This Guy... good bike business?

[yoothgeye]

Maybe some of you have watched this guy's videos on Youtube, he calls himself BikemanforU, I just discovered him last week.

Anyway, I have had very little dealings with bike shops and bike mechanics, so when I watched this video of him wearing a GoPro camera and dealing with a new customer, I was really turned off. Maybe it's the guy's attitude, maybe his personality, I don't know. What do y'all think.

Also, how about his pricing, is this on point for bike shops? It could be that I'm from the south and this guy is from up north and I'm just not use to the way things might work up north?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8tEjuwdFQ

 

[user 135]

Turned off too.

Prices could be high. His Kenda Studded balloon tires are $60 shipped with 2 tires, 2 tubes. Amazon has a pair for $25-30 without tubes ($10) and shipping ($15)

 

[yoothgeye]

Just watched this one where he works on a Schwinn Breeze and says it's circa 1950s... in the video he says he likes old bikes, but then he just says crap about them the rest of the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmqb-QMyhYo

 

[CCR]

Ha, I've seen his stuff before and wasn't all that keen on the guy. Just has that used car salesman / wheeler dealer feel going on.

At first I'm thinking that guy is nuts on the prices, but when he starts rolling the bike to the repair rack it does look like theres a lot of corrosion and it's probably in worse shape than we can judge from the video, but still ... how much for cables and tires !?! and your charging him for a complete overhaul ??? My lbs could probably cut that price in half any day of the week.

Makes me want to start making my own videos :lol:

 

[yoothgeye]

I can't stomach to watch too many of his videos as once, I'm afraid he's going to sell me some spray on hair or something, but he keeps going back to that adjustable wrench and by some of his bicycle terminology I'm wondering how much formal training he has.

Is formal training necessary for a bicycle mechanic? Not necessarily, but I always feel like that's what separates me from guys working in bike shops.

 

[JJBones]

HaHa.Watched him last week.He was installing a bottom bracket converter.Total gong show but it was pretty humorous.Got a kick out of his cameraman dad's comments.Sounds like they sparked one up behind the shed before rolling the camera.

 

[aka_locojoe]

I found him a while back and have been watching. I find his videos entertaining in a hokey way.

 

[ndaway]

I found him about a year ago.I think he is funny. I have yet to learn anything tho :lol:

 

[yoothgeye]

Maybe if he had a haircut I could deal with him. :mrgreen:

 

[Vintagebikelover24]

I didn't find him to be a jerk at all but his prices I believe are ridiculous!

 

[mitchelangelo]

guess I am too Southern to like this guy also. His pricing and attitude make me glad I can repair my own! 8)

 

[XC204]

Hillbilly !! No matter where he's from!

 

[yoothgeye]

Maybe if you met him in person you might "get him" better.

 

[mikeeebikey]

Hillbilly !! No matter where he's from!

Folks from "Hillsdale, Mi.," wouldn't talke kindly to you running their kind down!!! (Yes it's true, "Hillbilly was first used to refer to poor Irish potato farmers in the area back at the turn of the century)
I am a yankee by birth, southern military raised, live like a hippy, and i find him to be as think as stoned as he is, or was. The guy is just "out of touch," a little socialy inept, but none of us would buy his bikes.
I sold hundreds of bikes over the years, some sales I earned, most fell into my lap, I have this feeling all his fall in his lap.

 

[mikesbikes36]

whatever he "is" ...looks like he has a pretty goog thing goin on !!! who on this board has 2 or 3 employes?? he must be doin something rite!!!
who cares if he is a burner or use to be ...or kinda hippy lookin,dosent make him any worse in my eyes ..seems like his prices may b a little "high" but he has overhead.
anyway just rambl'in :mrgreen:

 

[That0neGuy]

That hurt to watch the video the OP linked, I wanted to say soo much .... :shock:

 

[CRASH]

I haven't watched the guy, but I watched the linked video. That Mongoose is a mess from a bike shop's perspective. You have to remember labor = time. And while any of us would just throw that chain in solvent and clean it up, it's quicker, and probably better for the lamen customer to have a new one. Wheel truing isn't a big deal to me, but in a shop you have to get it perfect because they are paying for it to be perfect and your name is literally riding on that wheel. The tires are a safety issue so he HAS to recommend them, same thing with the pedals, etc etc.

Yes his prices seemed excessive, but at today's labor cost, if that customer is hell bent on really fixing that old thing up, then he's going to pay for it. When I worked in a shop if I had a bike that bad I would explain to them the reality of life, and then I would sell them a new bike. I mean, if he's going to spend almost $200 to fix up that old worn thing, why not spend another $100 and get this brand new one. Yeah, it's "used car salesmanship", but you have to meet the customer where the customer is at. I personally didn't try to take advantage of them, but I can't do the work for free either.

 

[bits n pieces]

The guy dont even know how to properly seat a tire as seen on his 19circa 50s schwinn breeze video. And he charged $90 to not install the tires right. Sure the rim was a little beat up but you can still seat the tire right. I would feel extremly unsatisfied if i ripped someone off like that around here. (around here, it may be the last thing you ever do too. )

He charged the guy for a tune up-Then charged him $40 for $2 worth of cables . Tune ups include adjusting the cables and shifters last time i checked.
I wonder if he even cleans and regreases, or replaces the bearings in the whole bike or is he a wd40 mechanic? The way he talks about the pedals, id say hes a wd40 mechanic. (spray some wd40 on there and its good as new!!!)

I sell fully reconditioned breezes with new cables, housing, bearings and tires for $150 average. I even rebuild the 3 speed hubs!
Tires cost me less than $25 a set . Id feel bad charging someone $20 just to change 2 tires. I usually charge $10-$15 depending if i have to clean old rubber from the rims.

He seems like hes a knower of all, master of none to me personally. But then again, i may be too. He may have hired employees to do the actual work. If you notice he messes with simple stuff like tires while his employee is working on index shifting bikes.

How much could that guys mongoose bike have been new? $179? $219?

Here what i charge to fix a bike like that.

New chain $12
New tires $25
New cables. all 4 $4
New cable housing $5
New bearings for crank $4
New bearings for headset$4
My complete tune up, clean and rebuild bike $55.
Turn around time less than 4 hours if everything comes loose fairly easy.
I also have 3 "employees" i pay just to disassemble and clean.They work when i need them.
I do all repair work myself however because i trust my work and know what i do. If anyones to blame for a loose bolt. i cant point fingers.
I also warranty my labor for 30 days.

 

[yoothgeye]

You need to move to my town and reopen the bike shop!