Why is it....

**judecatmad** · 6th March 2007, 12:20

.....that bike shops charge you for the fitting of tyres?

I can understand it if the wheels have to be taken off the bike cos there's a lot of work there (much more so that the taking off of car wheels), but if you take your bike wheels into a bike shop, sans bike, and buy the tyres from the same bike shop doing the fitting, why the charge?

If you take your car in for new tyres, there's no fitting charge (and some even offer free puncture repairs - love Tony's Tyre Service!) - so why is there with bikes? It seems like a bit of a rip-off to me

Is it because bike shops don't exclusively fit tyres and so, if they weren't fitting your tyres, they'd be doing some other repair work which would be chargeable? If it is, it begs the question as to why there's no tyre fitting shops that exclusively do bikes - or would that be a no-no?

This isn't a thread aimed at dissing bike shops - not at all - it's just simply a genuine 'why is it done that way' question.

**_Gina_** · 6th March 2007, 12:30

Our company spends in excess of 2.5M p/a on tyres (for cars) and there is a fitting charge and a balancing charge for all of these tyres (we get reso discount and rebates though

)

Pretty sure that even if you take your wheel into the tyre store they will charge you for fitting it, as they will need to fit and balance your new tyre to your rim. Unless they are being nice to you!

**Motu** · 6th March 2007, 12:36

[QUOTE=judecatmad;963807
If you take your car in for new tyres, there's no fitting charge .[/QUOTE]

Oh yes there is! It's built into the price of the tyre.

And so why shouldn't the bike shop charge for the labour to fit a tyre - do you work for nothing?

**vifferman** · 6th March 2007, 12:38

I'd rather pay than change my own tyres.
And I'd rather ride my bike in and ride it out, than just take the wheels in.

Although I'm seriously considering taking the wheels in next time, getting the tyres taken off, then stripping and polishing the wheels before the new tyres are fitted.

**judecatmad** · 6th March 2007, 12:39

Originally Posted by Motu

Oh yes there is! It's built into the price of the tyre.

And so why shouldn't the bike shop charge for the labour to fit a tyre - do you work for nothing?

If that's the case then it makes sense - one charge is transparent, one isn't.

Like I said, it was a genuine question as to why the difference - not a poke at bike shops.

**avgas** · 6th March 2007, 12:43

why dont bike shops include the fitting as a part of the price?
then do a discount if you fit it yourself?
Its all very arse'bout'face if you ask me.
Its like getting a price for a bike with no petrol in it

**Motu** · 6th March 2007, 12:57

Probably because someone advertised free fitting.....and then someone brought in a Goldwing and demanded free fitting,including removal of the wheels.Car tyres are pretty straight forward - a handfull of wheel nuts,whiz bang....slap on the tyre machine,onto the balancer....whiiz bang....back on the car.You can build that into the price of the tyre....along with all the other costs of running a business.Bikes are a lot more variable - if your tyres are easy to fit why should you pay for someone elses tyres that are hard to fit....or do you want that?

**Lorax** · 6th March 2007, 12:58

Originally Posted by vifferman

And I'd rather ride my bike in and ride it out, than just take the wheels in.

Would be rather difficult if you've got a dead flat tyre after a blow out or something. Think that's what it sounds like the issue was.

**The Pastor** · 6th March 2007, 13:01

I took one wheel into cycle treads and asked them to take the rubber off my rim, He took in his hand and with a few quick movements they had that sucker right off! Didnt charge me for it either!

**slopster** · 6th March 2007, 13:02

Take them to a car tyre place. I used to get mine fitted for $5 a tyre when I was buying ex race tyres and having to replace them every 1500km. They can't usually ballance bike tyres but bike tyres don't normally need it unless they have been patched.

**imdying** · 6th March 2007, 13:55

Pitlane here in Christchurch don't charge (or build it in or whatever). As their service is good, and the price seems reasonable, I've never had a need to shop elsewhere... about as far as I get is checking around online for pricing

Generally Pitlane will want your bike for a little while (less than two hours to an hour in my experience), but try their best to do them ASAP if you bring just the wheels in.

**judecatmad** · 6th March 2007, 13:57

Originally Posted by Lorax

Would be rather difficult if you've got a dead flat tyre after a blow out or something. Think that's what it sounds like the issue was.

No, we bought new tyres for hubby's bike after he came off late last year. Tyres were pretty old and worn out and needed it anyway, thought it was as good a time as any (probably left it too late in hindsight).

Dave's bike wasn't rideable when we had the tyres replaced so that's why we took just the wheels in.

And there wasn't actually an issue with paying for the fitting - it seems to be common practice across all bike shops so you have to go with it. I just couldn't understand the difference between car tyre places and bike shops.

Me and my big mouth......sometimes I should just let those unanswered questions remain so!

**Ixion** · 6th March 2007, 14:06

Originally Posted by judecatmad

.
I can understand it if the wheels have to be taken off the bike cos there's a lot of work there (much more so that the taking off of car wheels),..

Harrumph. Grumble. Mutter. Moan. Wasn't always the way. *WAS* a time when taking the wheel off a bike was dead easy.

Rear (or front as case may be) stand down, unscrew axle with built in tommy bar, no tools needed at all. Remove QD wheel. Done. 30 seconds, no tools.

Mutter . Grumble . Gripe. Good old days. Hurrumph.

As you were. Crusty out.

**vifferman** · 6th March 2007, 14:06

Originally Posted by avgas

why dont bike shops include the fitting as a part of the price?
then do a discount if you fit it yourself?

Maybe they do.

The bike shops I've bought tyres at have always just quoted me a price - that's the fitted+balanced price. As I'm not interested in the price for just the tyres on their own, I've no idea what's being charged for the tyres or the fitting/balancing. I just want to know what the total cost is to me.

I suspect that at least one of the tyre sets I've bought was free fitting, which would explain the cheaper price. The shop has to pay the technician regardless, so if he's not too busy and it guarantees a sale rather than you going somewhere else, I guess that's where they'd make a cut.

**vifferman** · 6th March 2007, 14:07

Originally Posted by Ixion

Harrumph. Grumble. Mutter. Moan. Wasn't always the way. *WAS* a time when taking the wheel off a bike was dead easy.

Rear (or front as case may be) stand down, unscrew axle with built in tommy bar, no tools needed at all. Remove QD wheel. Done. 30 seconds, no tools.

And I bet that in those days the QD wheels also had a tendency to detach themselves...