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The Vital MTB Crew
It always amazed me how all of a sudden, being an engineer makes your a master of all trades ( including bicycle repairs) whilst i understand that engineers are some rather onto it folk and pretty well mechanically minded, but hell man. I do all my own car repairs, but by no means am I a Car mechanic?
2. Non-workshop based staff taking tools and not putting them back, all too often are we searching for that elusive 5mm or pedal wrench.
3. My skills and tools are my Job, if I let you use them and show you how - I'll have no bikes to work on and will be worth nothing to my employer!
4. "it's just a bike" - People believe that bikes are a hassle free way of commuting. However don't stop for a second to think about the damage this incurs to your bike if not maintained and tuned correctly.
5. "Mountain bikers" Just cause your bike has gears does not make you a mountain biker..
6. " oh yeah i ride downhill" - Rides at local Xc trails...
and one of the biggest is....
JRA - JUST RIDING ALONG
two of my favorite home bike mechanic situations ever:
1. the guy who COVERED his drivetrain in the thickest red wax grease i have ever seen. the only thing we could think of was that is was chainsaw wax? we could not get ANY of it off. he was complaining of his bike not being able to shift. good thing it was an XT/XTR build on a full suspension. his repair totaled a few hundred in parts...
2. the genius who threaded a left pedal onto a right crank arm. ALL THE WAY IN. this one blew my mind. it took a while for me to explain why this was bad. and why he needed new cranks (he was getting clipless put on). i think we might have helicoiled for him though.
2. Customers who... when you explain how unsafe something is on their bike and what it would take to make it safe to ride, tell you, "I don't want all that done, I just want you to adjust the ______ so I can ride it!"
3. The GMOBs who slink around the racks and cases causing you to have to keep an eye on them and still try to get bikes done, only to catch one pocketing something and denying it while you tell them not only did you SEE them pocket it... but the CAMERA did too! Then they pull it out of their pocket all angry-like, swearing they'll NEVER come in here again to buy anything!
4. All the people who come in with their soccer balls and basketballs asking to use your air hose... or asking YOU to air it up for them.
5. Homebrew eBikes or gas engine converted bikes... and a pretty sketchy bike somewhere beneath all that crap
6. Anyone who has some personal/business dealing with the owner (read: the insurance agent, vendor, neighbor... etc) and buddies up to them, then always expects free and 'head-of-the-line' service! Also when these people come in and ask for the head mechanic because no one else apparently should touch this person's bike!... "Is 'The Dude' here?" "No, he's off today, what can I help you with?" "Naw... I'll wait for 'The Dude' to come back. What's his number? Just want to ask him a question!".
7. The whole tool/bench respect issue!
8. The one-time customer who you treated really nice... then forms some sort of sad attachment to you and drops by almost EVERY DAY just to hangout and chat with you while you work! Usually full of newbie questions or the other guy who reads bike/product reviews as a religion and feels he can update you on all the latest shit in the bikeworld while you try working.
Bu he always pays in cash so you grin and bear it.
2. The customer who is constantly concerned about tire pressure on their Huffy, and on a similar topic the customer who accuses you of "stealing" the valve cap when you put some air in.
3. The customer who says "hey, it's just a bike shop!" as if being covered in grease, while selling some tri-bars, while answering the phone, all while watching a customer disassemble their entire bike in the parking lot (just to change a flat) because you had to ask them not to do it in the shop is the reason you work in a shop, because of how much you love all of that.
4. The engineer, mechanic, what have you that insist they can work on their own bike... actually that may be the best part of working a shop.... fixing their mistakes
But hey, I would rather be still working in a shop.
I think if I can go through a week without hearing 'I can buy a car for that much' I'll dance a jig.
Edit2: As above, the sad guy you were nice to once and now won't leave you alone as per above. Oh my god, fuck off I have work to do.
A friend of mine wrenched on a bike that smelled like piss. He said to his buddy, "Greg, your bike smelled like piss", to which Greg replied "yeah, the derailleur was frozen and i couldn't shift so i pissed all over it." Damn, that shop wrench was pissed off at that reply. hahaha
I don't like people peering over my shoulder to read what I'm reading or typing either.
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