Unwarranted Bike Repair-Leaves Warranted thoughts...

photo courtesy and kindness of Chris Radok(December 2001)-click for big

Yesterday afternoon while waiting for time to pass on the park bench in front of the opposite of creation Tower Rich (all you Mike Piazza fans out there should check out his latest interview representing Team Dicky for Velo News)noticed that the Giant Zum Zum Commuter Rig locked to the rack in front of us had it's rear V brake cable noodle unattached and wide open rendering it useless. Function check. I went over to the bike and tried to put the noodle in the grommet but something was wrong, the front ferril was out of the lever housing which Rich put that back in correctly. Spin the wheel, contact with the brake pads major, no spin. Wow, this guy must have really smacked something hard and instead of fixing it he simply opened the brakes and ignored the problem. With Dicky's help not permission we turned the bike upside down while still locked to the rack and then I began to true the wheel as best I could. It was really far out and after the first few minutes I was not even sure if I would be able to line it up or make the problem worse. Time passed, I could see it coming around again but there were many turns of the Park Tool spoke wrench to make. Now that the big hobble was out there was what was left from that pull leaving a little opposite side to side close by that original lub dub. More time, Lee rolled up to ask me what I was doing, then Dude. You guys, I do not know, I saw this commuter lock up and I cannot let him leave without brakes, you know I am not doing anything right now anyway. With Lee there I finished and the wheel was almost perfect all over again, he helped me upright the bike and then I made the final adjustment to the left brake arm which was only a small turn of the screw. I left a note for the commuter telling him he had received a free street side bike repair from the CMA and to enjoy his newly operating brakes. Had I been thinking about potential Blog Fodder I would have snapped some pictures of this maintenance call but while I was working on it I never thought about the blog. Sometimes it seems strange to differentiate between life and bringing that life to the blog for although intertwined I am not necessarily sure I want one to be the catalyst for the other. Hunh? Life is worth blogging but blogging is not worth living, there you have it an original thought with a sleepy head. Next time I fix some one's bike without their permission I will do my best to make a photo document as well.......