"pass the 'beaters"



byron27 said:
them be fighting words from a wingless raptor!

how about this username: hawkswoodenspoon04?

or
"who-gives-a-stuff-about-bein-a-family-club-we-wanna-win"
or
"for-gods-sake-give-us-some-decent-colours"

aah, the days of Brereton, dippa, vanderhaar, and duckworth!
now they (hawks that is...) are all just coaches...
 
Hippy wrote:

> >You want to make $20 an hour, and get your hours cut back over winter?

> Damn.. when you put it like that.. it sounds OK! :)

I worked as a checkout chick at K-mart for a year or so, between high-school and tech. There's nothing worse than dealing with Joe Public. He's not a very nice person at all.

I daydream occasionally about chucking in the day-job, finding myself a nice little cottage in the countryside (with an enormous garage and a collection of domestic animals) and setting myself up as a master frame-builder, ala Richard Sachs, or Darrell McCulloch (Llewellyn cycles) or what-have you, spending my days filing lugs, and earning an honest living.

A few rough calculations on a piece of paper tells me that I'd be needing to make a lot of frames a year to live, and I imagine the fun would go out of it pretty quickly. Then of course there's Joe. Did I mention he's not a very nice person?

Research might not pay so well, but it beats the hell out of the real world.

Regards,

Suzy
 
suzyj said:
Hippy wrote:

> >You want to make $20 an hour, and get your hours cut back over winter?

> Damn.. when you put it like that.. it sounds OK! :)

I worked as a checkout chick at K-mart for a year or so, between high-school and tech. There's nothing worse than dealing with Joe Public. He's not a very nice person at all.

I daydream occasionally about chucking in the day-job, finding myself a nice little cottage in the countryside (with an enormous garage and a collection of domestic animals) and setting myself up as a master frame-builder, ala Richard Sachs, or Darrell McCulloch (Llewellyn cycles) or what-have you, spending my days filing lugs, and earning an honest living.

A few rough calculations on a piece of paper tells me that I'd be needing to make a lot of frames a year to live, and I imagine the fun would go out of it pretty quickly. Then of course there's Joe. Did I mention he's not a very nice person?

Research might not pay so well, but it beats the hell out of the real world.

Regards,

Suzy
working for the government pays well and has no connection with the real world at all!
i love it;)
 
flyingdutch said:
or
"who-gives-a-stuff-about-bein-a-family-club-we-wanna-win"
or
"for-gods-sake-give-us-some-decent-colours"

aah, the days of Brereton, dippa, vanderhaar, and duckworth!
now they (hawks that is...) are all just coaches...
you know your getting old when "baby face" harvey is lining up a senior coaching job.
Why it was only yesterday he was a fresh faced boy from keilor......
 
flyingdutch said:
This shop is 'different'. checkit. Its like the ultimate bike shed and there is little hi-end stuff unless you ask for it to be 'got' in. He specialises in getting people on their way on everything from (drool) an Airnimal to the 30yr old Apollo. No carbon fibre in sight (really) and there always seems to be someone in there with their bike up on his stand doing their own work.
Bring it orn!
Been there, done that. Taking up one of the w/shop stands to do repairs = not making any money out of that stand, cluttering up the workshop with people, unskilled tool ruination, malicious tool/stock swipeage, mechanic diversion/distraction on newbie questions. Peter needs to look at his overheads for being nice to people.

I've taught bike ed at TAFE, shops, BV etc., and you need a fairly long tether even in these structured situations for people not to take advantage of your goodwill, your tools and human nature in general. There's a difference between letting a few trusted customers have a 'lock-in' after hours, and letting every Joe wander in and grab the BB taps.

There's a happy medium, and letting people borrow the trackpump and showing them how to use it is the start to a happy relationship. BB taps come later.

M "once or twice bitten, and a bit shy" H
 
cfsmtb said:
Sir, you are a Wordsmith. It maybe a folly to even contemplating attempting to patent quotes, but you should try! And you're right about the lower case stuff. ;)
Wyall, thankee koindly.

BTW, not every 30 yo Apollo is a deathtrap shitter. They seem to start in the mind, with thoughts like "Brakes? Pfaw! Not going to need them today!" and an unconsciouness of heavy grinding and squeaking as being anything abnormal for a bike to do.

M "mortofaecophobe" H
 
mfhor said:
Been there, done that. Taking up one of the w/shop stands to do repairs = not making any money out of that stand, cluttering up the workshop with people, unskilled tool ruination, malicious tool/stock swipeage, mechanic diversion/distraction on newbie questions. Peter needs to look at his overheads for being nice to people.

I've taught bike ed at TAFE, shops, BV etc., and you need a fairly long tether even in these structured situations for people not to take advantage of your goodwill, your tools and human nature in general. There's a difference between letting a few trusted customers have a 'lock-in' after hours, and letting every Joe wander in and grab the BB taps.

There's a happy medium, and letting people borrow the trackpump and showing them how to use it is the start to a happy relationship. BB taps come later.

M "once or twice bitten, and a bit shy" H

Sad to hear your so burnt but i guess like you say the romance of it all is probably more in my (and others) minds whilst you toil in the trenches. fight the good fight an' all that. The people i saw using the equip all looked like old friends (possibly from MBTC? or the like??). Then again those people doing repairs probably have to buy bits to do those repairs...
 
flyingdutch said:
Sad to hear your so burnt but i guess like you say the romance of it all is probably more in my (and others) minds whilst you toil in the trenches. fight the good fight an' all that. The people i saw using the equip all looked like old friends (possibly from MBTC? or the like??). Then again those people doing repairs probably have to buy bits to do those repairs...

True. Don't wanna beat my own drum. I'd open a shop if I had the money, convinced I could do it better than anyone else who has ever tried . . . yeah, right.

The MBTC is almost like an extended family, complete with cousin Ruprecht, kept in a cellar for 15 years . . . this cousin's mah sister, yeehaw . . . :eek:

(sorry ;))

Some days, when the light's just coming through the back window at the right angle, and everything's flowing in and out of the shop smoothly, Biggsy's getting worked up on RRR about something, the boss isn't chucking a tantrum over something he'll have forgotten about tomorrow, and you aren't short of a vital part for a repair that has to be absolutely finished for tomorrow, and it's not raining, and you've had time to have a coffee and lunch, and people aren't asking too many obvious and time-consuming questions, then it's almost worthwhile.


I had an interesting experience once on a GVBR (yes, I was a Pegasus mechanic, to all of you out there who know us and . . . love . . . us), where poseur wannabe roadie bought a $100+ cadence computer to impress his poseur wannabe roadie friends/girlfriend: "I did 102 rpm back there, wow!", didn't want to be told it cost $25 to fit, wanted to do it himself, came back 10 mins later to 'borrow' cable ties, screwdriver, sidecutters, had pity taken on him (why? I don't know) by a certain mechanic who will remain nameless, snagged and broke every cable on the unit, and blamed us for not showing him how to do it, and wanted his $100+ back for us having sold him a faulty product. Certain mechanic who will remain nameless never got his sidecutters or screwdriver back either, despite a search for and accost, question, harangue, argy-bargy and walk off in disgust.

On the other hand, I have had people be almost pathetically and generously grateful for simple things I have done to their bikes as a matter of course. People, they're a funny lot.

M "most cyclists are nice" H
 
mfhor said:
True. Don't wanna beat my own drum. I'd open a shop if I had the money, convinced I could do it better than anyone else who has ever tried . . . yeah, right.

The MBTC is almost like an extended family, complete with cousin Ruprecht, kept in a cellar for 15 years . . . this cousin's mah sister, yeehaw . . . :eek:

(sorry ;))

Some days, when the light's just coming through the back window at the right angle, and everything's flowing in and out of the shop smoothly, Biggsy's getting worked up on RRR about something, the boss isn't chucking a tantrum over something he'll have forgotten about tomorrow, and you aren't short of a vital part for a repair that has to be absolutely finished for tomorrow, and it's not raining, and you've had time to have a coffee and lunch, and people aren't asking too many obvious and time-consuming questions, then it's almost worthwhile.


I had an interesting experience once on a GVBR (yes, I was a Pegasus mechanic, to all of you out there who know us and . . . love . . . us), where poseur wannabe roadie bought a $100+ cadence computer to impress his poseur wannabe roadie friends/girlfriend: "I did 102 rpm back there, wow!", didn't want to be told it cost $25 to fit, wanted to do it himself, came back 10 mins later to 'borrow' cable ties, screwdriver, sidecutters, had pity taken on him (why? I don't know) by a certain mechanic who will remain nameless, snagged and broke every cable on the unit, and blamed us for not showing him how to do it, and wanted his $100+ back for us having sold him a faulty product. Certain mechanic who will remain nameless never got his sidecutters or screwdriver back either, despite a search for and accost, question, harangue, argy-bargy and walk off in disgust.

On the other hand, I have had people be almost pathetically and generously grateful for simple things I have done to their bikes as a matter of course. People, they're a funny lot.

M "most cyclists are nice" H

What happened to Pegasus? is it still there? seems to have changed colour or locations along that stretch (altho the volvos are way too frequent around that neck of the woods to lookabout)
Amazes me you dont see more tandems. Maybe you can answer a question for me... I have collected a wife, a 10yrold and a six yrold.
Is there some kinda solution in a tandem form that gives you the flexibility to allow anyone of them to jump on as stoker with some adjustment without the need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

cheers
FD
 
flyingdutch said:
What happened to Pegasus? is it still there? seems to have changed colour or locations along that stretch (altho the volvos are way too frequent around that neck of the woods to lookabout)
Amazes me you dont see more tandems. Maybe you can answer a question for me... I have collected a wife, a 10yrold and a six yrold.
Is there some kinda solution in a tandem form that gives you the flexibility to allow anyone of them to jump on as stoker with some adjustment without the need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

cheers
FD
Pegasus (or Pegs 'r' Us, or Pig's ****, depending on what sort of mood you are in) are now one shop along - next to the big hole in the ground, and Startline Clothing. I help out there occasionally.

I saw a tandem, with a *tandem* trail-a-bike on it, on the GTBR a couple of years ago. I never say the couple lose it, either at each other or at the kids. Not once. They always got in last each day, but by all reports, had a happy family holiday.

M "a better man than I, Gunga-din" H
 
mfhor said:
Pegasus (or Pegs 'r' Us, or Pig's ****, depending on what sort of mood you are in) are now one shop along - next to the big hole in the ground, and Startline Clothing. I help out there occasionally.

I saw a tandem, with a *tandem* trail-a-bike on it, on the GTBR a couple of years ago. I never say the couple lose it, either at each other or at the kids. Not once. They always got in last each day, but by all reports, had a happy family holiday.

M "a better man than I, Gunga-din" H

Sorry, that wasn't very useful, was it?

Um, no. You can (used to be able to) get reeallly small rear frame tandems from Thorn in the UK (12/13"), but only 19" at the front. The wholesale availability of stock tandems in Aust. is pathetic - KHS(Bikesportz) is really the only big brand importing a range. Ian Christie no longer builds (vale Christie Cycles), so you just got to look around, methinks.

Sorry - I'll do some research - get back to you.

M "being stoker sucks, unless you like the bum in front" H
 
Flyingdutch wrote:

> Maybe you can answer a question for me... I have collected a
> wife, a 10yrold and a six yrold. Is there some kinda solution in a
> tandem form that gives you the flexibility to allow anyone of
> them to jump on as stoker with some adjustment without the
> need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

It would be an enormous compromise to accomodate that sort of size difference. Even the crank length needs to be reduced for kids.

A tandem is featuring pretty prominently on my "to-do" list. I've always admired the gorgeous tandems done by Spectrum Cycles http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/28.htm with hand made lugs. I'd really enjoy duplicating that, though I've started the whole stainless lug polishing thing for now, so it's more likely the frame after next, and then it'll be sized to suit two adults.

Regards,

Suzy

PS: First polished stainless lug (a fork crown): http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Suzy.Jackson/frame/polished_crown.jpg
 
suzyj said:
Flyingdutch wrote:

> Maybe you can answer a question for me... I have collected a
> wife, a 10yrold and a six yrold. Is there some kinda solution in a
> tandem form that gives you the flexibility to allow anyone of
> them to jump on as stoker with some adjustment without the
> need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

It would be an enormous compromise to accomodate that sort of size difference. Even the crank length needs to be reduced for kids.

A tandem is featuring pretty prominently on my "to-do" list. I've always admired the gorgeous tandems done by Spectrum Cycles http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/28.htm with hand made lugs. I'd really enjoy duplicating that, though I've started the whole stainless lug polishing thing for now, so it's more likely the frame after next, and then it'll be sized to suit two adults.

Regards,

Suzy

PS: First polished stainless lug (a fork crown): http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Suzy.Jackson/frame/polished_crown.jpg
I saw Ian Christie's jigs for his bikes. Man, they were looonnnggg!

He seemed to think getting everything vertical was the biggest hurdle IIRC, as the drivetrain could tolerate a bit of misalignment - not too much, tho' - if you do them in two halves. He got his bottom (oval) tube from an aircraft frame supply house in Moorabbin, along with odd size cro-moly for other bits and pieces.

M H
 
flyingdutch said:
Amazes me you dont see more tandems. Maybe you can answer a question for me... I have collected a wife, a 10yrold and a six yrold.
Is there some kinda solution in a tandem form that gives you the flexibility to allow anyone of them to jump on as stoker with some adjustment without the need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

cheers
FD

Tandems can be twice the fun...... sometimes.
Check out the Bike Friday Family tandem. http://www.bikefriday.com/bikecat99.cfm?cat=10
They make lotsa folding/family/touring small wheeled bikes.
 
Bikesoiler said:
Tandems can be twice the fun...... sometimes.
Check out the Bike Friday Family tandem. http://www.bikefriday.com/bikecat99.cfm?cat=10
They make lotsa folding/family/touring small wheeled bikes.

Large family? Lots of cycling buddies? Like riding long things?

Not a problem with... <drumroll> ...

The Great European Velocipede:
http://thehippy.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=72
http://thehippy.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=83

hippy
 
hippy said:
Like riding long things?

Like how I slipped that one in there?

Oh my god, he's done it again!! He's on fire!! Two in two posts! Hot hot hot!

Captain Innuendo strikes!

hippy (obviously lacking the bare minimum human blood sugar amount..)
 
hippy said:
Large family? Lots of cycling buddies? Like riding long things?

Not a problem with... <drumroll> ...

The Great European Velocipede:
http://thehippy.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=72
http://thehippy.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=83

hippy

how does that 'thing' turn a corner?
 
flyingdutch said:
how does that 'thing' turn a corner?

I gave you a pedal people mover and you want it to TURN as well!?!

Geez! There's just no pleasing some people..

It's only good for riding along the Calder Hwy :)

hippy ;-)