Much Ado About Nutting

Wish I had a bevy of new goodies to show off, but between all the sellin' (the Univega found an excited home! The Pacific MTB didn't last 10 minuets.  The Exotec took off with a gent who had come looking for a hybrid, and the girls 24" had "everything I've been looking for, and less then half of what I was going to pay online!" for her new owner) I was only able to finish up two.  Another sweet Giant hybrid, and an old school (pre-Walmart) Mongoose MTB but they both sold even before I could get a pic.  Lotta that happening lately. We did however get in several new goodies fer fixin'!  Thanks to Chip for the old school Giant and Gary Fisher gimme's!  Also picked up an early Roadmaster MTB (before Wal-mart, again) and a (soon to be) nice Schwinn Hybrid.  Not to mention several more kiddo's bikes. Sooo, my work is cut out for me net week. 
Now tomorrow, obviously we are NOT open as it's Rabbit's day, and we gotta hide the eggs fer the kiddo's (still not sure who had the misguided idea that rabbits lay eggs).
So y'all have a relaxing day scraping the kids off the ceiling after the sugar rush and we'll talk to you Monday!

Springing Back!

Hasn't felt much like spring break this week.  Well except for all the kids being home 24/7 up mom and dads but. But today was a real break from the bitter cold we have been contending with (all due apologies to our northern friends) as we were for once able to work with the doors open.  As it was a tad bit quiet today we worked on getting out some new goodies.  OK, maybe not ALL day!  There was that brief nap I took this afternoon in the play room.  Late night doing some emergency plumbing repair after a midnight run to Walmart.  Suffice to say whoever had the bright idea of putting the water heater RIGHT next to the garage door so as to set up a target for the release valve should be shot! 
Needless to say I was a tad haggard this morn!
But below are the new cool rides and more to come on the 'morrow!

GIRLS 20"
ONLY $35.00!!

LADIES 24" MTB
ONLY $50.00!!



MEN'S 26" MTB!!
ONLY $95.00!!

DOH!

Ever have one of those days you were suffering from a terminal case of Stupid? 
Yea.
Spent an hour and a half yesterday and half this morning working on a Next Avalon (yes...many of you may ask yourself "WHY?!") as I refused to give up.  Got it finished, finally then washed it and as I pulled it back in I noticed a wobble in the rear end.  Thinking the rear wheel wasn't tight I put her up on the rack and it was THEN that I noticed the rear shock was shot.
ARRGH!!
I broke a cardinal rule!  "Check ALL systems and components before starting work so you know what you are up against and to make sure you have all the parts you need!"
Guess what one part I don't have?
Oh you ARE good!
The idiocy didn't stop there.  Then I picked up a new bike from a source we have done business with many times in the past and rarely have to do anything to the bikes he brings in as he usually fixes them up before bringing in.
Nope. Not this one!  As it stands have had to replace the entire brake system and shifters.
ARRGH!
So needles to say I ain't got carp to show you today! 
I do so hope to amend that tomorrow!
All right, I best get a move on before it gets dark and REAL cold!
Night!

Respect Can Extend To The Most Unlikely Of People!

Well, I said if I had something worthwhile to talk about I'd be back!
I'm back.
One thing I have grown to appreciate as I have aged is the realization that truly "with age, comes wisdom".  One inescapable truth is that one must suspend ones own beliefs, open ones ears and consider the opinions of others to truly be able to come to an educated conclusion on any subject.  Well, while I was flipping through my news briefs this morning I stumbled upon one from a source I thought I would NEVER find myself in agreement with.  Now in the past there have been a few people I thought i would never find common ground with, but even a cynical person as myself was emotionally moved when George W. stood at ground zero and speechified, but this is one gent I would have never thought I would find any use for other then kindling.
Bill O'Reilly!!
But as with so many things, I was pleasantly proven wrong in my all encompassing disregard!
"The compelling argument is on the side of homosexuals," O'Reilly said on "The O'Reilly Factor" Tuesday. "That's where the compelling argument is. 'We're Americans. We just want to be treated like everybody else.'"
HOLY CARP!
He went on to say "The argument on the other side hasn't been able to do anything but thump the Bible,"
Brilliant and insightful! Granted, he goes on to lambaste Clinton for passing DOMA then oppose it.  And of course chide Obama for changing his stance on gay marriage during the election (for the record, I criticized that very maneuver in this blog) but the mere fact that he bucked the Republican Talking Points is impressive. O'Reilly supports civil unions, but made it clear that gay marriage is not an issue that animates him and is one that should be decided by individual states.
"The gay marriage thing, I don't feel that strongly about it one way or another," The moderately cynical side of me would say that this is a safe place for any moderator to be.  Don't take a solid position on such a hotly debated issue, but it's comforting to know that such a stalwart would at least acquiesce to the truth of the matter.  To date I have not heard one rational, realistic or comprehensive argument to defend the position against gays having the right to marry.  Such unions would in no way crumble the foundation of our civilization nor pervert the youth of America, or lower property values!  Or whatever catastrophic doom the bible thumpers predict.
ANYWAY.
Perhaps I have in some small ways misjudged Mr. O'reilly

Yep....Tuesday....

And as such....
Was a repair day, plain and simple! We thank you all for your trust and kind words!  Very appreciative for all the work!  Did manage to put out one new goody though, as well as another about 90% done.  We had almost gotten to the end of the overstock pile but then added a little more to it today, which is cool.  Got hold of a vintage ladies touring/road bike with the dual top tube.  Similar to the older Nishiki.  Will be quiet sharp when shes done.
SO.....
What you been up too?


un, hunh?

Really?

Is that legal?

Anyway.
Sorry, I know I'm being silly but other then concentrating on repair today was a very text book day, and now I'm just vamping here!  So I'll let y'all off the hook until I have something interesting to say!

Ha, Ha!  Very funny!

LIKE NEW LADIES 24" MTB!!
ONLY $75.00!!

Decisions...Decisions....

Once we moved in here we were open for a few Sundays in order to get more rides made (and help beef up the bankroll to pay for the move!) and as Sundays were never a busy day at the old joint, we were a tad bit shocked with just how busy we were!  So hence our current dilemma.  We definitely need one day off a week for family time, but we also want to best serve our customers when they need us the most! The Trouble is we are about as equally busy every day of the week! 
GREAT problem to have!
So, today was a bit of all right!  Found homes for a few goodies and brought some more in to feed the need!  Put out a FANFREAKIN'TASTIC Univega Modo Vincere Triathlon bike, four kiddo bikes and  sweet, lightweight MTB! 
Have to thank my wife for allowing me to beef up my MP3 player last night.  Was getting  little tired of the old venue.  But one problem though, when my oldest bot did the syncing for me, for some reason he dumped our whole music file into my player.  In layman's terms I had not only MY music...but his and my wife's.  Which equates my fine musical tastes were tainted by guttural screams, funeral dirges, Bjork and Micheal Bolton!
*SHUDDER!*
I mean...I didn't even get to hear ONE of the William Shatner or Monty Python songs I found!
Bummer!
All right, feel free to check out the new goodies for now I gotta head home to some good home cookin!

BOY'S 20" BMX
ONLY $40.00!!

"LIKE NEW" BMX
ONLY $60.00

LIGHTWEIGHT MTB
ONLY $125.00

UNIVEGA!  ALL SORTS OF GOODIES
ONLY $310.00!!

No IDEA Where The Day Went!

Today was a whiz bang of action!  Thankfully only a couple early morning "Yardsalers" then it was genuine business!  As always a sure way to ensure brisk business is to start a project!  As we are hurting for light up front we opted for a little "Star-lit Tea Party" and hung up Christmas lights from the ceiling.  Cheap? Yes.  But effective! No sooner had I pulled the bikes out of the way and started hanging did the throngs of veloists' come in!  HAPPY DAYS!!  MANY a new rider out on the road today!  An many new faces as well!  We got referrals from Tampa, Plant City even NEW YORK and GREAT BRITAIN!!!  No kidding!  These folks were told in their home country (OK....yes, I know New York isn't exactly another country) that when they came to Florida they had to pay us a visit!
WOW! 
I feel genuinely Cosmopolitan!
Needless to say when the dust settle we old just about every adult bike we had!  HAVE NO FEAR!! We also picked up several new goodies!  Below is a rugged 24" MTB, and two NEW (I mean NEW, not "like new") Cruisers!  Seems the gent had bought them for company but they never used them!  Also got a banger Avalon, a lightweight MTB and Lee did some horse  trading with a SHARP looking Columbia Road Bike I hope to have done up tomorrow!  So come in and check out the goodies tomorrow as we are open from noon-five!

NEW MEN'S CRUISER
ONLY $90.00!!



RUGGID 24" MTB
ONLY $65.00!!

GORGEOUS NEW LADIES CRUISER
ONLY $95.00!!!

Peace!

Aquatic Dynamics

Just one more bit of proof of the superiority of bicycles to cars. 
But first, I set the stage.
Anyone in the area knows that yesterday we had some less then ideal weather.  Around six pm a local transformer blew and we were left without lights.  Now being the intrepid capitalists that we are we would not give in.  Although I had expected the lights to return quickly they did not.  So I quickly discovered in the rapidly decreasing light that if ever I should loose my eyesight I could effectively build a bike blind.  As the rain increased I sent Angi and the kids home in a cab as I need my bike in the morning I sally forthed bipedal.  Not to mention I had promised the kiddo's I would rent "Wreck it Ralph" for movie night.  Luckily the rain let up some for the trip only to open up viciously once I got home.  A little bit after my shower it was discovered we were out of milk and as Izzy cannot survive an evening without her prerequisite 6 bottles or so, and the rain had ebbed again Kaleb volunteered to go to the store.  Unfortunately 10 minutes after he left the skies opened up AGAIN, and this time the torrential downpour was accompanied by a symphony of thunder and lightning.  After a few minutes of this I became concerned (yes.  he can be a pain in the ass at times, but he's still my son). So donning outside clothes again, off I went in search of.  This is when I discovered the perfection that IS a bicycle.  Where we live there are some low lying areas that quickly flood when hit by such rain, and at the intersection of the road leading into our subdivision and Sunset Point Road it will quickly become a rapidly moving river some 12 inches or more deep.  As I paused at the rivers edge watching the cars trying ponderously to navigate the treacherous tide I saw a wrecker pulling one of those small "pregnant roller-skate" out of the telephone poll, and as if that was not ominous enough another of those little ecno-cars slowing to avoid hitting a stalled car started drifting back, awash in the growing flow of water.  Well, as it was the only way to cross to get to the store i said the heck with it (not to mention I was now soaked to the bone) and I pushed off!  And never once lost traction with the road!  No risk of stalling, no damaging an electrical system or suffering countless thousands dollars of damage! HA HA! 
In the end I found Kaleb safely under the overhang of the old Sweetbay entrance waiting out the storm and after a few minuets it diminished enough that we could make a quick, relatively dry run back to the house.
Yes. Every day in every way my belief that cars are a non-necessity for us is reaffirmed.
ANYWAY!
Needless to say with the unpredictable weather yesterday we were a little slow, but that's OK!  Still had a few folks bring in repairs (thank you for your trust!) picked up a few more goodies and put out several more!  REALLY making more then  dent in the overstock now!!!
So check 'em out and we'll see ya soon!

COOL LOOKING BOYS 20" BMX
ONLY $45.00!!!

CUTE 20" CRUISER
ONLY $30.00!!

COMFY LADIES CRUISER
ONLY $65.00

SHARP LOOKING BOYS 18"
ONLY $35.00!!

LADIES 10 SPEED
ONLY $65.00!!

Tail Wind

Another Whirlwind day!  Thanks to all for the support and patronage.  See if I can recap here.  Or remember.  Sold two of the BMX'ers to a gent looking to get his whole family on bi-pedal transport  More power to you sir and we look forward to your return for the rest!  Also bought and quickly sold a GORGEOUS 2006 Schwinn Super Sport Triathlon bike.  This puppy was CHERRY!  Lasted about and hour.  One of our former comrades from the old plaza came in and grabbed up the Raptor so her dog can have something to drag her on.  And a local teacher helping out a couple of her students who's bikes got pilfered came in a snatched the Next BMX we had.
Yea....I think that's it.
Also thanks to everyone for their repair today, we appreciate the trust!
So here's the latest and we're off!
See ya tomorrow!

GORGEOUS AND GONE!!

LADIES 10 SPEED MTB W/NEW TIRES!
ONLY $75.00!!

LADIES 6-SPEED
ONLY $70.00!!

OK....so....Not So Much...

Yesterday was not as productive as Tuesday.
That's OK though, as we were just very busy helping out customers which is, after all what we are here for.
(at least that's what the instruction book says)
Not to mention the fact that it wsa overcast and rainy, so when the kids came up after school they were pretty much under foot as they couldn't play out back.  Now don't get me wrong, I think its real cool that with the new joint we have a whole room in the back dressed up as a playroom for them to do their homework, and watch movies, games etc.  BUT they seem more interested sometimes "helping" daddy or mommy.  And then this morning as I was looking for a pen I found further evidence that kiddos were a foot....

Apparently Angi's desk was the site of a gruesome Pokemon' battle.
There were few survivors.
Well, I guess it's a good survival trait that our kids can be pretty much comfortable wherever they go.
ANYWAY!
We are now OFFICIALLY a store! The lackluster, unreliable and all together unprofessional sign company I unfortunately contracted with FINALLY put up our awning!  And it only took 7 weeks!
Oh PLEASE don't get me started!  Suffice to say I am not the type to badmouth another business (OK...except WalMart) but if you should ever be in the market for signage please call me and I will tell you who NOT to use!!!
In the end though..it is a good looking sign...

That's my bike in the foreground for scale!
Once again...logo design courtesy of the Chip Haynes Multi-Media Corporation!

MOVING ON!
SO thanks to all the cool folks coming by to pay us a visit!  The Raleigh hybrid that lasted a surprising three days found a new home!  And to a very happy camper as well!  Also, a young lady who picked up the ladies bike on Tuesday brought a fellow co-worker in yesterday who was intending on browsing but ended up walking out with the sweet looking 26" dual shock men's bike I had just put out a couple hours before.  So thank you very much Miss. for the hand delivered referral!  And a belated and new "THANKS" to our friend from Canada, Dave for the wonderful donation of food! 
BACK STORY!
When we first started this little enterprise, we were just buying, building and selling bikes out of our garage.  The concept of "Bike Re-pair" hadn't come up yet.  Well one day Dave and his wife stopped by the old homestead, looked at a few we had out and started talking with Angi.  One thing led to another and he asked me if we serviced other folks bikes.  Well, never being one to be accused of being "sharp witted" I said I'd be more then happy to take a look at what he had and help him out.  He brought it by later, I figured out hat was wrong and fixed it, then handed it back and stood by dumbfounded when he insisted he "pay" me for it.
What means this...pay?
Well after that the rest was history (and after Angi insisted I changed our sign too...."and repairs"!)   Dave and his wife have been a mainstay in our life ever since.  When we were going through our "Dark Time" in the first year, they were there with food, comforts and the occasional referral hand delivered to bring in much needed income.  And every year they come down we service their bikes for the season.  And every time their community center has a shindig they bring us the leftovers!  Mmmmmmmmmm!!!MM!  Good home cooked goodies!  This past St. Patties day feast gave us four trays of Corn beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots!  Four dinners, and corn beef hash (also added some stew beef (remember...the boy bought the seasonings the first time around instead of the meat!)) and today brought by even more goodies!  Haven't seen it yet but heard it was Meatballs, sausage...etc!  MMMMMMMMMM! M!  I have Italian food in my future!
Well I have blathered enough, need to be getting back to it!  Check out the two new goodies I DID finish and we'll see you soon!

LADIES 6 SPEED W/ NEW TIRES!!!
ONLY $70.00!!

LIKE NEW MEN'S DUAL SHOCK MTB
SOLD

Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken

The Last Letter

A Message to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney From a Dying Veteran

To: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney
From: Tomas Young

I write this letter on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War on behalf of my fellow Iraq War veterans. I write this letter on behalf of the 4,488 soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq. I write this letter on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of veterans who have been wounded and on behalf of those whose wounds, physical and psychological, have destroyed their lives. I am one of those gravely wounded. I was paralyzed in an insurgent ambush in 2004 in Sadr City. My life is coming to an end. I am living under hospice care.

I write this letter on behalf of husbands and wives who have lost spouses, on behalf of children who have lost a parent, on behalf of the fathers and mothers who have lost sons and daughters and on behalf of those who care for the many thousands of my fellow veterans who have brain injuries. I write this letter on behalf of those veterans whose trauma and self-revulsion for what they have witnessed, endured and done in Iraq have led to suicide and on behalf of the active-duty soldiers and Marines who commit, on average, a suicide a day. I write this letter on behalf of the some 1 million Iraqi dead and on behalf of the countless Iraqi wounded. I write this letter on behalf of us all—the human detritus your war has left behind, those who will spend their lives in unending pain and grief.

You may evade justice but in our eyes you are each guilty of egregious war crimes, of plunder and, finally, of murder, including the murder of thousands of young Americans—my fellow veterans—whose future you stole.

I write this letter, my last letter, to you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney. I write not because I think you grasp the terrible human and moral consequences of your lies, manipulation and thirst for wealth and power. I write this letter because, before my own death, I want to make it clear that I, and hundreds of thousands of my fellow veterans, along with millions of my fellow citizens, along with hundreds of millions more in Iraq and the Middle East, know fully who you are and what you have done. You may evade justice but in our eyes you are each guilty of egregious war crimes, of plunder and, finally, of murder, including the murder of thousands of young Americans—my fellow veterans—whose future you stole.

Your positions of authority, your millions of dollars of personal wealth, your public relations consultants, your privilege and your power cannot mask the hollowness of your character. You sent us to fight and die in Iraq after you, Mr. Cheney, dodged the draft in Vietnam, and you, Mr. Bush, went AWOL from your National Guard unit. Your cowardice and selfishness were established decades ago. You were not willing to risk yourselves for our nation but you sent hundreds of thousands of young men and women to be sacrificed in a senseless war with no more thought than it takes to put out the garbage.

I joined the Army two days after the 9/11 attacks. I joined the Army because our country had been attacked. I wanted to strike back at those who had killed some 3,000 of my fellow citizens. I did not join the Army to go to Iraq, a country that had no part in the September 2001 attacks and did not pose a threat to its neighbors, much less to the United States. I did not join the Army to “liberate” Iraqis or to shut down mythical weapons-of-mass-destruction facilities or to implant what you cynically called “democracy” in Baghdad and the Middle East. I did not join the Army to rebuild Iraq, which at the time you told us could be paid for by Iraq’s oil revenues. Instead, this war has cost the United States over $3 trillion. I especially did not join the Army to carry out pre-emptive war. Pre-emptive war is illegal under international law. And as a soldier in Iraq I was, I now know, abetting your idiocy and your crimes. The Iraq War is the largest strategic blunder in U.S. history. It obliterated the balance of power in the Middle East. It installed a corrupt and brutal pro-Iranian government in Baghdad, one cemented in power through the use of torture, death squads and terror. And it has left Iran as the dominant force in the region. On every level—moral, strategic, military and economic—Iraq was a failure. And it was you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, who started this war. It is you who should pay the consequences.

To read Chris Hedges’ recent interview with Tomas Young, click here.

I would not be writing this letter if I had been wounded fighting in Afghanistan against those forces that carried out the attacks of 9/11. Had I been wounded there I would still be miserable because of my physical deterioration and imminent death, but I would at least have the comfort of knowing that my injuries were a consequence of my own decision to defend the country I love. I would not have to lie in my bed, my body filled with painkillers, my life ebbing away, and deal with the fact that hundreds of thousands of human beings, including children, including myself, were sacrificed by you for little more than the greed of oil companies, for your alliance with the oil sheiks in Saudi Arabia, and your insane visions of empire.

I have, like many other disabled veterans, suffered from the inadequate and often inept care provided by the Veterans Administration. I have, like many other disabled veterans, come to realize that our mental and physical wounds are of no interest to you, perhaps of no interest to any politician. We were used. We were betrayed. And we have been abandoned. You, Mr. Bush, make much pretense of being a Christian. But isn’t lying a sin? Isn’t murder a sin? Aren’t theft and selfish ambition sins? I am not a Christian. But I believe in the Christian ideal. I believe that what you do to the least of your brothers you finally do to yourself, to your own soul.

My day of reckoning is upon me. Yours will come. I hope you will be put on trial. But mostly I hope, for your sakes, that you find the moral courage to face what you have done to me and to many, many others who deserved to live. I hope that before your time on earth ends, as mine is now ending, you will find the strength of character to stand before the American public and the world, and in particular the Iraqi people, and beg for forgiveness.

No...seriouly!

Ok, OK...
I rag on my kids from time to time for their incapacity for rational thought so it is with a desire for equality that i give you this tidbit that hints to the origins of their awkwardness!
After waiting on a customer I picked up my coffee and a set of allen wrenches from the counter.  I picked up the allen wrench holder upside down and they started to fall out.  Well instead of taking them from one hand to another I just flipped my hand so the allen wrenches were right side up.
Then for a brief moment I was curious as to why my pant leg was suddenly warm and wet.
Yes.
Another evidential argument for nature over nurture.
ANYWAY!!
Today was oddly repair free, so I Got BUSY!! 
On building bikes..
Get your minds out of the gutter..
(come to think of it... anyone imagining ME doing that......*shudder*)
Put out seven..yes SEVEN  new beauties today!!  Check out the pics below.  Now of course a couple did sell, but they were just too tantalizing I suppose!
So without further adieu I'd best get a move on, as the wife really wants to get a move on.
We'll see ya all on the 'morrow!

SCHWINN CEDAR CREEK
ONLY $105.00!!!

LADIES 26" MTB
SOLD

MEN'S 26" MTB
ONLY $80.00

REDLINE BMX
ONLY $110.00

MEN'S 26" MTB
ONLY $75.00!!!

"LIKE NEW" 20" MTB
ONLY $70.00!!

20" BMX TRICK BIKE
ONLY $65.00!!!

LORD Save Me From Teenagers!

Definition of "Stew Beef": Beef cut into cubes for stewing or Kabobs.
Teenagers definition (only partially listening to definition from father because teenager knows everything) is a small foil pouch labled 'Beef Stew Seasoning"
Oh yes....welcome to my world!
Half tempted to do a Sweeny Todd, eat well and save on future food budget.  But more then likely his all gristle anyway!
ANYWAY!
Where do I begin!  Lost track today but I think we sold three.  Also bought a Trek 3700, a real gem but ended up selling it "As Is" about 10 minuets later.  Also welcome back to returning customer William, and two of his Schwinn's in for a complete overhaul.  So glad you remembered us (not to mention searching to find us!) Also thanks to all the cool folks for visiting us today, hope I answered all questions wisely.
Did manage to get out two new gem tody but the mens 24" sold about 10 minuets after posting on Craigslist so that ones a wash.  I was thinking it's real odd the difference  a couple of blocks can make.  At the old shop we couldn't give 24"'ers away, here? can't keep 'em in stock! 
Also put out a real sweet ladies Raleigh hybrid!  So check 'em out below!
All right, kids are yelling at me to get goin' so until tomorrow!

LAIDIES RALEIGH C40 HYBRID
ONLY $140.00!!

YEP. LASTED BOUT 10 MINS!

# 59!!!

Well once again the fine detective here at RE-Cycle have collared another bike thief!
All right...
So it wasn't our fine detective work, more like dumb luck.  Or to be precise a very attentive, smart and resourceful bike owner.  Turns out the Trek 4500 we bought last Friday was in fact stolen.  Trouble was (according to the officer I talked to today) that the officer who took the report Thursday evening had not in fact filed her reports yet before going off duty for the weekend, so the serial number never entered the system, therefore not being able to give me the heads up.  Well the owner caught it on Craigslist and contacted me with the serial number (YES! Someone who actually had enough snap to write down his serial number!!!) We confirmed it and he picked it up today! 
And as we speak the law enforcement re on their way to apprehend the would be thief!  YAY!!!

ANYWAY!
Was planning on putting out a bunch of new goodies today but once again we were blissfully slammed with customers today!  HOO-RAY!  So I have nothing new to report.  That's not to say we didn't build anything, Oh Nay, Nay!  Built two!  BUT, the were special orders from Bone Row.  Did get  few more goodies in today though!  A Giant Cypress, need a LOT o work but will be a real peach when she is done!  Ad picked up two 20" in trade, and they will be sweet as well when done!
So now it's off to home for corn beef and cabbage with the Irish wife and kids!
HAPPY Saint PATRICKS DAY!

Another Day...

Seems like Sturdy is the day of the looky Loo's!  But that's cool gets the word out!  Did sell the three wheeler to a gent who has long been wanting to get riding again!  Thanks for the referral Chip!  Also, as always thanks for ll the repair work!  Keep 'em comin!  Managed to get three more goodies out!  Really starting to make a major dent in the pile.  And thanks to Mike for the three wheeler order for his Mom for mothers day!  We will make her up right purty! 
All right, gonna head home as we will be once again open tomorrow from noon till five to pound out some more goodies!
Night Y'all!

LADIES 10 SPEED
ONLY $55.00!!

FS ELITE!!!
ONLY $100.00!!

LADIES 24" 15 SPEED
ONLY $65.00!!

Just A Quickie!

LORD!
Ever have one of those days you start a project and your not really paying attention.  Then as you have spent an inordinate mount of time on it realize there is a crucial part you forgot.
Yep.
Needless to Say the custom chopper cruiser I was working on will not be premiered today as I have to redo the rear end.
Sorry.
I DO however have a REAL gem to show off!  A pristine 2007 Trek 4500!  And I mean CHERRY!
Check 'er out!

Well, tonight's movie night, so I'm off.
Good night, Y'all!

CHERRY '07 TREK 4500
ONLY $250.00!!

Puttin' A Dent In It...

Well for anyone that ha bee in the new shop you will have noticed the stores mid section is dedicated to the projects "in the works" or "Bone Row" as it was.  We are finally making headway on building them up, and even though we keep adding to the pile, we are starting to notice holes opening up!  So hoo-ray for that!  Below are two more of the three made up today.  As is becoming tradition at least one build a day is being bought while still on the rack so no pic of that one.  Sorry. 
Thanks to the folks for visiting and all the high praise of the new shop.  Aside from some of the plaza's bar patrons, I think we are pretty welcome around here. 
Why the bar, you ask?  Well, as we have a narrow walk way, Angi, the kids and I have opted to claim a  parking spot in front of our store for bike parking so as to not block the walk path, and apparently a few folks don't like the fact that they have to walk a few extra feet to get to their favorite watering hole.  But hey!  Walking burns off beer calories, so it's all good!
ANYWAY!
Thanks to the discerning bike buyers, as the Schwinn Tourist found a rider today as well as the custom Mongoose BMX!  This young man KNEW he was getting one HECK of a bargain!
So with that (short one today) I'm gonna get back to it until close to see if I can get a fourth one close to done!
Peace!

WELL APPOINTED MEN'S 26" DUAL SHOCK MTB!!
ONLY $90.00!!!

COMFY LADIE 26" BEACH CRUISER
ONLY $70.00!!!

Happier Then A Mountain Lion Helping Find A Lost Hiker!

Ooooo!  I'm all a quiver with joy! 
Paco FINNALLY sent me some new strips!!  About time as I sent him the latest bath of scripts before Christmas!  But they were WELL worth the wait!!!  It's a run of strips with a common story thread about the realization of mortality that comes with the arrival of Grandparenthood!  Oh I can't wait!  Here's the story thread so far.... (I'll rant more after)

Well, it's not the whole story thread as I forgot, the rest is on my other computer which is down, but you get the point! 

ANYWHO!
Busy little bee today!  Put out three new goodies today, as well as several repairs (thanks so much!) and had a run on bikes as well. Put up the three wheeler, a GORGEOUS Schwinn Sierra 700RS, and a cool slick black cruiser!  That last one only lasted 8 minuets before a young lady called after seeing it on Craigslist and whisked down and snagged it up!  But I'll show the pic as she was a real gem!  Got some new goodies in as well!  They need SOME work, but they'll be a welcome addition.  Also have a soon to be sweet looking dual shock MTB in my bay (it's really two bikes being made into one).  Needless to say there will be many a new treat out over the next couple days so keep your eyes peeled, keys in pocket, coat on, shoes ready and phone set to speed Dial for our shop!
All right, end of the night so I need to mop up my mess and get  move on!
Night!





FULL REFURB 3-WHEELER
ONLY $125.00!!






SUPER, GORGEOUS, AWESOME, AND RELATIVELY OK SCHWINN HIGH END HYBRID!!!
ONLY $250.00!!!






"YEP! THIS ONE WAS GONE QUICKER THEN A FART IN THE DARK!!

 

Never Fails..

Consistency is grand!
After 7 years there is one constant I can always count on, and I try very hard when it occurs not to strike a knowing smirk.  Not unlike the visual clue the former "Commander and Chief" would strike whenever he was asked a question he knew the truth to but held back honesty.  That is when a customer will come in and check out a bike they like but for whatever reason hold of on the purchase in the interest of comparative shopping.  Now I am in full support of getting the best deal for your buck but sometimes I wish I had the nerve to just tell the folks not to waste their time, gas and avoid sticker shock.  But not liking the "used car salesman" high pressure I wish them a good day an end them on their merry way.
Until....
Some time later in the day they meander back in, clearly overwhelmed by the obvious forced education they had received by what bikes go for in those "other" shops!  Sometimes the ride they were looking at is still here, then again sometimes it's gone. These past couple days have been laced with such parables!  One of the gents that was in here this past weekend (read my rant from that day) who was rather rude to another customer and became upset that we didn't sell all our bikes for under $50.00 came back in yesterday to pick up the $55. men's MTB we HAD. Then once again his ire was up because we didn't have it anymore for him to buy.  Had a couple come in and check out the Flip-hub, then choose to check out some other local places.  Luckily they became aware of what a great deal it was quickly enough as they checked out a couple other close places and realized the same style bike there was 2 to 3 times as expensive!  And came in to snag it up.  Good thing as I was on the phone at just that moment talking to a gent who had checked it out on Sunday, choosing the same course of comparative shopping and desperately wanting to know if we still had it!  And if that wasn't proof enough of our value, just after getting off the phone with him and completing a sale on the gorgeous Fuji Flair with a lovely couple from the UK, another bloke called wondering if we still had the Fuji Flair he checked out on Monday! 
WOW!  "There's strange things afoot at the Circle K!"
I tell you this with no small glint of pride, and ego in reserve.  We are about value and trying to get the right person on the right ride.  No pressure!
ANYWAY!
Managed to put out one real cute gem yesterday (sorry busy with repairs!  THANK YOU for your trust!) a nifty little Schwinn Stingray replica (LORD, I wish it was an original!) A true trip down memory lane!  Also have another three wheeler about 90% done (this one was a BEAR!) and will be shooting its pics and stats on Craigslist shortly!
So with that I best get back to work!
See y'all soon!

SCHWINN STINGRAY REPLICA
ONLY $65.00!!!

Didn't Loose an Hour, Gained A Day!

Ah yes.  The old "set your clocks ahead so you become disoriented" trick! 
As usual it caught me totally unaware, Daylight Savings Time.  It was a good thing the babies already had me up at 8 am (or is that 7 am?) yesterday as we had planned to open yesterday at noon time.  Much work to be done and didn't want to be late!  The boys and I came in to do some cleaning and get out some more stock.  As it were, we did more cleaning and organizing (finally found a spot for all those WHEELS!) then we did stock.  Also turned out to be quite a busy day for customers as well!  Sold the gorgeous new(ish) Mongoose to a wheeler dealer, who discovered the "bargain" he got at that "other" bike shop was not such a bargain (yea we fixed that one up as well). Then the 24" mongoose left, after many people were "going to think about it"  They thought to long.  And finally the beautiful classic GT found a new home for a very appreciative young man who's father has a keen eye for a REAL bargain!
Thanks to Elijah and Kaleb for coming in and helping out, at the very least emptying out our overstuffed store room! And in getting out two new goodies at least!   And thanks to Momma who took her day off to get the much needed cleaning done around the house!  We finally have CLEAN SOCKS!!!!
Also a shout out to the young couple who came in looking for a Beach Cruiser for her but found something infinitely better...A kindred Browncoat!!!  For the non-initiated a "Browncoat" refers to a fan of Firefly.  Much like a Trekkie, or a Twihard they are fanatical followers of their fandom of choice.  The name Browncoats come from the main character, a member of the losing side in a civil war taking place in the far future.  (just go to Netflix and watch, guarantee you get hooked!) They spotted our "Little Damn Heroes" replica of Serenity, their ship, and became physically excited.  Then of course the Fan talk ensued! 
Which behooves me to mention, as I was riding the wave last night (or is that surfing the web?) I stumbled upon a depressing article.  Seems back in 2003 a photographer was doing some filming in a airplane graveyard in Nevada and stumbled upon a unique find.  See in episode 9 the crew run a heist on an Alliance medical center to relieve it of medical supplies (ie. drugs) and in order to get in pose as an ambulance crew.  Well the ambulance is like a helicopter without the rotors.  Well turn out when they finished filming the episode they ditched the prop in the grave yard!!!  WOW!  what I wouldn't give for that piece of history!
Anyway!
Check out the new goodies and we will see you soon!

SWEET MEN'S 26" CRUISER
ONLY $70.00!!

BOYS BEGINNER BMX
ONLY $35.00!!

Learning Curve For The YardSalers!

Woof.
There's an old saying that goes "Never shop on an empty stomach"  I must add to that by stateing "and never Blog when people have pissed you off!"
Well.... I am about to brake that rule....
"RUDE PEOPLE SUCK!!!!"
I'd forgotten, as it has been three year since we opened the old shop that for the first few weeks you have to weed out some folks, culling the herd as it were. See there are some folks who frequent second hand shops, we refer to them as "YardSalers" (one word).  Not that there is nothing wrong with going to yard sales, Oh nay, nay!  We hit one on the way to work this morning (I picked up three working VCR'S for $5.00!) no, I'm talking about that very special person who could find the lost Faberge egg for $1.00 and still try to talk them down to $.25!!!  You know the type.  Apparently they all descended upon us today, en' masse!! I had to remind myself that when you first open you have to grin and bear it.  They will most probably only come in once, realize you won't sell them a $200.00 bike for $20.00 and never darken your door again.  Nor will they try to sell you a "gem" of a "one of a kind-ultra rare, perfect condition" (rusty, kept in the back yard for 5 years and beaten with rocks Roadmaster) for $150.00 and not understand why you don't fall over yourself to hand over to them wads of cash an become incensed that you don't share there opinion, in total! Nor will they most likely return to inquire why all your bikes are not $50.00, or get mad at other customers for looking at the bike THEY want to look at.  "look at" not buy! Nor will they come back to blatantly state that they "can go to Wal-mart and buy that EXACT bike for $70.00 (ignoring the fact that that exact bike SOLD at Walmart for $279.00!) And i would have to guess that they more then likely figured out that a "re-furbished" bike shop sells...."re-fur-bi-shed bikes"!! and becoming angry that they drove all the way here and didn't find NEW bikes was quite inconvenient for them.  And they probably will figure out that a bike shop listed under "Used Bike's" probably means just that!!
Now don't get me wrong, still had many great folks come in today. Thanks to Joan and her hubby for grabbing up another ride from us, glad we could find her one so quick.  Also pick up some goodies, mainly parts, but one soon to be nice men's cruiser.  A well as a sweet, flip hub fixie conversion and a real nice Fuji Flair road bike.
So even though in the latter half of the afternoon Angela had to listen to a "Daddy language" laced tirade from your truly I would like to thank those folks who visited today and made it a pleasant day otherwise!
So with that i leave you with the latest addition to the sales floor and wish you a good night!
And by the by, should you need anything we will be here tomorrow from noon to five catching up with work!

CLASSIC 55CM FUJI FLAIR
ONLY $130.00!!

CUSTOM "FLIP-hUB" CONVERSION W/ CANNONDALE GOODIES!!
ONLY $165.00

Evening update!!

As we worked a tad bit late to help out one of our regulars we are running a wee bit behind getting home to dinner, so I gotta make this fast!  Thanks to all the great folks coming out and making today another resounding success story! Sold three more goodies with two being from bone road and barely touched.  Got in some more goodies as well, the highlight being a real GORGEOUS classic GT BMX (see pic below) and put out three more as well! 
Check 'em out and come by and visit tomorrow!

GORGEOUS CLASSIC GT
ONLY $150.00!!

MENS 24" DUAL SHOCK MTB
ONLY $60.00!!

LIKE NEW MONGOOSE BMX
ONLY $60.00!!

SCHWINN TOURIST COMMUTER
ONLY $175.00!!!