Topic: What do you pay for tubes, mount and balance?

[Vbled1]

I just took my 750 hubs in to be laced to new rims and am having the shop mount and balance the tires, also bought tubes from them. Paid $25 a tube, $27 for each mount and $27 for each balance. A total of $158. Does this sound about right? thanks

[Gordon]

$80 for a tube, mount and balance seems very high to me, but prices may be very different where you are.  How much is the cost for tire disposal, which is generally worked into the price for mounting a new tire? 

In Denver, I was paying $25 total for mount and balance, and $10 for a new tube.  Is this the price for bringing in the wheel, or does this also cover removal and installation of the wheel? 

[CycleRanger]

Yeah, $25 to mount and balance is more typical in my recent experience.
I replaced a bunch of spokes on the last rim I took in and they charged me an additional $20 for truing.

[andy750]

I paid $35 for mount and balance, tube and rim strip are $10.

[Johnie]

Just had my front done. I bought the tire from my dealer ($100). Removed it from the bike and brought it into the shop and paid $15 tube and $25 for mount and balance.

[Shane72]

I just took my 750 hubs in to be laced to new rims and am having the shop mount and balance the tires, also bought tubes from them. Paid $25 a tube, $27 for each mount and $27 for each balance. A total of $158. Does this sound about right? thanks

$158 + tires = ?

It sounds like the going rate in your area.  Tubes can be had for less, and why they charge the same amounts for first mounting and then balancing is beyond me.

This is exactly why I started rolling my own about 7 years ago.  I figure the savings to be between $150.00 - $300.00 per set total, depending on the sale price of tires.  Of course, I do all my friends' tires now, which is nice.   

This site was/is my go-to DIY tire site:  http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

There are lots of other helpful sites, and I'd recommend starting with the next set.  The biggest trick I learned was how to balance a tire by watching the Michelin Man at BIR one race weekend for about a half hour.  Easy, fast, repeatable, and dead-nuts balanced everytime.

So yes, that's the going rate in your area, and yes, it's too much--at least for me.  YMMV.

Shane

[Vbled1]

I just took my 750 hubs in to be laced to new rims and am having the shop mount and balance the tires, also bought tubes from them. Paid $25 a tube, $27 for each mount and $27 for each balance. A total of $158. Does this sound about right? thanks

$158 + tires = ?

It sounds like the going rate in your area.  Tubes can be had for less, and why they charge the same amounts for first mounting and then balancing is beyond me.

This is exactly why I started rolling my own about 7 years ago.  I figure the savings to be between $150.00 - $300.00 per set total, depending on the sale price of tires.  Of course, I do all my friends' tires now, which is nice.   

This site was/is my go-to DIY tire site:  http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

There are lots of other helpful sites, and I'd recommend starting with the next set.  The biggest trick I learned was how to balance a tire by watching the Michelin Man at BIR one race weekend for about a half hour.  Easy, fast, repeatable, and dead-nuts balanced everytime.

So yes, that's the going rate in your area, and yes, it's too much--at least for me.  YMMV.

Shane

Tires I brought in myself didn't buy them there, I don't think that's why it's steep considering it's mainly a spoke place, Buchanan's. And thanks for the response, thought about the DIY route. It's highway robbery, my car has Shelby deep dish rims and meaty tires and it was 15$ a tire for mount and balance and was a steal as I see now. Everyone else thanks for the input.

[Tews19]

I think Andy is pretty spot on. 80 bucks to put on each tire is insane. A place here will mount, balance, tubes and rim strip for free if you get the tires through them.....

I just took my 750 hubs in to be laced to new rims and am having the shop mount and balance the tires, also bought tubes from them. Paid $25 a tube, $27 for each mount and $27 for each balance. A total of $158. Does this sound about right? thanks

Sounds like way to much. 80 bucks to much.

[Danno]

last time I paid 14 dollars a mount and balance and 9 dollars a tube but I took my wheels in to be mounted and balanced my brother paid similar amounts to you because he took his bike in and made them do all the work

my father paid 94 dollars for his valkirie and they said they would never do it again for less than 120

[Vbled1]

Yea it sounds like I should just have them lace and true, then get the tubes cheaper and bring them in to another shop. Even if I saved 40 or 50$ it's worth it to me.

[DYSKORD]

Some shops just charge by the hour to mount and balance which depends obviously on labor rate at that shop. I know from experience that some wheels take longer than others, ecspecially nice, painted/powder coated ones. The tube price could be high but most shops order from Parts Unlimited and depending what they order/have in stock, $25 has been seen with name brand/heavy duty tubes (which are heavy as #$%* by the way). So essentially, you got what you needed, albeit at the higher end of the price point but not out of bounds. I say "hell yeah you got some nice new tread and tubes" and you will do it again, so if your unhappy with the price start sourcing some cheaper products and only pay the shop for labor next time, usually .50-1.00 hr for two wheels. If I needed tires and tubes I woud have paid what you did.

[Old Scrambler]

You chose to do business with the Buchannon shop.........you pay.  I buy my tires at a local shop with free mounting, balancing, and truing if I remove the wheel from the bike. Tubes are under $10 including rim strips. The tire cost to the dealer varies by his volume. Parts Unlimited has a cost-ladder to its dealer/customers.

[Toxic]

I just got back from picking up mine.
half hour shop rate is $45.00 which is there min. charge.

they took they old one of, installed the tire and tube that I supplied as well as balanced.

FYI ... around here it is getting harder to find a shop that will instal tires that they didn't sell you.  They claim liability is the issue.

[Vbled1]

Choose to do business with Buchanans? Lol link me to another custom spoke outfit please so I can compare prices. I paid $420 for the custom spokes, lace and true. I'm taking them to a local shop for mount and balance 15 for tube, 25 for mount and balance. So basically I will save 80$ by not having Buchanans mount the tires. Food for thought.

[crazypj]

Buchanan's have a captive market when it comes to spokes.
I'm pretty sure they feel the same about everything else wheel related.
 That is way over the top in my opinion.
Mount and balance should be one deal, around $25~$50 depending on shop rate in the area.
I would also want dynamic balance checked on any rim over 3" wide, most places do static because it's easier and cheaper