Friday, September 04, 2009

A Marketing Ploy

Dave left my bike shop earlier tonight. In tow he hauled out a brand new custom build ride he assembled himself. Dave probably got home tonight with his new love and propped her up in the corner of his garage. He made sure she had any available light shining on her. He stepped back and I am sure he grinned.

I know this about Dave because he and I share similar cycling spirits. Had I been him tasting for the first time a piece of two wheeled art I had just completed, I would also have surely grinned. I might even have enjoyed that kind of satisfaction that visits us on rare occasions. The euphoria that starts somewhere deep inside overwhelming us and our only answer is to smile.

A bike build successfully carried out brings with it pleasure to all the senses. The meshing of colorful metals with technological purity reward the mechanic in the cyclist while also teasing the cyclist in that mechanic. Thoughts bounce from appreciating the effort to bring it all together to how and over what it will roll. Trails will fly by. Wishing to hear the hub whir as the tires break traction and then hook up. The aroma of new grease and chain lube blend with the smell of new rubber. Moments are spent trying to remember the two wheeled beast as just parts, pieces, nuts and bolts. We wonder at it's simplicity and are awed by it's complexity.

We stare at this yet untried machine. We know it will not let us down. We have planned. We have installed with care and concern. Positioned each part with precision. Agonizing every little detail, tipping a lever down just so and tweaking the chain line until it is perfect. Plucking nicely tensioned spokes promise us mechanical loyalty from this man made, man powered conveyance. Life makes sense for a moment.

Yeah, a new bike beats pretty much most anything I can think of.

Back in a Flash.............................

Thanks to Dash Jim for this fine photo of Dave and his new ride.

OH Yeah!

I started this post with ulterior motives. Once again I came with a plan to influence choices and sway focus. What resulted hardly worked out that way.

I have started yet another Blog. That makes three blogs in the official kinda way. My new blog is dedicated pretty much to cycling and my bike shop. It is intended to enhance my overall strategy to create a larger Web presence. In a business kinda way. So if you are feeling like visiting yet another new blog by some fool in Maine, stop by CRUM Cycles . It isn't or rather won't be just about bikes, shop rats and how anal retentive roadies just make my day sometimes. I figure to chronicle my re-birth as a business. Or keep track of it's demise. Either way, Life just got a tad more interesting.

(489 / 1230)

2 comments:

Randal Graves said...

You shameless capitalist. May you sell a million bicycles.

BBC said...

My old three speed sure is getting rusty. But that's okay, it hasn't got to last any longer than I do.

I'll assume that you are making enough money for a basic living, that is all I cared about when I had my parts house.

That was a fun business, buy parts, sell them, buy more, sell them. The rest of the time, sit around and bullshit with friends and customers.