Metal flake in brake pad... - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

01-12-2005, 03:17 PM

I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down to
the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.

Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night. They
weren't busy - one of the Wrenches was out in the parking lot putting a
Yakima rack on the top of his car. And this was two to three hours before
closing time.

Doesn't that seem excessive? I don't mind paying, but leave it overnight?

I took it across the street and they dug the flake out for free, and even
did a once over, checked the brakes, etc. Very nice considering I bought
the bike elsewhere. The guy said 'oh no big deal it will only take me 30
seconds.

Also come to find out why my LBS where I got my Trek offers 'free life of
the bike tuneups'. They didn't even -do- the tune up on mine last time (I
told them to be thorough, I was riding out of town, and I'd even pay for a
more thorought check up). The guy apparently just hung the bike up and gave
it back to me the next day touching nothing on it. All the same little
adjustment problems were still there. The LBS across the street spent 10
minutes checking everything after digging the flake out - didn't want me to
leave without a safe ride.

Guess I won't be going back there.

jj

01-12-2005, 03:22 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:

>
> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down
> to the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night. They
> weren't busy - one of the Wrenches was out in the parking lot putting a
> Yakima rack on the top of his car. And this was two to three hours before
> closing time.
>
> Doesn't that seem excessive? I don't mind paying, but leave it overnight?

Very excessive, unless at the very least they were planning on swapping
your brake pads for KoolStops, which don't pick up bits of metal.

> I took it across the street and they dug the flake out for free, and even
> did a once over, checked the brakes, etc. Very nice considering I bought
> the bike elsewhere. The guy said 'oh no big deal it will only take me 30
> seconds.

Exactly.

> Also come to find out why my LBS where I got my Trek offers 'free life of
> the bike tuneups'. They didn't even -do- the tune up on mine last time (I
> told them to be thorough, I was riding out of town, and I'd even pay for
> a more thorought check up). The guy apparently just hung the bike up and
> gave it back to me the next day touching nothing on it. All the same
> little adjustment problems were still there. The LBS across the street
> spent 10 minutes checking everything after digging the flake out - didn't
> want me to leave without a safe ride.
>
> Guess I won't be going back there.

Sounds like a wise choice, especially with a much better store right across
the street!

--
Benjamin Lewis

Luke, I'm yer father, eh. Come over to the dark side, you hoser.
-- Dave Thomas, "Strange Brew"

01-12-2005, 03:22 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:

>
> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down
> to the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night. They
> weren't busy - one of the Wrenches was out in the parking lot putting a
> Yakima rack on the top of his car. And this was two to three hours before
> closing time.
>
> Doesn't that seem excessive? I don't mind paying, but leave it overnight?

Very excessive, unless at the very least they were planning on swapping
your brake pads for KoolStops, which don't pick up bits of metal.

> I took it across the street and they dug the flake out for free, and even
> did a once over, checked the brakes, etc. Very nice considering I bought
> the bike elsewhere. The guy said 'oh no big deal it will only take me 30
> seconds.

Exactly.

> Also come to find out why my LBS where I got my Trek offers 'free life of
> the bike tuneups'. They didn't even -do- the tune up on mine last time (I
> told them to be thorough, I was riding out of town, and I'd even pay for
> a more thorought check up). The guy apparently just hung the bike up and
> gave it back to me the next day touching nothing on it. All the same
> little adjustment problems were still there. The LBS across the street
> spent 10 minutes checking everything after digging the flake out - didn't
> want me to leave without a safe ride.
>
> Guess I won't be going back there.

Sounds like a wise choice, especially with a much better store right across
the street!

--
Benjamin Lewis

Luke, I'm yer father, eh. Come over to the dark side, you hoser.
-- Dave Thomas, "Strange Brew"

01-12-2005, 03:22 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:

>
> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down
> to the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night. They
> weren't busy - one of the Wrenches was out in the parking lot putting a
> Yakima rack on the top of his car. And this was two to three hours before
> closing time.
>
> Doesn't that seem excessive? I don't mind paying, but leave it overnight?

Very excessive, unless at the very least they were planning on swapping
your brake pads for KoolStops, which don't pick up bits of metal.

> I took it across the street and they dug the flake out for free, and even
> did a once over, checked the brakes, etc. Very nice considering I bought
> the bike elsewhere. The guy said 'oh no big deal it will only take me 30
> seconds.

Exactly.

> Also come to find out why my LBS where I got my Trek offers 'free life of
> the bike tuneups'. They didn't even -do- the tune up on mine last time (I
> told them to be thorough, I was riding out of town, and I'd even pay for
> a more thorought check up). The guy apparently just hung the bike up and
> gave it back to me the next day touching nothing on it. All the same
> little adjustment problems were still there. The LBS across the street
> spent 10 minutes checking everything after digging the flake out - didn't
> want me to leave without a safe ride.
>
> Guess I won't be going back there.

Sounds like a wise choice, especially with a much better store right across
the street!

--
Benjamin Lewis

Luke, I'm yer father, eh. Come over to the dark side, you hoser.
-- Dave Thomas, "Strange Brew"

01-12-2005, 03:46 PM

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:17:30 -0500, jj wrote:

> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down to
> the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night

Well, from what you've said, that shop has clearly stated that they don't
want your business, so take it across the street.

As the other poster mentioned about Kool-stops: it's really true, they
don't pick up crap off the road like glass and metal (I'm sure there have
been documented cases :P). I finally switched back to a set after riding
with some very spendy Bontrager pieces of crap--embedded glass or rock
every mile or so! Granted there's a lot of construction in my 'hood right
now, but I've ridden the Kool-Stops scrape-free for about a month now.

01-12-2005, 03:46 PM

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:17:30 -0500, jj wrote:

> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down to
> the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night

Well, from what you've said, that shop has clearly stated that they don't
want your business, so take it across the street.

As the other poster mentioned about Kool-stops: it's really true, they
don't pick up crap off the road like glass and metal (I'm sure there have
been documented cases :P). I finally switched back to a set after riding
with some very spendy Bontrager pieces of crap--embedded glass or rock
every mile or so! Granted there's a lot of construction in my 'hood right
now, but I've ridden the Kool-Stops scrape-free for about a month now.

01-12-2005, 03:46 PM

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:17:30 -0500, jj wrote:

> I took my bike into the LBS where I purchased it to have them look at a
> brake pad that was scraping, metal on metal. I thought it was worn down to
> the metal. Turned out to be a little metal flake in the pad.
>
> Guy wanted to write up a ticket and have me leave it over night

Well, from what you've said, that shop has clearly stated that they don't
want your business, so take it across the street.

As the other poster mentioned about Kool-stops: it's really true, they
don't pick up crap off the road like glass and metal (I'm sure there have
been documented cases :P). I finally switched back to a set after riding
with some very spendy Bontrager pieces of crap--embedded glass or rock
every mile or so! Granted there's a lot of construction in my 'hood right
now, but I've ridden the Kool-Stops scrape-free for about a month now.

01-12-2005, 05:43 PM

"jj" wrote: (clip) Guess I won't be going back there.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I wouldn't either. In a way they did you a favor by being so bad that you
had no choice but going to their competitor. Don't they know they are
driving their customers away? When you leave in disgust, under
circumstances like these, there is no way they can get you back. There is a
saying, "The pitcher goes to the well until it breaks."

01-12-2005, 05:43 PM

"jj" wrote: (clip) Guess I won't be going back there.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I wouldn't either. In a way they did you a favor by being so bad that you
had no choice but going to their competitor. Don't they know they are
driving their customers away? When you leave in disgust, under
circumstances like these, there is no way they can get you back. There is a
saying, "The pitcher goes to the well until it breaks."

01-12-2005, 05:43 PM

"jj" wrote: (clip) Guess I won't be going back there.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I wouldn't either. In a way they did you a favor by being so bad that you
had no choice but going to their competitor. Don't they know they are
driving their customers away? When you leave in disgust, under
circumstances like these, there is no way they can get you back. There is a
saying, "The pitcher goes to the well until it breaks."