"pass the 'beaters"

mfhor Wrote:
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 cousi
Ruprecht, kept in a cellar for 15 years . . . this cousin's mah sister
yeehaw . . .

(sorry )

Some days, when the light's just coming through the back window at th
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'
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 b
absolutely finished for tomorrow, and it's not raining, and you've ha
time to have a coffee and lunch, and people aren't asking too man
obvious and time-consuming questions, then it's almost worthwhile.


I had an interesting experience once on a GVBR (yes, I was a Pegasu
mechanic, to all of you out there who know us and . . . love . . . us)
where poseur wannabe roadie bought a $100+ cadence computer to impres
his poseur wannabe roadie friends/girlfriend: "I did 102 rpm bac
there, wow!", didn't want to be told it cost $25 to fit, wanted to d
it himself, came back 10 mins later to 'borrow' cable ties
screwdriver, sidecutters, had pity taken on him (why? I don't know) b
a certain mechanic who will remain nameless, snagged and broke ever
cable on the unit, and blamed us for not showing him how to do it, an
wanted his $100+ back for us having sold him a faulty product. Certai
mechanic who will remain nameless never got his sidecutters o
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 an
generously grateful for simple things I have done to their bikes as
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 change
colour or locations along that stretch (altho the volvos are way to
frequent around that neck of the woods to lookabout)
Amazes me you dont see more tandems. Maybe you can answer a questio
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 th
flexibility to allow anyone of them to jump on as stoker with som
adjustment without the need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

cheers
F

--
flyingdutch

flyingdutch Wrote:
What happened to Pegasus? is it still there? seems to have change
colour or locations along that stretch (altho the volvos are way to
frequent around that neck of the woods to lookabout)
Amazes me you dont see more tandems. Maybe you can answer a questio
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 th
flexibility to allow anyone of them to jump on as stoker with som
adjustment without the need for kiddy-cranks or the like?

cheers
FD
Pegasus (or Pegs 'r' Us, or Pig's Arse, depending on what sort of moo
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
couple of years ago. I never say the couple lose it, either at eac
other or at the kids. Not once. They always got in last each day, bu
by all reports, had a happy family holiday.

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

--
mfhor

mfhor Wrote:
Pegasus (or Pegs 'r' Us, or Pig's Arse, depending on what sort of moo
you are in) are now one shop along - next to the big hole in th
ground, and Startline Clothing. I help out there occasionally.

I saw a tandem, with a *tandem* trail-a-bike on it, on the GTBR
couple of years ago. I never say the couple lose it, either at eac
other or at the kids. Not once. They always got in last each day, bu
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 fram
tandems from Thorn in the UK (12/13"), but only 19" at the front. Th
wholesale availability of stock tandems in Aust. is pathetic
KHS(Bikesportz) is really the only big brand importing a range. Ia
Christie no longer builds (vale Christie Cycles), so you just got t
look around, methinks.

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

M "being stoker sucks, unless you like the bum in front"

--
mfhor

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 siz
difference. Even the crank length needs to be reduced for kids.

A tandem is featuring pretty prominently on my "to-do" list. I'v
always admired the gorgeous tandems done by Spectrum Cycle
http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/28.htm with hand made lugs. I'd reall
enjoy duplicating that, though I've started the whole stainless lu
polishing thing for now, so it's more likely the frame after next, an
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...ished_crown.jp

--
suzyj

suzyj Wrote:
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...shed_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


--
mfhor

Bikesoiler Wrote:
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/displayi...lbum=32&pos=72
http://thehippy.net/gallery/displayi...lbum=32&pos=83

hipp

--
hippy

hippy Wrote:
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