Best mechanics

The other thread got me thinking about mechanics.

How can you tell a good mechanic? Which shop or shops have the best?

I've been pretty disheartened this past year by the poor outcomes I've had at several highly-regarded, frequently-recommended shops. What can I do differently to get better results?

One example: I have a persistent and annoying "grindiness" (for lack of a better word) that I feel in my feet only when I accelerate very hard on my single-speed. It showed up after I put on a new chain, and one shop assured me, "It's definitely the freewheel"-- that the cogs weren't meshing with the new chain. They sold me a new freewheel, but there was no difference. When I went back and told them so, they basically shrugged and told me I was imagining things. (I'm not.) This is a shop with a 5-star Yelp rating and nothing but rave reviews on the Chainlink.

Another: My girlfriend's coaster brake hub was having problems and making funny noises so we foolishly decided to try to take it apart and put more grease in, following a Youtube video. Predictably, we couldn't get the adjustment right afterwards. We took it in to her local bike shop--this shop also has a 5-star rating on Yelp and also is frequently mentioned here as one of the best. They took her money and returned the bike to her in basically the same condition (this is a modern Shimano coaster brake hub, nothing super weird or esoteric). She was not able to discern any real difference in how it rode. She wasn't comfortable about going back to the same shop so she took it to Uptown Bikes to re-do the work (and they did a great job. Maybe the answer to my question is, just go to Uptown in the first place!).

I'm not naming these shops because I don't think they're bad shops. They have been friendly and patient, and on other occasions than the ones I've mentioned here I've had work done by both shops with no problems. But I do kind of feel like it's a coin toss every time I go in.

Maybe part of the problem is that both my bike and my girlfriend's are very cheap (and mine is very old), so shops are reluctant to give me a quote that reflects the amount of work it would take to properly fix things because they figure I wouldn't want to sink that much money into such a cheap bike.

But the fact is that I like the bike I have and I don't mind spending more than its market value on getting it running smoothly. I'd happily pay much more than the two shops mentioned above charged for the assurance that the work will be done right. But I'm reluctant to take it anywhere because it's such a crapshoot--whether I'll get the one mechanic on staff who really knows their shit, whether they'll be too swamped that day, whether they'll be out of the replacement part that would be best suited and will use a lower-quality part because they assume (wrongly) that I'd rather have it done fast than right.

As it's getting toward spring (I hope!) and as I plan to take my bike in again soon for a full overhaul to make up for all the winter wear (and to take another crack at that #$@!# grindiness), I'd like to know what I can do to be sure I get good results the first time.

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Permalink Reply by Beans on February 13, 2014 at 1:02pm

I'm the best mechanic my bicycle has ever had. Rather, I'm the only mechanic my bicycle has ever had. I've made it a point to learn how to maintain and fix my bicycle.

I have found a couple of shops that understand and encourage my sentiment. The shop owners and mechanics that I confide in and seek advice, get my business when I need parts. If I should ever mess up a repair beyond belief, I will bring my bicycle to the shop that I have built up a relationship with. I can't allow just anyone to get their greasy hands on my bicycle.

Otherwise, I'd just find out where Dug is working and let him have his way with it.

Permalink Reply by El Dorado on February 13, 2014 at 5:43pm



Beans ~ 14 mi. said:

I'm the best mechanic my bicycle has ever had. Rather, I'm the only mechanic my bicycle has ever had. I've made it a point to learn how to maintain and fix my bicycle.

I have found a couple of shops that understand and encourage my sentiment. The shop owners and mechanics that I confide in and seek advice, get my business when I need parts. If I should ever mess up a repair beyond belief, I will bring my bicycle to the shop that I have built up a relationship with. I can't allow just anyone to get their greasy hands on my bicycle. Otherwise, I'd just find out where Dug is working and let him have his way with it.

I'm the same way. I can navigate about 80% of repairs on my own.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on February 14, 2014 at 4:26am

To answer the posted question, both Nora and John at Uptown Bikes are friendly, skilled and knowledgable mechanics and do not shy away from the challenge that a recembent trike can bring, like delivering a creative solution to new shifting cables and levers in an unorthodox and yet perfectly functioning manner. I just told them my problem, and they came up with the solution.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on February 14, 2014 at 6:26am

Tell the shop that is the mechanic you want to work on your  bike or that you want to deal with them.  When I was at a shop with multiple mechanics I had customers you learned my days off or always asked specifically for me; some of them even followed me when I changed shops.

h' 1.0 said:

I think the OP has it right in asking about a "good mechanic," not a good shop.

I have had some of the best service ever from a good mechanic at a shop most would not rank high on their list, and I have had spectacularly bad work done at shops that most would put at the top of their list.

The big question is how to assure you get a good mechanic when you take your bike to a shop. Having that choice doesn't seem to be part of the program at most shops.

Permalink Reply by Jim Freeman on February 14, 2014 at 10:23am

If I were to have a mechanic work on my bike it would be Doug at Boulevard Bikes or Ezra at Green Machine Cycles.  Ezra just open his shop last season, but he's an old man with years and years of experience.  Two best mechanics in the city in my opinion.

I also liked Dug's shop list, but would add Green Machine and Blue City. 

Mechanics tend to like beer, so if you find one you like give him beer.  That's the start of a real long term relationship. 

Permalink Reply by EssFresh on February 14, 2014 at 10:53am

I trust the gents at Turin and Comrade. They are down to earth and don't mind answering my annoying basic questions. 

Permalink Reply by Eli on February 14, 2014 at 10:59am

Thank you all for the helpful suggestions. I do live in Edgewater but also spend a lot of time in Lincoln Square, so both Uptown and Green Machine are local to me, so I'll probably try one of those.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on February 14, 2014 at 1:51pm

Green Machine is on there!  and I forgot Blue City.

Jim Freeman said:

If I were to have a mechanic work on my bike it would be Doug at Boulevard Bikes or Ezra at Green Machine Cycles.  Ezra just open his shop last season, but he's an old man with years and years of experience.  Two best mechanics in the city in my opinion.

I also liked Dug's shop list, but would add Green Machine and Blue City. 

Mechanics tend to like beer, so if you find one you like give him beer.  That's the start of a real long term relationship. 

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on February 14, 2014 at 3:40pm

I will second both Nora and John.  They work on my various bikes are always thorough and very fair in pricing.  In fact Nora put on a new brake cable this week and did a very nice job.  Can't recommend them and Uptown Bikes enough.
Gene Tenner said:

To answer the posted question, both Nora and John at Uptown Bikes are friendly, skilled and knowledgable mechanics and do not shy away from the challenge that a recembent trike can bring, like delivering a creative solution to new shifting cables and levers in an unorthodox and yet perfectly functioning manner. I just told them my problem, and they came up with the solution.

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