Service

Regardless of how much a bike shop charges for any service, very few bike mechanics get rich fixing bikes. Maybe not even one ever in history, seriously. Just trying to keep the lights on.

This gets it's own section, just 'cause. A flat fix usually involves

1. Inspecting the wheel, tire, and inner tube 

2. (Often) removing the offending thorn or glass or whatever

3. Installing a new inner tube

Sometimes you'll need new rim tape, or a whole new tire. Some tire don't have inner tubes

Call it what you want: standard service, full service, routine service, tune-up... it involves activities like inspecting, cleaning, adjusting, and lubricating. Typically it's easier, faster, and less expensive than Corrective Maintenance (a.k.a. repair).

Here's what we do:

• Inspect and wipe down frame, fork, and wheels.

• Remove and inspect wheels, adjust bearings, spoke tension, and tire pressure.

• Clean and lubricate chain/drivetrain, while still on the bike, adjust gears/shifters.

• Check seat binder, seat post, stem, headset, crank, bottom bracket, etc., adjust as needed. 

• Inspect and adjust brake pads and cables/lines.

Notes:

• Parts not included!

• Wipe down and cleaning are modest. Extensive cleaning may incur additional cost - or look at the other services below.

• Prices are different for different sorts of bikes, that only makes sense

• • "Normal" two-wheel geared bike with front and rear brakes | $150

  • Single speed bicycle, kids or adult | $150 - $50 = $100

  • E-bike | $150 + $50 = $200

  • Three-wheeled bike, cargo bike, or tandem | $150 + $50 = $200

  • Cargo E-bike | $150 + $75 = $225

  • Unicycle | No uni service, that's just weird. Just kidding, we'll make it up on the spot.

All the stuff above, PLUS...

• Comprehensive wheel truing

• Drivetrain deep cleaning (parts come off the bike) or replacement (parts not included)

• Labor to install new shift and brake cables, inner wires and housing (parts not included)

• Labor to install new brake pads (parts not included)

• Headset bearing service (includes new standard ball bearings, but not cartridge bearings)

• Bottom bracket bearing service (includes new standard ball bearings, but not cartridge bearings)

Stuff brakes, we fix it. Stuff wears out and stops working correctly, and starts makes other parts wear out faster. We replace.

Strip it down to a bare frame, clean it all, reassemble. 

Jeez that's seems like a lot of money.

This service makes an old bike new again. Not all bikes can handle it, not all bikes are worth it, but if yours can and is, and you want to keep rolling with your old friend, do this. THIS SERVICE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING NEW PARTS (AS DESIRED):

• New cassette

• New chain

• New brake cables, cable housing, and pads

• New shift cables and cable housing

• New grips or bar tape

• New saddle

• New tires

• New inner tubes

• New rim tape

If you think you might want this service, lets talk about it. We'll inspect the bike thoroughly before accepting the job. Afterwards, you can come in for FREE ADJUSTMENTS anytime for THREE YEARS. What?! Yeah.

The new parts you'll get on a signature build will be practical - excellent quality but not super-Gucci-deluxe. If you want to pick and choose your own bits and pieces, or have a particular aesthetic, style, or purpose in mind, let's talk about it. 

• Cursory inspection and estimate | FREE

• Safety Check | $60

Other items

• Minimum labor charge | $30

• Install tire and inner tube, per wheel | $30

• Install tubeless tire, valve, and sealant, per wheel | $50

• Add sealant to tubeless system, per wheel | $30

• Wheel truing (spoke tension adjustment), per wheel | $30 +

• Shifter/gear adjustment, per shifter | $30

• Brake adjustment, per brake| $30

• Hydraulic brake service/bleed (includes mineral oil fluid) | $60

• Headset or hub bearing adjustment | $30

• Bottom bracket service | $60

• Build a wheel from your parts | $75 (front), $100 (rear)

• Design and build wheel | $100 (front), $125 (rear) + parts

We're still working out the service menu

There are several different ways to go. Here are some folks with interesting (and very different) service models, in no particular order:

• ReCycles Bicycles in Fredrick, MD

• Cutlass Velo in Baltimore, MD

• Scenic Routes Community Bicycle Center in San Francisco, CA

• The Third Wheel somewhere in New England

• ...

If you know someone, or are someone, who should be on this list, LMK.

What makes riding a bike fun and practical?

Baskets

Locks

Fenders (a.k.a. mudguards)

I've been riding with fenders for so long that just the idea... that a piece of... yuck... gets stuck to your tire and flung at your face at 20mph... who would let that happen?

And a blob of... blech... gets stuck to your back tire, then tossed onto the back of your vintage Dark Side Of the Moon t-shirt. Gross. Then it gets transferred to grandma's couch - thank goodness she has that clear vinyl cover on it.

Seriously, your dignity is at stake. Fenders.

Also, bike stays cleaner, parts last longer, and everything works better. They'll pay for themselves, literally. No joke. And no strip of mud up your back.

Inner tubes, patch kits, and pumps

If I end up just selling inner tubes, all day long, all year long, year after year, my life will be complete.

It might cost more for me to fix your flat than it might elsewhere, but let's discuss. You roll in with a flat tire, what happens? (1) a conversation, for sure. I might not stop what I'm doing, or I might. It depends. It always depends on something. 

"Just a flat tire," you say. "How much does that cost?"

"That depends... it's usually a puncture in the inner tube, if that's it, $___ plus the price of the inner tube. But it could be a zillion other things." I say. "Let's have look. How did it happen?" and you tell me your story... it's the age old broken glass on the road, hissing sound, flat tire.

Now suppose I was working on another bike... while I'm listening to you, I also try to remember where I was in the middle of whatever it was that I was doing, that will be important when I come back to it. I put away the tool that was in my hand, or maybe it goes in a pocket, or get set on top of this or that and disappears for three months, or three years. 

Now I attend to your bike. I poke at it. Here are some of the significant variables: wheel size, tire size, type of valve, type of brakes on the bike, type of axle holding the wheel on the bike. Rear wheel? Drive train condition and cleanliness.

In this particular story, I say, "OK, I suspect that replacing the inner tube will solve the problem."

Then I take the other bike out of the workstand, and put your bike in the workstand. 

take that bike out of the repair stand

Tools

I've worked with or for or near all of the people below. Not recently, certainly, but enough to trust them and recommend them. If you think you should be listed here, and maybe I forgot about you, give a call.

• Chris Militello and Chris Davidson - Arrow Bicycle

• Linda Mack - Silver Cycles

• Matt Moore - District Velo

• Omar - Nomad Bicycle Works

• Phil Koopman - Bicycle Space

• Tim Fricker - Bikes@Vienna

There are LOTS of bikey people who I don't know doing bikey things that I don't know about in and around DC. I suspect most of them do good work. Very few people in the bike business are in it for the money.

Bicycle-related art

Uh, yeah.

Locally made things

There should be more of these.

Handmade things

There should be more of these too.

Quality things

Some things just do their jobs so well that everyone should know about them. Strangely, these things are often hard to find. If I have a platform to evangelize this stuff, I'm going do it.

Kids like bikes - we're going to sell new and used kids bikes, eventually.

In the District of Columbia, you need a "Secondhand Dealer" License to sell used bikes. Imma get one. Might take a bit.

This stuff SEEMS like it's overpriced, but it's not. Remember, no one here is getting rich. This section has to come last, and if I had more business acumen and more impulse control it wouldn't exist all. But it's fun. Gotta have some fun.