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Main
Date: 16 Jan 2007 18:09:57
From: landotter
Subject: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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Well that was satisfying! My neighbors had been lamenting their lack of
good bikes whenever I saw them at the local dog park, as they'd often
see me zooming about doing errands on one of my small fleet of utility
bikes. So I lent Caroline "Helga", an alley find retrofitted with 700c
wheels and 28mm tires I built up from the detritus in the garage.
(http://tinyurl.com/2nw9c2) She rode the crap out of that funky coaster
brake thing the past couple of unseasonably warm weeks. That lady
needed a bike of her own!
I found out in passing that she had an early 90s rotty Mt. Shasta rigid
mtb in the garage. A college campus transport in very rough shape.
Tires with the tubes coming out the sidewalls, and a chain that was 2mm
past the 12 link usual. Shimano Altus componentry in oxidized, but
solid condition. Rust spots on frame, bars, and covering the chain. The
wheels were nice and almost true, so I asked her if she wanted to blow
a hundred bucks to see if I could do something with it.
Returned it today looking fantastic, with WTB slicks, Freddy fenders, a
silent and perfect drivetrain with a fresh chain, grippy new brake
pads, shortened bars with new Tru-Grips, rust ground off and touched
up with 'lectric tape covering the hideous decals in an urbanite
fashion. It didn't look showroom, but it looked like a serious vehicle
instead of an old rotty mtb. She just about had a heart attack! Talk
about a killer hug! She kept shreiking on about how cool the fenders
looked. :-P Oh, and then she saw the shiny new skewers I'd given her
from the bucket. Never have I seen a person get so happy about new
shiny skewers.
All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
miles.
This wouldn't be news in a city where utility cycling is normal, like
Chicago or Madison WI, but in Nashville, it's pretty cool to get
another rider on the road that's not spandexed up.
:-D
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Date: 18 Jan 2007 14:01:31
From: landotter
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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Peter Cole wrote:
> landotter wrote:
>
> > I don't lend bike tools, ever. You want something fixed? I'd rather do
> > it than lend out my tools. My electric hedger is another deal, borrow
> > it for a week, have fun.
>
> Nobody around here (Boston) seems to do any landscaping any more -- I
> feel like an endangered species. It seems like not too long ago people
> used to fix their own stuff. Now, if a bike breaks, people toss it.
> Everything has become disposable. One of the great ironies is, with the
> Internet, we're in some kind of DIY "golden age". Know-how is easy to
> Google, so are odd parts, and Ebay is like a global flea ket.
>
Yeah, I can't stand "disposability". There's pride to be had in taking
care of whatever gear you've got. Sometimes things actually do wear
out. Rarely does that happen to the average person's bicycle, though.
It usually dies from neglect and exposure. It's not seen as "worth the
effort" as you can get a Schwinn cruiser ready to ride from *t for
$150--what it would cost to have the LBS tune what you've let rot away
in the basement.
> It's nice that you're seen as a hero to your neighbor, and it's nice of
> you to be so generous with your time and expertise. On the flip side, I
> built a really nice bike up for my wife - city bike, 26" wheels, slicks,
> fenders, rack with rear pannier, bar bag, v-brakes, trigger shifters,
> etc. Perfectly matched to what she wanted - a reliable, no fuss machine
> for commuting and weekend rides. She always has people telling her how
> she needs to "upgrade" if she wants to be faster when she goes on club
> rides. Ditto on my son's bike (we built together), old Raleigh, but with
> new bar-ends (8s), new wheels, clipless pedals, etc. On a club ride one
> condescending jerk reked that he was surprised my son was faster than
> he, given that he had all the "wrong stuff".
This bike had a seven speed cassette! Positively neolithic. A delight
to adjust. Completely non-fussy. Perfect for city use. Steel crank
rings that'll last a lifetime! Steel handlebars and stem! A victorian
seatpin with seperate clamp. It makes your son's bike look like a
Saturn V. Those are good things in the city, that make a bike thief
move along. Usually bike thieves don't go, "by golly those bearings are
properly greased and what a well adjusted drivetrain!" before cutting
the cable. Like your son's bike, it's all about the right tool for the
job.
>
> On a balmy evening last August, my dog walking neighbor (professor)
> stopped to chat as I was replacing an exhaust system. He made a
> sympathetic rek about what a shame it was to be under a car on such a
> nice day. I flipped my goggles up, took a long pull on my Tecate, and
> told him this was the perfect thing to be doing, and I meant it! It made
> me wonder if he had ever fixed anything. Fixing stuff makes me happy,
> and if I can make someone else happy too, like you did, that's a bonus.
Yeah, the neighbors seemed a bit guilt ridden as it was pretty obvious
that I'd spent the better part of three evenings puttering on the bike
till I reminded them that it's usually fun. I've got a beer fridge and
a radio in the garage, and doing mindless mechanical stuff with one
hand and drinking a brew with the other can be a quite satisfying way
to relax. Beats whittling, that's for sure.
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Date: 19 Jan 2007 14:41:40
From: Zoot Katz
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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On 18 Jan 2007 14:01:31 -0800, "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com >
wrote:
>>
>> On a balmy evening last August, my dog walking neighbor (professor)
>> stopped to chat as I was replacing an exhaust system. He made a
>> sympathetic rek about what a shame it was to be under a car on such a
>> nice day. I flipped my goggles up, took a long pull on my Tecate, and
>> told him this was the perfect thing to be doing, and I meant it! It made
>> me wonder if he had ever fixed anything. Fixing stuff makes me happy,
>> and if I can make someone else happy too, like you did, that's a bonus.
>
>Yeah, the neighbors seemed a bit guilt ridden as it was pretty obvious
>that I'd spent the better part of three evenings puttering on the bike
>till I reminded them that it's usually fun. I've got a beer fridge and
>a radio in the garage, and doing mindless mechanical stuff with one
>hand and drinking a brew with the other can be a quite satisfying way
>to relax. Beats whittling, that's for sure.
Four or five years ago I tuned a mixte-frame mountain bike for a
neighbour. I told them that if they ever wanted to get rid of it to
call me. Last year I fixed a 70's era ten speed for them.
New Year's Day they invited me over and gave me the bike I'd fixed
four years ago. It had seen maybe 100 miles in that time.
Knowing their limited amount of bicycling I didn't change the tires
on the ten-speed but told them that if they start getting flats to
buy new tires and I'll change them. We'll see if that happens.
Meanwhile the mixte MTB frame I wanted is going to get attached to
the Xtracycle. My shop's a little crowded right now with a Norco and
a Miyata in pieces. Never a chance to get bored around here.
--
zk
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Date: 18 Jan 2007 12:18:53
From: DanKMTB@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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Great post. Since we moved into our new place this spring, 90% of the
neighbor's I've met I met because I fixed their kids bicycle. It seems
I'm the only one on the block with a pump, patches, tools or knowledge
and word's gotten out I've got all of the above. I truly enjoy it
about 98% of the time. When there's a cute little 5 year old with a
flat tire knocking on my door at 8AM on a sunday just as I sit down to
breakfast, it can be a smidge of a pain for a couple minutes. It's
still well worth it. <g >
I must say, with the amount the pump is "needed" on weekend days I
sometimes wonder if they're making the stuff up!
I've yet to actually meet an adult riding in the area, but helping the
kids is fun & usually results in my meeting their parents. I'll be
waiting for one of their bikes...
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Date: 18 Jan 2007 12:11:41
From: Ozark Bicycle
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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landotter wrote:
> Tom Keats wrote:
> > In article <1169083145.286172.129480@11g2000cwr.googlegroups.com>,
> > "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
> > >
> > > Tom Keats wrote:
> > >> In article <1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> > >> "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
> > >>
> > >> > All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
> > >> > leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
> > >> > store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
> > >> > miles.
> > >>
> > >> You realize, of course, you are the bike's
> > >> personal caregiver/veterinarian from now on --
> > >>
> > >> unless you're willing to lend tools ;-)
> > >>
> > >
> > > Yup, that's always the case isn't it? :-P I don't mind, as it all evens
> > > out in the end. Those folks provided me with garden tomatoes, chilis,
> > > and herbs all summer--so I'm not complaining. :-D
> >
> > Yeah, neighbourliness is great.
> >
> > Even though sometimes it results in being given
> > more zucchinis than ya know what to do with.
> >
> > Tell ya what, though -- sometimes it doesn't pay
> > to let too many people know you've got a floor pump.
> >
> > It's okay if they bring their bike over for you
> > to air-up their tires. But sometimes they wanna
> > borrow your pump and take it away with them for
> > awhile. Then you've gotta go through the distress
> > of delineating &putting your foot down about what
> > you'll lend, and not lend.
> >
>
> My pump does not leave the premises. I went for near twenty years
> without getting a proper floor pump of my own, and it's going nowhere.
> I do not miss the beforetime when I thought all a man needed was an hpx
> and a thumb.
>
> I lent my Yakima rack to the next door neighbor. He went and got
> himself drowned in the Gulf of Mexico the next weekend. Never got my
> rack back. That'll learn me. Damn you, Nate!
>
> > Never lend a chain tool. Especially if it's
> > a beautiful ol' Rivoli with the straightest
> > pin ever lathe-turned.
>
> I've got two, just in case!
>
> I don't lend bike tools, ever. You want something fixed? I'd rather do
> it than lend out my tools. My electric hedger is another deal, borrow
> it for a week, have fun.
>
> >
> > It's okay to lend (what's left of) a Suntour 2-prong
> > freewheel remover, if you've already used it, yourself.
> >
>
> I could use one of those actually...
Park Tool FR-2, nicer than the Suntour original.
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 20:38:00
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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In article <1169094101.486197.129160@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com >,
"landotter" <landotter@gmail.com > writes:
>> It's okay to lend (what's left of) a Suntour 2-prong
>> freewheel remover, if you've already used it, yourself.
>>
>
> I could use one of those actually...
I've got a couple of 'em, but they're kinda nubby.
You'll do better with a fresh, square-cornered one.
Or two.
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 20:21:41
From: landotter
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <1169083145.286172.129480@11g2000cwr.googlegroups.com>,
> "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
> >
> > Tom Keats wrote:
> >> In article <1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> >> "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
> >>
> >> > All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
> >> > leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
> >> > store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
> >> > miles.
> >>
> >> You realize, of course, you are the bike's
> >> personal caregiver/veterinarian from now on --
> >>
> >> unless you're willing to lend tools ;-)
> >>
> >
> > Yup, that's always the case isn't it? :-P I don't mind, as it all evens
> > out in the end. Those folks provided me with garden tomatoes, chilis,
> > and herbs all summer--so I'm not complaining. :-D
>
> Yeah, neighbourliness is great.
>
> Even though sometimes it results in being given
> more zucchinis than ya know what to do with.
>
> Tell ya what, though -- sometimes it doesn't pay
> to let too many people know you've got a floor pump.
>
> It's okay if they bring their bike over for you
> to air-up their tires. But sometimes they wanna
> borrow your pump and take it away with them for
> awhile. Then you've gotta go through the distress
> of delineating &putting your foot down about what
> you'll lend, and not lend.
>
My pump does not leave the premises. I went for near twenty years
without getting a proper floor pump of my own, and it's going nowhere.
I do not miss the beforetime when I thought all a man needed was an hpx
and a thumb.
I lent my Yakima rack to the next door neighbor. He went and got
himself drowned in the Gulf of Mexico the next weekend. Never got my
rack back. That'll learn me. Damn you, Nate!
> Never lend a chain tool. Especially if it's
> a beautiful ol' Rivoli with the straightest
> pin ever lathe-turned.
I've got two, just in case!
I don't lend bike tools, ever. You want something fixed? I'd rather do
it than lend out my tools. My electric hedger is another deal, borrow
it for a week, have fun.
>
> It's okay to lend (what's left of) a Suntour 2-prong
> freewheel remover, if you've already used it, yourself.
>
I could use one of those actually...
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Date: 18 Jan 2007 15:08:14
From: Peter Cole
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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landotter wrote:
> I don't lend bike tools, ever. You want something fixed? I'd rather do
> it than lend out my tools. My electric hedger is another deal, borrow
> it for a week, have fun.
Nobody around here (Boston) seems to do any landscaping any more -- I
feel like an endangered species. It seems like not too long ago people
used to fix their own stuff. Now, if a bike breaks, people toss it.
Everything has become disposable. One of the great ironies is, with the
Internet, we're in some kind of DIY "golden age". Know-how is easy to
Google, so are odd parts, and Ebay is like a global flea ket.
It's nice that you're seen as a hero to your neighbor, and it's nice of
you to be so generous with your time and expertise. On the flip side, I
built a really nice bike up for my wife - city bike, 26" wheels, slicks,
fenders, rack with rear pannier, bar bag, v-brakes, trigger shifters,
etc. Perfectly matched to what she wanted - a reliable, no fuss machine
for commuting and weekend rides. She always has people telling her how
she needs to "upgrade" if she wants to be faster when she goes on club
rides. Ditto on my son's bike (we built together), old Raleigh, but with
new bar-ends (8s), new wheels, clipless pedals, etc. On a club ride one
condescending jerk reked that he was surprised my son was faster than
he, given that he had all the "wrong stuff".
On a balmy evening last August, my dog walking neighbor (professor)
stopped to chat as I was replacing an exhaust system. He made a
sympathetic rek about what a shame it was to be under a car on such a
nice day. I flipped my goggles up, took a long pull on my Tecate, and
told him this was the perfect thing to be doing, and I meant it! It made
me wonder if he had ever fixed anything. Fixing stuff makes me happy,
and if I can make someone else happy too, like you did, that's a bonus.
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 19:57:49
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
|
In article <1169083145.286172.129480@11g2000cwr.googlegroups.com >,
"landotter" <landotter@gmail.com > writes:
>
> Tom Keats wrote:
>> In article <1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
>> "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>> > All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
>> > leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
>> > store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
>> > miles.
>>
>> You realize, of course, you are the bike's
>> personal caregiver/veterinarian from now on --
>>
>> unless you're willing to lend tools ;-)
>>
>
> Yup, that's always the case isn't it? :-P I don't mind, as it all evens
> out in the end. Those folks provided me with garden tomatoes, chilis,
> and herbs all summer--so I'm not complaining. :-D
Yeah, neighbourliness is great.
Even though sometimes it results in being given
more zucchinis than ya know what to do with.
Tell ya what, though -- sometimes it doesn't pay
to let too many people know you've got a floor pump.
It's okay if they bring their bike over for you
to air-up their tires. But sometimes they wanna
borrow your pump and take it away with them for
awhile. Then you've gotta go through the distress
of delineating &putting your foot down about what
you'll lend, and not lend.
Never lend a chain tool. Especially if it's
a beautiful ol' Rivoli with the straightest
pin ever lathe-turned.
It's okay to lend (what's left of) a Suntour 2-prong
freewheel remover, if you've already used it, yourself.
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 17:19:05
From: landotter
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
> > leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
> > store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
> > miles.
>
> You realize, of course, you are the bike's
> personal caregiver/veterinarian from now on --
>
> unless you're willing to lend tools ;-)
>
Yup, that's always the case isn't it? :-P I don't mind, as it all evens
out in the end. Those folks provided me with garden tomatoes, chilis,
and herbs all summer--so I'm not complaining. :-D
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 14:24:32
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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In article <1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com >,
"landotter" <landotter@gmail.com > writes:
> All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
> leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
> store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
> miles.
You realize, of course, you are the bike's
personal caregiver/veterinarian from now on --
unless you're willing to lend tools ;-)
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
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Date: 17 Jan 2007 14:45:17
From: Claire Petersky
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
|
"landotter" <landotter@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1168999797.090731.77200@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> All for a hundred dollar bill. Now I have another neighbor that'll
> leave the cage at home for the basics, as our local ket, hardware
> store, and dining/drinking establishments are all within a couple
> miles.
This is great news -- keep up the good work!
--
Warm Regards,
Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
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Date: 16 Jan 2007 20:26:58
From: Werehatrack
Subject: Re: Make your neighbor cry and hug you: fix their bike!
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On 16 Jan 2007 18:09:57 -0800, "landotter" <landotter@gmail.com > may
have said:
>This wouldn't be news in a city where utility cycling is normal, like
>Chicago or Madison WI, but in Nashville, it's pretty cool to get
>another rider on the road that's not spandexed up.
Welcome to the ranks of the Urban Transport Guerilla Underground.
Subvert the fuel-based-transportation paradigm!
--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
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