repair prices?

[snydur]

Wheel Repairs
True $15
Fix Flat $10
Adjust Hub $15

Headset Repairs
Adjust $15
Rebuild $20
Install new headset $30

Chains
Install chain $15
Clean and lube chain $15

Derailleurs
Adjust front and rear gears $15
Clean and adjust drive train $40
Install shifter set and adjust gears $40
Adjustment with new cable or housing $20
Install and adjust front or rear derailleur $20
Rear derailleur hanger adjustment or installation $20

Brakes
Adjust front or rear brakes $15
Clean brake caliper and adjust $25
Brake adjustment & intallation of cable and housing $25

Cassettes and Free Wheels
Clean cassette or free wheel $15

Cranks/Bottom Bracket
Clean chain rings $15
Install chain rings $20
Install bottom bracket $30
Bottom bracket adjustment $15

Miscellaneous
Box a bike for shipping $40
Build adult bike with gears $65


been thinking lately (and have been told enough times) that i should probably start doing some work on bikes for money. i got a basic list of the interwebs and this is what showed up. now if i knocked 5 bucks off each of these prices, would that seem decent to you? im just slowly saving up for something with a little more metal and power.
thanks!

 

[Bendix]

some of it seems reasonable and some of the basic adjustment prices seem artificially inflated- probably to make a "tune up" package price sound like a sweeter deal.....

my advice: don't worry about what others charge. you can provide real value without having to be the cheapest. coupon clippers rarely turn into clients. decide what you want (have) to charge as an hourly shop rate and then price things according to your pace.

BUT....if it would be helpful to know what others charge, here's some rates from the shop i've been at for years. the shop has been around since '73 and is still showing strong growth. we run 4 repair stands in the busy season, scaling down to one or two in the winter with salesmen chipping in. we have never run a service special coupon.

tuneup...79

flat repair...reg tube 6, thorn resisitant 12, labor...5. i haven't worked in a shop that patches in 20 years.

individual brake or der adj...10, cable, caliper, der, lever, etc install... 15 plus parts.

headset adj...5-10. o/h 30, install...35. fork install...40.

bb adj...varies wildly! opc, old style tpc quick adj...5-10. old school o/h...30 plus parts. cartridge or external bb cups, replace or just grease and reinstall...15. tpc bmx with sealed bearings, rusted and beat to heck....blank check!

hub adjust...10. o/h front.. 20 plus parts. rear... 25 (plus parts). balls always replaced- waste of time to clean and install used loose bearings (oddball retainers may have to be reused).

coaster brake o/h...30 plus parts.

clean and lube bike only...29. included in the tuneup. we spray a foaming cleaner on the drivetrain, it sits, later we spray another on the frame, rinse, wipe, lube. we used to have a separate, higher priced tune with solvent tank parts cleaning but this gets things 90+ percent as clean and is way faster so we streamlined into just one tuneup choice. stubborn spots may require a shot of brake cleaner on a rag- no big deal.

misc installs- rack..10, computer...10-25 (cadence, etc). n/c for saddles, kickstands, grips, etc when purchased.

road bar wrap...15 plus tape.

wheel true...5 (sorry, we tried but it's a waste of effort)- 15.

wheel build...50 plus parts- new spokes only, (dt 2.0, 70 cents each in qty, a buck in singles) although i will rebuild used rims for rrb types (but absolutely not old junk for cheapskates).

swap out a cassette or f/w...5-10.

install chain...5. 10 if it requires chain tensioning, etc.

box bike for ups...49. box and ship...99-129.

build shipped bike...tune (79) plus 10 for sorting out he jumbled mess...89.

build new bike...tune (79) plus ten for unwrapping, minus ten for no cleaning...79!

bike boxes...free

air...free

squirt chain...free.

advice...free!

one of the things we do is offer free estimates. the bike is logged in and goes in a repair stand at a later time where we do an accurate estimate. any questionable bike gets this. no on the spot ballpark guesses with several additional calls later on! also if the bike is a total disaster (like a magna kids bike with 120 bucks worth of problems, trashed mtb, etc) you avoid any freaky confrontations with a defensive customer in a crowded store. it doesn't come off as a snobbery or an insult- it's simply a well documented business estimate. if the bike has sentimental value above and beyond it's actual value we're glad to do it- but we won't lose money doing it either.


well, maybe that's helpful, and maybe it ain't. good luck. :wink:

 

[snydur]

thanks! when i was thinking of prices even my numbers werent anywhere close to these. i guess i enjoy it to much :mrgreen: but ill have to get some more local prices as you said.

 

[NewOrleansFlyer]

Whatever your charge...guarantee your work and use good parts.

 

[Bendix]

thanks! when i was thinking of prices even my numbers werent anywhere close to these. i guess i enjoy it to much.....

don't shortchange yourself!

one thing that's funny (not funny 'ha ha') about the bike business is numbers that seem high to a bicycle shop employee aren't percieved as being that high by the majority of customers, who have much more disposable income....i sometimes have to remind coworkers that the folks dropping off their bikes for repair, generally speaking, are not low wage seasonal employees. they have 'real' jobs... :wink:

 

[B607]

Double the price if they're wearing spandex. Gary

 

[RAT Motorsports]

Double the price if they're wearing spandex. Gary

Half price if SHE is wearing spandex!

 

[TheHumongous]

Double the price if they're wearing spandex. Gary

Half price if SHE is wearing spandex!

FREE if she's wearing just the spandex bottoms... 8)

Charge whatever you feel is fair, just always take pride in your work and make sure you do it to the best of your ability. Some people will always complain/try to screw you over, that's just business. Do the best you can with the vast majority and it will always be rewarding. Good luck.

 

[glenn rich]

if your working at home you can charge less because you dont have the overhead a shop does

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I normally charge by the job and leave a little room for "Unexpected nightmares"
Wheel Repairs
True (If it is a decent rim) $10
True if a Walmart bike or rusty rim $Go elsewhere
Fix Flat $10 ($5 if they already have a tube)
Adjust Hub $10

Headset Repairs
Clean, re-grease, reassemble $15
New is same plus price of parts

Chains
Install chain $5 plus cost of parts
Clean and lube chain $10

Derailleurs
Tune, clean, adjust $25 Plus parts

Brakes
Adjust front or rear brakes $5
Install new brake system $15

Cassettes and Free Wheels
Clean cassette or free wheel $15

Cranks/Bottom Bracket
Clean install or re-build $15

Or I do complete tune-ups for $50 plus parts. (I keep a "used part pile" to keep cost down and sell used parts)

If wearing spandex add $50, If a RRB member labor is free just pay for parts. Kids I'll let them pick through my "free pile" for parts and I'll show them how to fix it but they do the work and it's free.

 

[yoothgeye]

Most of the people who come to me needing repairs are little people... errr... kids, not little people (thought that would be AWESOME). Sometimes they ask how much it's going to be and I just tell them it's free. If they hit me up too many times for a tube or tire I tell them they'll have to bring their own next time. I can think of 1 time I took $20, but they wouldn't not let me take it (true a wheel and other adjustments).

I've always hated how you can take your car to a quick lube place and then they give you a list of 20 things wrong with your car that they could fix, but I see it all the time on bikes. "Hey, can you adjust my rear brake?" after going over the bike I've adjusted the derailleurs, both brakes, seat, handbars, tightened the crank, put air in the tires, tightened the hubs, tightened the headset, and on the last bike tightened the wheel nuts that were only finger tight.

I tell people who say that I should start a shop that if I did that then I wouldn't enjoy it anymore. I'm not obligated to anyone except for myself right now.

 

[snydur]

haha, that's exactly what happens to me! i always help kids and call favors for teen's. but a grease or crank change always turns into a whole bike rebuild. actually in the middle of one right now, i was supposed to just put tubes, but now it all torn appart because i think it would look and work better with afew tweaks.

 

[clamdigger]

So a week or two ago I was reading the local bikes for sale CL and someone wanted to know how much anyone would charge him to assemble 2 new bikes ( some brand I never heard of ) that he just ordered online. I didn't bite, but if I were to get involved with an assemble/adjust part time gig, I would look into the benefits of joining a barter group.

 

[gcrank1]

Ive done a lot of stuff for free, but I give a 100% money back guarantee when I do!
Some work that is too much for a freebie for a bucks down dude Ive asked what he makes per hour at his job, and ask if that is what he is willing to pay me. Always has been. I should ask that of the high rollers too...
Be kind, gracious and fair, it will come back atcha.