I do all of my own maintenance - car, bike, plane, tractor - doesn't matter. If I don't know how to do something I will figure it out. But there is one simple task that I have completely given up on - using tire irons for ANY reason. Last week I got a simple flat on my Cafe Racer. I removed the rear tire and brought it to a local shop. I find myself at the counter explaining to the guy that I can do it...but don't because I only have about a 60% success rate of not pinching the tube or marring the rim. It's not "like" I'm embarrassed to pay for this service - I am embarrassed.

What's your guilty displeasure?

I don't pay for anything on my motorcycle, mower, blower, weedeater or the family fleet of bicycles.  I rotate all of our tires, swap out, winter wheels, do the brakes and most other repairs that wouldn't be covered under warranty.  I've even lowered a couple of cars with springs or coilovers.    I'll do all that, but I refuse to change the oil on our cars.  For $20, I'll happily let someone else do it. 

Though this may change soon.  The free service on my wife's Volvo is up.  I don't think I'm going to pay the dealer service fees and it takes full synthetic oil.   May end up doing that one myself.  Better yet, maybe I'll have her do it.

I do my own tires just because I don't have a cheap option.  The local shops won't reuse the tube, so that adds tube cost plus a bottle of Ride-on puncture sealant plus the shop fee.  I can save generally $60 doing it myself, as long as I don't pinch the tube  .  (Note, I use the same tube for about 3 tires, which is generally about 1-1.5 years and 12-15k miles).  

But my buddy has a shop close to him that'll do a tire swap for $25.  At that price point I'd gladly pay someone to do it.  Wish I had that shop in my town.

Car/truck oil changes are a no brainer to me, I let the shop do it.  I'd only save $10 and have to deal with disposal and the Texas heat and mosquitos.  The only hassle letting them do it is a little wait...

Fork Seals is always the one that gets to me.  It's a pain in the butt, but I end up doing them because the labor cost at the shop is insane.  I'd pay $100 to avoid it, but the shop always wants double that or more...

zipidachimp wrote on 08/25/17 at 12:30:04:

 

I usually ask to inspect all old/removed parts.

I've been known to mark things. I've marked the oil filter when I was gonna get it changed. A silver marker on the valve stem would do.

I'm lucky. Little independent shop at the bottom of the hill. They will match internet prices if possable, use your parts if not.  $60 an hour labor rate and guananteed.  Also, a nice hang out to avoid the "honeydo" list....

zipidachimp wrote on 08/28/17 at 21:52:17:


I can't help but believe that 10 year old tires didn't ride very well....or have good traction in the wet.

Dave: the tires only had 5600kms on them and looked brand new. If I wasn't so cheap, I would have changed them last year when I bought the bike. As it happened I put 1000kms on before I wised up!