The Shop Index · Instrument Nº 01

The Shop-Fit Finder

The short answer Match the shop to the job, not to the map pin. A fitting belongs with a fitter, an e-bike fault with the authorised service centre for its motor system, and a tune with any honest full-service bench that writes its scope down. The finder below makes that match — need, urgency, region — and prices it.

The bench-card table, in full

The complete decision table the finder draws from — every need, every shop type, the opening questions, the fair band, the honest turnaround. Print it, take it to the counter, hold the shop to it.

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.

How to use the card at the counter

1. Read the shop type first

   If the shop in front of you isn't the type on the card — a big-box sports counter for a suspension rebuild — the kindest move is to ask who they'd send it to. Good shops name a competitor without flinching.

2. Ask two of the questions, word for word

   You don't need all four. Two asked calmly tells you within a minute whether answers are measured or improvised.

3. Hold the quote against the band

   Inside the band: normal. Above it: ask what else is included — sometimes there's a fair answer. Below it by a lot: ask what was left out.

4. Get the four ticket lines

   Written scope, call threshold, old parts back, will-call date. See how to judge a shop.