i'll never wash this cheek again

[topaz]

Today I have two reminders why I love the Broadway Bicycle School:

1. I brought my flat tire in and announced that I needed to replace the rear wheel, since I'd gotten three flats in the last week and had concluded it was because the wheel was too far out of round.  (Note: this was not an inexpensive remedy to suggest.  A handbuilt bike wheel will typically cost upwards of $75.)

The mechanic who took the bike gently assured me that was a pretty unlikely reason for getting a flat.  After removing the tire and tube, they examined the rim and found a few spoke holes that were not thoroughly covered, where a tube might easily develop a leak.

So, after I essentially begged them to let me spend $100 on a new wheel, instead they replaced the protective rim tape on my wheel and charged me $10.75.

2. While I was sitting on the bench waiting for them to finish mounting my rear wheel, one of the other wrenches sat down next to me, looked at me sympathetically, and said, "Are you waiting for a flat?"

"Yes, I am!" I said.

"Well, you're the first flat tire we've served today.  And that means---"

She stood up and held up a MassBike t-shirt.

"You get a free t-shirt!"

And so I did.



Cheap repair service!  Free t-shirts!  It's almost enough to make me happy about getting the flat tires in the first place!

(Almost.)

Comments

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

That is the cutest damn picture EVAH, because you look so happy and proud. And about 8 years old.

You are such a kid. We know this. And we love you for it. ;-D

[rintrahroars.livejournal.com]

What she said. This pic is teh cute! *hugs*

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

So, I read this:

one of the other wrenches sat down next to me

as "one of the other wenches..." and wondered, "What sort of bike store is this?!"

(One with really good service, apparently!)

[khedron.livejournal.com]

Me too! And even on re-reading this, I kept seeing that. Partly because this is Tim, and partly because I kept wondering how his cheek came into the picture...

[renniekins.livejournal.com]

I love "misreads".

Mine was I thought he said "because the wheel was far too round".

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Hee! That would have been even better.

Me: "I need a new wheel! This one is far too round!"

Them: o.O

[renniekins.livejournal.com]

That would generate some confusion!

I remember seeing an article where somebody was using square wheels to ride on a sin wave surface, I think. It was pretty cool.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040403/mathtrek.asp !

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

It's true, they're all pretty hot down at the bike shop. But also totally out of my league, so I just nod and smile and look helpless a lot.

So far I've had great bike service --- I'll settle for not getting any dates out of it. :-)

[arfur]

What's best about Broadway Bikes is when they get a sales call.

Droid: Hello, I'm calling about an important business need. May I speak to the owner?
Wrench: We're a worker-owned collaborative.
Droid: Huh? WibblewibbleBLORT!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Best dialogue EVAR!

[fj.livejournal.com]

Communist Hippies.

Are you infiltrating them for the CIA? I am so proud of you.

[arfur]

(a) Boston, MA is outside the CIA's turf. I doubt it.
(b) I actually don't think I'm bragging at all by saying I'm far too competent to be a FBI infiltrator. IME, people trying to get into lefty groups on behalf of COINTELPRO or its successors are the most inept and stupid people you can imagine.

[fj.livejournal.com]

That's what they want you to think...

Wait, you met them?

[arfur]

The parental units had to ask a few of them to leave the group over the years.

You may say "sure, those are the decoys they wanted you to find"...but I simply don't think the part of our government assigned to such oily and useless work is really that competent.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

We can see the Broadway Bicycle School from our kitchen window. I've always wondered just what it is that they teach the bicycles.

[jss]

How to dance and sing so they can be in a Broadway musical, of course.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

Actually I liked 'em because I came in with my bike, said "I'd like to have this bike tuned up" and they asked, "Do you want us to do it or do you want to rent a stand and do it yourself?"

Granted, that was when I was 50 pounds heavier and with short hair, so they likely thought I was a bull-dyke or something. :)

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Well, sure, that's why I've always liked them. These are just the newest reasons. :-)