20 quit to fit headset?
gazbo
Posts: 8
was i ripped off?, just paid £20 to fit new £25 cane creek headset, re-assemble front end of my old school rockhopper
0
Comments
-
£20 is an industry wide charge in the UK for fitting a headset, that doesn't normally involve the refitting of your forks, bars, stem, etc. so you got yourself a good deal there
the tool used for pressing a headset costs around £600 and the mechanic doesn't work for free, so £20 is not a bad cost?check out my riding - www.robcole.co.uk Banshee Factory Team rider, Da Kine UK Team rider, www.freeborn.co.uk www.eshershore.com0 -
rob cole wrote:£20 is an industry wide charge in the UK for fitting a headset, that doesn't normally involve the refitting of your forks, bars, stem, etc. so you got yourself a good deal there
the tool used for pressing a headset costs around £600 and the mechanic doesn't work for free, so £20 is not a bad cost?
not that much try £150 for the press now if they were to ream and face the head tube then yes that would be a £500 tool.
but back to the 20. what did they actually do? if you left the whole bike there then that is a good deal."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
If you buy a headset from your LBS they are often willing to fit it for free!0
-
thats my point, when I went in with the bike and the guy gave me my options for the headset, he failed to mention the £20 fitting. just seemed a bit steep to me when i paid the guy yesterday. Wondering if it will be the first and last time i go there?0
-
He should have said up front what the charge was. But as for the 20 quid, think about what comes out of that. Wages, premises, tools, admin etc... The cost of running a business in this country is astronomical because of government bearaucracy0
-
If you buy a headset from your LBS they are often willing to fit it for free!
this is what is killing the LBS..people want discount / price matching with on-line stores and then stuff fitted for free
you would not buy a part for your computer or car, and then expect it to be fitted for free? or at least buy a discounted part and expect free fitting. sometimes a LBS will fit for free if you are happy buying at full retail price
not that much try £150 for the press now if they were to ream and face the head tube then yes that would be a £500 tool.
I can buy a headset press for £40 but it certainly would not last very long in a workshop environment...the Park press with adapters (king, etc.), Rocket for removing cups and crown race tool is around £600 all in...check out my riding - www.robcole.co.uk Banshee Factory Team rider, Da Kine UK Team rider, www.freeborn.co.uk www.eshershore.com0 -
rob cole wrote:If you buy a headset from your LBS they are often willing to fit it for free!
this is what is killing the LBS..people want discount / price matching with on-line stores and then stuff fitted for free
you would not buy a part for your computer or car, and then expect it to be fitted for free? or at least buy a discounted part and expect free fitting. sometimes a LBS will fit for free if you are happy buying at full retail price
I never said I wasn't happy to pay full retail price. I use my LBS far more than CRC/Wiggle et al. I've got my bike booked in for a new King headset to be fitted this weekend. £100 with a free fitting. You could get it for £60 on Ebay but with postage, delivery times and then the LBS fitting, it would come close to £100 anyway.0 -
Sounds about right to me. If you took just a bare frame im to have the cups knocked in, it would be less. But as mentioned above, take the whole bike in and there is more messing about.0
-
sounds like it was fair enough, thanks for your input. it's been a while since i paid for any work done.0
-
£20 is well worth it if they removed your old headset, fitted a new one and then rebuilt your front end. I reckon my LBS would charge about £40 for that, at least.
Fitting a new HS is one of the worst jobs IMO, especially if you have to remove an old one 1st.
Saying that, I've only ever used bits of wood, socket bars and other not-fit-for-purpose tools so it's bound to be a tough job!Current:
NukeProof Mega FR 2012
Cube NuRoad 2018
Previous:
2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 80 -
I took the stab to my lbs, the bottom crown was on the forks, the headset was in, and i wanted them to fit the top crown, and press the headset. they charged me 8 quid, but i had removed the old headset, and put the forks in place for them. so yeah, 20 sounds about right.0
-
Yep, does seem pretty fair to me also, especially when taking the old one out as well. It varies greatly from shop to shop I find, but £20 is defo a good deal!
0 -
My LBS charged a tenner for pressing the cups for me, I took the frame home and fitted the fork. I was happy at the charge and I guess I would have been okay with £20 if they had done all the work (bike mechanic pay and shop overheadsare terrible by the way, so I don't begrudge it for a good bit of service).0
-
I bought an admittedly somewhat 'Heath Robinson' headset press on the web for about £20 and, if you are any good at all with your hands/brain co-ordination, it's simple and it works. I've since fitted about 5-6 sets of headset cups into frames and there've been no problems at all.
My local LBS usually pops the old cups out for me for now't too but I do give him work with stuff I can't do and for spares, etc.Now living happily at http://www.uk-mtb.com !!0 -
All you need is a piece of wood and a mallet and you can fit your own headset for nowt.I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally ~ W. C. Fields0
-
rob cole wrote:If you buy a headset from your LBS they are often willing to fit it for free!
this is what is killing the LBS..people want discount / price matching with on-line stores and then stuff fitted for free
you would not buy a part for your computer or car, and then expect it to be fitted for free? or at least buy a discounted part and expect free fitting. sometimes a LBS will fit for free if you are happy buying at full retail price
not that much try £150 for the press now if they were to ream and face the head tube then yes that would be a £500 tool.
I can buy a headset press for £40 but it certainly would not last very long in a workshop environment...the Park press with adapters (king, etc.), Rocket for removing cups and crown race tool is around £600 all in...
£600 all in..??? Someone is overcharging you then...£346 is more like it.park hhp2 (press + cartridge bearing adapter) - £135, headcup remover £27,crown race setter £64,crown race puller £120 theses are same tools used in the park master mechanic kit and thats available for £1700 for the full workshop kit.(if you know where to look)0 -
If your careful you can easily fit headset cups with a rubber mallet.
If you take your time, and be very gentle, you can't go wrong.0 -
Block of wood and an hammer my favourite way ;-)0
