RE-Cycle: IT'S how mUCH?

Saturday, January 22, 2011

IT'S how mUCH?

It's been a while since I had to purchase new parts. But alas I found my self in need of a few items to do re-pairs we did not have, so I made the call. I don't know when it happened but according to my supplier my catalog was WAY out of date. OK granted it's November of last year but, WOW! I mean tubes went up $1.30, tires almost DOUBLED! Apparently all thing relying on petroleum (which is about all) has gone up alot over the last year in total and they kept there prices down as long as they could. Well doesn't THAT SUCK!
So needless to say we will be DOUBLING our efforts to hold on to as much as we can of used parts that can be salvaged!
Today was a MAD busy day! Thanks to all the intrepid folk who braved another sunshine filled Florida day (Sunshine yes, blistering cold winds YES!) Sold the Jamis Boss and ladies Univega to a wonderful couple who were QUITE excited about there purchase, and their enthusiasm was QUITE contagious! Thank you so much for the pleasant visit, and all the wonderful compliments. You made our day! As well as the fact that they are (wait for it.....) CONVERTS!!!! YAY!
The KHS Montana went out to a very astute gentleman who knew JUST what he wanted, and how he wanted it! we LOVE that!
The blue Road master went out as well, and I'm sorry we didn't have a bike for the husband of this great couple! Perhaps soon!
And a special "HEY THERE!" to James Micheal a very, very, very enthusiastic young man who just LOVES bikes! and to his mom and their ever expanding young family (#4 due in about a month) I think it's great you are all habitual outsiders! Keep away from the TV!
And the young gentleman undergoing his bike building project, I hope the Old School Chicago Schwinn you got serves you well!
Well I KNOW there are folks i missed and I mean no slight. Angi was doing a BANG UP job of holding down the fort up front so Matt and I could concentrate on putting out more goodies (pic below) unfortunately we could only get out three today. First thing this morning was doing the few remaining re-pairs from yesterday, then we were tag teaming a stubborn Myata we have had here for FAR to long with an incessant click in the drive train, which leads me to..... DUM, DUM, DAHHHHHHUM...

BONEHEAD MOVE OF THE DAY!!!!
(applause)
This myata came in for a full re-furb 2 months ago. The customer left it for month before paying the deposit (no fault of his, as he was dealing with an injury) when he came in to pay we began the work, and again, and again. It came back twice with an annoying clicking in the chain. And as much as we tried and swapped out parts, even eventually paying for NEW parts ourselves just in the oft chance that the others were faulty, it STILL CLICKED! Maddened we tried once again today. We thought we finally had it and I took it out to test drive it. Briefly I talked with a customer and when I turned back to the bike I glanced at the rear end...
it was SEVERELY out of alignment!!!
ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! the frame was BENT!!!
Ever have one of those moments?
So in the end we informed the customer that it was our screw up and we should have caught it. So in the end we are transferring all the components onto another (NOT BENT) frame, on us.
Well with that salt in the wound I have to get a move on. I got a long COLD ride to get on!