im stuck in a perpetual state of bike repair. it seems as though i will never be caught up. this isnt a complaint, exactly, i just want to vent about my mild frustration.
it all started when i visited my local community bike shop. "diy repairs! workshops!" lured me in like a siren. my bike, woefully neglected for 3 plus years, steered me in of its own accord. i was greeted warmly by the kind volunteer staff, and explained the state of things (that is, i know nothing, and want to learn everything.). bless their hearts, they actually seemed enthused by this. so, i put my bike up in a stand, and looked it over with the knowlegable staff member as if i knew what i was looking at. "well, your chain is pretty streched, but not dead yet" huh? "but everything else seems ok" thank god! "for now, you may want to clean your chain and cassette". i got clarification on what i didnt understand, then set to cleaning my chain. um, apparently the chain wasnt black. nor was the cassette. clean is a relative term to me. i left that day with a list of other little tasks i wanted to do, such as changing housing and cables, and maybe even regreasing the hubs. so i came back a few more times, adjusting things and cleaning more parts. then i met "rusty": a cannondale m500 that had been seriously abused, but had no frame issues. es had its hooks in me, and all i saw was a beautiful conversion waiting to happen. so i bought it, and began working on it. i called it "rusty" for a reason. any part that could rust, sieze, or otherwise be difficult, was. took at least 24 hours of shop time, till i finally could test ride it. another 6 and i took it home! had 2 weeks of awesome single speed bombing around town (did i mention it has no shifters?), before i attempted to make some much needed comfort adjustment. the headset? metal flakes found among the bearings, from mild pitting in the cups. bearable for now. the stem? too short for me. the seatpost? finally got it out today, after another 6 hours shop time of 3 guys struggling with it.
it all started when i visited my local community bike shop. "diy repairs! workshops!" lured me in like a siren. my bike, woefully neglected for 3 plus years, steered me in of its own accord. i was greeted warmly by the kind volunteer staff, and explained the state of things (that is, i know nothing, and want to learn everything.). bless their hearts, they actually seemed enthused by this. so, i put my bike up in a stand, and looked it over with the knowlegable staff member as if i knew what i was looking at. "well, your chain is pretty streched, but not dead yet" huh? "but everything else seems ok" thank god! "for now, you may want to clean your chain and cassette". i got clarification on what i didnt understand, then set to cleaning my chain. um, apparently the chain wasnt black. nor was the cassette. clean is a relative term to me. i left that day with a list of other little tasks i wanted to do, such as changing housing and cables, and maybe even regreasing the hubs. so i came back a few more times, adjusting things and cleaning more parts. then i met "rusty": a cannondale m500 that had been seriously abused, but had no frame issues. es had its hooks in me, and all i saw was a beautiful conversion waiting to happen. so i bought it, and began working on it. i called it "rusty" for a reason. any part that could rust, sieze, or otherwise be difficult, was. took at least 24 hours of shop time, till i finally could test ride it. another 6 and i took it home! had 2 weeks of awesome single speed bombing around town (did i mention it has no shifters?), before i attempted to make some much needed comfort adjustment. the headset? metal flakes found among the bearings, from mild pitting in the cups. bearable for now. the stem? too short for me. the seatpost? finally got it out today, after another 6 hours shop time of 3 guys struggling with it.
