Chapter 5
Help! When You Need Professional Assistance
In This Chapter
Knowing what to look for in a bike shop
Buying a bike at your local shop
Recognizing which repairs are better left to the experts
If you’re serious about making biking a part of your life, you’ll want to have people you can call for help when you need it. You’ll want someone you can trust to help you buy the right bike, fit it to your body style, and accessorize it as needed. You’ll want someone to turn to when it comes time to make complicated repairs. You’ll want help if you’re looking for a biking group or a new trail or you want to add some biking clothes to your wardrobe. In other words, you need a local bike shop.
Usually owned and operated by hard-working people whose zeal for biking is only matched by their desire to share it with others, local bike shops are some of the best resources you can find to support you with your biking needs. In this chapter, we discuss the bike-shop experience, including what you can expect to find when visiting one, what you should look for, and how to choose one that’s right for you. We also tell you how to get the most out of your bike shop, including using them to shop for a bike and to handle the most challenging repairs.
What to Look for in a Bike Shop
Bicycle shops can sometimes be intimidating — especially if you’re new to biking. You walk in and the store is crowded with bikes and bike parts. Bikes are hanging from the ceiling, accessories cover the walls, there may be bike videos playing and posters of bikers hanging on the wall. But the fact of the matter is: Most bicycle-store employees are bikers with a passion for biking who love to share their knowledge of and excitement for the sport.
Although most areas have several bicycle stores, they aren’t on every street corner. In fact, depending on where you live, there may be only a few in your area. Even so, you should visit each shop to get a feel for which store is right for you.
Talk with other bikers for recommendations for local stores and then visit a couple of stores to meet the staff and check out their product line. Knowing a bike shop staffed by people who understand your needs and are knowledgeable enough to help you with any issue will go a long way toward improving your overall biking experience.
Take the time to get to know the staff at the shop you like — they’ll be a great source of information, helping with everything from places to ride to how to find group rides. They can offer advice on the newest and coolest parts and accessories. And they can even give you advice if you want to do some of the adjustment and maintenance yourself.
In fact, a good bike-shop staff members will encourage you to do your own work. A bike shop shouldn’t be about making customers dependent on their services in order to get more business out of them. It should be empowering its customers so that when they have problems, the customers can handle it themselves.
Here are the main features you may want to look for in a bike shop:
Customer service: Most bicycle stores take a lot of pride in customer service, and strive to have the best customer service possible. Usually, when you first walk into a store you can feel what the level of customer service is going to be. If you’re greeted shortly after entering, if the staff members are easily identified with uniforms, if they have adequate hours, if the store is clean and well lit, and if there’s a good assortment of merchandise displayed in an inviting way, these are sure signs of a store that cares about its customers.
Year-round service: One of the best times to take advantage of the services of a bike shop is during the winter season. Instead of hanging your bike up for the winter hibernation, think about using this time to do annual maintenance and upgrades. The benefit is that, because most people aren’t riding as much, bicycle stores aren’t as busy and can spend more quality time with customers advising and servicing their bicycles. During peak season, the bicycle stores are sometimes backed up and you may not be able to get an appointment if you need one.
One benefit of year-round service is being ready for spring. Nothing is worse than sitting in your garage or basement on a beautiful spring day with grease on your hands working on your bicycle instead of being out on the road or trail — all because you haven’t worked on your bike during the winter.
Most bicycle stores will offer a limited-time warranty on the repair work they perform so make sure to ask the next time you visit.
Expertise: You want to find a bike shop with expert staff. Talk with the staff and get a feel for whether this job is just a part-time one for them to make some extra money or whether they do it for the love of biking. The best staff are those who exude a passion for biking and who love to share their excitement for bikes with others.
If an employee doesn’t have the experience or knowledge, he should be able to ask another employee for the answer. The bicycle industry has many different service classes for mechanics, and there should be at least one staff member with this kind of training. Of course, a mechanics class doesn’t replace years of experience working on bikes.
Women and family friendly: Some bike shops are staffed by hard-core male bikers who are interested in racing, top-end bikes, working on bikes, and other riders who share their interests. When it comes to the needs of women and families, most of these guys are pretty much clueless. Unless you fit that same description, look for a bike shop with a staff that includes a mix of men and women who can relate to women’s biking issues (such as clothing, riding interests, and how to fit a bike to the physiology of a women). If you have kids (or you think you might in the future), you also want a bike-shop staff who can assist families with their biking needs. Fitting bikes to children is as important as fitting them to adults. For example, a child’s saddle should be positioned so that he can place both feet flat on the ground. In addition, children should ride in a more upright position so that they can more easily keep their eyes on the road ahead.
You don’t have to worry about which brand of bike you have or which brands the store sells. Most bicycle stores will work on all models and brands.
Turnaround time: When you do have to take your bicycle into the bicycle store, remember you aren’t the only one who is desperate to have their bike ready to ride this weekend. Sometimes you can get your bicycle fixed while you wait, and other times you may have to leave your bike for a few days while they order that special part or repair the other bicycles brought in before yours.
Some bicycle stores allow you to make an appointment so if your bicycle is still rideable, you can continue putting on those miles until they’re ready to work on it.
The cost of doing business
Like any business, every bicycle store is in the business to make money. This doesn’t mean the owners and employees are driving around town in their Lamborghinis, wearing Rolex watches, or drinking Dom Perignon. Selling bicycles is a hard business to be successful at — it involves a high overhead, low profit margins, and a constant need for trained and educated staff. Plus, staying in tune with the bicycling industry and the evolving technology behind it is a constant challenge.
In most cases, you’ll find that employees and owners choose to work in the biking industry because they have a true love and passion for the sport. They enjoy working with and helping people discover and develop the same love and passion for biking.
For a bike-shop owner, it’s satisfying and rewarding to see a family out on the trail having some real quality time, knowing that they’ve outfitted them with bicycles and/or accessories. It’s equally rewarding to talk with the person who started as a recreational cyclist and is now addicted to biking and rides or commutes to work every day.
These are a few of the reasons that drive many of the people who work in your local bicycle stores. Keep this in mind the next time you’re shopping for that cool new bicycle part or accessory upgrade. They need to make a little profit so they can continue to pay the bills and be there the next time you need something.
Shopping at Y
our Bike Shop
The most significant benefit you’ll get from working with a bike shop is the obvious: They can help you buy the bike that’s right for you. Sure, you can use the Internet to find a bike, and save some money. But if you shop online, you’re missing what only a bike shop can provide: the personal touch and customer service. The hands-on, face-to-face service of a bike shop is invaluable when you’re searching for the right bike. Plus, the folks at your local bike shop can help with sizing and the assembly of your bike.
When you shop at your local bike shop, you’re building a relationship that will benefit you when you need additional support.
Buying a bike
Whether you buy a bike online or at a bike shop, it’ll need some initial adjustments and an inspection. The benefit of buying from a bike shop is that they can make these adjustments when you buy it.
Plus, when you buy a bike from a local bike store, they won’t just put the pedals, seat, and handlebars on your bicycle and send you off. They’ll disassemble your bicycle first. They’ll take many of the parts off and double-check and fine-tune them before assembling and checking everything and making the final adjustments.
When you arrive to pick up your bike, they’ll go over the bicycle with you, making sure it’s fitted and adjusted to your personal riding style and comfort. They’ll go over its function, show you how everything works, and give you riding tips.
After you’ve put some miles on your bike, the gear and brake cable will stretch and need adjustment, the spokes will settle into place and need truing, the bearings will loosen up and need adjustments — and all of this can be done for free by many shops. They know that this initial break-in period is the must critical time for the best performance and extended life of your bicycle, so they want to take care of it for you.
Use the Internet to research the bikes you’re interested in. Almost all manufacturers have very user-friendly Web sites that can help you when you walk into your local shop and start trying out different bikes.
Here are some of the major bicycle manufacturers and their Web addresses:
Cannondale: www.cannondale.com
Fuji: www.fujibikes.com
Gary Fisher: www.fisherbikes.com
Giant: www.giant-bicycles.com
Kona: www.konaworld.com
Raleigh: www.raleighusa.com
Schwinn: www.schwinnbike.com
Specialized: www.specialized.com
Trek: www.trekbikes.com
When you’re looking for a bike with the help of a bike shop, they’ll help you figure out which type of bike is most suited for your needs. There are many different types of bikes available, each with their own benefits:
Road bikes are built for smooth pavement riding and fast speeds. They’re lightweight for easier acceleration and top speeds. They have thin, higher pressure tires (for less rolling resistance) and dropped handlebars (to support a bent-over riding position for better aerodynamics).
Mountain bikes are built for riding on trails and rough terrain. They have higher-performance brakes for long and steep descents; thick, knobby tires for better traction in steep and/or loose terrain; and suspension for more control and comfort.
Hybrid bikes are all-purpose bikes that combine features of a road and mountain bike. They weigh more than road bikes but less than mountain bikes. Their tire circumference size compares to a road bike, and the tire width is wider than on a road bike and narrower than on a mountain bike. A hybrid bike gives you a little of the performance of a road bike and the comfort and durability of a mountain bike. They have flat handlebars for a comfortable upright riding position.
Touring bikes are built to carry heavier loads across long distances. They have mountings for bike racks to carry your gear, a wider frame (for stability), wheels with more spokes (to support the additional weight of gear and for greater durability on long, hard rides), and a greater range of gears for wide variety of elevation changes.
Cruiser bikes are designed for leisurely riding. They have very few (if any) gears. They’re built for an upright riding position, with a wide saddle. They have fat, soft tires for a super-comfortable ride. Some cruiser bikes have coaster brakes (in which you pedal backward to stop).
Recumbent bikes are designed for riders who want a reclined riding position. On a recumbent bike, you can’t stand to pedal up hills and stretch your legs on long rides; you’re limited to that one, reclined position for your entire ride. Recumbent bikes are good for riders with back problems. Some have coaster brakes (in which you pedal backward to stop).
Recumbent bikes are more difficult for drivers of cars to see than the other types of bikes are.
BMX bikes are built to ride off-road on a dirt track or to do tricks. They have small frames for quick handling, tricks, and jumping. They’re made of very durable components and have foot pegs or extensions off the frame for performing stunts.
Before you buy a bike, be sure to test-ride it — and test-ride a variety of other bikes, too. It’s hard to get a feel for a bike unless you compare it against other bikes. You can do all the research online, read all the bicycle magazines, talk with the staff at the bicycle store, talk with your neighborhood or office bicycle guru, but until you ride the bike, you won’t know for sure if it’s the right one for you.
You should always wear a helmet when riding a bike — and, easy as it is to overlook, this is especially true when you’re test-riding. You’re more likely to have an accident on a bike and in territory that you’re not familiar with.
When test-riding, find a location with enough space so that you can observe how the bike handles at lower and higher speeds. Riding the bike at different speeds will allow you try out a range of the gears. If you can, ride it uphill so that you can use the higher gears. Here’s some of what you should feel on your ride:
Shifting between gears should be smooth and almost effortless.
The bike should ride in a straight line and the wheels shouldn’t wobble.
The bike should be easy to handle and smooth in the turns.
The brakes should grip the wheel firmly and slow you down or stop you smoothly.
Your arms should comfortably reach the handlebars without being too bent or locked out.
You should be able to easily grip the shifters and brakes without having your wrists in an awkward position.
A test ride will also give you an idea of the quality of work and service the bicycle store will offer you after the initial purchase. Before they send you out on a test ride, the folks at the bike shop should:
Check all the nuts and bolts on the bicycle.
Make sure the brakes and gears work properly.
Check the tires for proper air pressure.
Set the seat and handlebar position for you.
Inform you of the proper gear and brake operations.
Give you ridings tips, such as what to look and feel for on your test ride.
Shopping for a used bike
For many people, buying a used bike is the way to go. Sometimes you can find a great deal when shopping for a used bike if you know where to look and what to look for.
Many times, you can find a newer used bike at a significant discount. You may come across someone who recently purchased a bike and, for whatever reason (she’s moving, he needs the money) — has to sell. A bike is just like a car in one way: The moment it’s sold for the first time, it depreciates in price. Buy a bike after that initial sale, and you could be getting a real steal.
Not all bike shops sell used bikes, but those that do will have usually inspected the bike and made any necessary repairs before selling them. So if your local bike shop sells used bikes, that’s a great place to start.
Beyond bike shops, you can shop at flea markets and garage sales; peruse the classifieds in the local paper; or check the Internet. Sites like eBay (www.ebay.com) and craigslist (www.craigslist.org) offer a wide variety of bikes. The advantage of craigslist is that you can shop in your town and likely take th
e bike for a test-ride before you buy.
You can tell a lot about a bike and how it was maintained just by looking at it. If there is rust and corrosion in the chains or cables, if the paint is worn and chipped, if the tires are starting to rot, this could be a sign that the bike was neglected and may not be worth the investment.
If you’re going to test-ride a used bike that isn’t being sold by a bike shop, be careful. The owner may not have maintained the bike and, in the worst-case scenario, something may come loose or fall off, causing you to crash. Before you ride, perform the pre-ride inspection from Chapter 16. In particular make sure that:
The brakes work.
There is no looseness in the handlebars or headset.
The pedals and cranks are secure and the bottom bracket is not loose or binding.
There are no bad links in the chain and the cog and chainring teeth are not worn.
The wheels are attached properly and there is air in the tires.
Assume that you’ll have to do some repairs or tune-ups on the bike, and evaluate the bike to diagnose just how much repair is needed. You can get a great deal if you’re willing to do some of the repair yourself, but don’t take on too much — the bike may not be worth it.
Check all bearing surfaces, the bottom bracket, the headset, the hubs, and the pedals. If these are in bad shape, an overhaul may not be sufficient and those parts may be shot.
Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies® Page 8