Monday, June 29, 2009

Pricing

We spent the last few days at the family cabin. A good time was had. A quick question...What is a fair price for changing derailleur cables on a hybrid? This is a job that I...with my limited mechanical ability...could handle myself, but with circumstances and wanting to give this shop some business, I had them do it. So, on the hybrid, the front and back derailleur cables amounted to 5 feet of housing, fittings and 2 cables...damage---$47.48. What to you think of that price?

6 comments:

  1. Sounds fair. But then, I'm used to charging over $100.00 per hour for auto repairs. I know, apples to oranges, but the shop has to keep the lights on. I've always thought bike shops worked pretty cheap in comparison to other trades.

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  2. Seems high. I would think a cable change should be around $10 (I've no idea what it actually is, just guessing from experience) -- it's one of the quickest fixes on a bicycle. Did they need to change the housing as well? If so, then more.

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  3. Sounds fair to partly highish, though not in the realm of outrage.

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  4. Derailleur cable housing costs $2.50 to $3.00 per foot. Two cables, about $5.00 to $7.00. Figure five feet of housing (minimum)to do both cables. Parts cost: arounf $20.00 to $30.00.

    Mechanics don't work for free, and shop buildings, electricity, etc are pretty pricy.

    In short, the charge sounds about right to me.

    I once told a customer who was asking for a discount on a (already discounted) bike, "Sure, I'll knock 20% off...if you pay our electricity bill, this month."

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  5. I'd say it was a fair, or on the slightly high end of fair. Nothing to get your undies in a bundle about.

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  6. bother yam and Doug were right on with my feelings about the price.

    I did check pricing before I took the unit in there. They had given me a guesstimate of $30 to $35. There was another shop I checked prior to taking the bike in, and they had a $20 to $30 guesstimate. I would have did the deed myself, if not for wanting to give the higher priced shop some business.

    I did not...or would not...raise hell about the price, as it was not that far out of line. I just wanted to know if others thought it was on the high side.

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