Wheel: Replacement or Fixable?

[Timmymna]

First I would like to say what a great website this is and great videos.<br />
I know nothing about bikes and until today never really thought much about it but after watching just a few videos I am now more informed
I just brought back my bike from the shop today and wanted a second opinion, I've added a link to a video I've uploaded onto youtube, if someone could let me know if my wheel is too damaged to fix or not, I've never used this shop before and want to make sure they're not taking me for a ride :-P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nArfXwyPgnY
Thanks

[Alex Ramon]

What did you bring it into the shop for? If it wasn't specifically to fix the front wheel then I can see them not fixing it, but if you brought it in for that they certainly didn't fix it. At the very least they should have told you it was bent and in need of truing, which usually costs about $20.

[Timmymna]

Sorry, re-reading my post I didn't make it clear what I meant.
I took it to the shop thinking they could "straighten it up" but they rang up and said I needed a new wheel as it was too damaged.
I was after a second opinion whether it could be fixed or if it is too damaged to be fixed and needed to be replaced? There was no work done to the bike, also its the rear wheel if that makes any difference.
Thanks again.

[Alex Ramon]

It does look pretty badly bent. Can you see any visible damage on the rim itself? If not there's a last-resort technique that involves taking the wheel off and slamming it on the ground sideways and then <a href="http://bikeride.com/wheel-truing/">re-truing</a>. It's not always guaranteed to work...

[Timmymna]

As far as I can tell there is no damage to the rim, when you say sideways would that mean the spokes are horizontal to the ground and trying to straighten it that way?
If so I'll give it a go, if it doesn't work it'll be in no worse condition than it is now.
Thanks.

[Alex Ramon]

Yes, with spokes horizontal to the ground. You basically want to find the spot that is really out of true and then try to physically whack it back by force. You may have to do this several times... but check for true in between each hit.