[Ricko]

Does anyone else get this from friends/relatives knowing you're into bikes?

To make a long story short, I did a little work on my nephew's bike a couple month ago and now, for the 3rd time in as many weeks my brother is calling me asking me to "look at" his kids Wallgoose and this is the 3rd time I've told him that I have a million things to do on weekends as I'm out of town all week and I don't have time and to take it to a shop...what part of NO doesn't he understand??

Geez, just because I work on my own bikes it doesn't mean I want to work on anybody elses. The biggest problem with working on bikes for people is they keep coming back!

End of rant, thanks for listening, I feel better now.

 

[Gng]

Send it to me,he won't ask you again!

 

[Furball the Mystery Cat]

Tell him to bring the bike over to your house and have him do a million things for you first, then look at the bike.

I have a million things to do on weekends

 

[Harold]

Tell him to bring the bike over to your house and have him do a million things for you first, then look at the bike.

yes, I like this. the "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" method.

 

[Nubster]

I'd do it as long as my brother was also bringing me a 6er of my favorite beverage. Besides, it's for the kid. Just make it understood that it won't be a common occurrence for him to bring the bike to you.

 

[CHUM]

beer.

good beer.

and then...more beer.

 

[Ricko]

I'd do it as long as my brother was also bringing me a 6er of my favorite beverage. Besides, it's for the kid. Just make it understood that it won't be a common occurrence for him to bring the bike to you.

Honestly, if I had the time to spare I'd do it for the kid and teach him how to do some bike repair things but time is precious on weekends. As I mentioned, I'm out of town all week working so nothing get's done around the house. I have the yardwork, cars to work on etc. and I like to get some ride time in too.

Also, my brother is a computer guy and I've tried to get his help on some things in the past and he says he'll "get back to me on that" ...but nothing ever materializes. I'm not real motivated to help him out and this is much of the reason, let him take the bike to a shop...that's what they're there for.

 

[006_007]

LOL, reminds me of the time that same brother asked me to come over and change the projection lamp on his DLP TV (really, he can't change an effing LIGHT BULB??). He said he had a case of Bruce (my fave micro) for me. I go over there and all he had was a sixer and we sat around and drank it. I didn't really care, changing that light bulb only took me 5 minutes but it's the principle of the thing...he lured me over there with a case!

He never said a FULL case.............

 

[Spinning Lizard]

I get it all of the time from family, neighbors, ex customers. I pretend I do not hear them and change the subject.

 

[Ricko]

beer.

good beer.

and then...more beer.

LOL, reminds me of the time that same brother asked me to come over and change the projection lamp on his DLP TV (really, he can't change an effing LIGHT BULB??). He said he had a case of Bruce (my fave micro) for me. I go over there and all he had was a sixer and we sat around and drank it. I didn't really care, changing that light bulb only took me 5 minutes but it's the principle of the thing...he lured me over there with a case!

 

[jeffscott]

Does anyone else get this from friends/relatives knowing you're into bikes?

To make a long story short, I did a little work on my nephew's bike a couple month ago and now, for the 3rd time in as many weeks my brother is calling me asking me to "look at" his kids Wallgoose and this is the 3rd time I've told him that I have a million things to do on weekends as I'm out of town all week and I don't have time and to take it to a shop...what part of NO doesn't he understand??

Geez, just because I work on my own bikes it doesn't mean I want to work on anybody elses. The biggest problem with working on bikes for people is they keep coming back!

End of rant, thanks for listening, I feel better now.

Tell him to bring it over when you might have a little time....

Then wear some nice clean clothes....stand back.....never touch a tool or the bike...

Tell him to start by washing the bike...go back inside, and wait till he is done...then tell him what to do next.

Again never touch a thing.

 

[nachomc]

I used to get it with family computers all the time, so I got in to UNIX. I guess that wouldn't help you though.

Honestly, I'd tell the brother he can bring the bike and the kid over to MY house (with some beer) and make a family thing out of it in the late afternoon or around dinner. Have some beer with your brother and show his kid how to work on his own bike. Maybe even gift him some basic tools if he shows an interest.

 

[Ricko]

I get it all of the time from family, neighbors, ex customers. I pretend I do not hear them and change the subject.

I had a neighbor bring over a Wally bike that was in BAD BAD shape asking me to "fix it up" for his grandaughter for when she comes over. I told him to throw it back in the dumpster where he found it lol.

 

[bigpedaler]

Used to do that -- until my nephew's best friend (about 13 then) ignored everything I told him about taking care of the bike. After the third fix on the same part, I said that's the last freebie.

Never saw the kid on the bike again. Don't feel bad, either, it was just until he could get his 'whip' -- some green import POS with some add-on chrome trim and a bump stereo. He works at Wendy's now, lives at home still (20-y-o), sags on the job. . .but he can do a sandwich.

 

[mack_turtle]

ask him to pay you in beer. you will get a LOT of beer this way.

as a bike shop wrench, i hate working on these bikes. my shop is busy enough that we can afford to regularly turn these bikes away. it's not worth our time or the customer's money to work on them. most of these bikes will cost at least half of the retail cost of the bike to "fix" all of the things that were not done right during assembly, and even then the stuff is not going to work after a few rides.

 

[Hundun]

Also, my brother is a computer guy and I've tried to get his help on some things in the past and he says he'll "get back to me on that" ...but nothing ever materializes.

Remind him of this. Let him either work out a barter or TFB.

 

[JR 137]

Honestly, if I had the time to spare I'd do it for the kid and teach him how to do some bike repair things but time is precious on weekends. As I mentioned, I'm out of town all week working so nothing get's done around the house. I have the yardwork, cars to work on etc. and I like to get some ride time in too.

Also, my brother is a computer guy and I've tried to get his help on some things in the past and he says he'll "get back to me on that" ...but nothing ever materializes. I'm not real motivated to help him out and this is much of the reason, let him take the bike to a shop...that's what they're there for.

My 2cents - tell him to bring his kid and the bike over, and you'll work on the bike and teach his kid how to do it while he fixes your computer. If he doesn't want to do that, tell him you're bring your computer to a repair shop, and he should do the same with his kid's bike.

I know how it feels to spend what little free time you've got doing favors for other people. Hell, I hate doing my own 'chores' during what little time I have off. Stupid as it sounds, maybe your brother is in the same boat?

 

[Ricko]

My 2cents - tell him to bring his kid and the bike over, and you'll work on the bike and teach his kid how to do it while he fixes your computer. If he doesn't want to do that, tell him you're bring your computer to a repair shop, and he should do the same with his kid's bike.

I know how it feels to spend what little free time you've got doing favors for other people. Hell, I hate doing my own 'chores' during what little time I have off. Stupid as it sounds, maybe your brother is in the same boat?

I already know from past experience that I'm not going to see him fiddling with my computer, anyhow it works fine now that I had someone else take care of the quirks.

I suggested a shop he could take the bike to to so he probably got it fixed already. Even if I showed my nepew how to do some things it would likely go in one ear and out the other. My brother seems to think it is beneath him to get dirt under his nails and it's like father like son in this regard. This is the reason I didn't even want to get started with this, every time something is wrong with his bike he'll be calling me.

It's all good, I told him to stop over this Friday for a couple beers...for a social visit, not a fix my sh!t visit.

 

[pursuiter]

My bro brought over an old Schwinn he found, it had been sitting outside for years and was rust/melted all together. Couldn't even remove the pedals. I had an old Giant built from old parts so I gave him that bike. He told me it's the best bike he ever owned. Then I leaned on him to get some old 401K/retirement money my wife had abandoned and refused to do what needed to be done to get it. (he's a financial planner) I had ~$50 in that bike plus 4 hours, now my wife has an extra $10K in her IRA and my bro thinks I'm a great guy.

When my blood needs a good bike, I always set them up, it's my contribution to the family vibe. If my brother gave my nephew a crappy walgoose, I'd toss it in the garbage and give the kid a nice CL bike I fixed up. That way I'll always be the best Uncle in the World for one person.

 

[bloodyknee]

I think everyone who works on bikes get some of this. I have neighbors bring their bikes by all the time. I really don't mind doing it, but hate it when they need parts and they don't think they need to pay for the parts. It gives me somthing to do in the evening and I've helped out a neighbor.

In your situation, it sounds like there may be something else going on there since he didn't help you with you computer issues.

Why not have him drop it by and then you can get to it when you get a chance?