Is it more cost effective to be your own mechanic?

[aaric]

For something specialized like that, leave it to the shop. Unless you find yourself doing it a bunch of times. For example, I had the shop set up the BB30 the first time I'd seen it, but over the last couple years, I've gone through a few different crank/frame combinations, and found myself doing it enough, I just bought the tools...and keep a spare pair of bearings / spacers on hand for the eventual failures.

Something like recabling IMO is different: You'll do it at least once a year, and being able to do it allows you to do other jobs like swap parts around more easily. And, IMO, if you take your time with cabling, you do a much better job than the shop.

It also comes down to if you enjoy it to some degree. There's a bit of pride and enjoyment I get from tinkering and improving my bike as a machine, that dovetails into my riding. Some people just don't want to be bothered. To me, its a skill that complements riding.

I get a much better fit on the bike for instance knowing how to adjust things, and not being scared to experiment with things like different crank lengths, stems, saddles, etc. also, there's things like chasing intermittent rattles and squeaks which just don't get fixed when the mechanic isn't the rider...

[kac]

Another factor, not yet mentioned, is the shop itself. I am fortunate enough to live about 4 miles from a shop that does nothing but repairs. It is a "one man show" and he will do the work while I wait (since other customers don't seem to care too much and leave their bikes for service). I can watch him work, he has all the tools, he does it right the first time and he is so inexpensive I've often overpaid for the work just to assuage my guilt. If, on the other hand, I had to leave my bike, have an unknown mechanic work on it (someone I don't know, haven't met and haven't talked to directly), I'd probably buy the tools I don't have and do it myself.

[nickf]

Never could find a good mechanic. Picked up tools as I needed them and been doing all my own work since.

[mattr]

One thing I always wonder whether I should bother to learn is to overhaul a hub.

How many different types of hub do you have? And how many hubs!
The wife and I are running only three types, shimano cup and cone, hope and a set of mavics across 20+ sets of wheels. So it's not too much of a challenge to remember how to do each set. If we had a different set of hubs on each wheel, it'd be a different matter altogether!
Tho, to be fair, there isn't a huge difference across the majority of cartridge bearing hubs or cup and cone hubs, if you can do one, you can (probably) do them all.

Never could find a good mechanic. Picked up tools as I needed them and been doing all my own work since.

Same problem i've had, every job i've taken to a mechanic over the last ~15 years has been mucked up in some way or other. Except the guy who did my forks last winter.

[gwilliams]

Unfortunately it seems very difficult to find decent mechanics, and even good ones seem to have a few off days.

From personal experience i would say it will be very cost effective to learn/do your repairs, as the amount of damage careless mechanics create is dreadful.

[wickedwheels]

I know the immediate answer, people with think and say, is yes, but is it, for everyone?

Take me for example:

-I ride about 9000 miles a year (or about 14,400 km)
-The weather here is dry and roads are clean
-I use 2-3 bikes (road) (I sold two, last year, and have one bike now...and "one-on-the-way" )
-I keep my bikes VERY VERY clean

In the past 4-5 years I have had a mechanic do:
diagnose a need for a new section of cable housing (Easy to diagnose by a mechanic and relatively inexpensive with labor and parts)
-One Mavic hub over-haul (Easy for mechanic to diagnose & relatively cheap with labor & parts)
-change bars & tape (once or twice)
-change stems (once or twice)
-change cranks (once or twice a year )
-Build bikes (not so cheap, but requires all the parts and expertise....BUT how often is it needed)
-----so not a lot done, but have bikes build up

I have done the small stuff:
-bought and installed cassettes myself
-installing pedals (I know...easy, but I am just being thorough)
-computer parts and pieces (I know...easy, but I am just being thorough)
-bike fitting (I don't do my own fitting, but I know how to replicate it on new builds)

I buy a new bike every two years (about), so with changing frames etc... is it effective to buy all the proprietary tools (and time) to do all this myself;
-torque wrenches (I buy WW stuff)
-BB stuff
-housing stuff
-I don't even know...what I don't know

Or is it more cost effective to just use the LBS just when needed...which isn't THAT often.
(I went all last season just having one crank swapped...that's is.
Does if justify the cost to get all the parts and pieces and tools to do it myself...not to mention the time to learn it all...and the possible cost of destroying something ;))

What are your thought's?

Ultimately, I think it just depends on what your time is worth

[DMF]

Ultimately, I think it just depends on what your bike is worth (...to you)

[carbon2329]

I have two types of hubs: Tune & Mavic. (I do believe the fron tune hub, a 45. requires a propriatary tool...I could be wrong)
I don't plan on changing much in teh future so I bet I could learn, but not sure how for the tune ones...

I, personally, am inclined to do about 70 percent of the work and leave the rest for the mechanic to do, like truing wheels, headsets, cutting a starer, diagnosing complicated things etc...

I would like to put an entire build together someday.

[DanW]

Definitely learn to do everything you can yourself. The main reasons have already been mentioned but for me this is knowing how to fix an issue mid ride and carrying the right spares, and number two that very, very few shops will give your nice light expensive parts the correct treatment required to fit safely and properly.

I am honestly shocked why anyone would go to a shop for:

-change bars & tape (once or twice)
-change stems (once or twice)
-change cranks (once or twice a year )

Especially the stems! If you are already changing cassettes then you've invested in a chain whip and cassette tool and have some mech ability so why on earth would you not install things that take an allen key/ torque wrench?

For me knowing your bike, how to set it up and how to fix stuff mid ride when something inevitably goes wrong is crucial.

I, personally, am inclined to do about 70 percent of the work and leave the rest for the mechanic to do, like truing wheels, headsets, cutting a starer, diagnosing complicated things etc...

Definitely. For me I'd only drop in to the the bike shop due to the cost of some tools which really aren't economical to own. I can't afford a headset press to put a new headset in every few years so it makes much more sense to pay £10 and get it done in the shop. Fortunately there are few jobs requiring expensive tools so it is a case of slowly collecting what you need. Time doesn't come in to the equation as cycling is my passion so I'll always find the time to do the job properly. Almost all parts now have documentation online too so even if you do end up parts all over the floor most people should be able to get stuff working again.

Plus.... being able to build your own bikes means you can constantly switch out parts just for curiosity and have an unnecessary amount of bikes to make your non-cycling friends shake their heads in disbelief More practically, I can't stand being without the bike for a few days while the shop faffs around trying to fit the job in

[carbon2329]

That is exactly what I was thinking. That is probably one of the biggest reason I even thought about it.

I am always wanting switch things around, but I rarly do it because I don't want to:
1.Drive to the shop & back
2. Pay
3.Take days to do it.

I am putting a build together for this spring (should be 11-11.5 lbs / 4.9-5.2 kg) and I think I will try to put it together myself and have the shop:

1. Install the BB , or show me how (its a PF86, I don't even know if a press is needed )
2. Install headset/fork (or have them show me how, so I can mess with it in the future)
3. Cables/Brakes (maybe)

Should be fun. (fingers-crossed )

[DMF]

I have to ask, is it wise to own and operate a sub5kg bike if you can't even do your own cables? No doubt that bike will be on tubs, do you glue your own tires? Just saying, you will never go sub5kg and not have to do a lot of tinkering... In theory it is fit and forget just like an 8kg bike... But in reality, well...

[DanW]

I'd leave anything requiring a press (headset and BB) to a shop as the right tools make the world of difference. Even more so with light components. Everything else is doable at home I'd have thought. Nothing beats the satisfaction of your own first build

[Rick]

Most hub overhauls are extremely simple these days.
The most difficult part is fguring out how to take it apart. Some you just pull apart and it comes apart in your hand.
Then, just remember and do it in reverse. There are also online instructions for just about everything.
The most difficult thing is pressing bearings in and out. But if you youtube a few you can see how to do it without even a bearing press; just the quick-release skewer.

[Klarion]

For me knowing your bike, how to set it up and how to fix stuff mid ride when something inevitably goes wrong is crucial.

Indeed. Personally, I find it very satisfying to find out and then know how & why the bike + its various systems work- which for me has to be practical, not just theoretical. Each step in learning how to maintain / modify / build a bike increases the feeling that the bike really belongs to me.

[joestralia]

There are a lot of tutorials available on the web if you were so inclined to do your own wrenching.

Some good, some bad! But if you go to most manufacturer's site, you can watch a video or at least see a schematic.

And yes, it will take some practice and it's guaranteed you'll get a good dose of frustration!

Most tools pay for themselves over time and if you have a pal that can lend you a tool, that's fine as well.

Save your money~ Peace!