Spinner John says the correct answer to how many bikes should you own is always one more. My finite mind sees that answer eventually running into problems. I would willingly concede that one should always have a project in the works. Something to think about, something that puts your mind on the hunt.
To that end; I have had something brewing for several months. The beauty of not being in a rush is one can peruse eBay, Craig’s List, bike shop clearance bins and garage sales with peaceful frugality and selectivity. My current project has come together slowly and has turned out to be an amazing bargain as well.
I concluded the project bike for Zach a few weeks ago and the timing allowed that to simmer over the dark days of the Seattle winter while parts periodically appeared on the doorstep. I got him some Bontrager bars for $1.04 plus $5 for shipping. I got a similar deal on the stem. He came out of it with a wonderful bike. I meant to get some photos for the Blog and will do so before too long. It is a beauty.
All the while I had another project waiting in the wings. Although fewer parts were needed (a hint for you sharp readers) these too arrived in boxes on the porch now and again. Quality was less of a concern for this one and it is perhaps a bit reflective of my sense of humor. I will share this project shortly, stay tuned….
When you work on bikes you face the dilemma of how to dispose of the old parts. It would make my dear mum proud to see the plethora of odd parts sitting in boxes in my garage. When I start tallying up in my mind, “I do have those wheels and that old fork, I must have some brakes” Pretty soon I create a mental list of what would be needed to turn those parts into a project.
My sister in law brought over a bike I had built for her a few years ago. She wanted a couple upgrades and I was happy to do it. Now I have a crankset that is sitting in my spare parts bin. . It reminded me of the lineage of some of my bike parts. I have a set of handlebars that has been on four different bikes. Parts don’t like to stay in the bin. They want to be used again.
In my college days I was running eighty to a hundred miles a week and eating everything that didn’t move fast enough. We runners used to compare stories about eating. One of my teammates said he starts with a bowl of Frosted Flakes and adds milk and starts eating. When the bowl runs low on cereal but still has milk, he just adds more cereal. When the cereal gets a little dry, he pours on more milk. This process leans toward being a perpetual thing, and I am not sure what would ultimately prompt him to stop, but he had single digit body fat at the time. I can only assume that like me, his eating habits changed; or perhaps he looks like a house.
So to draw out this metaphor as far as possible: I don’t want to get fat, but I do enjoy those Frosted Flakes.
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