Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Shop Conversation

Kid at the bike shop: "....Dude, do you eat an Oreo just before you sit down in the dentist chair?"

Me: "No, why?"

Kid at the bike shop: "Then don't drop your bike off at the shop covered with mud"

That was the conversation I remember years ago when I first got into mountain biking. It has stuck with me over the years and I struggle with it every time I go into a shop.

Is it better to drop off your bike with some dirt on it so the guys know you actually ride it. Or is it better to clean it up out of respect for the wrench?

13 comments:

evilbanks said...

Dude, if it's clean I drop it off clean. If it's dirty, I drop it off dirty..........

StupidBike said...

did you change your underwear?

Ski Bike Junkie said...

Clean. Don't give them any reason to use a pressure washer. Not the Revolution would. Just sayin.

Of course, I also brush my teeth before going to the dentist and change my underwear before going to the doctor. Or leaving the house for that matter (thanks, mom).

You reminded me of a Steven Wright joke: I'm in love with my dental hygienist. So I eat an entire box of oreos in the waiting room.

Jay Dub said...

what?? I always just sort of tell them to clean it up while it's there, and expect to pay a little extra for it...

eber said...

clean. so the don't have any excuse not to fix something because "they couldn't get through the dirt"

Kyle said...

Clean says you ride your bike but respect it. Dirty says, I don't care about my bike, so why should you? I expect that someone who takes care of their bike enough to bring it in clean will notice a perfect repair, and thus I strive to repair perfectly. Otherwise I have to spend more time cleaning and less time fixing. Also, if you notice the problem clean, you'll definitely notice it got fixed. If you bring it in dirty, you'll notice it got clean more than it got fixed. My two cents.

tibiker said...

I don't care if it's dirty or clean when you bring it to my shop. :)

At least a dirty bike is a bike that's not spending it's whole life hanging by a hook in someone's garage.

FixieDave said...

If its a little dirty i don't mind...

caked with mud expect to be heckled aand/or charged for my time ;)

dug said...

clean and dirty are so black and white. caked in mud? no, i don't even want it in my garage or on my car that way. dusty or dirty? absolutely. always.

KanyonKris said...

I don't wash my car before taking it to the auto mechanic. Yes, bikes and cars are different, but you see my point.

I'm with dug: caked in mud no, normal trail dust and dirt yes.

Unknown said...

I've used the pressure sprayer at my neighborhood car wash to clean my mountain bikes ever since I started riding with no problems. I'd be surprised if a bike shop didn't use a pressure sprayer for really dirty bikes.

bikemike said...

i like it when people eat oreos and spit them out over the bike and then bring them into our shop.
we can work on their bike and have snacky time all at once.

Anonymous said...

Clean-ish, no caked on mud. Dust and grit is fine. There is a particular threshold of dirty that requires a 6 pack be delivered to said shop when dropping off the bike.