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Old 05-25-2009, 03:58 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis IN
109 posts, read 407,813 times
Reputation: 36

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Hi!

I'm in search of a bike repair shop that won't rape me!

Bought the wife and I bikes a week ago and I'm really anxious to get riding. Shed a couple of pounds off my fat butt.

The bikes are nothing fancy, got them at Walmart. But who puts these things together, Hellen Keller?

I need to get the front wheel on my bike trued and the brakes on her bike adjusted so they actually stop the bike. So much has changed on them since I last mounted a bike some 20+ years ago.

I'm on the northside around E. 62nd & Binford Blvd. If you know of any shops in that area what won't rob me .. I'd gladly accept the info!

Thanks so much!
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Old 05-25-2009, 04:06 PM
 
Location: Indy
163 posts, read 659,533 times
Reputation: 107
The Bike Line in Broad Ripple, close to you, family owned and operated, good mechanics.

They work on everything.

Indianapolis, Indiana, Broad Ripple, Carmel, Bike Shops, Trek, Gary Fisher, Seven Cycles custom bikes, Ridley, BMC, New bikes, bike parts and accessories
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Old 05-25-2009, 05:47 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis IN
109 posts, read 407,813 times
Reputation: 36
Thank you sir!
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Old 05-29-2009, 05:41 AM
 
Location: Indianapolis IN
109 posts, read 407,813 times
Reputation: 36
Thumbs down They don't work on everything .. I got snobbed!

Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyGoat View Post
The Bike Line in Broad Ripple, close to you, family owned and operated, good mechanics.

They work on everything.

Indianapolis, Indiana, Broad Ripple, Carmel, Bike Shops, Trek, Gary Fisher, Seven Cycles custom bikes, Ridley, BMC, New bikes, bike parts and accessories

The 'they work on everything' statement is false! I haven't gotten snobbed in the almost a year since I've been here. But I got snobbed at a freak'n bike store. Since I had a 'department store' bike .. they wouldn't touch it. Guess my pockets aren't deep enough to get a TREK.

But the mechanic had a really bad attitude torward me. I wasn't asking him to turn it into a racing machine .. I just wanted to be able to ride the freak'n thing!

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!! Even if you have the money for an uppity bike! I just didn't like the attitude! IF these guys cared about people riding bikes they WOULD FIX EVERYTHING!

Oh .. and one more thing! The mechanic told me it's store policy that they 'don't work on department store bikes.' I picked over their website with a fine tooth comb and found no such policy NOR was their any visible signs. Man I wish I went to law school rather then becoming a programmer.

It just really bugged me that I got snobbed like that.

Last edited by MrBiggz; 05-29-2009 at 05:45 AM.. Reason: addition
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Old 05-29-2009, 06:31 AM
 
Location: Englewood, Near Eastside Indy
8,977 posts, read 17,279,426 times
Reputation: 7372
At the risk of sounding like a Fountain Square homer:

Web --> Joe's Cycles website

Joe is a nice guy. Not sure if he will snub a department store bike; I make no claims as to how far his service goes.

Last edited by Toxic Toast; 05-29-2009 at 07:52 AM..
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Old 05-29-2009, 07:25 AM
 
8,652 posts, read 17,235,972 times
Reputation: 4622
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrBiggz View Post
The 'they work on everything' statement is false! I haven't gotten snobbed in the almost a year since I've been here. But I got snobbed at a freak'n bike store. Since I had a 'department store' bike .. they wouldn't touch it. Guess my pockets aren't deep enough to get a TREK.

But the mechanic had a really bad attitude torward me. I wasn't asking him to turn it into a racing machine .. I just wanted to be able to ride the freak'n thing!

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!! Even if you have the money for an uppity bike! I just didn't like the attitude! IF these guys cared about people riding bikes they WOULD FIX EVERYTHING!

Oh .. and one more thing! The mechanic told me it's store policy that they 'don't work on department store bikes.' I picked over their website with a fine tooth comb and found no such policy NOR was their any visible signs. Man I wish I went to law school rather then becoming a programmer.

It just really bugged me that I got snobbed like that.
You bought two CHEAP bikes from
Wally World a week ago and you are already having problems with them, surprise surprise....

Take them back to Wally World and get your money back, chances are even if they replaced them the replacements would be more Wally World JUNK..

I'd bet the Repair shop did not want to work on them because when they broke in a week you would have been raising hell with them..
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Old 05-29-2009, 07:46 AM
 
5,019 posts, read 14,111,453 times
Reputation: 7091
Quote:
Originally Posted by Houston3 View Post
You bought two CHEAP bikes from
Wally World a week ago and you are already having problems with them, surprise surprise....

Take them back to Wally World and get your money back, chances are even if they replaced them the replacements would be more Wally World JUNK..

I'd bet the Repair shop did not want to work on them because when they broke in a week you would have been raising hell with them..
Exactly.

Sometime the brakes on those bikes just never work. It's frustrating for the mechanics and frustrating for the customer.

Often the wheels can be brought in to true, only to pop right back out again after a ride or two. It's usually $10-20 per wheel true, so that can get $$$ fast.

I've seen some builds that were soooo bad that they bicycle had to be taken down to the frame and reassembled. Expect to pay about $100 for that.

Suddenly, those bargain bikes are not such a bargain. I think when one buys a bike at a mass retailer, they just need to think of it as a "dispose-a-bike". Ride it once or twice, store unridden in the garage for a few years, and finally toss or doante.

If you can, try to save up ~$300. At about that price point you can get a quality bicycle that will be properly built, will work, and that you will be able to ride and enjoy for years, if not decades.

I am sorry you felt you were treated poorly at the shop you visited. I think shops that do that only do disservice to themselves. When I worked in a shop I always tried to treat all customers with respect. I considered one of the key components of my job was to educate people. I never wanted to "sell bicycles"; I wanted to "create cyclists".

Best wishes whatever you decide to do. I must say the riding weather right now is fabulous!
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Old 05-30-2009, 03:03 PM
 
141 posts, read 316,611 times
Reputation: 73
this isnt too far from where you live

a little place right off post road, south of 30th street right next to the swifty gas station

owned and operated by one man...nicest man in the world

very good at what he does, VERY fair....been doing it since the 70s

cant remember his name right now, but right there on the east side of post road
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Old 05-30-2009, 06:06 PM
 
Location: Indy
163 posts, read 659,533 times
Reputation: 107
As a former competitive and now recreational cyclist, I think some good advice was given about taking them back to Walmart. Unfortunately, they are very inexpensive on the front end but they are expensive on the back end to get fix. The components are cheap, hard to work on and adjust. They are basically throw away bikes.

I know a lot of people buy them because a $300 bike is a bit pricey, however, it will last you some time with little cost and wear compared to a discount bike.
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Old 05-31-2009, 06:52 AM
 
Location: Western Hoosierland
17,998 posts, read 9,057,515 times
Reputation: 5943
Their is a huge bicycle shop on Allisonville Rd. Can't think of the name though.
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