Now that bikes are coming out of hibernation, my shop is full of things that need to be fixed… NOW. We have a schedule, and we try to be fair to everyone that comes in, which means that if you walk in right now and need a tune-up and new cables on your bike, you’re going to land mid-week someplace. In a month, it’ll probably be two weeks. You see, not only are the two mechanics in your shop working like hell on the bikes that need to be fixed, they’re also helping customers, answering the phone, and building new bikes to replace the ones that have been sold.

We want nothing more than to make you happy. We want to make your bike work more perfectly than you could hope for, and we want to help you spend money on our products (if your shop doesn’t want that, then find a new shop). However, there are a few things you can do to assist us in this process:

1. wash your bike off. I’m not talking full-on soap and water scrub-down, I just mean hose the chunks of dirt and/or sweat & energy drink off and let it dry before you bring it in. Not only will this help me keep my shop clean, it will also make your service happen faster since I won’t have to do it myself.
2. Need an emergency repair the day before an important ride/race? I feel your pain. I’ve been in the same situation, and I want to take care of you. First, see #1. Second, realize that you are jumping in line, so I’m probably going to end up staying late/coming in early to work on your bike (or on the bike I was working on when you came in for that on-the-spot repair) in order to keep both you and the jumped customers happy.
3. About tips: We accept them, but don’t expect them. We greatly appreciate them. We will usually reciprocate this appreciation next time you bring your bike in for service by doing things including (but not limited to) working on your bike first thing in the morning on its scheduled repair day, lubing/wiping down your drivetrain, wiping down your frame, etc. You get the idea. Tip or no tip, I can assure you that you’ll always get exceptional service at my shop (if your shop doesn’t want that, then find a new shop).
4. When we’re busy, and you need help- say you’re a regular customer (or any customer, for that matter), and you need help picking out X product. If you come in at 1:00 on a Saturday, we’re going to be slammed. We want to help you, and we will, but it’s going to be after we help the person that came in before you. It’s only fair. Please don’t get mad if we don’t immediately drop what we’re doing. Hint- we aren’t nearly as busy on weekdays.
5. When things don’t go as planned: Let’s face it, sh*t happens. Sometimes once we get into a repair, we realize that it’s worse than expected. We might have to order a part or send something off for warranty repair/replacement. Once again, we want your repair to be perfect, but we can’t stock everything. Getting annoyed on the phone when we call and tell you we have to order something isn’t helping either of us. Also, once we place an order/ship a part off, then it’s out of our hands. Example: This winter, a snowstorm delayed a big shipment from our main distribution place. Some repairs had to be delayed. We can’t control the weather or UPS’ reaction to the weather, so please don’t yell at me when it prevents your part from arriving on time.
6. Don’t request a certain mechanic. First off, it’s rude and somewhat insulting to the other mechanics in the shop. Second, we all know our strengths and will generally work on bikes accordingly. We will always treat your bike as if it is our own (if your shop doesn’t want that, then find a new shop). If you still only want one mechanic to work on your bike, then you need to approach that mechanic privately to discuss this.

Hopefully this provides some insight into what your mechanic is thinking when you walk in to the shop asking for the impossible. We would love nothing more than to do that for you (if your shop doesn’t want that, then find a new shop), but it takes a little understanding on your end as well. Happy trails!