Instrument Nº 01 · The Shop-Fit FinderNo scripts? The table below prints every answer
Three benches. One bench card.
Tell the desk what you need, how fast, and where you ride. It writes you a bench card: the type of shop to look for, the questions to ask word-for-word, the walk-away flags, and the fair-price band for the work.
The bench-card table — the finder's full workings, printed
Every answer the finder can give, in one table. If scripts are off, this is the tool.
The full bench cards, printed — every question, every flag
Every word the finder can write, printed statically: for each need, the shop type, the four questions in full, the three walk-away flags, the fair-price band and the honest turnaround — followed by all four urgency notes and all seven region notes. Nothing the tool says is script-only.
Repair / tune-up — the full bench card
Look for: A full-service independent shop with a written tune menu
Fair-price band — Standard tune: $75–$160 · Overhaul: $200–$350
Ask these, word for word:
- What exactly does each tune tier include — and what does it exclude (cables, pads, chain)?
- Will you call me before replacing any part over an agreed amount?
- Do you check hub, headset and bottom-bracket bearings, or is a tune adjustments-only?
- What is the current queue, honestly — and is there a will-call date on the ticket?
Walk-away flags:
- A tune quoted with no tier menu and no written scope
- Parts replaced with no call and no old parts returned
- “Everything is worn out” with no measurements (chain checker, pad depth)
Turnaround: In season (Mar–Sep) expect 3–10 days at busy shops; winter is often 1–3 days.
Bike fitting — the full bench card
Look for: A dedicated fitter — a fit studio, or a shop with a named fitter and a fit room
Fair-price band — Basic fit: $75–$150 · Comprehensive fit: $200–$400
Ask these, word for word:
- What system and tools do you use (video, motion capture, pressure mapping) — and what training stands behind them?
- Is the session priced flat, and are follow-up adjustments inside 60–90 days included?
- Will you fit my current bike first before recommending a new stem, saddle or crank?
- Do you send a written report with my numbers afterwards?
Walk-away flags:
- A “fit” that is a saddle-height tweak sold at full session price
- A fit that ends, every time, in a list of parts only that shop sells
- No written measurements handed over — your numbers are yours
Turnaround: Book 1–3 weeks out; a real session runs 90 minutes to 3 hours.
E-bike service — the full bench card
Look for: A service centre authorised for YOUR motor system (Bosch, Shimano, Brose, Fazua, TQ, Specialized)
Fair-price band — Diagnostic: $60–$120 · E-bike tune: $100–$200
Ask these, word for word:
- Are you authorised on my motor system, with the diagnostic software for it?
- Do you service the battery, or only send it out — and what is the turnaround?
- Is the bike UL 2849 / EN 15194 certified, and does that change what you will work on?
- What is the diagnostic fee, and is it credited toward the repair?
Walk-away flags:
- Firmware or diagnostic work offered on a system the shop is not authorised for
- A willingness to “de-restrict” or chip the motor — it voids warranty and can void insurance
- Battery repairs (cell swaps) offered in-house — reputable shops do not open packs
Turnaround: Diagnostics 2–5 days; motor or battery warranty cases run 1–4 weeks through the brand.
Kids' bikes — the full bench card
Look for: A family-focused shop with a real kids' floor and lightweight models, not just small adult bikes
Fair-price band — Kids' tune: $40–$85 · Quality kids' bike: $200–$550
Ask these, word for word:
- Do you run a trade-up programme, and what credit does a returned bike earn?
- Can my child test-ride, and will you size by inseam rather than age?
- Are the brakes hand-lever reach-adjustable for small hands?
- What does the first-year check cost — kids' bikes need one after the first months?
Walk-away flags:
- Sizing a child “to grow into it” — an oversized bike is an unsafe bike
- Steel department-store weight sold as “durable” — heavy is why kids stop riding
- Training wheels pushed over a balance-bike start for under-5s
Turnaround: Same-week in most shops; spring weekends are the crunch — book ahead in March–May.
Road specialism — the full bench card
Look for: A road-leaning independent: electronic shifting, hydraulic discs and aero wheels on the daily ticket board
Fair-price band — Road tune: $90–$175 · Hydraulic bleed: $30–$60 per brake
Ask these, word for word:
- Do you stock or fast-order Di2 / AXS small parts and hydraulic hose kits?
- Who in the shop rides road — and who would work on my bike?
- Can you true and tension carbon wheels in-house?
- Do you offer a race-week priority slot, and what does it cost?
Walk-away flags:
- No torque wrench discipline on carbon (ask how cockpits are torqued)
- Hydraulic bleeds quoted without naming the fluid standard for your brakes
- A road shop that will not discuss fit before selling speed
Turnaround: Peak season queues hit 1–2 weeks; winter is the time for the deep work.
Mountain-bike specialism — the full bench card
Look for: An MTB-leaning shop with suspension service in-house or a named suspension partner
Fair-price band — Fork service: $60–$120 · Full suspension service: $150–$300
Ask these, word for word:
- Is fork/shock service in-house or sent out — and to whom, with what turnaround?
- What does a 50-hour and a 200-hour suspension service cost here?
- Do you set sag and baseline settings with me on the bike at pickup?
- Which pivot-bearing kits do you stock for the big local brands?
Walk-away flags:
- Suspension “service” that is only an air-can wipe-down, priced as a full rebuild
- No bearing press on the premises at an MTB specialist
- Seal and oil work quoted with no parts list
Turnaround: Suspension work: 3–7 days in-house, 1–3 weeks sent out. Book before spring.
Gravel specialism — the full bench card
Look for: A gravel/adventure-leaning shop fluent in tubeless, wide tyres and mixed-surface gearing
Fair-price band — Tubeless setup: $25–$50 per wheel · Gravel tune: $85–$170
Ask these, word for word:
- Do you set up tubeless in-house, and which sealants do you carry?
- What is the widest tyre you have actually fitted on my frame class?
- Can you advise on gearing changes for loaded riding (sub-compact, mullet drivetrains)?
- Do you stock dynamo and bikepacking hardware, or order it in?
Walk-away flags:
- Tubeless setups sent out with tubes still inside “just in case” without telling you
- Tyre clearance advice from the spec sheet rather than a measured check
- No sealant refresh offered at a tune — dried sealant is the #1 gravel flat
Turnaround: Tubeless and tyre work is often same-day; full tunes follow the seasonal queue.
Urgency — all four notes, in full
- Urgency — today: call before noon and ask specifically for a same-day slot for flats, brakes and safety faults; many shops hold one. A rush fee of $0–$25 is fair; a doubled labour rate is not.
- Urgency — this week: book the ticket now, not the day you need the bike. Ask what can be done as a staged repair (safety first, cosmetics later).
- Urgency — flexible: you hold the strongest hand. Ask about off-peak or winter pricing and bundle everything into one ticket.
- Urgency — seasonal prep: the cheapest, calmest work of the year happens Oct–Feb. Book the overhaul then, not in the April queue.
Region notes — all seven, in full
- Region note — Pacific Northwest: ask about full-length mudguards/fenders and wet-weather brake pads; a good NW shop raises them before you do. Winter queues are short; spring is not.
- Region note — Northeast & Mid-Atlantic: road salt eats drivetrains. Ask about a rinse-and-lube routine and budget a chain a season; city riders should also ask about secure storage and theft-proofing advice.
- Region note — California: hills and sun. Ask about gearing for sustained climbs and tyre checks for UV-aged rubber; Bay Area and LA riders should ask about theft deterrence and registration.
- Region note — Mountain West: dry air kills sealant and tyres. Ask for a sealant check every 2–3 months, carry a plug kit, and expect goathead thorns to be the default flat.
- Region note — Midwest & Great Lakes: salt and freeze-thaw. Ask about winter storage prep, fat-bike or studded options, and a spring corrosion inspection.
- Region note — South & Southeast: heat and humidity. Chains rust overnight in coastal air — ask about wet lube or wax, and store the bike indoors if you can.
- Region note — rural / small-town: your nearest full-service shop may be 40+ miles away. Favour shops that answer the phone, quote by photo, and will ship or hold parts; learn the flat fix yourself and let the shop do the annual deep work.