Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Really? My lbs have told me they can't compete by price with the major online retailers and have previously advised me to order stuff online as a) it's cheaper and b) I'll get it quicker than they can, and then they'll fit it for me.

Yes LBS' can sell you an entire groups from any of the big manufacturers.

No they can't sell them for the price Merlin is.

Just to clarify why a shop may decide to turn away fitting a Groupset bought online - time wise it would take as long as a full service - 2/3 Hours depending on cable routing.

Say £150 labour - easy money you'd think?

Except it would take the a time slot that could be used for a full service for another customer, including new tubeless tyres (£120) Fancy Chain and Cassette (£140)
BB (£40) Brake pads (£50) So £330 extra parts at about a 40% margin so that's about £130 extra profit over fitting the new online groupset for you.

So in the busy Spring / Summer season, when demand for servicing is high, the economics don't add up

I'd have no problem fitting something brought by the customer, but people that buys from me gets first. I'll be less inclined to do discounts too.

Really? I thought there's a glut of components now post COVID boom.

Which brand?

You could always ask and see what they say, every bike shop operates differently.

My lbs have told me they can't compete by price with the major online retailers

This is true, CRC/Wiggle was selling at close to cost + VAT.

 b) I'll get it quicker than they can

Rather strange as most major suppliers have next day delivery.

That said though, I'll rather hand my cash to a brick and mortar than a faceless online shop. There's something rather comforting speaking to actual humans rather than a chatbot!

Yes, I've been ordering online too but that's usually for a particular part of there's budget constraints.

Any brand. I live in a mid size Canadian city, far away from suppliers.
The local LBSs prioritize selling bikes, accessories and doing repairs, in that order. Bringing in components is very low on the totem.

Are bike shops in a place where I take in a bike and a new groupset I bought online and just say " I will pay you to remove that SRAM shite and make it rain Shimano" and everybody is cool like Fonzi?

Rather than a LBS, do you have any freelance bike servicing/bike building persons near you? There's a chap near me who works (as a side hustle) as a mobile bike servicing and repair person. He doesn't sell parts - he'll source them for you if you CBA but he'll resell them at cost - so he doesn't care if you've bought the bits yourself. And allegedly (I do my own bike fettling, thank you) he's very happy to do builds and rebuilds.

Obviously this will be feck all use to you unless you also live in the Fens, but there might be someone similar near you.

I've used one.
I didn't mind it.
I didn't break it.

That's a glowing review from me.

Same.

I buy online and do most stuff myself. When it's a full build or substantial groupset swap I'll take it to a shop because ain't nobody got time for that. If a shop got pissy with me for buying it online it would either make me go elsewhere or do it myself, both of which lose them money.

This time around I got some cheap Di2 and I'm going to get Scherrit to swap the SRAM off the Crux for me. He's doing two sets of midfoot shoes as well so he's got some fitting money coming too. When I've taken stuff to Woolsey's it's often been a combination of using parts I've got or an old bike and some new parts they order so there's still some meat on the bone for the shops.

Yeah, as long you got the £££, we’ll swap it.

Only caveat is compatibility issues with frames, and guarantee on parts that can’t be offered due to its purchased elsewhere.

I’d be happy to do it in my workshop, one it’s still a decent chunk of labour, two; it’s nice to have new customers, and three, potiental for returning customers.

The other factor is that some shop labour gone up significantly, only cause it been static for over a decades (like frozen fuel duty).

I don't think they used the boat...

I think I probably just wanted to avoid fucking about with hydraulic fluid and associated bleed kits and hose cutters for as long as possible but this old dog had better learn some new tricks.

Also discovered Merlin OEM 'groupsets' are more like a 'partset' as basic things like gear outers and their hardware aren't included, so I will be shopping bricks and mortar for them.

A real question now; I'm putting this 105 on a 2012 Charge Filter frame with the old school CX toptube to seatstay rear derailleur cabling, so do I need to bother with the special 24cm long super flexible OT-RS900 housing per the dealer manual or will good old SP41 cut it as it should run into the RD without crazy bends?

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SP41 will be fine. I've never used the OT-RS900 bit, usually because my bikes with mechanical shifters have full length outer cables so it doesn't really fit. Never had a problem. It's a solution looking for a problem unless your frame results in really awkward cable runs.

the little ledge where a b screw rests on my mech hanger (on an old alu racer) is knarled and the b screw doesn’t stay resting there anymore, i’m assuming new hanger time?

Little nut on the bolt might fix it?

Little nut on the bolt might fix it?

This is my usual bodge when a new hanger isn't an immediate option.

Does anyone know what these clips/clamps/things are called?? Holds an 8mm rack strut and attach to a rack etc....

I have 2 but would like more.

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Is it a P clip?

Nada. I have searched all the things and can not find an exact replacement.

Not a P clip, D clip, 8mm rod / pipe clamps , U clamps...

Shaft collar, clamp collar? Trying to remember..

I'm on iPhone but will Google lens recognise it

It does not (Pixel 6a)

Any use the Tubus clamps? Or not going to fit?

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Yeah I do have the tubus style clamps and I also have some Velo orange style campee mounts. So not a huge thing if I cant find them, though it would be nice for another project.