A small mishap happened to me this week. I brought my bike to my local bike shop for a repair I didn’t want to do myself. I had to change my chain, cassette, one-up and derailleur cable. The estimate was around 300$ for the pieces and repair time. I knew I could have everything for much cheaper online, but I wanted professional help and I didn’t want to spend a lot of time adjusting the gears. Bottom line, I came out with a 500$ bill. I really want to encourage local shops and workers, but there’s a limit. I’d like to know your opinions on the matter. Do you have stories or solutions revolving around your bike shop experiences?
I'd look for another bike shop. First, a good shop should be able to give you a more accurate estimate and second, if the shop needs to go over the estimate by that much, they should clear it with you before proceeding. That's basic customer service.
