disservice...
I think my dad did me a great disservice by telling me I wasn't allowed to become a mechanic. My folks wanted me to go to Uni. I don't think they really cared what I studied, but in their eyes a University education was paramount, but by the time I had fumbled through my degree, my little brother was working as an electronics technician and earning a decent wage. So I guess they didn't have the same expectations for him.
Anyway, I was sick yesterday. I thought it was some kind of allergy because it feels like hayfever. It is a little better this morning cos I lost the sore throat but my nose is still burning and my eyes are itchy. I wasn't at work. I cleaned the house, hoping that if I got rid of the dust etc then there would be less allergens around and my symptoms would go away. After I cleaned the house I tinkered with the bike that I bought along with a bunch of spare parts the other weekend. I really want to get one of them running by the time Nic gets home on Thursday night. I decided to discard the wheels it came with, and am going to run a BMX wheel and a wheel that I got from a bike that the dodgy neighbours next door in Bentley left out for the bulk waste collection. It makes me happy, just simple, routine mechanical repairs. There is a real sense of satisfaction when you pull a hub apart on a wheel which is barely rolling, clean out the gunk, regrease, adjust and it's rolling like silk again. Bicycles are much cleaner and more elegant than cars, and they are small scale so it's easy to work on them in the villa.
I've decided that if I lose this job in the Government reforms, I'm going to try to get into the bike shop industry. I'd be a good wrench. I can do everything on low to middle end bikes. The only thing I haven't done is built wheels (though I would love to start! It would save me money and I could make whatever wheel/hub combo I like which will be good for dynamo wheels, 3 speed hubs etc etc!). I'm a quick learner. My friends are already talking about bringing their bikes to me for services.
I am learning more about bikes with the Xtra.... I am having derailluer problems, but I think maybe the chain is a link or two too long. It would make sense because the STP has shorter chainstays than the average mountain bike, and I just used the stock length of extra chain that came in the kit. I really really need to set up a workshop space. I think the little shed out the back can be for storage, and I can maybe set up my repair stand etc in the front room, when I get one. Using the car bike rack as a repair stand isn't that fun cos I get all kinds of funny looks from passersby and if you hang out the front of our villas for too long you get people asking you for money (like, WTF). Anyway I want to decide on bits I'm keeping before Nic comes home. I know at the moment there is an unacceptable amount of bike bits in the car port. There are, for instance, at least 5 20" wheels, and I'm sure that there are 2 that aren't worth using.
Anyway, I was sick yesterday. I thought it was some kind of allergy because it feels like hayfever. It is a little better this morning cos I lost the sore throat but my nose is still burning and my eyes are itchy. I wasn't at work. I cleaned the house, hoping that if I got rid of the dust etc then there would be less allergens around and my symptoms would go away. After I cleaned the house I tinkered with the bike that I bought along with a bunch of spare parts the other weekend. I really want to get one of them running by the time Nic gets home on Thursday night. I decided to discard the wheels it came with, and am going to run a BMX wheel and a wheel that I got from a bike that the dodgy neighbours next door in Bentley left out for the bulk waste collection. It makes me happy, just simple, routine mechanical repairs. There is a real sense of satisfaction when you pull a hub apart on a wheel which is barely rolling, clean out the gunk, regrease, adjust and it's rolling like silk again. Bicycles are much cleaner and more elegant than cars, and they are small scale so it's easy to work on them in the villa.
I've decided that if I lose this job in the Government reforms, I'm going to try to get into the bike shop industry. I'd be a good wrench. I can do everything on low to middle end bikes. The only thing I haven't done is built wheels (though I would love to start! It would save me money and I could make whatever wheel/hub combo I like which will be good for dynamo wheels, 3 speed hubs etc etc!). I'm a quick learner. My friends are already talking about bringing their bikes to me for services.
I am learning more about bikes with the Xtra.... I am having derailluer problems, but I think maybe the chain is a link or two too long. It would make sense because the STP has shorter chainstays than the average mountain bike, and I just used the stock length of extra chain that came in the kit. I really really need to set up a workshop space. I think the little shed out the back can be for storage, and I can maybe set up my repair stand etc in the front room, when I get one. Using the car bike rack as a repair stand isn't that fun cos I get all kinds of funny looks from passersby and if you hang out the front of our villas for too long you get people asking you for money (like, WTF). Anyway I want to decide on bits I'm keeping before Nic comes home. I know at the moment there is an unacceptable amount of bike bits in the car port. There are, for instance, at least 5 20" wheels, and I'm sure that there are 2 that aren't worth using.