Inspections That Close Estimates
No more paper checklists, illegible notes, or disputes about bike condition at drop-off. Every inspection creates a permanent record, and a customer report that builds trust.
Start Free TrialHow do I show a customer why their bike needs service?
Record the inspection in Trail Hits Hub, review the recommended labor and parts, then send the inspection results with the estimate so the customer can make an informed decision.
Example: A rider reports brake noise. The technician finds worn pads and wants the customer to see the finding before approving replacement pads and installation.
Record what the technician actually finds
Open the inspection for the customer’s bike. Record the relevant checks, measurements, notes and photos. Use the diagram to locate findings. Scribe can structure dictated notes; your team reviews the result.
Build and check the estimate
Review the labor and parts suggested for the findings. Confirm the scope and prices before sending. The technician decides what service is needed; an AI suggestion is not customer approval.
Send the findings with the price
Send the inspection results and estimate together. The customer can review them in the Trail Hits rider app or through the supported email or SMS link. They can see the reason for the recommended work alongside its cost.
Review the response and keep the conversation together
Check which estimate lines the customer approves or declines. Answer questions with the work order in view, and update the service plan to match the approved work. If a part must be ordered, track it against that work order and communicate the expected timing.
What your shop gets: The customer’s decision has context: the finding, the proposed work and the price. Your shop keeps the inspection, estimate and conversation connected to the work order.
Waiting on a part?
Keep the part and expected arrival linked to the work order, then update the customer when it arrives.
Explore special ordersKeep the steps with the work.
Use your checklist catalog during the work and your shop’s quality-control checks before pickup.
Explore custom checklistsBefore Hub, This Is Every Shop's Intake
The Paper Clipboard
- ✗ Handwritten notes nobody can read two days later
- ✗ Customer calls and nobody can find the original inspection
- ✗ Disputes about bike condition at drop-off with no proof
- ✗ New staff can't look up a bike's history
- ✗ Measurements and settings lost between visits
With Hub
- ✓ Every bike has a permanent, searchable digital record
- ✓ Photos and measurements attached to every finding
- ✓ Customer gets a branded inspection report via SMS
- ✓ Findings auto-suggest labor SKUs from your Lightspeed® catalog
- ✓ Complete history: every visit, every finding, every measurement
9-Category Inspection Checklist
Every inspection covers the full bike systematically. Per-item condition ratings, wear percentages, measurements, notes, and photos.
Pre-Service Measurements
Sag, travel, tire pressure, saddle height, bar width
Tires
Tread depth, sidewall condition, sealant level, PSI
Drivetrain
Chain wear, cassette, chainring, derailleur alignment
Brakes
Pad thickness, rotor condition, fluid level, lever feel
Wheels
Spoke tension, trueness, bearing play, hub engagement
Cockpit
Stem torque, bar condition, grips, headset play
Frame & Suspension
Pivot bearings, shock bushings, frame cracks, linkage
Electrical
Battery health, motor, display, wiring (e-bikes)
Other
Accessories, custom items, customer-specific concerns
Per-item condition rating
Component wear tracking
Critical items highlighted for customer and tech
What the mechanic says:
"Front tire, 50% worn. Spun front wheel, bearings are smooth, no lateral play. Brake pads appear to be 50% worn. Headset, smooth, no play. Chain measures 0.75 on the Park Tool scale..."
What Hub creates:
- Tires: 50% worn
- Wheel Bearings: Pass
- Brake Pads: 50% worn
- Headset: Pass
- Chain: 0.75 wear (replace recommended)
Trail Hits® Scribe: Inspect by Voice, Skip the Paperwork
Your mechanic narrates findings while working on the bike. Trail Hits® Scribe transcribes, categorizes by component, and auto-populates condition ratings. What used to take 30-40 minutes of clipboard-to-computer takes 5.
- Per-item mic button or continuous narration mode
- On-device speech recognition that works without internet
- Restock triggers: "running low on rebuild kits" flags your dashboard
No checklist needed: an estimate on the spot
Bike in the stand, customer standing right there. The mechanic taps Scribe, says the labor the bike needs out loud, and the moment they stop talking there's a clean, formatted labor estimate for the customer to review on the spot, no keyboard, no hunting the Lightspeed catalog, no "I'll call you with a quote."
"It'd be like a doctor with a scribe... that would be pretty revolutionary in terms of any service department, not even just bikes."
Lead Mechanic
Branded Reports That Build Trust
Every inspection generates a customer-facing report delivered via SMS. No login required. The customer sees exactly what their bike needs, with manufacturer recommendations, not just "we think you should spend money."
- Your shop logo on every report
- Public URL that customers open on any device, no app needed
- Customer questions auto-queued during inspection, sent with report
- Expandable detail, so depth is available but not forced
"That third-party validation really helps build trust with people."
Service Manager, on customer response to inspection reports
"Having expandable lists with options, the depth is available, but not just vomited into their face."
Service Manager, on report design
"Dot fluid is hydrophilic. It will absorb water over time. It is recommended to bleed them at least once a year per manufacturer recommendations."
Example of the manufacturer-backed language customers see
From Inspection to Approved Estimate
Findings auto-suggest matching labor SKUs from your Lightspeed catalog. The customer approves or declines each service in the app, by email, or by text, and the approved work pushes to Lightspeed. One closed loop, no phone tag.
Inspect
Checklist or voice
Auto-Estimate
Labor SKUs suggested
Send to Customer
App, email, or SMS
Customer Approves
Approve or decline each line
Push to Lightspeed
Approved work, one tap
"Push labor over. We now have a populated labor list and we just need to scan parts in."
Service Manager, on the inspection-to-estimate pipeline
Designed for the Service Bay, Not the Office
Hub's iPad app is built for greasy hands and busy days. Auto-saves. Quick gestures. No typing required.
Auto-Save
Drafts save every 30 seconds. Walk away, come back, pick up where you left off. Nothing lost.
Quick-Pass
Swipe right to mark an item as Pass. No detail needed for items that look good.
Auto-Components
Search by make and model, and bike specs and standard components populate automatically from the 99 Spokes catalog.
Replace the clipboard. Close more estimates.
One fork service closed from an inspection report pays for 2-4 months of Hub.
Trail Hits® Hub
Now on iPhone & iPad
