What begins with caring often ends up as a business model: displays are requesting servicing earlier and earlier, and inspections are becoming increasingly expensive. Owners of e-bikes and company bikes in particular are caught up in a system of mandatory appointments, budget logic and questionable repairs. If you don't know your way around, you pay - often without any real added value.
"Service now!" - Bad example car industry
Thanks to electronics and displays, e-bikes record a wide range of data - from mileage to charging cycles. Dealers and manufacturers can freely programme service requests based on this data using software. Annual inspections are now standard for company bikes.
"Service now!" - what car drivers have known for years from the cockpit now also lights up on bicycle displays. The maintenance request has reached the mountain bike. What sounds like care often turns out to be a business model.
Programmable displays make it possible: manufacturers and dealers set service intervals that prompt the driver to visit the workshop after just a few hundred kilometres. "The industry has copied this one-to-one from the automotive industry," says scene expert Marcus Klausmann.
Many dealers request the first service after just 350 to 500 kilometres from the time of purchase. A distance that ambitious hobby riders cover in just a few summer weekends. The necessity of a professional check after such a short mileage is doubtful.
Fuel for the fire: work that is expensive but unnecessary causes trouble
It pays off for garages: early inspections cost from 90 euros upwards. In many cases, the bike is inspected first and foremost. If everything fits, the chain is oiled, bolts are tightened - and the money is collected.
"I'm particularly annoyed when work is carried out that isn't even necessary," says Mike Schinke, owner of bikeamike in Hechendorf on the Ammersee. "Older people and beginners trust what's on the display and drive to the dealer in good faith."
If you don't comply with the service request, you are often told that there will be serious consequences: imminent loss of warranty, engine damage, depreciation. If you don't know your way around, you have to believe - just like a car mechanic, electrician or insurance agent.
Following the old patterns: safety, longevity, value retention
The argumentation follows familiar patterns: safety, longevity, value retention - just like with cars. Klausmann sees this as a clear strategy. "If sales don't grow, you generate turnover through services." The bicycle industry has discovered this principle for itself.
Company bikes are particularly lucrative. Depending on the service package, up to around 250 euros per year are available for maintenance. The money expires if it is not claimed. A gift for dealers: customers come to have repairs carried out - whether necessary or not. It's already paid for thanks to the service package.
Of course, regular maintenance also has tangible benefits and can certainly extend the service life - whether for complete bikes or suspension elements. "Especially if it is carried out fairly and with a sense of proportion," says Nils Richter, owner of Move Cycles from Burbach in the Siegerland region.
He inspects the wheels together with the customer. "I don't replace half-worn parts." Richter admits, however, that inspections as part of service bike maintenance are grateful for dealers because customers are less price-sensitive. After all, the service has already been paid for. Not everyone works so fairly.
A second-year bicycle mechanic reports from a large workshop - he does not wish to be named. "Even if chains, drivetrains or brake pads are still in perfect condition, they are replaced during inspections. The parts end up in the bin," he reports. In this way, budgets are utilised before they expire. Sustainability? Not a chance.
Private customers are also affected. "Often what's on the invoice isn't done," says Schinke. He knows of cases where the bike was only briefly connected to the computer, a software update was installed and the service message was cancelled - costing 120 euros.
It used to be different, Schinke recalls. "15 years ago, the first service after purchase was free anyway. After all, you earned money from the sale." Today, that's the exception.
In the end, the customer is left with little: basic technical understanding, critical enquiry - or trust in the mechanic. Schinke also observes a generational problem. "It's often younger dealers and mechanics. They tick differently."
Whether this is good for the industry's reputation is questionable. One thing is certain: the service light will continue to flash in the future - at least as long as a display is mounted on the handlebars.
Experienced bikers know when their bike needs a service - worn parts can be clearly recognised. Most beginners and older riders with little technical affinity fall into the service trap. My advice: take good care of your bike and do small jobs yourself. And if you go to a professional, you should pay attention to transparency, have their services explained to you - and pay attention to the workshop's online reviews. Thanks to Google ratings, potential customers can get a good overview. - BIKE workshop manager Hans-Peter Ettenberger
Interview with Mike Schinke: "Women and older people are often ripped off"
BIKE: Mike, you have a bike shop yourself. How important is regular maintenance?
MIKE SCHINKE: Very important. But it starts with the owner. Ideally, the bike should be cleaned after the ride and the material should be handled with care. If you don't wrench yourself, take your bike for a service once a year depending on its condition - and discuss with the mechanic what is really necessary.
Manufacturers and dealers have been specifying service intervals for as long as there have been displays. Can this be seen as an advantage for the customer?
You can interpret it that way, but I think it's more of a pretence. After a new purchase, a workshop visit after 500 kilometres is rarely necessary. In my opinion, it shouldn't cost anything; after all, the dealer has already earned money from the sale. Then it would be more of a nice bonus for the customer.
After 500 kilometres? That's almost nothing.
Exactly. I know of cases where the message came after just 350 kilometres. As a rule, nothing is really broken after such a mileage.
We have received invoices for 70 euros after such an initial service. Traceable?
Maybe at a third-party workshop, but certainly not at a dealer where the bike was purchased. I regularly see bikes, i.e. with more mileage, in a miserable condition, where customers say: "It was serviced a few weeks ago, over 100 euros." And then you immediately realise that almost nothing has been done. I'm convinced that a lot of things are charged for that weren't even done.
Which customers are particularly affected?
Unfortunately, it's mostly older people and many women - in other words, anyone who isn't technically savvy. Core bikers are more likely to notice something like this, but even they are not always spared.
That annoys you?
Of course, because it reflects badly on us bike mechanics. Even worse: many people continue to go to such rip-off workshops anyway. But that's their choice.
What advice do you have for those affected?
Familiarise yourself with the bike. Above all: find a mechanic who works transparently, looks at the bike together and explains what is really necessary. It also helps to know the usual service prices - you need to do some research for this. Online reviews can also be a guide.
How much does a service cost with you?
A standard service costs me 95 euros. This includes many things. If spare parts are required, it will of course be more expensive, but here I consult with the customer. I know garages that charge 90 euros and write on their website that this is just an assessment - without carrying out any work. That's cheeky.
Service bikes come with fixed service budgets. A blessing for garages?
Sure, that's convenient. But I still don't do work that isn't necessary. If you want to make the most of the budget, I can help you in other ways - credit notes.
What is the problem with company bikes?
With leasing, there are usually three annual inspections with a fixed budget - around 90 euros each with JobRad, for example, or a full service package of up to 500 euros for frequent riders, including wear parts. The details vary depending on the provider. I remember one case where a dealer charged a whole 460 euros after the first inspection at 500 kilometres. For the remaining two years, the customer was left with just 40 euros.
What work was done here?
According to the invoice: chain, drive, various wear parts. After 500 kilometres. The material was practically new. For me, that's quite clear: fraud.
Laurin Lehner
Editor
