Just curious about what you guys do and what is appropriate ettiquite for tipping your wrench. How much, do you tip for all repairs/tune ups or only for build jobs, any difference for good and exceptional service, etc.
edit - how about in situations where the store includes free tune ups or similar service in conjunction with purchase of bike from that store?
Wow…I’ve never tipped a mechanic for working on my bikes. Maybe thats why I break down all the time?
Tipping my mechanic? Are you kidding? Nothing. I pay my mechanic. That’s it.
I brought in some pastries one time, but a monetary tip has never ever crossed my mind.
Depends.
It’s not unheard of to tip your mechanic after he builds you up a bike (if he built it up especially for you.) I suppose if he cut you an incredible deal (as in he’s not making any money off of it, he’s just trying to help you out), then a gift certificate or something useful would be nice.
I wouldn’t necessarily give him (or her) cash, you may want to consider a gift certificate or usefull (non-bicycling related) gift.
I once bought a frame and the mechanic came in an hour early on a Saturday morning to build it up so that I could ride it ASAP. I asked him what I could do for him and he asked me to bring doughnuts and chocolate milk for all of the guys at the shop. 3 dozen krispee kreme and a gallon of chocolate milk later I had a new bike! Great group of guys.
hey, maybe it’s common place, maybe it’s not. thought it wouldn’t hurt to find out about.
plus might be different between a small LBS, and a larger operation. maybe people tip for one, but not the other.
A six-pack or two goes a long way, especially around closing time. Although I would guess at Tom’s shop it would be better to purchase the first round of coffee.
We don’t need to get this “Tip The Bike Mechanic” started, this is probably how “tipping at Sonic” started. Somebody on a food service bulletin board probably asked in a post, five years ago, “hey, am I supposed to tip at Sonic, or not?”
Move time up to the present. “Here’s $8 bucks for the Slurpie, keep the rest as a tip…,” and a whole new stream of income came piping into these Sonic workers.
Now, everybody wrings their hands about tipping at Sonic. Bottom line, you’d better tip at Sonic or you will starve!
My wife continues to refuse to tip at Sonic, I, however, will tip them a few bucks. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why she asks me, “I sit out there for hours waiting on them to answer for my order after I hit that red button, what’s up?”
I would guess at Tom’s shop it would be better to purchase the first round of coffee
I have brought coffe in to Tom’s place before, I sent them some cookies at xmas, but even my mail man gets those, and all he does for me is deliever the bills.
$0 is expected (I’m a mechanic). If you want to thank us for going out of our way to make your bike better for cheaper, a sixpack is always appreciated more than $$$. Other things that worked out nicely were take out meals from Olive Garden or Famous Daves.
a hot cup of coffee goes a long way towards smoothing relations with any bike shop…just be sure to get something good (7eleven doesn’t make for a good coffee option).
Tip? Nada, and I consider my mech a friend. I pay the hourly rate the bike shop charges. I would be glad to do him a favor if he ever needed one though.
A few times a year, I bring in lunch for all the employees (take their orders first) and beer and wine of their choice. At Christmas I bring in bottles of wine for all then some coffee and sandwich gift certificates. It is just a token for all the "quick fixes’ throughout the year and I certainly appreciate that.
I also sponsor the bike shop racing team each year and that may be the best money spent since I can order most things at cost.
Dave
I’ll give him 10 dollars a trip… But I have given him has much has 60 dollars at one time, don’t forget x-mass gifts. By the way he is a career wrench so I know it feeds his family not his bike habit.
i’ll chime in since i work in a bike shop: nothing is expected. however, if the mech does something special for you (ie. comes in on his day off to spend 2 hours building up wheels you need right b/f he’s going out of town/on vacation/etc.) it’s nice to bring in a six-pack or some doughnuts or something. our main guy does that for some people just b/c he’s a nice guy and sometimes people will leave doughnuts or stuff w/ us. he also got a gift cert. to take his wife out when he did a bike safety class for boy scouts from one of their leaders. so, pretty much nothing is expected. however, bringing in the occasional six pack or something goes a LONG way w/ establishing a friendship w/ the mech. so that your stuff will always be done early and w/ exceptional quality.
As a bike shop owner, I was LMAO reading this thread.
I co-own the shop and do everything but wrench. Neither the wrencher or I have ever gotten a tip, coffee or gift cert. from any customer. And we have many loyal ones that come to our shop and our shop only.
Perhaps it’s just not done in Ontario, who knows. But we do not expect a tip for doing our jobs. It’s a nice gesture but not needed. We would rather you tell your buddies to come to us for stuff and for you to keep coming back.
If you are ever in Brockville, we love Tim Horton’s coffee and 1000 Islands Pizza 
for standard stuff you should not feel obligated but a little something once in a while is a nice way to be remembered. for a special build, a special thanks is in order.
one of the best tips of all is a direct personal referral. i’ve walked some friends into my LBS and introduced them to the owner or wrench. i always make sure the owner knows the reason the referrals keep coming in is the great technical support the shop offers. raises and job security based on increasing business and a growing referral customer base are pretty darn nice tips.
Us Albertans have been known to tip friendly and efficient and beyond-the-call-of-duty mechanics with a six-pack of fine lager in places far and wide including Arizona, France, Australia, California and heck, even Ontario!
Are you guys freeking kidding me? I bring beer in at least 3 times a month. And always give the wheel guy a 6 or 12 er when he builds up a new set. I do 90% of my own stuff, but you can bet the head wrench takes care of my problems and it is always while you wait service.
I am not dis’ing bike shop owners, but the wrenches are the most underpaid guys in the biz. I think they have as much knowledge and skill as the electrician, plumber, or auto mech and you don’t see the shop wrenches knocking back $35 an hour. Comeon guys help the brothers out.
Now the food service guys/gals get tipped on how good they are with me. Some times a little some times a lot. G