This channel is a refreshing take. I was tired of watching TH-camrs on other bike channels standing in front of a $15k bicycle and acting like they can relate to the average person.
I live in Canada and the LBS I work at charges $90(wipe down, gear & brake adj, lube chain, safety check, inflate, test and dbl checked), $140, and $190(just about everything) for tune ups. Your prices seem more than fair and free tubes! No one does that. You've earned your stripes man. Don't let these fools tell you different. The head mechanic I work with watches your channel. That tells me all I need to know
😏 LOL, its crazy but parts and labor and getting close to the same of a motorcycle or car, but I guess any shop has a large overhead no matter what they are fixing
@@MrSamadolfo So what you're saying there is you'd expect the same price to get a motorcycle or car, that has been neglected for years, as a bicycle, back on the road?
@@MrSamadolfo well I payed 15 times the price he was asking for to get the cylinder head gasket fixed. I never - really never - spend that amount on a bike to get fixed! And the spare parts were only 0.5 % of the total costs. So even if the bike mechanic is as expensive as the car mechanic, fixing a bike is always cheaper. Always! 😊
Two phrases I love from this video: “Reanimation project” and “Start fixing bikes, y’moron!” Your $100 tune-ups are a bargain; the experience and skills you provide are more valuable than the prices you’re charging. Thanks for making these videos, they’re icing on the cake. Happy Trails!😁❤
Goodness, gracious!!! I can’t believe people argue that you charge too much. I have to drive 100 miles just to get to a bike shop, and get charged more than what you charge for a tune up.
Really enjoy your channel Andy! Funny , people complain about what you charge, but don’t mention a thing about the 20 hours a week you put into your channel where you teach 1000’s of people how to care for their bikes , and all this education is basically free to those that watch !! Thanks for all you do !!
$100 is a fair price for a tune up. My LBS charges $110. I "rescued" my brother's bike which had been left outside for months completely exposed to the elements. Needed a new chain as it was completely rusted, new cables, and the rear tire needed a new tube and tire because the bead was coming undone and started poking into the tube. I spent a little over $200. It was a surprise birthday gift I did while he was out of town for a week and it was too big of a project for a beginner like me, plus I didn't just have much free time to do anything. I also got him a waterproof cover and demanded he use it if he was going to leave it outside again, and ride it more often or I'll "confiscate" it if I felt that poor bike was being neglected lol. I appreciate your videos and am learning how to do the smaller bike repairs myself, and becoming more confident that I won't break something on my bikes.
As far as haters it’s TH-cam. Many people just hate on because they can hide behind their TH-cam “handle”. I ran my construction business for 40 years. When you said $100 for a bike tune up my brain started to work. Ok $100 what does this guy live on. $100 minus tax’s, shop up keep, business ins, van ins, bookkeeper expenses, CPA expenses Etc. let them hate an just keep providing your local service. You’re efficient and knowledgeable in your business and you CARE about your customer! And FREE tubes……h that’s to expensive. Block the haters.
The issue is, very few people understand how economics actually works. If you are selling as many tune ups as you want, your prices are on point or perhaps a little low. It is hard not to let them get to you, and it seems to a brainy guy like me that there is a stage that establishing social media personalities go through where it really starts to bother them. You're fantastic, I learn something in every video. Try to not let this change you because we love you just how you are, that's why we're watching.
I live in rural NM and drive an hour to my bike shop. I'm also charged $100 and I think that's very reasonable, because, as you say, I don't want to do it myself! I take it in twice a year, and I gladly pay it. I think you're more than fair. Those people are rude and unrealistic.
I'm the same way. The only thing I really do is clean the chain and put fresh oil in it. My chain oil of choice is Bel Ray brand chain oil. It's actually meant for motorcycles. I figure if it can hold up on a motorcycle chain that's far more demanding, then it's good enough for my bicycles.
I'm just happy to see the word hybrid used again. I took a 10ish year hiatus from the bike world (having kids, buying a house, RA diagnosis, life in general...) and have recently discovered the insane amount of change. Dropper posts, gravel bikes (I would have called these hybrids without knowing the nomenclature update) etc
I've had a bicycle shop for 19 years. The envy never stops. I love it but there are always challenges especially when Walmart sells disposable bicycles. I would just go about my business and not empower these unhappy people ruin your day. I have my work stand right in front and sometimes customers want to see me or the other mechanic work we allow it for a few minutes bit then they have to let us work. Transparency is key n avid cyclist appreciates a great mechanic.
I took a classic Motobecane Grand Jubile that had been a garage queen to a Milwaukee chain shop & asked them to recondition it. Long story short, they charged me a lot & didn't do much of what I paid them for, and what they did was incompetently done. Was my entry into the hobby of DIY. Enabled me to buy a variety of good but older bikes for cheap & fix them, and try them out & see what I liked & what fit.
Others think they know everything. In every field. I've only got one shop near me. I honestly don't know what they charge; I do my own work. On that, keep being true to you. If I lived in Wisconsin, I'd have you do things for me. I respect your honesty.
You will always have those who don't understand economics and the cost of your time, shop overhead, and parts to just name a few. I love your trick for cleaning cables. I have been using that method ever since you showed it to me on your videos. Good job!
You should totally create a playlist or compilation called “spoke rants”. I enjoy the rants while you’re doing wheel work 😂. Keep up the great content, Andy!
Ignore the complainers. You are offering a service a bike owner does not or cannot do themselves. Aint nothing free in this life. Your charges are ok. Watching your channel from Manchester, England. You have inspired me to flip my own bike and invest in tools and learn how to look after mine. Eventually going to buy all the parts and do my own bike build. Excellent channel !!!!!!
You charge for your knowledge. I have worked on cars my whole life and I am a DIY guy recently in the last 4 or 5 years started cycle regular and didn't really do much maintenance on my bike at first now that I have had to start working on them realized bikes can be finicky to get everything tuned right and you need special tools for every bike depending on year and model. I think you are being totally fair on price, most people complaining probably haven't tried doing this themselves it looks easy but takes time and tools, not to mention all the different drive train and brake types.
The repetition I find in your videos has been a great course of instruction for me. Even though you're just polishing bikes! 😀 This migh surprise you Andy, but I'm just a regular guy who likes bikes. Love your work. All the best. Cheers from Virginia.
I think $100 is very good value for a tuneup. You must learn to ignore the negative comments mate. They probably got bad lives and just full of hate. I love your channel, very informative and actually helps me to chill. By the way, I'm a car mechanic and admire your skill. Please keep doing it for us who enjoy watching.. There's way more of us.
15 or so years ago, i almost bought an existing bike shop. Spent years managing shops before that. Most idiots dont know the time and dedication needed to open your own business. Great vids. Keep at it.
I've never seen a rack with built-in pump prongs--that's nifty! And I might have to bookmark the timestamp for your explanation about liability insurance and crappy e-bikes so I can show it to customers who ask why we don't work on e-bikes.
And I guarantee you I've watched you enough to know you're extremely efficient at what you do that's why you make good money on it that takes a ton of practice
One official store by me that's an authorized dealer lets me just hang in the repair shop and lets me ask questions and I watch the mechanic work on bikes. He doesn't mind the least. I learn a lot from him. Plus I support his store. I never believed in buying a bicycle from a name brand store like Walmart or Target. I'd usually just look at what they have and I literally gloat in the fact my (used) Cannondale I purchased at an actual bike shop is still a far better quality than anything they sell. And those people who sets up the bicycles is actually comparable to having someone watch a TH-cam video dealing with replacing the circuit breaker box in your house and actually being stupid enough to trust him.
Got my commuter bike for 10 years, exposed to all weather conditions while it's on the road daily. Looks almost like new and rides better than new. The only neglect I did once was not cleaning it after riding in the winter through road salt. Chain got brown oxidized within just three or four days... learned my lesson!
Must say , the content is really entertaining and educational , Having worked with tools in the past , I get great satisfaction watching a person work with their hands and things flow freely , it’s so misleading to see someone work that make it look very easy , but the dexterity is sooo much harder to attain than we think , it takes years of practice .👍
Idk how people can be so rude! I personally think your videos are absolutely awesome and you seem like such a great person! I work on my own bikes but i love what you do for you biking community! Keep it up! Screw all the haters. There obviously super jealous that you make as much if not more money than them and they went to 6 years of college and so on haha. Looks like your the smart one. They say work smarter not harder! Well boom! There ya goooo! I hope you have a amazing weekend and keep the videos coming! My favorite part of the day is watching your videos!!
If I lived closer, I would bring my bike to you....thinking of making a road trip up there anyway. I will always pay for quality and you seem to do and provide quality and a very reasonable price. Keep up with the videos.
That's a very sensible bike, and in amazing condition considering its being so laid-up. Logic says to flip over the '$100 is too much for a tune-up' mantra. That bike is well worth the time and charge for it. I'm also 'old-school', but for the needs of many, that bike is a very good choice. I have one niggle that's not been addressed, however. And unlike many, I still think 'dork discs' are incredibly sensible and needed insurance. That one is off-center, and would drive me crazy. It looks like a 'hook on the spoke' type, and very easily centered. I'm impressed with that machine. A good one to work on, and a good one to ride for most.
I enjoy your videos and the pro tips I get from watching you work is the icing on the cake. To anyone who criticizes your shop costs for work performed I only remind them that everyone's time is worth something, no matter what work they do.
I’m a bike mechanic charge $35 tuneup in Canada however people still tend to cheep out on me, it really makes me 😡 thanks bro I learned a lot from you to block negative energy away from my company 💯🥂
Your pricing is spot on for my area. You earn the money for the experience you have gained over time. We pay for that experience and knowledge. For those feeling like it’s a rip off learn to fix them yourself.
The more people ride, the more the perceived value of a tune-up. Some local bike shops started group rides and events (some shops have a coffee bar). For non-fancy bikes I think ergonomics and to learn the basic knowledge of gearing and cadence is the key to make people ride way more and happily buy more (service, bikes, parts). But I also understand depending on the region and people it may be tilting at windmills.
I love your channel! It reminds me of the channel called wristwatch revival… This guy‘s repairs old wrist watches… I will never repair a wrist watch, but I love to watch others do it! Also, it calms me down a lot. You got a great voice too. Would love to see some stuff about electric bikes, please
Great video.Ive gotten a lot of tips from watching your videos. I love bringing bikes back to life and selling them 😊. I like your attitude , and the fact you talk about taking care of yourself.. And you’re conscientious about what you eat and drink.😊
I've had my Holdsworth pro tour since 1984. I'd been riding it sporadically for the past 25 years. Finally had to replace the tires (27x1 IRC Triathlons) when the frayed sidewall cords got too scary. I used the opportunity to clean everything and make it purr again. It's built with all kinds of obsolete components (ultra-6 freewheel and chain, bar-con shifters, etc.). I'm not going to upgrade or replace anything if it isn't irreparably broken. Now that it's beautiful again, I get lots of double-takes from people who appreciate the 70's - early 80's aesthetic .
I just went to the website for the local Trek dealer, where I got my bike, and checked prices for their tune ups. For $$99.99, they align and adjust brakes, tune and adjust shifting and torque all fasteners. For $189.99 the do all the previous stuff as well as, deep clean drive train, lateral and vertical wheel true, inspect bottom bracket and clean and polish the bike. Based on these prices, I think your prices are reasonable.
I am going to tune my friend's rusty MTBike as my test subject. Thanks for the process: clean, lube, adjust. It makes sense, and your videos are therapeutic.
It's the same argument for the plumber. I work in one of those big hardware stores (guy who started this one is north of you) and we get people who, once I explain to them what they need to do to fix some problem right the first time, mumble they thought whatever project they were doing would be easy. My response is, now you know why plumbers and tradesmen won't work for less than they do. You wouldn't either. It takes time to learn how to be efficiently fast. It takes experience to look at a thing and be relatively sure (if not positive) what the problem is and what it'll take to fix it. Experience takes time and time costs something. In a perfect world a person earns the right to be paid market value. As an aside, I remember when WI didn't have a law to carry car insurance. Back then prices were way lower because insurance companies had to entice customers with rates and plans those customers could afford. But it's like anything. You wear a seatbelt; you think you're safer. You wear a bicycle helmet covering less than 3% of your body; you think you're safer. (Nominally, yes. But if the people in cars see that helmet, do they believe they can now pass much closer to you because you're "safe"?) Have we gotten to the place where a bicycle helmet provides us more coverage than our insurance policies? Pardone de Rante Harv
🙂 Nice Cannondale bike, i had a Cannondale way back in 2008, I now have a Gary Fischer Hybrid model thats shaped very similar to this Hybrid except that the colors are mostly Red with some Silver. As for storage its not only Bicycles but alot of Motorcycles get stored and forgotten about as well tho its a bit more work to get them running when its a Motorcycle, as far as Wisconsin i went for Labor Day the closing weekend The Bristol Renessance Fair, it was a merry ole time, thanks for the video an be good 👊😎🚲🏍
Full confirm for your remarks on 10sp gearing, along the mentioned derailleur and hanger alignment issues. Like the intelligent rants too. Great wording. Learned nothing along the video for knowing already. Soft spot for Cannondales - though really looking mainstream nowadays. Watched to the end 'cos I usually do. Happy trails
Already subscribed, but I liked it, watched it to the end, and learned a few new things. Thanks so much for your videos, they are a pleasure to watch and I'm glad you're able to ignore those negative comments. $100 for all that is a steel in my neck of the woods, and I'm happy you're out there for the people in your neck of the woods
I've been in the auto repair business my whole life, working on bikes is fun to me. You charge whatever you can to do what you do. BTW, I love ebikes, I work on them all the time. I bought a couple that were wrecked by hurricane Ian. I wanted to flip them, but I just can't. They're like my children. Anyway, business is business. F***k the haters.
I watched "The Missouri Breaks" film for about the 15th time the other night and you won't believe the phrase that I heard for the first time outside this channel...."Slicker than snot on a doorknob". There it is.
Thanks for motivating me to take on some bike projects. First up, a K2 t'niner for my daughter. Then a rebuild of a Trek Mountain Track 820. Gonna need a place to work on them though....
B screw adjustment can make an enormous difference. The guide pulley should be quite close to the sprockets (5-6mm). This completely fixed my shifting when it seemed like it was impossible to dial
I'm a residential carpenter, so I've been in a lot of peoples basements and garages. Almost everyone (around where I live anyway) has at least one bike in there and almost none of them get ridden.
I see more bikes now that our economy is shit, people simply can't afford to drive much if at all, personally at age 32 i have yet to get my driver's license, there isn't anything i can't do with my bike, i can haul just about anything with my custom trailers, the health benefits are unrivaled too.
I've maintained all my road bikes for the last 30 years. That includes frame builds & component upgrades. I wouldn't feel great about $100 for all the comprehensive work you did for this customer. You're a deal Bikefarmer.
I'd happily pay $100. You find safety issues and address them, saving me problems. It is just easier to pay a good bike mechanic to do the work. I still do some of my own stuff, but I own a dozen bikes.
One of the main reasons i like your channel is your unapologetic honesty and full disclosure on what you are doing. I also love bikes and enjoy your personality and screen charisma.
I recently picked up a 1970s era Panasonic 10 speed road bike. I swear, it was in showroom condition. No scratches, no chipped paint, no rust. I got it for $75.00 off Facebook Market. Even the saddle is in perfect condition. I actually like it better than my Cannondale. I just have to remember never to use Armor All on both bike saddles - lol!
A lot of times when the hanger seems bent it's really the derailleur cage, and just a gentle bend by hand is enough to fix the shifting. I sometimes have trouble with the o rings on the hanger tool, so I use a Sharpie marker instead.
Don’t worry about those other people. If you’re happy and successful and feel fulfilled, live it! I’m sure those negative comments sit with you. Don’t let it!
"Reanimation"! We called it a Resurrection Service and included all labor needed for bringing it back including chain, cable, bottom bracket, shifter, tire, tube, grips, bar tape, etc. replacement . Generally $149+ parts (regular $199+parts). At the NC Inner banks we had a lot of bikes that sat up for years in garages or sheds. It was good money and customers liked it.
Love the videos mate quality work. I think you operate just as a bike mech should. Keep calling out the haters. This internet world is full of people who know nothing but think they know it all. We need to call them out!
I started bike repair as a little hustle but now I'm flooding with orders, why is that? Because unlike the high end shops that mainly focuses on selling insanely expensive ebikes i focus on repairs on a wide range of common bikes for the average man, i also salvage and sell used bikes for a little penny, i could easily live doing this. The big shops are missing out on a big chunk of the market by turning down anything that isn't high end in their eyes, so currently I'm the only one in town who fill that void so people come to me for services. Now that our economy is collapsing, some people cannot afford to drive anymore so the bicycle is booming, but these people aren't looking for the latest whatever, they just need something that's practical and reliable, i got a huge stock of good used parts and some new, this keeps the prices more reasonable, and because many of these used old bikes are simple they're quicker and easier to fix so that keeps the labor costs down, i can get a bike out the door sometimes in less than 15 minutes, and the customers are happy. Furthermore, meanwhile the big name chains are struggling now, they're not moving inventory, their whole concept is built around selling bikes but not servicing them, this is now biting them in the ass, even worse, many of these chains here sell mostly really expensive bikes so many are priced out, these bikes are also much more difficult to repair, get parts for and the cost of parts are skyhigh. My grandfather once said to me, being a highly successful businessman, keep things simple and attainable by the common man and you cannot fail.
@@johndef5075not collapsing, but the foundations are unstable: a model of constant growth on a finite planet; an uncontrolled pandemic gradually degrading the health of the workforce; runaway climate change. A paradigm shift is needed soon if it's not to collapse.
I did my bike mechanic cycle course ran by our local council. Cycles get took to local council tips. And those bikes brought to our workshop and made up bikes to sell on. Adult bikes sold for 30 english pounds and kids bike 15 english pounds.a lot of low income familys bought the bikes kidsbikes as Xmas presents the kids faces were priceless. Unfortunately it's a throw away society more older cycles need to be brought back to life cost of new bikes are beyond the working man. All the best😊 john from across the pond.
I have an external cable aluminum Schwinn road bike, an interior cable carbon road bike, (both fully mechanical), and a Litespeed Ti road bike with hydraulic brakes and electric shifting. I love the ease of maintenance of the Schwinn. I love the clean look of the carbon. I have a Litespeed for sale.
Hey Bikefarmer! I do all my maintenance on our family’s bikes. I need to work on my wife’s Shimano Alfine hub that’s on her e-bike. There’s a lot of maintenance that I’ve been neglecting, apparently. If you run across one of these or any internal shift hub I think they are a mystery to many people including myself, an explainer/maintenance video might be fun.
12:32 Hi, I live in Germany and I asked for a tune up around here because my bike have a Shimano Alfine 8 hub gear and I wanted it serviced by the shop that sold it to me years ago, I was expecting a full grease repack of the gears but all they did was change some disk brake pads and that was it, they didn't even cleaned the bike, the chain was as filthy as I delivered... and they charged me 160 euros for that... I felt ripped off... so I'm learning to do all myself, the amount of effort you put on your tune ups... 100 dollars sounds like a bargain to me.
A mechanic at the LBS I go to always told me, got a problem TriFlow, squeaking TriFlow, stuck TriFlow. Well you get the idea. I always have TriFlow at home.
I’ve been enjoying your videos. It’s relaxing to watch you breathe new life into bikes. I’m curious what bike stand you are using? Do you always use furniture polish on frames? Tried anything else?
Fixing bikes is not easy, at least not easy to do it properly and safely. I appreciate your skill, i see all your little techniques. The average person has no idea about.
Great tune-up video! I enjoy watching the ones where you encounter weird problems - those are the ones where your knowledge and skills are clearly demonstrated. I've had similar shifting issues on some road bikes that I've worked on (Shimano 11-spd). Those problems often come down to bent hangers or lubrication. However, sometimes the cause can be something as silly as cassette lockring that isn't quite torqued up to 40 Nm, or a slightly bent rear axle. Basically, anything that interferes with the chain hitting a shift ramp at precisely the right time with the right force will cause some shifts to be dirty while others are nice and snappy. Like you said, Shimano drivetrains can be very tricky to set up - everything has to be damn-near perfectly aligned and lubricated for it to work flawlessly. And sometimes, you just have to call it "good enough".
Your prices are way cheaper than my town. I live in California (not in a big city) where riding is massive and tons of people do it year round. The bike shops here charge accordingly lol they all charge whatever they want and get paid really well for their skills. I’d consider opening a shop if rent wasn’t approximately $2trillion/month here. Loving watching your videos!
Nice work. I thought internal housing came about on mountain bikes to keep cables catching on roots and sticks. My old 80-90s MTBs with the routing of bare cable under the bottom bracket constantly were snagged by grass and sagebrush. The later evolution to a cable loom on the top tube changed it up. I have two 90s MTBs in my fleet and they are Alfine 8 and single speed, for street and pathways in winter, so little issue.
This channel is a refreshing take. I was tired of watching TH-camrs on other bike channels standing in front of a $15k bicycle and acting like they can relate to the average person.
I live in Canada and the LBS I work at charges $90(wipe down, gear & brake adj, lube chain, safety check, inflate, test and dbl checked), $140, and $190(just about everything) for tune ups. Your prices seem more than fair and free tubes! No one does that. You've earned your stripes man. Don't let these fools tell you different. The head mechanic I work with watches your channel. That tells me all I need to know
That's similar to what LBSs here in central Indiana charge.
😏 LOL, its crazy but parts and labor and getting close to the same of a motorcycle or car, but I guess any shop has a large overhead no matter what they are fixing
@@MrSamadolfo So what you're saying there is you'd expect the same price to get a motorcycle or car, that has been neglected for years, as a bicycle, back on the road?
There's alot of people who want something for nothing $.
@@MrSamadolfo well I payed 15 times the price he was asking for to get the cylinder head gasket fixed. I never - really never - spend that amount on a bike to get fixed! And the spare parts were only 0.5 % of the total costs. So even if the bike mechanic is as expensive as the car mechanic, fixing a bike is always cheaper. Always! 😊
Two phrases I love from this video:
“Reanimation project” and “Start fixing bikes, y’moron!”
Your $100 tune-ups are a bargain; the experience and skills you provide are more valuable than the prices you’re charging. Thanks for making these videos, they’re icing on the cake. Happy Trails!😁❤
I'll add another one:
"I never do it. I KNOW I should, but I don't! I don't know why..."
Story of my life...^^
Goodness, gracious!!!
I can’t believe people argue that you charge too much. I have to drive 100 miles just to get to a bike shop, and get charged more than what you charge for a tune up.
Yea, my LBS charges more than he does for a tune-up.
Where I am, San Francisco, getting your wheels trued is more than that.
I usually go to a shop that's an official reseller of the brand I own. I know he'll have the correct parts every time.
@@stanlee-eq7lu what parts on your bike are unique to that brand?
Really enjoy your channel Andy! Funny , people complain about what you charge, but don’t mention a thing about the 20 hours a week you put into your channel where you teach 1000’s of people how to care for their bikes , and all this education is basically free to those that watch !! Thanks for all you do !!
$100 is a fair price for a tune up. My LBS charges $110. I "rescued" my brother's bike which had been left outside for months completely exposed to the elements. Needed a new chain as it was completely rusted, new cables, and the rear tire needed a new tube and tire because the bead was coming undone and started poking into the tube. I spent a little over $200. It was a surprise birthday gift I did while he was out of town for a week and it was too big of a project for a beginner like me, plus I didn't just have much free time to do anything. I also got him a waterproof cover and demanded he use it if he was going to leave it outside again, and ride it more often or I'll "confiscate" it if I felt that poor bike was being neglected lol.
I appreciate your videos and am learning how to do the smaller bike repairs myself, and becoming more confident that I won't break something on my bikes.
As far as haters it’s TH-cam. Many people just hate on because they can hide behind their TH-cam “handle”. I ran my construction business for 40 years. When you said $100 for a bike tune up my brain started to work. Ok $100 what does this guy live on. $100 minus tax’s, shop up keep, business ins, van ins, bookkeeper expenses, CPA expenses Etc. let them hate an just keep providing your local service. You’re efficient and knowledgeable in your business and you CARE about your customer! And FREE tubes……h that’s to expensive. Block the haters.
Amen! ❤
Good bike mechanics aren’t expensive, they’re priceless!
I love this guy!
Dishonest? No. If anything a bit too honest! Love the candour and the practical advice. Keep going man.
Exactly. The people that call me a liar and a con are just telling on themselves for being just that.
$100 seems more than reasonable. It’s not just your time, it’s your expertise. Top content!
I so very very f*****g much... so very much, appreciate that honesty about doing a job and getting paid even though you love the work.
Thank you!
The issue is, very few people understand how economics actually works. If you are selling as many tune ups as you want, your prices are on point or perhaps a little low. It is hard not to let them get to you, and it seems to a brainy guy like me that there is a stage that establishing social media personalities go through where it really starts to bother them. You're fantastic, I learn something in every video. Try to not let this change you because we love you just how you are, that's why we're watching.
I live in rural NM and drive an hour to my bike shop. I'm also charged $100 and I think that's very reasonable, because, as you say, I don't want to do it myself! I take it in twice a year, and I gladly pay it. I think you're more than fair. Those people are rude and unrealistic.
I'm the same way. The only thing I really do is clean the chain and put fresh oil in it. My chain oil of choice is Bel Ray brand chain oil. It's actually meant for motorcycles. I figure if it can hold up on a motorcycle chain that's far more demanding, then it's good enough for my bicycles.
I'm just happy to see the word hybrid used again. I took a 10ish year hiatus from the bike world (having kids, buying a house, RA diagnosis, life in general...) and have recently discovered the insane amount of change. Dropper posts, gravel bikes (I would have called these hybrids without knowing the nomenclature update) etc
I've had a bicycle shop for 19 years. The envy never stops. I love it but there are always challenges especially when Walmart sells disposable bicycles. I would just go about my business and not empower these unhappy people ruin your day. I have my work stand right in front and sometimes customers want to see me or the other mechanic work we allow it for a few minutes bit then they have to let us work. Transparency is key n avid cyclist appreciates a great mechanic.
I took a classic Motobecane Grand Jubile that had been a garage queen to a Milwaukee chain shop & asked them to recondition it. Long story short, they charged me a lot & didn't do much of what I paid them for, and what they did was incompetently done. Was my entry into the hobby of DIY. Enabled me to buy a variety of good but older bikes for cheap & fix them, and try them out & see what I liked & what fit.
Easy for me to say, but I would try to not let the comments get to you. You know you're doing the right thing by your customers and yourself.
Others think they know everything. In every field. I've only got one shop near me. I honestly don't know what they charge; I do my own work. On that, keep being true to you. If I lived in Wisconsin, I'd have you do things for me. I respect your honesty.
You will always have those who don't understand economics and the cost of your time, shop overhead, and parts to just name a few. I love your trick for cleaning cables. I have been using that method ever since you showed it to me on your videos. Good job!
You should totally create a playlist or compilation called “spoke rants”. I enjoy the rants while you’re doing wheel work 😂. Keep up the great content, Andy!
Ignore the complainers. You are offering a service a bike owner does not or cannot do themselves. Aint nothing free in this life. Your charges are ok. Watching your channel from Manchester, England. You have inspired me to flip my own bike and invest in tools and learn how to look after mine. Eventually going to buy all the parts and do my own bike build. Excellent channel !!!!!!
Another great example from the BikeFarmer. Thanx for all the entertainment & knowledge you offer!!!
You're the Bob Ross of bikes! Love it!
Keep that good shit up man, you keep prices where you want, people will seek out quality hard work regardless of price. RIP Bike Doctor
You charge for your knowledge. I have worked on cars my whole life and I am a DIY guy recently in the last 4 or 5 years started cycle regular and didn't really do much maintenance on my bike at first now that I have had to start working on them realized bikes can be finicky to get everything tuned right and you need special tools for every bike depending on year and model. I think you are being totally fair on price, most people complaining probably haven't tried doing this themselves it looks easy but takes time and tools, not to mention all the different drive train and brake types.
The repetition I find in your videos has been a great course of instruction for me. Even though you're just polishing bikes! 😀 This migh surprise you Andy, but I'm just a regular guy who likes bikes. Love your work. All the best. Cheers from Virginia.
I love that Wipin’ as we go song 🎶 😊. I was singing it yesterday when I fixed my sons bike.
Watching bike videos like yours is my therapy so yeah you should get paid accordingly
I think $100 is very good value for a tuneup. You must learn to ignore the negative comments mate. They probably got bad lives and just full of hate. I love your channel, very informative and actually helps me to chill. By the way, I'm a car mechanic and admire your skill. Please keep doing it for us who enjoy watching.. There's way more of us.
15 or so years ago, i almost bought an existing bike shop. Spent years managing shops before that. Most idiots dont know the time and dedication needed to open your own business. Great vids. Keep at it.
I've never seen a rack with built-in pump prongs--that's nifty! And I might have to bookmark the timestamp for your explanation about liability insurance and crappy e-bikes so I can show it to customers who ask why we don't work on e-bikes.
And I guarantee you I've watched you enough to know you're extremely efficient at what you do that's why you make good money on it that takes a ton of practice
Haters are gonna hate, they don't know what it costs you to run your shop. Carry-on Sir.
One official store by me that's an authorized dealer lets me just hang in the repair shop and lets me ask questions and I watch the mechanic work on bikes. He doesn't mind the least. I learn a lot from him. Plus I support his store. I never believed in buying a bicycle from a name brand store like Walmart or Target. I'd usually just look at what they have and I literally gloat in the fact my (used) Cannondale I purchased at an actual bike shop is still a far better quality than anything they sell. And those people who sets up the bicycles is actually comparable to having someone watch a TH-cam video dealing with replacing the circuit breaker box in your house and actually being stupid enough to trust him.
Thanks so much for these videos. I have snappy brakes now, and am starting my first project with an old Trek!
Thanks hey!
Got my commuter bike for 10 years, exposed to all weather conditions while it's on the road daily.
Looks almost like new and rides better than new.
The only neglect I did once was not cleaning it after riding in the winter through road salt.
Chain got brown oxidized within just three or four days... learned my lesson!
Must say , the content is really entertaining and educational , Having worked with tools in the past , I get great satisfaction watching a person work with their hands and things flow freely , it’s so misleading to see someone work that make it look very easy , but the dexterity is sooo much harder to attain than we think , it takes years of practice .👍
Idk how people can be so rude! I personally think your videos are absolutely awesome and you seem like such a great person! I work on my own bikes but i love what you do for you biking community! Keep it up! Screw all the haters. There obviously super jealous that you make as much if not more money than them and they went to 6 years of college and so on haha. Looks like your the smart one. They say work smarter not harder! Well boom! There ya goooo! I hope you have a amazing weekend and keep the videos coming! My favorite part of the day is watching your videos!!
I think you do an honest job and it’s dishonest for folks to say otherwise.
If I lived closer, I would bring my bike to you....thinking of making a road trip up there anyway. I will always pay for quality and you seem to do and provide quality and a very reasonable price. Keep up with the videos.
Very good rim brakes there very good old bikes
That's a very sensible bike, and in amazing condition considering its being so laid-up.
Logic says to flip over the '$100 is too much for a tune-up' mantra. That bike is well worth the time and charge for it. I'm also 'old-school', but for the needs of many, that bike is a very good choice.
I have one niggle that's not been addressed, however. And unlike many, I still think 'dork discs' are incredibly sensible and needed insurance. That one is off-center, and would drive me crazy. It looks like a 'hook on the spoke' type, and very easily centered.
I'm impressed with that machine. A good one to work on, and a good one to ride for most.
I enjoy your videos and the pro tips I get from watching you work is the icing on the cake. To anyone who criticizes your shop costs for work performed I only remind them that everyone's time is worth something, no matter what work they do.
When in doubt Triflow!!! We need that on a shirt.
Even in the shape it’s in, it’s still a lovely bike. Glad the owner didn’t dump it.
I’m a bike mechanic charge $35 tuneup in Canada however people still tend to cheep out on me, it really makes me 😡 thanks bro I learned a lot from you to block negative energy away from my company 💯🥂
Just goes to show some people will never be happy. Even for free, some people will complain!
You're doing great! Been riding bikes seriously since 1985! Love your channel keep it up!!!!
When ever I feel blue 💙 i just start singing wiping as i go. Thank you sir.
Your pricing is spot on for my area. You earn the money for the experience you have gained over time. We pay for that experience and knowledge. For those feeling like it’s a rip off learn to fix them yourself.
I couldn’t have said it better this is so true.
The more people ride, the more the perceived value of a tune-up. Some local bike shops started group rides and events (some shops have a coffee bar). For non-fancy bikes I think ergonomics and to learn the basic knowledge of gearing and cadence is the key to make people ride way more and happily buy more (service, bikes, parts). But I also understand depending on the region and people it may be tilting at windmills.
I love your channel! It reminds me of the channel called wristwatch revival… This guy‘s repairs old wrist watches… I will never repair a wrist watch, but I love to watch others do it! Also, it calms me down a lot. You got a great voice too. Would love to see some stuff about electric bikes, please
Great video.Ive gotten a lot of tips from watching your videos. I love bringing bikes back to life and selling them 😊. I like your attitude , and the fact you talk about taking care of yourself.. And you’re conscientious about what you eat and drink.😊
I've had my Holdsworth pro tour since 1984. I'd been riding it sporadically for the past 25 years. Finally had to replace the tires (27x1 IRC Triathlons) when the frayed sidewall cords got too scary.
I used the opportunity to clean everything and make it purr again. It's built with all kinds of obsolete components (ultra-6 freewheel and chain, bar-con shifters, etc.). I'm not going to upgrade or replace anything if it isn't irreparably broken.
Now that it's beautiful again, I get lots of double-takes from people who appreciate the 70's - early 80's aesthetic .
I just went to the website for the local Trek dealer, where I got my bike, and checked prices for their tune ups. For $$99.99, they align and adjust brakes, tune and adjust shifting and torque all fasteners. For $189.99 the do all the previous stuff as well as, deep clean drive train, lateral and vertical wheel true, inspect bottom bracket and clean and polish the bike. Based on these prices, I think your prices are reasonable.
"It's not the time you spend but that you know how" Good job!
I am going to tune my friend's rusty MTBike as my test subject. Thanks for the process: clean, lube, adjust. It makes sense, and your videos are therapeutic.
It's the same argument for the plumber. I work in one of those big hardware stores (guy who started this one is north of you) and we get people who, once I explain to them what they need to do to fix some problem right the first time, mumble they thought whatever project they were doing would be easy. My response is, now you know why plumbers and tradesmen won't work for less than they do. You wouldn't either.
It takes time to learn how to be efficiently fast. It takes experience to look at a thing and be relatively sure (if not positive) what the problem is and what it'll take to fix it. Experience takes time and time costs something. In a perfect world a person earns the right to be paid market value.
As an aside, I remember when WI didn't have a law to carry car insurance. Back then prices were way lower because insurance companies had to entice customers with rates and plans those customers could afford. But it's like anything. You wear a seatbelt; you think you're safer. You wear a bicycle helmet covering less than 3% of your body; you think you're safer. (Nominally, yes. But if the people in cars see that helmet, do they believe they can now pass much closer to you because you're "safe"?) Have we gotten to the place where a bicycle helmet provides us more coverage than our insurance policies?
Pardone de Rante
Harv
🙂 Nice Cannondale bike, i had a Cannondale way back in 2008, I now have a Gary Fischer Hybrid model thats shaped very similar to this Hybrid except that the colors are mostly Red with some Silver. As for storage its not only Bicycles but alot of Motorcycles get stored and forgotten about as well tho its a bit more work to get them running when its a Motorcycle, as far as Wisconsin i went for Labor Day the closing weekend The Bristol Renessance Fair, it was a merry ole time, thanks for the video an be good 👊😎🚲🏍
One of the best channels on You tube! Realistic bike service approach without BS! Keep it up! 💪
Like your videos, keep it going, and rescue every bike you can.
Full confirm for your remarks on 10sp gearing, along the mentioned derailleur and hanger alignment issues. Like the intelligent rants too. Great wording. Learned nothing along the video for knowing already. Soft spot for Cannondales - though really looking mainstream nowadays.
Watched to the end 'cos I usually do. Happy trails
Already subscribed, but I liked it, watched it to the end, and learned a few new things. Thanks so much for your videos, they are a pleasure to watch and I'm glad you're able to ignore those negative comments. $100 for all that is a steel in my neck of the woods, and I'm happy you're out there for the people in your neck of the woods
So easy to work on these generation bikes. IYKYK ❤
Danke!
Enjoy your videos and find them helpful, thanks 😀.
I've been in the auto repair business my whole life, working on bikes is fun to me. You charge whatever you can to do what you do. BTW, I love ebikes, I work on them all the time. I bought a couple that were wrecked by hurricane Ian. I wanted to flip them, but I just can't. They're like my children. Anyway, business is business. F***k the haters.
I watched "The Missouri Breaks" film for about the 15th time the other night and you won't believe the phrase that I heard for the first time outside this channel...."Slicker than snot on a doorknob". There it is.
Thanks for motivating me to take on some bike projects. First up, a K2 t'niner for my daughter. Then a rebuild of a Trek Mountain Track 820. Gonna need a place to work on them though....
I learn so much from your videos, TKS. Cheers from Portugal 😎
B screw adjustment can make an enormous difference. The guide pulley should be quite close to the sprockets (5-6mm). This completely fixed my shifting when it seemed like it was impossible to dial
I'm a residential carpenter, so I've been in a lot of peoples basements and garages. Almost everyone (around where I live anyway) has at least one bike in there and almost none of them get ridden.
😏 LOL you see alot of motorcycle too
I see more bikes now that our economy is shit, people simply can't afford to drive much if at all, personally at age 32 i have yet to get my driver's license, there isn't anything i can't do with my bike, i can haul just about anything with my custom trailers, the health benefits are unrivaled too.
The treadmills with clothes hanging off of them were everywhere. I still have nightmares
I've maintained all my road bikes for the last 30 years. That includes frame builds & component upgrades. I wouldn't feel great about $100 for all the comprehensive work you did for this customer. You're a deal Bikefarmer.
I'd happily pay $100. You find safety issues and address them, saving me problems. It is just easier to pay a good bike mechanic to do the work. I still do some of my own stuff, but I own a dozen bikes.
What a great looking bike!
enjoying the videos Andy! keep them up!!
One of the main reasons i like your channel is your unapologetic honesty and full disclosure on what you are doing. I also love bikes and enjoy your personality and screen charisma.
"Papa don't preach, I'm keeping that baby" ❤
I recently picked up a 1970s era Panasonic 10 speed road bike. I swear, it was in showroom condition. No scratches, no chipped paint, no rust. I got it for $75.00 off Facebook Market. Even the saddle is in perfect condition. I actually like it better than my Cannondale. I just have to remember never to use Armor All on both bike saddles - lol!
A lot of times when the hanger seems bent it's really the derailleur cage, and just a gentle bend by hand is enough to fix the shifting. I sometimes have trouble with the o rings on the hanger tool, so I use a Sharpie marker instead.
Thanks for all the great info and opinions you give. Really helpful.
Thanks hey!
You powered through those Shimano 10spd blues like a madman! Looked like some clean shifting when you were done with it. 👌
Don’t worry about those other people. If you’re happy and successful and feel fulfilled, live it! I’m sure those negative comments sit with you. Don’t let it!
You have to stop reading the comments, it's bringing you down.
The general public is a mess. Keep doing your own thing.
But I really like these comments!
@@bkefrmr yeah I'd still read them. there's just a lot of pricks on the internet. unfortunately, comes with the territory.
@@bkefrmr you like to feel frustrated and offended? WTF
@@joaopedrodefreitaslima2936 What he was saying is that he likes the positive comments so much, its worth reading the frustrating ones.
I would rather Andy keeps it real instead of being phony !
"Reanimation"! We called it a Resurrection Service and included all labor needed for bringing it back including chain, cable, bottom bracket, shifter, tire, tube, grips, bar tape, etc. replacement . Generally $149+ parts (regular $199+parts). At the NC Inner banks we had a lot of bikes that sat up for years in garages or sheds. It was good money and customers liked it.
I live in Tennessee and $100 for a tuneup is in line with the going rates in my area. The super duper option is 130-150…
I'm in west Tennessee and it's a bit more expensive at my LBS
@@rickh6963 I’m on the East side. Rocky top, you’ll always be home sweet home to me… lol
@@danielholter1861 Tennessee gets better and better as you go east!
Love the videos mate quality work. I think you operate just as a bike mech should. Keep calling out the haters. This internet world is full of people who know nothing but think they know it all. We need to call them out!
I really enjoy watching your videos! informative, entertaining and a chuckle or two thrown in! your doing great keep It up!
You just do the best you can with what you have and move along. Bike Farmer therapy 101.
I started bike repair as a little hustle but now I'm flooding with orders, why is that? Because unlike the high end shops that mainly focuses on selling insanely expensive ebikes i focus on repairs on a wide range of common bikes for the average man, i also salvage and sell used bikes for a little penny, i could easily live doing this. The big shops are missing out on a big chunk of the market by turning down anything that isn't high end in their eyes, so currently I'm the only one in town who fill that void so people come to me for services. Now that our economy is collapsing, some people cannot afford to drive anymore so the bicycle is booming, but these people aren't looking for the latest whatever, they just need something that's practical and reliable, i got a huge stock of good used parts and some new, this keeps the prices more reasonable, and because many of these used old bikes are simple they're quicker and easier to fix so that keeps the labor costs down, i can get a bike out the door sometimes in less than 15 minutes, and the customers are happy.
Furthermore, meanwhile the big name chains are struggling now, they're not moving inventory, their whole concept is built around selling bikes but not servicing them, this is now biting them in the ass, even worse, many of these chains here sell mostly really expensive bikes so many are priced out, these bikes are also much more difficult to repair, get parts for and the cost of parts are skyhigh. My grandfather once said to me, being a highly successful businessman, keep things simple and attainable by the common man and you cannot fail.
Our economy is not collapsing.
Stop the doomspraying, chicken little bs.
@@johndef5075not collapsing, but the foundations are unstable: a model of constant growth on a finite planet; an uncontrolled pandemic gradually degrading the health of the workforce; runaway climate change. A paradigm shift is needed soon if it's not to collapse.
I did my bike mechanic cycle course ran by our local council.
Cycles get took to local council tips. And those bikes brought to our workshop and made up bikes to sell on. Adult bikes sold for 30 english pounds and kids bike 15 english pounds.a lot of low income familys bought the bikes kidsbikes as Xmas presents the kids faces were priceless. Unfortunately it's a throw away society more older cycles need to be brought back to life cost of new bikes are beyond the working man. All the best😊 john from across the pond.
I have an external cable aluminum Schwinn road bike, an interior cable carbon road bike, (both fully mechanical), and a Litespeed Ti road bike with hydraulic brakes and electric shifting. I love the ease of maintenance of the Schwinn. I love the clean look of the carbon. I have a Litespeed for sale.
Hey Bikefarmer! I do all my maintenance on our family’s bikes. I need to work on my wife’s Shimano Alfine hub that’s on her e-bike. There’s a lot of maintenance that I’ve been neglecting, apparently. If you run across one of these or any internal shift hub I think they are a mystery to many people including myself, an explainer/maintenance video might be fun.
I'm self-employed and I work my ass off I never miss any days get every dime you can bro
12:32 Hi, I live in Germany and I asked for a tune up around here because my bike have a Shimano Alfine 8 hub gear and I wanted it serviced by the shop that sold it to me years ago, I was expecting a full grease repack of the gears but all they did was change some disk brake pads and that was it, they didn't even cleaned the bike, the chain was as filthy as I delivered... and they charged me 160 euros for that... I felt ripped off... so I'm learning to do all myself, the amount of effort you put on your tune ups... 100 dollars sounds like a bargain to me.
A mechanic at the LBS I go to always told me, got a problem TriFlow, squeaking TriFlow, stuck TriFlow. Well you get the idea. I always have TriFlow at home.
I’ve been enjoying your videos. It’s relaxing to watch you breathe new life into bikes. I’m curious what bike stand you are using? Do you always use furniture polish on frames? Tried anything else?
Fixing bikes is not easy, at least not easy to do it properly and safely. I appreciate your skill, i see all your little techniques. The average person has no idea about.
Thank you very much for this video, it is always a pleasure to watch and to listen!
Thanks!
Great tune-up video! I enjoy watching the ones where you encounter weird problems - those are the ones where your knowledge and skills are clearly demonstrated. I've had similar shifting issues on some road bikes that I've worked on (Shimano 11-spd). Those problems often come down to bent hangers or lubrication. However, sometimes the cause can be something as silly as cassette lockring that isn't quite torqued up to 40 Nm, or a slightly bent rear axle. Basically, anything that interferes with the chain hitting a shift ramp at precisely the right time with the right force will cause some shifts to be dirty while others are nice and snappy. Like you said, Shimano drivetrains can be very tricky to set up - everything has to be damn-near perfectly aligned and lubricated for it to work flawlessly. And sometimes, you just have to call it "good enough".
Your prices are way cheaper than my town. I live in California (not in a big city) where riding is massive and tons of people do it year round. The bike shops here charge accordingly lol they all charge whatever they want and get paid really well for their skills. I’d consider opening a shop if rent wasn’t approximately $2trillion/month here. Loving watching your videos!
Nice work. I thought internal housing came about on mountain bikes to keep cables catching on roots and sticks. My old 80-90s MTBs with the routing of bare cable under the bottom bracket constantly were snagged by grass and sagebrush. The later evolution to a cable loom on the top tube changed it up. I have two 90s MTBs in my fleet and they are Alfine 8 and single speed, for street and pathways in winter, so little issue.