Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brian on October 17, 2011 at 3:19am

None of that sounds like anything particularly unique to that type of bike, any bike shop should be able to handle it.  Call around to ones near you and ask.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmin Dalton on October 17, 2011 at 3:24am

Brian said:

None of that sounds like anything particularly unique to that type of bike, any bike shop should be able to handle it.  Call around to ones near you and ask.

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on October 17, 2011 at 3:24am

I used Google Maps to search "bike shops near Armitage & Larrabee, Chicago" and see at least 8 different bike shops in your neighborhood: Yojimbo's Garage, JC Lind, REI, Performance, Village, Cycle Smithy, Rapid Transit...  I would think any bike shop could fix a flat and do a tune up, but JC Lind will have bikes similar to yours.  If it's a slow leak in the tire, pump it up, carry the pump with you and ride it over to the shop. If it's a big leak, either buy a tube at the shop and replace it yourself at home (two wrenches needed unless it's a quick release) or walk the bike over on the flat.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmin Dalton on October 17, 2011 at 3:29am

Thanks for the responses, but the Bakfiest tire is a little more complicated to replace. I is not as simple as a quick release...I have spoken to some shop owners and they do not want to touch the bike because of the complexity of changing the tire. 

I was wondering if anyone knew specifically of a shop that workd on Dutch Cargo Bikes.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by ad on October 17, 2011 at 3:36am

JC Lind sells dutch cargo bikes and is fairly close to you on Wells Street in Old Town.  I would bet they could handle any maintenance necessary on the bike.  I would try them out. 

Yasmin Dalton said:

Thanks for the responses, but the Bakfiest tire is a little more complicated to replace. I is not as simple as a quick release...I have spoken to some shop owners and they do not want to touch the bike because of the complexity of changing the tire. 

I was wondering if anyone knew specifically of a shop that workd on Dutch Cargo Bikes.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by J on October 17, 2011 at 3:37am

I would not take a Bakfiets to a shop unfamiliar with them. The braking and steering linkage systems are uncommon and while most shops will accept the work, not all will be immediately capable of identifying and resolving problems.

 

JC Lind is the ideal choice for you.

 

On the point of flat fixing - here too I'd kind of disagree with the previous posts. Fixing a flat (and removing wheels) on a Bakfiets is no trivial task. Simply getting the enclosed chain case open will mystify even some experienced wrenches, let alone the average user. And if it's a front wheel, there is the drum brake to deal with...

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on October 17, 2011 at 3:51am

It really doesn't seem so complicated.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmin Dalton on October 17, 2011 at 3:56am

thanks...I will try them!

ad said:

JC Lind sells dutch cargo bikes and is fairly close to you on Wells Street in Old Town.  I would bet they could handle any maintenance necessary on the bike.  I would try them out. 

Yasmin Dalton said:

Thanks for the responses, but the Bakfiest tire is a little more complicated to replace. I is not as simple as a quick release...I have spoken to some shop owners and they do not want to touch the bike because of the complexity of changing the tire. 

I was wondering if anyone knew specifically of a shop that workd on Dutch Cargo Bikes.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on October 17, 2011 at 4:44am

You can fix a flat without removing the wheel from the frame. Use a tire lever to lift the tire from the rim on the non-drive side. Take the inner tube out from the tire and repair it “in place”. Once you patched the tube, carefully put it back in the tire, remount the tire, check that you installed it correctly, and pump it up. That’s all there is to it.

 

Unless you had a blow out, a tube can be repaired numerous times. And while it may not be the fastest way, it will be a lot faster than hauling your bike over to a shop, wait for it to be repaired and ride home. Oh, and a patch kit costs less than $2. You can easily patch 6 punctures with one patch kit. Wait till a shop quotes you what it costs to fix a flat on that bakfiets.

 

I have done this dozens of times growing up riding a bike with a full chain guard.

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Permalink Reply by J on October 17, 2011 at 5:22am

Duppie's method works. It's how roadside mechanics in China and India repair flats for a nickel. 

All I'm saying is if you can afford a Bakfiets, you can afford professional service.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmin Dalton on October 17, 2011 at 5:32am

UPDATE: VINCE SPINA (847.219.5474), previous managere at the Dutch Bike Store, is offering a mobile repair service for any kind of bikes. If anyone is in need of service you can call him and he will come to you for repairs (which I am specially thankful since the cargo bike is hard to transport when you have a blow-out!).

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on October 17, 2011 at 12:43pm

A flat is not just a flat on a lot of bikes and anyone who says so is either lying to you or does not have a very good grasp of mechanics.

 

The video is great but you are unlikely to find a shop willing to patch a tube for you.  Patches do not always hold and may fail shortly after the completion of the repair.  No shop wants to have a customer get a flat right after they fix one; especially the shops that offer a warranty on flat fixes.

 

Any competent shop should be able to handle repairs on any bike, with the exception of electric bikes, but you should expect an up charge of any where from 10-30 dollars in extra labor depending on the specifics of the bike.

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