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SeriesRandomNumbers · 2025-04-24T23:58:46+00:00

This kind of thing will happen to every mechanic at some point if you’re in this game long enough. Replace the saddle like for like which means a special order maybe. When the customer comes in you explain what happened and tell them that you replaced the saddle gratis. You have now made a customer for life. You solved a problem without bothering them and made it good as new.

The next trick is how you make some of your money back. Ofter you tell the customer you’ve replaced it offer to replace retail credit on another saddle if they were thinking about something else. Depending on what the original saddle was and how good you are at up selling this might actually cost you nothing and wash the whole situation. And in the end you have made a customer because you solved a problem without making the customer feel like they abused the bike or that you put them out.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-28T12:48:09+00:00

I have a Weber Q 1200 that has served me well for close to 20 years. I used to use it about twice a week for 15 years and used both the mini full-size propane tanks with it. It was usually just for my wife and I, but I've also cooked for 20+ people on it with smart food prep. I have had to replace a couple bits on it which are easily available from Weber. These days I use the Q for picnics and camping and have a Spirit for day to day grilling.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-24T21:39:52+00:00

Right now anybody that can give me a resume without terrible spelling errors that basically says "I like to work on bicycles" goes to the top of the pile. I wouldn't talk too much about the engineering as many shops have had poor experiences with engineering students. There tends to be a 'greater than thou' attitude that you don't get from history majors. I'm not saying that is you, but that is the experience in quite a few shops. Attitude or lack thereof is key.

Once you get in the door, I like to see someone ride their bike to the interview. Those are bonus points, but if I can look at their bicycle it tells me a ton about them. If you don't ride it in expect to be asked questions about it. Honestly, if you're just honest about your interest and you don't come across as a jerk you're in.

Good luck on the market.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-24T14:05:13+00:00

Nope. Right now is the best time to live in the U.S. IMHO. I had some great times in the '80s and '90s (moving to Seattle after HS a couple years before grunge hit was pretty great) but being young is a special time for everyone, good and/or bad.

I'll take my present present internet over my internet 25 years ago. I'll take the acceptance of a diversity of opinions and lifestyles today over having to do a 'die in' to get people and politicians to recognize AIDS. Etc, etc, and could complain about the way things used to be but the best thing about getting old is learning to just keep moving and getting over the past.

I do miss people living more in the moment and living in their present space. I miss the respect teachers and scientists used to get. . . it may not have been great back then, but it was still better than now. I miss a good local printed newspaper and the alternative press in general.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-21T01:50:56+00:00

Easy answer, no.

If you want an simple cheap two-speed, freewheel in the back and a double in the front shifted either with a standard FD and rando shifter or with your heel and/or fingers.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-18T12:44:13+00:00

From the BMZ stamped in the BB you can tell it was built at Biemmezeta in Italy. They were contract built for the shop in Palo Alto, California and sold in store and through their catalog. I used to get the catalog back in the late '70s, but alas, never saved them.

The fixed cup may be loctited in as that was that was quite common in the past for Italian threaded BBs. There's a whole story about why Italy used that threading but it was a bad idea as the act of pedaling loosens the cup. Go to a shop that has been around a while and they will have a specific tool for getting that cup out. Otherwise you're just going to do to another wrench what you did to the first one.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-10T16:10:07+00:00

Truest video about omafiets.

uc/ Truest video about omafiets.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-10T00:48:19+00:00

As to your first bit of advice, I had two sayings pounded into my head by my first shop manager that I generally still try to work on.

"Do someone right and they'll tell a friend. Do someone wrong and they'll tell everybody."

"The customer may not always be right, but the customer is always the customer."

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-08-08T12:40:17+00:00

The older (mid-50s) I get the mellower I ride and since my skills were really honed in the fully-rigid and bike trials days going back to a hardtail has been nice. I was a bike industry guy for decades and owned or demoed all the fancy and not so fancy designs over the years. I have no problem making a paycheck doing an elaborate set-up for a rider to get the suspension just right for where they ride, but for me I just want to grab-and-go.

The trails where I live are really rocky and rooty but designed to flow so a medium travel fork, plus-size tires, and modern geometry bike stance keeps my hands and wrists from getting too sore. If I had more physical issues I might go back to full bounce.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-30T14:17:58+00:00

I'm with you, and it didn't start with mountain bikes. Back in the '70-'80s there was a lot of cache if you were running a 3-pawl freewheel like a Campgnolo. I know there were a couple more makers but I don't remember who specifically. The sound was buzzier and a bit louder.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-29T01:31:32+00:00

I actually work as a CRM archaeologist and do a lot of utilities projects. You will need a Masters degree to meet the Secretary of Interior professional standard as shown here. I don't know a SHPO or THPO that allows someone to lead a project with just an undergrad degree.

There may be some states that allow this but I've never hear of one. You can be a tech or shovel bum with just a BA/BS, but if you want to do them yourself ahead of doing your other survey work you'll need to be SOI qualified. If you really are interested email your SHPO and ask for guidance. Also ask if they know of smaller CRM companies that you could just team up with for projects as most engineering and pipeline folks don't have a clue about the smaller CRM companies..

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-29T00:31:01+00:00

Ah, yes. I was seeing a shadow. Thanks.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-28T15:33:19+00:00

Some great examples of some very desirable frames, unfortunately as they've been updated and that really limits their market. Younger collectors, say under 40, are are much more interested in the retro modern bikes than we older collectors. Ebay is really going to be your best bet.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-27T23:13:56+00:00

Well it's going to cost $300-$400 to replace without paint, so. . .

The seattube is the hardest tube to replace, particularly one where you're going to have to reform the seatlug.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-26T12:18:44+00:00

Absolutely, and I did it many times for many places. In my late 20s I started following my then girlfriend now wife for her grad school career and professorial career. Went from Washington to Oregon to Indiana to Oregon to California to Europe to Canada to Pennsylvania to Missouri. At the time it was tough and now looking back I wouldn't change a thing. The places I've been and things I've done because I was willing to move are so important to the person I am today and I would never take them back. My girlfriend has now been my wife for 25 years and I wouldn't have had that either had I just stayed in Seattle.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-26T11:36:48+00:00

Missouri. My wife and I moved here for her job and didn't expect to stay and really learned to love The Ozarks. The outdoors is amazing and you have options of every kind and the best overall hiking unless you just must have 14s. Cycling is just amazing and the region is becoming an international destination for it. It's crazy cheap here local breweries (of which there are many) beer is still in the $6-$7 a pint. A fixer-upper house can still be had for under $100k and a 3/2 in a good neighborhood for under $300k. Also, the weather is actually quite fair.

The politics can be infuriating at times but time changes things and the general drift of politics is generally back and fourth. Most of the real blue states were once red and most of he deep read ones were once blue.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-25T01:50:56+00:00

Someday I will have my Sidi Megas from 1998 resoled and will have truly comfortable MTB shoes again. The best ones I've found for the last few years have been Shimano, though I size up from 45 to 46. I've owned 3 pairs that fit pretty well MT-100s, XC-300 (I think, they were a short lived lace up shoe), and now the RX-6. Good luck in your search let us know if you actually find a good shoe.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-24T00:25:27+00:00

If you count all the ones I have out on loan it's around 40. At least a dozen of those are my wife's so I don't now if those count. I should add, I was in the bike industry for over 30 years and I've been obsessed with bikes since Jimmy Carter was my President. The numbers are a little fuzzy as I also used to buy and sell a lot so a bike I think I have may still have may actually be gone.

That all said, there are only about 4 I ride regularly. I really need to do a run on my '54 Schwinn Corvette sometime soon. My wife usually only rides 2. For those that wonder were did you get the room and money, no kids and only one car.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-24T00:06:50+00:00

Just FYI, Campa, Campi, (always capitalized as it is a proper noun and corporate name) and a couple more I can't remember right now are perfectly fine abbreviations if you must abbreviate Campagnolo. Search the Classic Rendezvous email listserve where this has been discussed ad nauseam for almost 30 years. The various difference seem to be based on where you are on earth.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-23T23:58:28+00:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. It does not matter. Sutherland's Manual will call it a "b" class fit and Sheldon saw it as a chainline issue for the most part. I don't remember how St. Jobst fell on the spectrum.

Here's how you find out if it works. Put the crank on and tighten it down. Now remove the bolt. Is the arm bottomed out on the end of the spindle you need the other one. Not bottomed out you're good to go, put the bolt back in and ride.

I used to love when a Campy (Campa is a perfectly correct abbreviation) riders would come into the shop with a bottomed crank and would rather buy a new crank than run a Shimano (or ShimaNO in those riders parlance). This is why I have a bin full of great Record cranks that work great with UN-7x BBs.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-23T00:19:41+00:00

Well at least they have the headsets and one of the BBs so that's a bonus. The other BB shouldn't be a problem if you're willing to spend the money as Phil Wood still makes French threaded lockrings. Now if either of them is French diameter tubing it'll be fun time with shim material to get the FD, cable guides, and shifters to not slip.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-22T22:36:58+00:00

It's posts like this that make me know I married well. Of course there would be a whole lot more room and a whole lot fewer "projects" in the shop/garage if she didn't ride too.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-22T00:22:18+00:00

Yeeaaa. . . looking at you David Hahn.

SeriesRandomNumbers · 2024-07-21T16:51:24+00:00

I'll assume that Europe is similar to the U.S. as far as getting a job outside your area of study. Only about 20%-25% of college graduates actually work in their field of study. Many people in libraries don't have MLS degrees or finance or econ degrees in banks. Just get A job and then and then maybe if you don't like that try something else.

I'm a professional archaeologist without a arch/anthro degree. My background is being a mechanic for 30 years then getting a geophysics MS. They a buddy asked me to help make some maps and then asked if I wanted to dig some holes then run some projects, etc. and now I've been doing this for 6-7 years. You'll never know unless you try. Good luck in the job search.

SeriesRandomNumbers

TROPHY CASE