In article ,
Paul Kopit wrote:

Repair parts for Campy are costly if you don't do the repair yourself.
The typical G springs repair and a set of hoods will set you back $70.
That's $10 for the springs and $35 for the hoods plus $25 labor. A
set of housing is $35. Within 3 years of normal riding you can expect
to pay $105 for replacement parts on a set of levers that you can buy
for ~$100. And remember, nothing broke. The replacement rear
derailleur cages cost like the entire unit. The majority of local
shops don't have a clue as to how to work with Campy components and
don't even stock them. Repair parts? The shops don't even like to
order them. Remember, those that participate here on usenet are very
savy consumers and many skilled mehanically.

I always assumed people come here so they can become more savvy
consumers and more skilled mechanically, I think it's reasonable to
tell people the parts and instructions they need to fix it themselves.
A frugal person will use the information and a lazy person with
lots of money will patronize the bike shop. Both ways are OK, I don't
think less of the guy who pays someone to work on his bike.
I think anyone with reasonable use of their fingers can learn to
take apart an ergo lever, and if they think they can't well they
should have gone to a bike shop instead of to rec.bicycles.tech.

I am not surprised to learn that a shop wasn't prepared to do
this work, but depending on which city you're talking about, there
is probably a shop in the area that has the parts on hand and
knows how to use them.

The person in the example you mentioned apparently hasn't learned
about keeping a spare bike yet? :-)

--Paul