Now THAT'S a WEEKEND!!!

ZOWIE!!
A big thanks to all the folks who made the last couple of days so freaking awesome!  It was like the height of the busy season Friday and Saturday!  My biggest charge being that so many folks are out looking for rides! Sure, as always we greatly appreciate all your trust I bringing us your repairs, but also, in what is normally the doldrums of summer we have had so many people from all ages and walks of life coming in who REALLY want to ride! Over the last 72 hours I haven't been able to build them fast enough!  Below, I will show you what was built yesterday, and the ones that flew out of here since our last post.  We had a couple old builds come in as well!  We rebuilt a real sweet Trek Antelope 950 two years ago, and the gent who had bought it, brought it back in yesterday.  He was coming back to riding after a long absence, and after riding the Trek for over a year discovered he really enjoyed riding and wanted to upgrade.  No, no...don't berate him going "new", because if we helped in any small way towards his rediscovering the joys of two wheels?  Well, that is good enough for us!  Besides, we got back one SWEET ride AND I was able to fix one thing about the bike that always bothered me!  When it was originally put out, I didn't have a matching set of shifters to put her, but tis time around, I had the one she needed!  YAY!!!  And, ten minutes after posting her on Craigslist an excited father came I ad snagged it for his son.  Yep, that's the way it has been all weekend!  Even found homes for three of them while they were still in the rack getting their facelifts! 
And yes, you a bet there have been more then a few "Ten Minute Rules" in all that excitement!  One I particular gave me the giggles!  As I have lamented in the past, I am always hesitant to let those who "want to think about it" or "check out a few more places" know what will happen should they NOT snag up what they see and like when they see it.  A couple came in looking for two rides, and she saw the Trek 7200 we had and the awesome Giant Suede that was then being suspended in the rack ready to be transformed.  They both agreed they would be perfect....but....they wanted to "go look around".  Well...I took the plunge, went against my norm, and informed them what to expect "looking around".  We are the only shop I Florida dealing exclusively in refurbished bikes, and either they could shop Walmart and spend around $150.00 or go to another bike shop and spend $300.00 plus.  Then I pointed out the ten minute rule sign and what it meant and they gave a "yea sure" chuckle, and said they may be back.
Okey Doke!
....seven minutes later (yes...I actually use the countdown feature on my smart phone) another couple came in, saw the Trek...loved it and snagged it up.  They also eyed the Giant and after finding out how long until she would be done, came back and grabbed her as well.  Also, I that time frame, three other rides found new homes.  Well, no sooner had the dust settled from that busyness, and I did a per functionary clean and reorganization of the lie up, did the first couple come back in, now fully aware of what a sweet deal they'd walked out on, only to do a comic double take as to just how empty the store was compared to how it looked two hours prior!  I smiled my best Impish smile and waited for the inevitable "WHAT THE....where'd all the bikes go"  Oh...I REALLY fought the urge to smugly tap the Ten Minute Rule sign and grin!  But I was a good boy, and just informed them of what had occurred.
Is it wrong of me to take satisfaction out of moments like this?
Enh.....color me Smug!
ANYWHO!
Yesterday, what we still got left from the builds, are a real sharp looking ad well riding MGX dual shock MTB resurrected from the scrap pile, and the pick of the litter HAS to be a gorgeous 2012 Trek 7200 hybrid resplendent with a full compliment of accessories!  NICE!  This one was garage kept for four years and LOOKS IT!!  Gorgeous!
Today, got a couple quick repairs to do, then back to the newbies! 
Hope to see y'all soon!

2012 TREK 7200 HYBRID!

ONLY $325.00!!!

26" DUAL SHOCK MGX!

ONLY $90.00!!!

THIS ONE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE FLOOR!  (THAT'S THE NEW OWNERS FOOT I THE LEFT HAND CORNER!)

THIS TREK 950 HAD A BRIEF RETURN VISIT BEFORE HEADING OUT AGAIN!

THE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER SUEDE..NOPE, SHE NEVER SAW THE FLOOR EITHER!

In Life...grab what fullfills you...you may not be afforded a second chance!

Oh, if you folks ain't out there riding...You SHOULD be!  Sure, the days feel a lot like bundling up in a parka, covering yourself with a wool blanket and climbing up into the attic to take a roll in the insulation in August, but the Nights?  Not to mention early morning?  WA-HOO!  There is a cool breeze coming from...somewhere, and it is SAH-WEET!  The roads to yourselves, very little noise!  Oh, it does the soul GOOD! Just came in from my ride home and took a couple extra miles just to unwind!  Nothing but me, a couple cops and the paperboys! 
So, to all the folks calling in and inquiring about the Evox recumbent, well...yes...it WAS an awesome bike!  BUT...it's gone! It NEVER ceases to amaze me!  No matter HOW much I shout "DON'T WAIT!" to folks they must think I am full of bunk...high pressure sales and all that.
Um....NOPE! We've been doing this shtick for ten years!  We know how long it takes to find a new home for our rides and it is a QUICK adoption process!!! Most of these doe eyed beauties don't last for more then 24 hours before someone becomes smitten with the charms, and THRILLED at the LOW PRICED adoption fees!  The Evox was NO exception!  It's had only gone out Monday and we must have had two dozen calls within MINUTES of posting, and almost unanimously everyone, although THRILLED to find such a fine ride SOOOOO cheap...said they'd be in this weekend to look at it!?
Sigh.
I DO hope those people call first and save themselves a trip!
Today, yet again, was all about the repairs!  I did manage to get that sweet old Giant HUGE Big Boy stripped down and some of the parts picked out before I had to head out to sweat my nethers off at the plant!
Ugh.
Logan managed things after I headed out, and from what I heard took in a few more fixer uppers!  Have t check them out first thing!
And too anyone coming by the old Shoppe these last few mornings...sorry if I haven't been here waiting.  Although I really love my new position at the plant, the heat coupled with a VERY constant, steady work flow, has left me exhausted at the end of my day...so...a couple days this past week or so I have done a "whoopsie" and opened late.  I do HATE doing that...but...these old bones....what ya gonna do?
OKEY DOKEY!
Speaking of which, best get some sleep!
See y'all tomorrow!

Dwindle That Pile!

Another Monday come and gone!  And complete with a Solstice full moon, no less!  Although, sadly, for some reason, clouds or what have you, I never got to see the full effect!  Sad Face! Oh well...I did get to see a hunters moon the other day, and that was just as impressive!  Forgive me if I speak from this point forward in the present tense in regards to Monday, as my day hasn't ended yet, even though it's 4.44 am on Tuesday! 
Ick.
Been a busy day! LOL!
Got here earlier than usual, with an unusual amount of pep, and wanted to finish up the Schwinn S-25 we picked up on Saturday.  Sometime...how some folks can mistreat a perfectly good ride, escapes me.  The gent I picked it up from had "had it" with the bike, as it had been giving him "too many problems!"
Sigh.
It is a real clean looking example of the brand, but had just been...unloved.  The biggest problem was the forks were on backwards.  Yes, you may be scratching your head saying "WHAT!?"  but believe me, when I say this while I am talking to you, but as a Wal-mart bike..well...you get what you pay for when the guy "assembling" it, is paid minimum wage, has no skill, and a tool box that consist of four tools (no joke...flat head, Philips head, crescent wrench, and an allen key!) They put the petals on, turn the handle bars straight (sometimes) and put the seat on.  THAT'S IT! 
SO, sometimes, they are unaware that the brakes go FACING OUT!
Sigh.
Well, it had been giving him problems, BUT we gave her "the Old RE-CYCLE strip down" and solved ALL the problems!
Anywho!
Once that was done, it was on to repairs, as folks were at my door even as I was opening early!  YAY!  Once those were done, it was down to stripping down some of the overflow out back.  Yes, our thrice monthly visit from the landlord "concerned" about the build-up out back, prompted me to do a little foraging through the piles to figure out what could go!  I hate scrapping a bike that some day could see a new life, but not as much as I dislike the nervous tittering of the guy that owns the place!
Sigh.
I got about half way through the pile, and need to finish it up tomorrow.  BUT, I did manage to find room inside to drag a few "Could-be's" into the shop!
Sent the sweet men's cruiser to a new home, or rather Logan did in the evening, so there are still some folks out there brave and stalwart enough to endure the summer riding season!
HOORAY FOR MOXIE!!!
What's YOUR excuse?
Okey Dokey!
Now, I'm gonna get four hours of death sleep then be back at it!
Y'all have a good night...
er.....
Morning!

26" SCHWINN S-25!

ONLY $95.00!!!

There's an airbag at the bottom of this thing...right? An Airbag!?

Ten Minute Rule by proxy! 
Sometimes, the way things go around here can be somewhat confusing!  Case in point; We had two SWEET rides here for two-three weeks respectfully.  The Schwinn Protocol and the Townie Electra.  (that's not to say that ALL our rides aren't SWEET!) Both 2016 models with little to NO wear, and sporting price tags more than HALF off their original retail...but they sat for what, around here, is a LONG time (most rides are gone in 48 hours or less).  Advertised in all our useful internet venues (print is dead folks, sorry to say) and "renewed" on Craigslist every 48 hours, they just sat with little to NO response.  THEN, Thursday, the Protocol left to a loving home, and no sooner was it gone did I get three calls asking if it was still here (I had updated it's post earlier that day, and had not yet deleted it).  Yesterday, the Townie went out with a gent who had been wanting it since he first saw it while doing some after hours window shopping.  That was just before close, and true to form, this morning, first thing, prior to me doing all my morning updates, had two calls about it and one very nice lady stopped in, in an attempt to pick it up...having just seen it on Craigslist!  Always call ahead folks, and safe yourself a possibly, wasted trip! 
Now, as I am not one to shrink from criticism, we had an experience all together alien to us the other day, that brings about a cautionary tale!  That odd happenstance was a "disgruntled customer"!  Yes folks, it may sound a tad bit odd for anyone who works in retail or service to NOT complain about difficult customers on a daily basis, but we RARELY have ANY problems!  This time however, was a series of missteps that lead up to the problem. First, the gent brought in his Hyper Mountain Bike to, ostensibly, "get the gears fixed".   He did so, mid-week in the afternoon, after I had departed for the second job.  I spoke with Logan briefly, as the customer had wanted it done "while he waited" and had to explain the situation to him, which he begrudgingly excepted, but I assured him I'd check it out first thing in the AM and get in touch.  At this point he informed me that as he himself would be at work all day, and could not receive phone call, that I should just go ahead and "do whatever it needs".  I don't care too much for those conditions, frankly, as it has been my experience that what some folks may consider "a quick fix" is anything but!  I told him this, but he assured me it would be no problem.
Ok...famous last words!
When I got in, in the morning, I put the ride in the rack, and sure enough, it was skipping and missing shifts, and was quite sloppy.  But here's the rub, had NOTHING to do with the gears!  His rear axel was bent, the bearings on the drive side were blown, the left were worn down, the freewheel had several bent teeth, the chain had three bent links, the front tube was a blown out gell tube (ick) that needed more than "just air".  Now HOW he thought this was a gearing problem and didn't notice the incessant wobbling in the back end as he rode, is beyond me, but as he said "do whatever it needs" I did that.  Now, mind you, we replaced his freewheel, rear axel, replaced and repacked the bearings, replaced his chain, front tube, seat clamp and adjusted the gears for good measure for only $68.00.  If you have ever gone to a "boutique bike shop" you'll know, you couldn't get the freewheel installed for cheaper then that.  Well....he came in to pick up the bike the following day, and was "flabbergasted" that it cost "That MUCH!" to repair, what he was convinced, was a simple gear problem.  He had anticipated between $5-$10, would take care of the problem.  Here's the lesson; if you recognize that your ride isn't riding right, get it to a mechanic ASAP!  Little problems become BIG problems very quickly.  The longer you wait, the more wear and tear, metal fatigue ETC, that are going to end up costing you more.  He eventually, reluctantly, excepted the explanation (it helped that I kept all the old parts just to show him where all the breakage was) and departed.  Unfortunately, we, and others of our ilk, have the unenvied task of having to be the bearers of bad news, BUT, don't kill the messenger (This ISN'T....SPARTA!!!!) we didn't break it, we're just trying to fix it!
Okey Dokey...talking about "fixing" I best get at it!
And, oh YEA!  Duh'!  We put out another goody yesterday, nice, simple men's cruiser!  Check her out below! 

MEN'S 26" CRUISER!

ONLY $65.00!!!

1....2.....3.....CLEAR!!!!

It's Alive....IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Yes, Igor...the creature STIRS!!!

I have found the secret to bringing in hordes of customers and sending rides to new homes!  it was SO simple I can't believe I never thought of it.  Step One: Be REALLY tired and want to take a nap.  Step 2.  TRY to take a nap!  THAT'S IT!  It's just that easy!

Oh yes!  Summer time is here in a big way!  With the added work load at night ( short explanation:  I spent two weeks training my replacement...and he's not getting it as fast as he should. That coupled with no practical building aptitude, well...short form.  Now, not only do I have to learn my new job, I have to keep checking in with him and going over certain things...again....and again....and again! Couple that with working in the heat (NO cross ventilation in my section!  UGH!  I miss my BIG bay doors!) and I have had to build a rolling cart to help drag my butt around!) I was POOPED yesterday!  Logan hangs out here during the day to take over when I head to work, and after finishing up the repairs, and seeing as it had been relatively quiet that morning, I informed him I was going in the back room for a quick nap before I headed out, with the caveat that should anyone come in or call, to come get me.  No sooner did I lay my weary head down, did folks start coming in.  Well, no worries, sleep would come later...Hey, there's always COFFEE!! Seriously, I whine, but I am MORE then happy to get folks on to two wheels!  Amongst getting in a couple repairs, we also sent home a sweet DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!, that GORGEOUS Schwinn Protocol and the Motiv MTB!  On top of that, several phone calls from folks looking to come in and take a peek at what we have. 

Today, I have a few to tear down, then it's on to newbies.  I feel guilty, as this week I have only built two new rides and that is a LOW numbers turn out for us!  Shame on me!  But I've been....

Yea, I've been in a picture posting mood! 

And even in the rain, another ride just sloshed out to a happy new owner!

All right, I best get to it, as our stock is dwindling yet again!

Peace!

WE ARE ORLANDO!!

Hey, there, High there, Ho there! 
Oh, it's been awhile!  Sorry for not checking in sooner but it has been a somewhat grueling week so far!
Ugh.
Look, I am not going to rant on about what happened in Orlando this weekend.  As much as I would like to pen a SCATHING commentary on Americas PATHETIC desperate grasp on the 2nd amendment, to the point of the idiots at the NRA and their ilk crying FOUL whenever actual SANE people try and discuss the possibility of maybe, just possibly, we MIGHT want to consider enacting more stringent rules for WHO can go out and buy a gun, and the fact that MAYBE hunters DO NOT need a gun that can fire off 40 plus round a minute!
(Seriously?  Are the bloody deer manning a fox hole with a bloody Vulcan in it?!)
I mean...lets just TRY and think RATIONALY about this.  If someone has made REPEATED threats against America, is reported to be INTENSELY homophobic, has been investigated by the FBI TWICE, has had SEVERAL reports made to the police that he beat his wife, AND has a father who host an INTENSELY anti-American, Pro Taliban show....MAYBE, he may NOT be the one you want to give a gun license too!!!
I am JUST SAYING!!
It is WAY past time that we actually start being SMART!
GOD!
Anyway...
it was a long weekend.  I was awake Sunday morning when the story flashed across the computer.  I thought "that's HORIBLE!" but made no more connection to it then the mourning of another "sick and tired of this crap" American.
Until....
A VERY dear friend of our family...scratch that...he IS family!  All our children know him as "uncle Daniel" was at that club...that night.  Thankfully, good fortune smiled down upon him, and even though his friends urged him to stay for "one more drink" he opted to head back to his hotel.
....less then five minutes before it all began.
He hdn't even reached his hotel room when he first heard the shots.  When it was all over, he lost five very close friends. 
The sad reality of all this is, the more we allow this to continue, the more lives will be lost, and the more the living who remain, will be touched by it, directly in some way.  All the fighting about the cause, whether it by "homophobia" or "anti-American" or "Islamist Extremists" is just irrelevant.  It's all of us, sitting on our asses saying "oh...that's horrible" then just excepting it as the status quo.  All our ineffectual politicians with the graft jutting from their wallets from "NRA Lobbyists" telling us to "pray for the victims" while they sit on their thumbs and do NOTHING rational to stop the spread of violence because their coffers will be lighter, and all the idiots chanting that GOD AWFUL phrase "you'll get my gun when you pry it from my cold dead hands"....hmmmm? THERE'S A THOUGHT!!!  For a second I challenge you (because I NOW KNOW what it feels like to sit up all night and day, waiting and praying to hear from a loved one who may or MAY NOT have made it out alive because some crazy asshole with the "Florida Stamp of Approval" took his recently purchased, military grade rifle and mowed down a large group of people because he just didn't agree with their lifestyle, religion or political believes!) to sit and SERIOUSLY consider...what if it were YOUR wife, or husband or child or parents that were at that club, or mall, or movie theater, or college, or grade school?  Would YOUR belief that everyone has the "right to bear arms" hold up to the realization that if they JUST RAN A REALISTIC BACKGROUND CHECK your loved one would still be alive?! If after that, you STILL support this antiquated ideology...you're just a sick, twisted individual that holds NO value in your family OR human life!
Okay...I guess I did rant! 
But I ain't ashamed!
Enough is ENOUGH! 
Anyway...
I'm stepping down off my soapbox, whipping it off and putting it away...
for now.
Hopefully, this will be the LAST time any of us have to talk about this!
*sigh*
For now, once my ire has died down, I'll cover shop biz later.
Good night. 

Not a heck of a lot, no.

Well, it's been a few days, but lets face it, it's just like this during the summer. Things die down to a very slow crawl and very little of anything exciting happens.  Not much in or out, so our focus turns elsewhere.  This week has been kind of crazy on the running about, mainly end of the school, batting down the hatches for the kiddos kind of stuff, so if I have been here, it's more just keeping the doors open.  Today, I have hopes of actually building things.  We can only hope! 
We have managed to send a few to new homes this past week, and still kept a steady stream of repairs coming in.  All standard stuff though with no real fun stories.
God, I'm boring right now!
But, I thought I'd poke my head in a let y'all know, Yes, we are still here, just entering into our Summer Cocoon until more fertile fields become apparent!
See ya soon!!

Monday Morning, Today!

Sunday was SPRING CLEANING TIME!!! Well, okay, maybe not spring and unfortunately not just one day!  Ugh!  Still got stuff to put up today.  Trying to get the back of the shop organized and cleaned out.  Way too much sh...tuff cluttering up my area.  Surprising how much stuff you can accumulate when you're not really paying attention!  Of course, s I always the rule, the stuff will be sitting here for years, and the moment I get rid of it, is the moment I need it!  Just SAYING!
Yesterday was the perfect day for it, as with the impending storm coming, most folks just seemed to evaporate and go into hiding.  Funny thing is, it wasn't much of a much.  Some gusts and sheet rain for about a half an hour last night, and then just a slow, incessant drizzle.  I really don't think that qualifies as a HAZZARD WARNING that flashed over my cell phone last night! 
So, yes, more cleaning today, and getting rid of some of the access stuff I really have no need for, then, if time allows, on to newbies!
Thanks to all the folks for slowly trickling in today to grab their repairs.  Helps me weed out that to!
Okay, so tonight, I'm not sure if I will be finally getting out of shipping and going on to my new vocation, or if I'm going to have to continue there for a little while longer.  The "kid" they hired to replace me never showed up on Friday.  Granted, it's hard work, and the joint ain't temperature controlled, but it's a paying job! Trouble I find, is there's a good chunk of this latest generation that seems to want  the money, but not the work to get it!  By my standards, he was very slow, and spent the better part of Thursday complaining about the heat and the noise in the plant, as it was giving him a headache?  Seriously,  go hit up McDonalds.  SHEESH!  Sorry, but I just don't cotton to laziness!  The end result is, unless they get another body in there, I may be continuing, in some capacity, to cover that area.  Well, at least it won't effect my raise!
Okay, now I better get back at it!
See ya soon!

Conscious Once Again!

Hail and a hearty, ROWSDOWER!! 
After a few days of enduring insomnia I FINALLY got a full nights sleep last night!  WHEW!  Was beginning to think my brain would never shut down!  Once you start hallucinating...well...you got issues!  But, back at it and trying to get all the things that I let slide over those days back in order.  Cleaning the shop first thing this AM was imperative! Then on to repairs that have started to back up.  I had to do overtime at the plant yesterday so the shop became Romper Room with the kiddos in charge.  Well, a very capable Logan was in charge, but the rest of the brood just "showed up" after school with Elijah to hang out. 
So, this week has been a little quiet, as we sit under a tropical depression that doesn't seem to be amounting to anything but icky humidity!  This of course leads me to the seasonal lesson of when to ride!  Early morning, after dark!  That easy! And bring LOTS of water!
LOTS of looky loo's today.  Sometimes I just want to shout out "Grab it now!  Won't be here when you come back!  But I bite my tongue.  That's a no-win situation.  Someone comes in and really likes a ride but want's to "think about it" or "go check a few more places".  Sheesh. Inevitably the ones that do the later, always come back if they really want to ride, as they have gone to "other places", seen the prices, waited for the ambulance crews to restart their hearts, then rush back here.  Unfortunately, all too often, what they were looking at is already gone.  Such was the case first thing this morning.  And this time, I felt real sorry for the guy.  He'd traveled quite a distance to get here, lured by a Craigslist ad to check out the six speed cruiser we HAD.  He rode it, liked it and was thrilled with the price....but....he figured while he was in the area he'd check out a couple more shops to see what they offered. 
....six minutes later....
another gent came in with a REAL nice Schwinn Protocol, wanting not to ride the lower profile bars, and wanted something upright for tooling along the Pinellas Trail.  He snagged the cruiser right up and left a happy camper.  Then, true to course, the first gentleman came back in about an hour later, with the residual look of "oh my GOD" sticker shock on his face after viewing others wares, clutching his $75.00 ready to snag up the cruiser.  Folks, it's all I can do NOT to shrug an "I told you so" kind of shrug!  Trouble is, if I try to ever tell a new friend that they need to buy it now, I just come off like a high pressure salesman, and I can't STAND high pressure salesman!  Trouble is, we don't get in a lot of multi speed cruisers, no telling when another will come through our door.  I hated to see him go home empty handed!
All right, enough jawing from me, best get my hinester in gear!