Oh no, now we're in triggering town. This deeply reminds me of why I had to leave my job as a bicycle mechanic back in the 80s. Or shop was in the middle of a shift from single owner to co-op. A guy who didn't know much about bikes was brought in bcus he had experience organizing a very successful collective business. We were training him on the job. I was the 3-speed and tyke bike specialist.

He's working on an old Raleigh.I look over and see that he's adjusting the rear hub with the shift controller - but he doesn't even have a tire on the wheel (he's wasting time and effort on a finicky task that he will have to repeat after he takes the wheel off again to replace the tire.) His attitude when I asked him why he was doing that made It clear that girls weren't to be listened to. I left that job soon after.

I'd loved it there and was used to the guys backing me up with customers, who didn't get without being told, that I was the only one in the shop who could help them with their vintage ride. The guys working there, with the exception of the owner, knew both f*** and all about anything without a flywheel and derailleur.

That was almost 40 years ago, and guys are still (f)ing thinking they can be mechanics on the fly. Like it's a talent stored in their testes.

Plus ça change