the Cost of Bicycle Repair

I went to a bike shop to replace the gooseneck on my 1964 schwinn hollywood bike, because the old one had rusted out and could not be turned for shipping. I wanted to purchase a new gooseneck and have the shop workers install it.

They found what appeared to be a good part, and they installed it, and i went on my way. Unfortunately i later discovered the part did not actually fit safely in my frame- it was about half a centimeter too long, as indicated by the grooves around the edge, which are supposed to be covered by the frame. The part was able to turn, so i was still able to ship the bike, but i need to go to a different shop to try to purchase a gooseneck that meets safety standards and will allow me to use the bike again without the risk of handlebars and front wheel misaligning.

Make sure you test out the bike before you even leave the shop. Examine it very carefully and perhaps even push or pull (carefully) at the affected part to make sure it is actually as secure as it needs to be. It is far better to discover any flaws before leaving the store so you can be refunded or have the problem fixed immediately.