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Dave B
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 4511
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

5/11/13 5:48 PM

Attitude


quote:
Well, if you can competently do everything you want done on your bikes, and want to spend the time doing it, good for you. The other day I was replacing the 8 year old cleats on my road shoes, couldn't turn 2 Allen bolts and rounded them off. There are all sorts of things I could have tried, but I took them to the LBS and they had the cleats off that day.

I guess it depends on your attitude toward bike maintenance. Mine is that it's an interesting and valuable part of the entire hobby. It's not a chore and I enjoy doing it. Therefore, I do everything I can myself and only use the bike shops for jobs that require tools I won't use often enough to justify purchasing. .

The damaged cleat bolt removal is a case in point. I've had it happen too and my "fix" was to use my small drill press to center drill the bolt heads until they popped off, remove the cleat and remove the bolt stubs with ViseGrips. It took me all of three minutes and didn't require driving to or from the LBS. So DIY can be a time saver as well as a time sponge.

Some people like to watch TV or movies or garden or golf or whatever. I like to work on bikes.

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

5/11/13 6:13 PM


quote:
...There are all sorts of things I could have tried...

It means different things to different people.

To Dan, it's time he'd rather go riding or xc skiing.

For Dave B, it's a puzzle that intrigues. Getting it off quickly is like solving a puzzle in a flash. It almost beats riding!

I too, like to work on bikes, to some degree. Although after a while, it's becoming more routine and I don't get the fun of working on them any more. Just an efficient way to get them into working order, without having to drive to the shop, drop it off, and then drive there AGAIN to pick it back up...

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

5/11/13 7:47 PM

"it's becoming more routine and I don't get the fun of working on them any more."


Time to build some wheels ;)

That is a fun challenge and that was last stop for me to break dependance from having to rely on others for that last aspect. I crossed this bridge in the 90s, but it was fulfilling to me. Still riding the wheels as well, albeit with new rims.

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

5/11/13 7:53 PM


quote:
Time to build some wheels ;)

That is a fun challenge

I don't do things JUST for the challenge of it. It has to serve a purpose.

I don't need another wheel.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

5/11/13 7:59 PM

It is a good skill to not have to learn for the first time when you do. Just saying...

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

5/11/13 8:15 PM

Actually, some years ago, I had Colorado Cyclist build a set. It was very strong (ok, I'm a lightweight) and very inexpensive. So I never even think about building wheels myself since then.

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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

5/12/13 7:58 AM

It's handy to know how to fix things for diagnostics. It helps calibrate the BS meter.

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Yammie
Joined: 11 Dec 2003
Posts: 440
Location: Tampa Bay, FL

5/13/13 8:35 AM

Second Dan's shop

Dan pointed me to that shop when I moved to Maine and they are great. Nice people, excellent mechanics, and good prices.

I wish I could find one here that was comparable, but shops in FL tend to have much more transient staff. Plus the closest shops are Trek dealers, and with Trek's onerous dealer agreements, they seem to ONLY carry Trek/Bontrager items. I want an LBS that will order me a Moots, or whatever new toy I want rather than just what they stock.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

5/13/13 4:54 PM

Ordering the Moots

I think it's tougher now for even the best LBS's to order what you want. I bought 3 Serottas (beginning in '83) from my shop. The last one I bought ('05) I couldn't get from them, as they are not a "dealer." Same with Sidi shoes. I bought a number of pairs from them, they can't get them now. Everything is more specialized and regimented now.

But they can get stuff done. I recently had a problem with the bb on my Tout Terrain. I thought it was an adjustment, but I couldn't figure out how to get at it, so I took it in. It turned out a part needed to be replaced, they couldn't get it directly, but they figured out I must have bought the bike from Peter White, sent the part to Peter, he warrantied it, and I had the bike back in a couple days.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

5/14/13 4:50 AM

Taking it to the next level

I recently picked up a Sherline mini lathe, vertical mill and a bunch of tooling at an estate sale. I've always been intrigued with machine work and although I'm just muddling my way into it, I've already made a few repair parts for my bikes and other items around the house, parts that were not available as replacements. A few more projects like these and I'll have paid for the tools. It takes considerable time to make parts, but I look at it as a learning experience as well and enjoy every minute of it.

Solving problems gets my creative juices flowing and there's just something about being able to build or repair things that's immensely satisfying.


Last edited by Brian Nystrom on 5/15/13 5:11 AM; edited 1 time in total

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Dave B
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 4511
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

5/14/13 7:20 AM

Restrictions?


quote:
I think it's tougher now for even the best LBS's to order what you want. I bought 3 Serottas (beginning in '83) from my shop. The last one I bought ('05) I couldn't get from them, as they are not a "dealer."

The LBS I bought my 1996 Litespeed from is no longer a LS dealer and my two newer LS frames were purchased in 2006 from Colorado Cyclist, who are also no longer a dealer.

Litespeed's "lifetime" warranty says I have to return the frame to them through one of their dealers and now there are none within 150 miles of me. I've never needed to make a warranty claim but, if I do, I wonder how it will be handled.

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

5/14/13 7:53 AM


quote:
Solving problems gets my creative juices flowing and there's just something about being able to build or repair things that's immensely satisfying.


Yeah, there's something incredibly satisfying about repair/modification done well. Perhaps it's small enough of a cerative "design project" that fuels artisans of all kind?

Wait till the 3D printer becomes wide-spread. Will that fuel or kill the home workshop hobbists?

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

5/14/13 11:49 AM

"Solving problems gets my creative juices flowing and there's just something about being able to build or repair things that's immensely satisfying."

I hear ya.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

5/15/13 5:17 AM

I'm salivating over 3D printers

I'm just waiting for them to come down in price and increase in number of materials they can use. I really believe that they are a revolutionary step that will eventually impact our day-to-day lives in profound ways. They are the closest thing to the Star Trek "replicator" we have seen to date.

For example, I need a plastic part for my chainsaw. It would be great if all I needed to do was download a design file for the part and print one at home.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

5/15/13 8:54 AM

"They are the closest thing to the Star Trek "replicator" we have seen to date. "


Speaking of which: looking forward to Friday....

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/15/13 9:26 AM

Beam me up!

We'll see about the new ST movie, but yeah, making things that solve problems is a truly rewarding experience, whether the "things" are physical or software.

Many years ago, when I was working at one place, they needed a way to match up two diverse dBASE III databases. I wrote one for them in a couple of hours--in Microsoft BASIC no less--and when I went back for a visit six years later, they were still using it!

And I love making things to "fix" my bike...

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