Had the worst Tuesday of my life fixing a cargo bike chain

Last Tuesday I got a cargo bike in the shop with a chain that looked like a pretzel. Customer said it just snapped while they were hauling groceries. Took me 45 minutes just to get the old chain off because it was wrapped around the derailleur cage. Then I realized the cassette was shot too, 8 teeth worn down to nubs. Had to call the customer and tell them it was gonna be 120 bucks minimum. They got mad and said I was ripping them off. I just stood there holding a broken chain in my hand, not knowing what to say. Have any of you had a customer complain about a price that was totally fair?

2 comments

2 Comments

jasonf171mo ago

Read something just yesterday about how bike shops are getting roasted over repair costs lately, saw a whole thread where people were comparing prices and some guy claimed he could fix his own chain for 15 bucks. Your mileage may vary obviously, but 120 for a cassette and chain plus labor sounds totally reasonable to me for a cargo bike especially. Those bikes have beefier parts that cost more, and 45 minutes just getting the old chain off is nuts. Customers don't always see the time and skill behind the price tag, that's just the reality of running a small shop.

michael_jenkins391mo ago

Did you see that video where a guy fixed a bike chain with a zip tie and duct tape?