Chicago Biking!

I received a comment on my last post that pointed out that I haven't yet written anything about commuting in Chicago. It's true! So I thought I should start. The only problem is that my route is a straight shot down Milwaukee Avenue, and there is the skinny bike lane that cars can't fit in for almost the whole path. That means that I will have to shift my blog focus. I can't write about cars driving in the bike lane! I suppose I could complain about the cabs that sometimes try to block you out...but that's sort of expected. And by law, they have a right to sit in the bike lane if they are picking up or dropping off customers.

So I bought a Jamis Aurora, a road bike that is durable enough for touring. It was within my price range and fulfilled my needs. I think that somewhere down the line i might buy a very lightweight aluminum frame road bike (single gear?), but for now, I'm happy. I purchased it at Rapid Transit Cycles on North Avenue. My only complaint is that I felt like some of the components weren't put on very well. The brakes were over-tightened and the cord was fraying after a week and a half. I had them fixed and the following week my front brakes were useless because they had loosened up. I know that this happens naturally, but I feel like my bike shop in DC would have noticed that it was loose and fixed it before it became a real problem. But the guy who appears to be the head manager (or owner) rigged a piece of metal that allowed me to use my grocery paniers. That was cool.

So I have a question...What is the rule on tipping when you're getting your bike fixed or tuned up? Do people usually tip? Would it be different if you just purchased the bike?