Ive done all my own wrenching for as long as I can remember (.....~30 years).
I am not an engineer nor a mechanic, I'm an IT Systems Analyst.
I've built up a decent collection of bike tools over the years, and I just started a project to build myself a custom tool kit using a Nanuk 935 case and Kaizen foam inserts...
Compared to having my LBS do work:
1. If I do it myself, I know its done right, everything is tight, torqued right, etc. And if I can't get it right, -then- I take it to LBS.
2. Saves a lot of time of not having to drive to LBS, leave bike for a week, drive back to pick it up.
3. Saves a lot of money. I did have to have the brake cables re-done on a Speed Concept recently - normally something I could handle, but for some reason I just could not get them to work smoothly, so I just said f*ck it and took it in. It cost me about $150.....(and a week)... :(
One last thing I should note - I actually enjoy working on my own bikes, so that makes a big difference too.
I am not an engineer nor a mechanic, I'm an IT Systems Analyst.
I've built up a decent collection of bike tools over the years, and I just started a project to build myself a custom tool kit using a Nanuk 935 case and Kaizen foam inserts...
Compared to having my LBS do work:
1. If I do it myself, I know its done right, everything is tight, torqued right, etc. And if I can't get it right, -then- I take it to LBS.
2. Saves a lot of time of not having to drive to LBS, leave bike for a week, drive back to pick it up.
3. Saves a lot of money. I did have to have the brake cables re-done on a Speed Concept recently - normally something I could handle, but for some reason I just could not get them to work smoothly, so I just said f*ck it and took it in. It cost me about $150.....(and a week)... :(
One last thing I should note - I actually enjoy working on my own bikes, so that makes a big difference too.