and know that he is honest and hard-working for his customers. It's different here in Florida where it is a constant rotation of mechanics. I buy the bike at one shop and wasn't happy with taking it there for repairs. I then choose another shop - and you guessed it, many of the mechanics there originally worked at the first shop. "The customer is always right, even when the customer is wrong" is a mantra that is practiced in order to be sure that the customer keeps returning to your store. When a customer comes into your shop complaining about something related to biking or your services, just say "you're right, but this is the necessary repair." Or, "you're right, it is frustrating to get a flat, but those can happen to anyone at anytime. Let's see what I can do to get you back on the road." I think customers vent to retail employees, doctors, bartenders, receptionists, etc. because they think that person will understand. THE BEST PART OF THIS VIDEO IS THE TRAIL/TRAIN STATION SHOT. MAKES ME WANT TO VISIT LAKE MILLS AND RIDE ON THAT TRAIL!!
Takes me back to working as a mechanic! Some memorable moments:
- A customer who brought his ebike in saying the display didn't work. I was staring at this thing working perfectly. Eventually I asked were his glasses polarized? (Manufacturer oversight?)
- An aluminium Cinelli road bike with a horrific creak impervious to every remedy until I eventually took the bottle cage off...
- A customer who thought I was having him on when I said the cooling fins on Shimano drum brake internal gear hubs are cooling fins...
- Replacing a spoke on a Campag wheel with the rim equivalent of internal cable routing - you had to thread the nipple in on a gear cable via the valve hole...
- A customer with a road bike with circa 2008 Mavic Ksyriums, their bike howled and shuddered at speed, and another shop said it was probably vortex shedding off the frame! I asked if it happened at about 40 km/h and he said 'Yeah, why?' I lubed the freehub seal - to the uninitiated these tricks we learn might as well be magic
- The triathlete who was unhappy with his Dura Ace 10spd front derailleur (tt friction shifter no less!), I test rode it and it was immaculate - ten mins later on the wind trainer, it turned out nobody ever told him that perhaps it might shift better if he didn't continue trying to put 300 watts in during the half-second it takes to change chainrings
- The guy who bought a bike (paid in full) and took a year to collect it - it transpired that he was getting divorced and he didn't want his wife to have half of it!
And so many more! Thanks for the great video
My customers would as me to change the polarity of the display to accommodate their special needs justifying it by insisting they're "old school" and "not a big biker or anything" and walk away in a huff when I tell them they should get a bike without a display instead.
The triathlete would insist it should work how they want it to because they have a race coming up in 2 months.
If I recall correctly the triathlete said he wanted me to tune it so it would shift under load. I said something like "It's like you're driving a Lamborghini and you want to be able to shift without using the clutch!" That seemed to get through haha
"- The guy who bought a bike (paid in full) and took a year to collect it - it transpired that he was getting divorced and he didn't want his wife to have half of it!"
That's too funny.
I have Shimano roller brakes on my old Dutch bike. I thought everyone knew those fins were for cooling! lol.
Oh man that "we hate people" point is so spot on! Nothing I hate more than being interrupted from a job to listen to a 10 minute life story until they tell me they have a flat tire
EDIT: Jesus christ some of y'all are acting like I shot a baby. It's a comment on the internet. Get off your high horse.
Exactly. Usually happens on a Saturday at noon with numerous customers in house.
Hey man, ya gotta multitask. While relating to the customer's story, put the bike in the stand. Change out the flat inner tube. Spin the wheels to make sure the brakes clear and the thing shifts, then push it out to the customer with the fee Sharpied on the tube box. Look busy. If something needs to be tweaked, do a perfect job without pause. Saturdays and Sundays rock! Enjoy it!
If you don’t hate people when you start, you will. It’s true of all retail you will encounter the 1% worst of humanity. The best shops I worked for understood this and had their staff’s backs. And the worst shops always appeased the customer, while watching their staff leave in a season or two.
I explained to a customer while showing him his tube that he had what is called a "snake bite" puncture. But before I could explain to him how it happened, he became unhinged declaring that there were absolutely no snakes on the trail.
@@paulmcknight4137the real problem is when the customer has to go through THE ENTIRE STORY before telling you what the problem even is
I was a mechanic from the age of 15 to 32. I am not generally a very confident person, but I was very, very good at my job. I was routinely told so by appreciative customers, coworkers and my employers.
I learned to like people, and I found a place that payed me enough.
When a cross country move forced me to look more closely at my life I decided to quit all things bike for two main reasons not mentioned in this video.
1: I got so tired of trying to make very poorly designed, very expensive things work they way they were advertised. Quality control and engineering in the industry is awful, and manufacturers will not take any responsibility for it. I couldn’t continue taking peoples money for high end bikes knowing they were so poorly made.
2. Too many mechanics are total hacks. The stereotype holds, because it’s truer than it should be. It’s so hard to work with a customer who doesn’t trust you, and they usually have pretty good reason not to trust bicycle mechanics.
Sometimes I miss it, but 9 years out I’m happier, healthier and I’ve found another thing I’m very good at, and my customers appreciate me far more. It’s so much more rewarding.
Can You say what's that new proffesion?
@@gaultx2056 my wife and I started a very small farm and sell only direct to consumer and a select few wholesale customers. I still get to wrench on tractors😎
I'm not a bike mechanic, just a guy who's recently rediscovered his love for bicycles near middle age. But damn if some of your gripes don't feel relatable (working in a customer facing role). Big applause for this video.
Sounds about right. 10 years as a pro mechanic here and just got out last month. I lost my passion for it and found myself far too grumpy. A decade in service to find myself service writing almost every day and never actually wrenching was not my idea of where I wanted to be. I'm now following my passion for bikes in a different role (marketing and media) at the same shop. Nothing can kill my love for bikes, not even shitty customers.
I started with a Walmart bike and dealt with rude bike shops, it just made me buy my own tools and work on my own bikes.
I am with you. I have a decent mtb I bought new but also bought a half decent 2nd hand mtb stripped it down bought tools as I went along and taught myself with the help of RUclips everything I needed to know. Hence coming across this one. Virtually went straight to the comments for a laugh. Bike mechanics are a special breed of people. A bit like serial killers. " He was a humble bike mechanic, then one day he was pushed to far"
@@johnkeenan3988 wrenching really isn’t as hard as mechanics like to think, they just try to make it sound like rocket science so they can enjoy a superiority complex towards their customers.
@@Bonky-wonky You're so wrong. I'm amazed at the skill of most mechanics and how accommodating they are, and I'm not a terrible mechanic myself.
@@Bonky-wonky Depends on what type of bike technology they have to deal with on a daily basis I’d assume. Like yeah, the old Nishiki road bike that I restored was easy because it was old and uncomplicated but if I had to work on like a mondraker as a layman, so to speak, it would be impossible
@@emerobo I learned everything myself, despite not having a technical background or education. It’s not rocket science, common sense and a yt video get you pretty far provided you have the tools.
Wow, so much of this is spot on. I worked in a shop out of high school for 6 years. the hardest problems were always people problems. service writing in a big shop is just soul crushing especially in the busy summer months. I deeply love bikes, but as soon as I managed to scrape together enough school to get a corporate office job I was out of there, which surprisingly has had a tremendously positive impact on both my mental and financial wellbeing. I do sometimes think about going back maybe a few days a month, hopefully just to work in the back doing tunes or new bike builds. I miss the hands on stuff, camaraderie, music and the culture. oh, and the prodeals are so hard to live without. great video, cheers.
People forget that these mechanics are sacrificing their personal riding time to ensure that your bike is rideable
Soul crushing is a great way to describe a large percentage of interactions in a retail business - particularly in the last 10 years or so especially as the owner.
It's retail.
@@christophereaton4694yes and in the case of bike shops it's definitely low margin retail. Nobody spends the kind of money on bicycles to where mechanics and local bike shop owners will actually earn much.
@@keeghanmurray No, it is work, just like most of us go to their jobs. If I'm working, I can't ride.
💯 accurate! I spent 17 years in the bicycle industry as a mechanic/salesperson, and managed two stores.
I learned many great life lessons during those years that carried over to my career in law enforcement. And after 25 years as a LEO, I will still say that managing a bike shop is far more stressful!
People always ask of me if I’m going to start up a bike shop when I retire. I always tell them I love bicycles too much to ever do that!
Crappy pay, retail hours, and low margins. I’d have to be a fool to do that!
So cheers to those that stay in the shop for decades or longer. We need you and appreciate what you put up with.
Next time you want some service or advice from your local shop, take them some beer/food and make their day a little better.
you went from being a bike mechanic to a cop? that sucks.
Less stress.
@@TheTrailRabbit
yeah less stress, if there are any problems he can just pull his gun out which in most cases as a mechanic you can't do@@dennisdugger7975
Absolutely! I take my LBS cups of coffee and try hard not to be annoying! I order my parts online and have them expertly installed by them. I do own an expensive bike, but I trust and greatly appreciate what my LBS provides for me!
@TheTrailRabbit unless bike mechanics are earning 100k+ a year and have full medical benefits and a pension, he probably made the right move.
Is it a plane is it a train no it’s BICICLE REPAIR MAN.
Thanks Monty
“Wherever bikes are broken, or menaced by international communism…”
Great Vid! Loved it. We’re about the same age so I know the kinds of bikes you work on for your channel and shop at least well enough to understand and agree with what you’re saying about trusting you as a mechanic and shop owner. (Also why I enjoy your vids).
But I also understand where your difficult customers are coming from. Honestly, how often does it work out when you just trust any other expert and just do what they say? A doctor, lawyer, car mechanic, plumber, contractor… 9 times out of ten you’re going on a wild goose chase, wasting money and time on BS that’s wrong and having them screw things up along the way. If you don’t try and become and expert, manage them, and advocate for yourself you will get screwed over. That’s just how it works. You may be good enough, and your product straightforward enough, that one can just go to you and leave with a nice bike, not getting ripped off. But this is an outlier situation and I get why defenses are sometimes up.
This must have been quite cathartic! I worked as an automotive mechanic for 20 years (and taught auto repair for another 22 years). The issues are very familiar, for much of this. I found your videos from Russ at The Path Less Travelled. You're a breath of fresh air!
Self importance and the over confidence effect.
No doubt!
Andy, your presentation here is first rate-great job, and from the heart. As a lifelong mechanic, and shop owner (full time mechanic) for seventeen years, you struck a chord with your hierarchy statement: first a mechanic, secondly a rider, then a business owner. So true. Really, nice work here, and great thoughts.
I have been amazed how poorly paid bike mechanics are. You are right, bikes are so complicated these days and the accepted rate for certain repairs is too low. I have to say though, that 98% of my customers are really nice people 🙂
Doubtless that there are lots of highly technical skills to learn but they don't invest years and great sums of money on education and certifications. That is just how the world is. Those that have all that time where they are not making an income while getting the basics end up being compensated better.
Wat, complicated bicycles? Rebuild a Hyundai and get back to me on the definition of "complicated." I've yet to see a bicycle even as close to as complicated as ancient farming equipment.
Watch a video on a professional assembling one of these modern bikes. It's crazy how involved it is running all the cables, pressurizing the hydraulics, etc.
@@cvn6555 Assembling a Rocket or Jet engine is complicated, not so much for bicycles. I have assembled many top end bikes from the frame up and it is not that complicated compared to assembling and maintaining many other things. You are just belittling people who really work on complicated machinery.
huh.... bicycles are "complicated" ....?????? LBS "mechanics" are poorly paid because it is cake work. Drop an engine out of a 911 and do a valve job. SMH....
In 1987 I started "The Bike Mobile" here in Toronto, Canada. I built a trailer for the back of my BMX bike and fixed all the neighbours bikes in their driveway. Within 6 monthts I was able to buy a cargo van and grew the business. This was 1987. My life changed gears for a couple decades but I'm gravitating back toward my new version of Mike's Bike Mobile here in 2024....This video says more to me than I could have ever said myself. Great friggen job. If it's OK with you I might like to truncate a few clips and make this my "Customer Understanding" video. A++
Brother I can relate, I started out 40 years ago as a Mechanic working on 2 cycle and 4 cycle small engines. Chainsaws, trimmers lawn mowers etc… I work in a little mountain community in Northern CA, I bought the business I have worked at 10 years ago. I know all that you say is true and correct. We are passionate people we repair persons. I like your channel and I subscribed. The wife and I have bought new fat tire electric bikes and have been having a lot of fun. Thank you for taking time to make this video.
Great video! I’ve been to your shop and had you tune up my bike. You are awesome and do great work. I do need my handlebars tightened so I’ll be back in to see you. Thanks for the videos!
I was a bike mechanic for almost 20 years and let me say that everything you mentioned is true. Bike mechanics are almost looked down too, as people think we shouldn't be charging to fix a flat that we fixed last year and now it's flat again...lol.
I haven't worked at a shop in 20 years but I had an old man actually scoff when the term "mechanic" was applied to my job.
Very well thought out video! For reason #4, the reason this rings true in a clinical sense is because many folks who ate talented at fixing or creating solutions for mechanical problems are like me, the have Aspergers. Temple Grandin has spoken at length about this subject, and how people on the Autism spectrum are often the best ones for finding and designing solutions for mechanical problems. The American education system does folks on the Autism spectrum an enormous disservice by removing shop classes and not teaching kids how to use tools.I was a bike mechanic for ten years, and I too was an asshole. I watched as the faces of two undercover FSA representatives went sour when I explained how FSA manufactured inferior products which led to countless shifting issues on road bicycles equipped with their cranks and chainrings. I didn’t realize until well after the fact that I was being a complete jerk, and really just thought that dealing with other people’s feelings was too complicated anyhow. I quit being a bike mechanic and started a new career in IT, which I didn’t love like I did with cycling, but I got paid a 6 figure income so it was worth the tradeoff for me.
Lots of neurodiversity in bike shops for sure! Makes sense!
I was going to talk about that also. Aspberger, OCD, ADHD, Bipolar... And today we have the Ritalin Prozak generation.
It was funny to watch this video as an adhd and autistic bike mechanics, I was looking for a comment like yours. I don't work for a retail(work)shop, I'm on my own, regularly on local markets : going there with all the tools by bike, and as a woman I think I get some extra credit for that and I have the feeling I am labelled eccentric rather than just weird. And yes, dealing with people is hard, I regularly miss things, even if I want to do it right and people are actually nice. The nice thing is that I work on bikes while chatting, it actually helps with adhd and keeping listening, I don't know how much people see it as dismissive, but since I actively engage in the conversation I think it's OK. Info-dumping about bikes and particularly tire sizes is fun :)
I do wonder if in the US you see french and ETRTO as much as here, I wouldn't be able to differentiate all the 26' without, but we might have more older city bikes too.
I also do volunteer in a self repair workshop to, and there are so much people who are so happy to learn how to do things, particularly when it comes to "interns" (I'm french, no idea how the different situations could be translated) who join us initially more for the social/teaching part. And yeah, in this workshop, neurodivergents are not really the unseen minority :)
Nailed it brother!
Former mechanic while going to school for engineering.
I had SO many engineers and "professionals" come into the shop over a 5 year period that knew it all. They treated my coworkers and I like dirt at time and through tantrums when we couldn't recreate squeaks in pedals, bbs or dusty seat stays without riding the bikes for ourselves in the parking lot. Explaining why (our then) $39.00 tune-up was a good value when the bike they just bought for their kids only cost $69.00 at Walmart was always a chore.
18 years later, I still go into my LBS for advice when I get stuck on the latest bb tech, a pivot bolt torque specs or sram brake bleed I mess up at home - why?
Because I learned to learn from other people and be humble. Let's give people some grace and be chill.
Now as for bike sales staff - there could be a whole video series on young 20-nothings trying to size up potential customers when they walk in the door at a Trek store :)
The whole "we are not therapists" section cracked me up! I'm not a bike mechanic but I can see where you're coming from.
OMG. Shop mechanic, owner, and manager at many different businesses since 1979. You NAILED it. Absolutely. THANK-you. Now, if only we could get our customers to watch this before they’re allowed to come to the service counter. 😊
TAKE UP FISHING!!! All you points are spot on. I got out of the cycling industry/retail shops in 2015. The tech, whiny customers, pay for sure, and overall lack of advancement opportunities turned what I loved into disgust.
Would you ever consider working on bikes as a side gig, but only for quality, positive clients, where nearly all of your business is referral based?
You could still do what you enjoy without the stress of your previous experience. Just thinking out loud.
As an ex angler of 40 years experience, I can honestly say that all the same things apply to angling shop operatives but multiplied by a factor of 100. I never wasted my time talking or listening to bullshit in the shops, I just purchased what I required and got out pronto to maintain my sanity.
Jeeees, it's so good to hear someone being honest about the bike industry.
I, like you, rode, then spannered, then owned a bike shop and you totally mirrored years of my feelings.
Great vid, ❤🚲🚲
I spannered first. I’m quite different than the stereotypical “cyclist turned bike shop guy”.
I just saw your interview with Russ and wanted to swing by to give you another one star review just so you can lean into the anger and continue the negativity. Just kidding, this is brilliant and your chat with him was very inspiring.
Humble yourself is my motto ! There is a a lot I have learned in my life but so much more I can continue learning from any age group !
Love your work and love doing a good job for your customers ! The rewards for you are endless !
As a former bike shop mechanic, I just had to watch this video, and I have to say, I agree with just about all of it. I personally think, however, that more emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that the bicycle industry just sucks all the way around. I'm in my mid-50s, now, and when I see how much quality has declined, how manufacturing has shifted almost entirely to China, how prices have risen out of all proportion to rationality over the course of my life, it makes me want to cry. I can no longer afford the level of quality in a bicycle that I would have absolutely demanded 30 years ago, a level of quality which was commonplace and affordable at any decent bike shop in the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, it has become nearly impossible to even find high quality, simple bicycles and parts at any price.
Your last sentence is simply not true. None of my bikes is younger than 24 years old, they are all great quality and I have no problems keeping them that way.
@@peterwillson1355that’s not what he even remotely said.
@ChromeLuxx You have basic reading comprehension problems. Just the last four words is enough.
From the perspective of someone who lived in China before, yeah, sure. What is the single biggest market for bicycles in the world in terms of total units sold and with bikes considered real form of transport rather than just recreational in general perception? Exactly.
And the local manufacturers and brands and their staff can absolutely reliably produce whatever quality the foreign brands are ordering and paying for. Blame the latter if your issue with it is quality issues.
IDK, about the next part, production and supply of your standard Omafiets bike is still going strong as ever.
My fave bike shop now has good quality Cannondale hardtails perfect for the rail trail right next door for less than $700. Perfect bike to get people their first experience with a quality bike. If they can afford $700 TVs they can afford $700 bikes.
This is exactly why I left the bicycle industry. Got tired of "big bike" changing sht for the sake of changing sht.
I now work on airplanes.
I've noticed the bike mechanic turned airplane mechanic thing is a thing!
I tip my bike mechanics very well. One time I told a guy I'd give him $50 extra if he could have it done it done by the end of the day. I made sure the shop owner didn't hear me of course. He got it done for me. Also, I don't try to tell them what needs replaced or anything. I just tell them the basic symtoms and tell them "do what you gotta do". They appreciate that. 😂
Sadly the bike shops have no shortage of bull$hit artist. Most mechanics don’t go through any formal training or industry certification. I’ve been a race mechanic, shop mechanic and a manufacturer and after decades nothing has changed much. I recently visited several local bike shops searching for a specific size bike for my 7 year old granddaughter and I can’t begin to tell you how much misinformation. I was given by a barista posing as a bike expert. It made me cringe. I didn’t debate them or call them out I simply told them I’ll let them know if I need them.
I kind of want to require every customer to watch this before stepping into the shop I work at. Well said.
and every bike shop owner.
I'm truly impressed by how many if your arguments also apply to us Physicians.
We spend at least a decade of our lives getting a medical education, plus hundreds of additional hours every year just to try to keep up, but it's become literally impossible because the scientific knowledge changes every single day.
We're also increasingly and consistently worse paid, despite of the insane amount of knowledge needed and liability involved.
Additionally, we're increasingly frustrated by the total disconnect between patient expectations and what we can do within the constraints of health care systems.
Well, as they say, "If you can't get your work done in 36 hours, you're gonna have to work nights."
Never understood why physicians didn’t loudly protest the takeover of medicine by the government and insurance industry.
I think about doctors all the time. Talk about “specialty retail”! “Bedside manners” are not my thing. My grandfather was a family doc. I’m told he was a wizard at diagnosis. I think I inherited some of his intuition. I’d be good at it. Unfortunately, I’m a shitty student. I never could’ve made it through school. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I would hate the job, so, bikes it is!
Hmmm ... On the overlap... Are you familiar with Dr. Glaucomflecken's videos, especially his ER doc, and Dr. OrthoBro?
Covid pulled the curtain from you doctors AND nurses. Poison for pay, I trust none of you for anything, haven't helped with a single health issue I've had for the past twenty years. There's a reason the first question the office asks is what kind of insurance patients have.
Well said! I’ve been a in the bike industry for almost 50 years! Started at 13 sweeping floors and assembling bikes. Managed shops owned a shop been a sales rep and worked for a couple different manufacturers and always have found a way to be a bike mechanic! Which is what I’m doing now in semi retirement. My favorite thing about my job is turning someone on to riding a bike. My least favorite is someone discounting me for not knowing what the latest greatest new technology is. ( cuz I don’t care what the new tec is) I could spend all day just staring at a well used old double diamond Italian road bike from the 70s 🤠
We had a guy like you who didn't keep up with the latest and greatest which was just fine as others did and guys like you and him had the knowledge of all the old stuff that us newer guys didn't and as all the mechanics know, stuff from the last 50+ years STILL comes through the shops and it is very valuable having guys like you around.
Never knew my bike mechanic had so much animosity towards me... I always thought they were super nice and helpful.
Great video, I was a GM for a manufacturing company. I used to tell my customer service people tha the - Customer is Not Always Right. The skill came in telling the customer they were wrong and not pissing them off.
Thanks for this man! I just got home from work as a.... you guessed it, a bike mechanic.
Everything here is spot on. I love my job, my boss is great (though she is not mechanically inclined in any way).
I'm a former bike messenger of 15 years and have toured around most of the world with my Sitar in a BOB trailer behind my bike.
I ended up becoming a bike mechanic by accident, I was/am a professional musician and self employed luthier until covid hit.
I wasn't really worried at all and figured everything would work itself out and it did.
My friend needed help in her shop when nobody could travel here in Germany because of covid. She got insanely busy and only had a part time mechanic. She asked me to come help for a few weeks... it has been 3 years and I am still here. Basically, I love it, but yeah, I can relate to pretty much every point in this video.
I ride a steel bike with mechanical disc brakes and an XT mountain bike drive train. That is my world touring rig. Working on 8000euro carbon fiber bikes is fun/not fun. Working on full suspension E-bikes is fun/not fun.
My favourite work at the shop is old restoration work, 90's mountain bikes with LX groupsets or grandmas bike that was left to me in her will.
One bonus for me is that my German isn't very good, I am Canadian who happened to end up here with little or no German language skills. So, I am saved the retail side of things. I leave that to my boss and it works out better for us both that way. She sells the bikes, I build them or fix them.
Honestly, I don't even know what she pays me, she hands me an envelope full of cash once a month and I don't even count it.
That is how life should be. I hope you do very well.
Couple of feedback-y things. I liked the shortened intro and outro. I think the original one is too long most of the time. Although, the first time I saw it I liked it! Other thing: This is good content!! You are a real, down to earth presenter. And now that you are in your "off season", it is a great time to cook up content just like this. I wish you well on your RUclips journey. P.S. I always learn something new about bike repair and maintenance with each of your new videos. Keep going.
Thanks! I liked longer the intro/outro when I made it too, but I’ve learned the first 30sec are critical to growing a channel so I’m switching things up to game the algo! The bike videos are super easy to make in comparison to these scripted ones, so they’ll probably just get peppered in with the bread and butter stuff. Thanks for the feedback!
Was a “pro” mechanic for a couple of years and you are so right in all the points you made… made me smile.
Retired now, and do it for a hobby for a select group of grateful customers 😊
I've been at this 'game' for a while and almost every single one of these I've been there, I've done that, and this video was 100% on the ball! Though number 3 is my personal favorite. I've had customers try to tell me what's wrong with this country, and would NOT shut up long enough for me to even ask for a number so we can contact him when the bike was done. I was literally thinking to myself "My God man, I'm your mechanic not your therapist!"
Good vid. 1000% accurate. The last shop I worked at I was the mechanic, inventory manager, sales, assistant manager, and a barista.
I will add one thing I learned from my years in shops. No other profession is expected to have knowledge spanning decades of changes with so little pay.
"The customer is always right.. IN MATTERS OF TASTE."
Say the whole quote, every time.
Was going to comment the same thing. I'm convinced the common truncation of the quote is a decades-long psyop to immiserate frontline service workers.
Not really joking. Kind of. But not really.
that's not the original quote. you just took that of an insta reel.
Every single time. I work in restaurants and repeat it all the time
1st, Not a bicycle mechanic, but in my previous life people came to me for advice or to directly fix an issue in my field of expertise. I found that simply taking their story at face value and proceeding to work from there often sent me down a useless rabbit hole. People often don't know how to characterize/articulate the problem that they are having. Many people have very poor cause and effect analysis skills but believe they do. Learning to ask the right questions to isolate the "real" issues Vs customer perceived issues is so important.
That's on the worker not the client. Being able to ask the right questions is a basic for any job.
Wow, am I ever glad I subscribed! Love the authenticity in your videos. This one is well scripted, and well worth sharing with friends. I'm at the beginning of my bike mechanic journey (while nearing retirement from my career) and I'm glad to keep learning from you.
Wow, thank you!
@@bkefrmr I should give more specific feedback: Love the entertaining observations of customers that have the ring of truth. So believable.
Well done, especially being the first video in that format. I liked it being different from the norm. More of these would be welcomed by me.
I have plenty of more ranting to do! And a ton of unpopular opinions to share!
Hey! Man, I enjoyed your video. I feel you! I am an old retired IT guy (computers) and alot of what you experience/d is what the day to day technician experiences. People can be something else! Hang in there brotha, we need people like you man. Kiss the family!
Great video, man! There was a lot you presented that I've never considered. I 100% agree the manufacturers create issues with their marketing.
Dude! You covered it! Great job! I can't think of anything that you missed. This is all so true and I am such a long time bike lover that I have invested majorly in my own workbench and all of my own tools. We are so fortunate these days to have so many RUclips videos available that you can truly learn what it is you need to learn about maintaining your own equipment. I live in a small Town with two bicycle shops and while the mechanics are nice, the owners are A-holes, pretentious and a bit rude. From building my own wheels from scratch to maintaining my suspension, I do all of my own work with pleasure. I've screwed a few things up and broken a few things in the beginning but that's just fine. Riding on your machine that runs beautifully as a result of your own workmanship really adds to the wonderful experience of bicycle riding.
This is spot on and an absolutely brilliant explanation of what we see at our shops on a day to day. Thank for your videos and a great insight into the industry. Keep up the great work!!
You know I really like your honesty, My day job is a SysAdmin dealing with peoples tech problems on a daily basis, so I found building and looking after my own bikes a breeze! who knew my current skills where easily transferrable.
It is what it is.. nice job :)
As a 45 year rider, I'm 74 now and really enjoyed these shows. Informative, funny. Thank You.
I'm a customer. A lot of what you said is quite true, but it has encouraged me to work on my own bikes more and more, which is a shame, because it would be so nice to drop the bike off, have whatever needs doing done, then pick it up. Unfortunately my local bike shop is just too hard to deal with.
holy shit! is this what happened to me? I can confirm everything on this list as 100% true. the "just give this bike I found in a retention pond a quick tune up for $30" crowd, the " I was just riding along and the frame broke in half" crowd, and the "I can get the same thing at walmart cheaper" crowd and many others like them are the reason I began to hate dealing with people. Thank you for this video.
You made me laugh when I think about how many times I heard the word " just " after giving an estimate. Can't you just, or I just want this. Why do I only get $20 work for $10? So and so will do it cheaper. Them take it to so and so.
Hahaha
"The customer, is always wrong" *Subscribed 😂
I’m a “former” service writer for Trek bikes. I couldn’t always handle the balance of maintaining “professionalism” , customer satisfaction, doing what is right, and upselling the customer - as required by Trek.
I wish I could just put in earbuds and fix bikes, but I like talking to people too much…….
I LOVED your video!
Glad I found your channel and have learned more tips from watching your video on bike repairs or adjustments. Love your work keep up the great work! I've been a machine tech for almost 40 years and totally understand and dig this video. Have a Blessed day my Brother....
Wow! You nailed it. I’ve been one of those customers, but have also experienced the mechanic that screws something up. Perspective here, I’m retired ride a lot and volunteer my semi-expertise at assembling bikes at a local shop. I understand the issues mechanics face, it’s ridiculous. But I love bikes and can usually figure things out (thanks dad), and it keeps me fresh.
But they shop I get to play at has some issues you addressed here. Some are the customers fault, some the shops fault. It’s a tough life.
I often wonder which are the worse bikes, the cheap as KMart or the $12,500.00 super bike from your fav brand.
Cool video. I'll definitely keep this in mind when I'm at my LBS next time! As someone who is eager to learn about bicycle mechanics I'm always bugging the guys behind the counter with questions. Keep up the good work!
As a novice biker who is growing in experience and enthusiasm for the sport. I have to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have met some amazing bike mechs, and some horrible mechs, but I began to feel like I need to learn how to take care of my bike specifically just to avoid the drama. Your video has helped me to better understand. So even if I prefer you guys to not be A$$holes, I now appreciate your perspective and surrender all judgements. Thank you for being honest and for the hard work and skill set you posses. May your company grow and may many people learn to humble themselves in the ride.
"I began to feel like I need to learn how to take care of my bike specifically just to avoid the drama." The best thing you can do. I did the same. Got a stand, got a few tools and watched some youtube videos on how to do basic repairs and maintenance. It's no rocket science and you save a lot of money.
A bicycle is literally the simplest and easiest machine to work on and maintain. There are just a handful of moving parts. Anyone who can turn a wrench can work on a bicycle.
This is a great video. I wanted to comment on the point about people having their guard up about being ripped off - while I agree that everyone would be likely be better served by going into bike shop interactions assuming that the staff wants to help them the best they can and aren’t likely to rip them off (again we’re talking about bikes here - the money’s hardly there to be ripped off), people are not just like this for no reason. Bike repair, auto repair, contracting trades, any specialized retail field has an imbalance in knowledge between the person who needs a job done and the person who has the knowledge, skills, and equipment to do the job. This unfortunately creates an opportunity for the less than scrupulous entrepreneur, and unfortunately even though MOST people are honest, almost everyone has a story or instance where they or someone close to them have had that imbalance used against them. It leads many people to enter into future interactions featuring this type of imbalance with their guard up. Again, I’ve been around bikes and bike shops my whole life and I think these types of unscrupulous actions are more or less non-existent in the bike world, but most people don’t have a ton of experience with bike shops and mechanics and assume the same dynamics are at play. The reputational point is of course real, but the assumption that a dishonest shop or business of any kind will shut down due to poor reputation relies on the consumer KNOWING they’ve somehow been duped and in many cases they never find out because they don’t have the knowledge that would be necessary to make that understanding. This in turn leads people to sometimes ASSUME they’ve been taken advantage of even when they have not. It’s important for bike mechanics and shop owners to always expect/demand respect from customers but to also understand that trust is built and not immediately owed. This then ties into the fact that mechanics and store employees need to try not to alienate the customer by being unpleasant. Again, most folks are not, and if they are it’s often because customers are AWFUL to retail workers, way too regularly. But still just some added nuance is needed on that point imo. Keep up the great work, I’ve subbed to your channel and will watching your content regularly going forward!
Really good explanation. I haven't been in the bike world really until I started working on my commuter bike a few months back, but I have been a freelance software engineer for a few decades and the bit about " the customer always being wrong" couldn't have been more relatable. Seriously, if you knew so much about development then what are you paying me for?
Well my bike is done now and I've gone back and forth on whether or not Trek sold me the wrong bike about three times, but this video convinces me that they sold me the "right" bike and that was also the wrong bike. I bought it at a "dealer" in 2012 so I do mean specifically from Trek and there was a laundry list of things that I didn't understand about bike commuting that I didn't ask about because, I expected the dealer to actually be able to know. I told them I wanted a commuter bike for under $1000. They sold me the FX7.2 which, yeah that's a "commuter" bike, but it really isn't particularly comfortable or even practical for a long trip out of the box. If I went back and told myself all the things I really need to make that bike go to work 10 miles each direction, I wouldn't have bought it, because for $750, I expect that bike is more or less ready for "commuting" not about $500 away from commuting, that's not less than $1000 then! I would have said to get a used one or even just a walmart one and buy a couple select components.
As someone with a serious love affair with the 11 speed Campagnolo groupsets that still had thumb shifters, I'm always on the lookout for new-old stock cassettes and chains to keep my favorite mechanical bike from 10 years ago on the road. I've become that old man who knows there's better technology available but just enjoys the feel of precision mechanical engagement.
I have an 11 speed 11-32 Campy cassette and chain in my bins I'd sell you.
As a mechanic, you either die an apprentice, or live to see yourself become what you’ve always hated.
yes!!
What? This doesn't make sense. You either die an apprentice or you put up with the bullshit because you love the work and become a good, knowledgeable mechanic. I don't hate knowledgeable mechanics. I hate mechanics and shop owners who aren't straight with their customers and people who think I should be essentially donating my time to fix their piece of crap for "sentimental reasons." "Well, you like these old models, so you should charge me less." "Oh, yeah I'll tell the power company that I was working on something I enjoyed so they won't charge me either. Screw off."
@@FuckGoogle502Amazing. You completely failed to understand what you read. It means you are never done learning, no matter how much you know, or you become an idiot.
Sure made me feel good about keeping my old 90's Schwinn hybrid and not buying a "gravel" bike. So - The big bike companies are putting different stuff on bikes sometimes just for the sake of change. I kind of suspected that. So - making a bike a few lbs lighter won't matter to a lot of us. I kind of suspected that. Good monologue.
Thanks for the video. GRACE and RESPECT are key to all relationships. A daily lesson for me.
On top of timely payments
Good points. I believe that many bicycle mechanics are facing problems with the how such shops work. I want your insight on something if you have the time.
At some point my 22.000km front hub started to behave funny so I took the bike to the much respected bike shop I bought it. I left it for inspection and decided to walk around that part of the city since I was quite far from home for about 2 hours when I got a call from him saying that the hub was all sticky and difficult to clean up, badly damaged from the inside and that he did whatever possible to give it some borrow time. It was the very start of June, a good time to cycle because it won't be raining for quite some time, and I use my bicycle to go to work everyday so I didn't want to lose good days of commuting if it was gonna hold for a bit. He said that it probably won't last for the whole month. I decided to keep it as it is til my brake pads need to be changed, so when the rainy season begins, I could go for a much needed full mainetnance and also change the brake pads and that hub. 2000km later the hub still behaves, this is 4 whole months so his prediction was quite off. I really trust his work on my bike but I find it hard to trust his words. What is your take on this situation?
I don't think most of them are assholes. What I want them to learn is that they do not have to make stupid excuses. Also, don't tell me if my bike is "worth" fixing".
Don’t take it personally when someone tells you it’s not “worth” fixing. There’s always a good reason they tell you that. It’s nothing personal. The whole point of the video is that it’s not personal, but so many people make it personal, which is why mechanics are called assholes. It’s a machine, not your self worth.
On a separate note, having gained your perspective, I’m really impressed by what I’ve learned.
I’m a small business owner and I now have a very good understanding about why many of my bosses were often jerkoffs and a glimpse of the difference between the abusive Ahole and the forever griping one who was completely correct about the situation.
In my case I was an irresponsible employee in some cases and truly trying to help, even though the Ahole was in fact just an Ahole. The man I’m thinking about, these days would be in a world of sh!t if he tried to do the racially hurtful, etc type of crap that was my day to day life when I returned each morning.
Going forward, I’ll probably not cross paths with a bike mechanic anyway, but with this newly acquired knowledge I’ll certainly take it into consideration and possibly even slip a gratuity into his/her hand.
Even as a watchmaker, I completely relate to this video. I try and do my own repairs on my bicycles, but still defer to the experts and usually bring tithes of beer or cookies.
I love watching watchmakers on RUclips! I thought about getting into it, but I've got too many hobbies already. No bandwidth. Very cool skillset!
lol, a star is born. You had me dying the hold show.
I’m a pro entertainer. And you kept me engaged.
Keep it up. And don’t let anyone tell you . Your wrong. 😂😂😂
Since I was a kid I have done my own bicycle fixes. But every now and again I take my bikes in for the professional mechanics, either because I don't have the right tool, or I just cannot be bothered. I noticed that most of the mechanics are kind of grumpy guys, but I have always respected them. Great Video - really informative!
very sensible! much appreesh!
Been a bike mechanic in the same shop for 34 years. It amazes me to this day that, somehow, even people in the industry, believe that bike mechanics took some weird bike repair Hippocratic Oath and we're supposed to work on anything and everything that is pushed or dragged into the shop. Heaven forbid we turn something down just because we would lose our rear end working on something that someone has had for 50 years and it's just such a special bike and means the world to them.
Give a price, and let the customer decide.
Exactly. Like this idiot manager I got stuck with recently is working on these motorcycles (e-bike without pedals and garbage quality) he is working on for customers and wasting a time of time and shop tools . He thinks he's making money, but really wasting time. Just turn that customer away.
You can turn down whatever you want but just like the PC computer shop owners that assume I'm a gullible tech-challenged boomer or whatever because I use Apple computers instead of Linux or Windows... I don't respect your opinion just because you own a shop, you're not a special "bike god" that people consult because they want you to make all their biking decisions in life, so just be humble and give a "yes" or "no" answer and try not to elevate yourself to some kind of counseling position unless asked.
@@Whocareslol420so your ego didn't have enough humility and understanding to realize your bike wasn't worth either of your times
Love the video! I love working on my old, steel, 9-speed bikes but electronic shifting, disc brakes and through axles scare me. I'm happy as hell that there are great local mechanics who know how to take care of all that stuff for other people. And don't get me started about tubeless.
Disc brakes aren’t so bad with thru axles. I don’t like working with anything gooey or drippy…but I kinda have to
I'd probably quit cycling if tubeless tires disappeared overnight. I live in goathead country. I've gone from 3-4 flats a week with conti 4 seasons, to plugging 1-2 times for the life of a tire and only needing 2 tubes I the last 80k miles
Disc brakes and quick release are what's annoying. Thru axles make putting your wheel in so much more repeatable
Disc brakes are awesome. Tubeless tires are awesome.
@@stevecraig6350 They are tools. In the right situation , good even great..
Those however are not common for the 90% who need simple rugged simplicity,
and often get overwhelmed when it comes time to air a tire.
Loved this. Especially #3. I was a tv/vcr tech in an earlier life. I had a customer complain about the cost to replace a small resistor. I simply told them they were right & replacing the part only cost a few dollars & they were paying for me to know which of the 100’s of parts to replace.
Yep, but when the whole thing costs only $50 it no longer makes any sense to pay someone $100 to replace the $2 part. That's globalization, that's why we should be shipping broken products back to the countries of origin to be repaired there instead of trying to do it here.
These are all the reasons that I love mountain bikes as a hobby, but not a profession. Great video.
Hands down, the best thing I learned about the bike biz I learned in the first shifts from the owner: "The customer is always right unless he's and a-hole".
35 years later this nugget has served me very well.
our saying is : The customer is a king, as long as he behave and act like a king.